Gaze attacks

[johnsemlak]

Is a Gaze attack always a free action?

 

[shilsen]

No. In fact, most of the time, a gaze attack is either not an action (opponents have to make a save vs. the gaze on their turn) or a standard action (the creature decides to use its gaze attack as an active attack on its own turn). Both can happen in the same round, of course. Some creatures may have a gaze attack which works as a free action, but that is not always the case.

 

[Yair]

Gaze attack, huh? I wonder why the sudden interest ...

I agree. So do the rules:

Each character within range of a gaze attack must attempt a saving throw (which can be a Fortitude or Will save) each round at the beginning of his turn.

...

A creature with a gaze attack can actively attempt to use its gaze as an attack action. The creature simply chooses a target within range, and that opponent must attempt a saving throw. If the target has chosen to defend against the gaze as discussed above, the opponent gets a chance to avoid the saving throw (either 50% chance for averting eyes or 100% chance for shutting eyes). It is possible for an opponent to save against a creature’s gaze twice during the same round, once before its own action and once during the creature’s action.

An "attack action" is a standard action, of course. So a character, let's call him Misha, gets to save at the beginning of HIS turn, then if the gazing creature decides to use his gaze attack on him he gets to save AGAIN this time on the creature's turn. The first gaze-induced save is not due to a free action since it's not on the monster's turn, the second is not a free action as it is a standard action.
Anyone standing within gazing distance (let's call her Stanislava) should get to save regardless of the direction he is facing according to the rules as written. Anyone far away (let's call him Burian) is out of range and safe, of course.

Now the only question is: when will the gazed wise up and try to avert their eyes? Well, we'll see...

 

[Pinotage]

Gaze attacks can be very nasty if multiple creatures abound. In our current City of the Spider Queen game we're fighting 5 Quth Maren, requiring a Will save every time you're within 30 ft of them, and more if they actively attack you. You might want to have a look at the rules regarding averting your gaze, as that's the only thing that really saves you.

Pinotage

 

[kjenks]

Heroes’ Feast -- it's great to be immune to fear!

 

[UltimaGabe]

Gaze attacks can be very nasty if multiple creatures abound. In our current City of the Spider Queen game we're fighting 5 Quth Maren, requiring a Will save every time you're within 30 ft of them, and more if they actively attack you. You might want to have a look at the rules regarding averting your gaze, as that's the only thing that really saves you.

Pinotage

Ooh, I HATED THOSE QUTH MAREN!!!!! We went through that adventure a couple years ago, and that had to be the deadliest adventure I've ever gone through.

Out of curiosity, have you met the Keening Spirit yet? If so, I'm sure we can both agree that the adventure is meant to kill everybody who tries to complete it. If not, I'm sorry, but you're going to die sooner or later.

 

[dcollins]

Monte Cook's "Demon God's Fane" has an area with 8 Bodaks, each with Death Gaze.
My players will never forget that encounter.

 

[Evilhalfling]

Ooh, I HATED THOSE QUTH MAREN!!!!! We went through that adventure a couple years ago, and that had to be the deadliest adventure I've ever gone through.

Out of curiosity, have you met the Keening Spirit yet? If so, I'm sure we can both agree that the adventure is meant to kill everybody who tries to complete it. If not, I'm sorry, but you're going to die sooner or later.

well we are averaging one death per game, and irrevocable deaths 1 per 3
although some of the second are people who decieded not to return to life.

we have given up fighting and have tunnled under the last two fights.
Passwall + many stoneshapes and tunnling wildshape are fun.
but I dont think the DM will let us do it much longer.

 

[Mistwell]

We recently almost got a TPK from some rasts in Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil (everyone survived, barely, and it took some luck). Rasts have a paralyzing gaze, and once you are caught in the loop of the paralyzation, you are pretty much out of it for the rest of the encouter (since you are paralyzed usually for many rounds, and each of those rounds your eyes are wide open, and thus you can be gazed and must make more saves each round you are paralyzed, causing an endless loop of paralyzation).

After the battle, we thought of the following ways to deal with it:

1) Cast invisibility on the opponants (or, improved invisibility). Yes, they will be harder to hit. However, they can no longer hit you with a gaze if you cannot see them at all. It's even possible you could glitterdust them, so you can see them to hit them, but their eyes are themselves not visible and therefore not able to gaze you.

2) Cast Darkness in the area of the opponants. You cannot see them, so the gaze does not work. They also cannot see you, so everyone is on a fairly even playing field otherwise and attacking at the same penalty.

3) Use an alternative method of seeing them, such as tremorsense, scent, blind fighting, etc...

Gaze attacks proved to be way more powerful than I ever knew. But, some smart applications of relatively low level spells can neutralize the gaze.

 

[Hypersmurf]

1) Cast invisibility on the opponants (or, improved invisibility). Yes, they will be harder to hit. However, they can no longer hit you with a gaze if you cannot see them at all. It's even possible you could glitterdust them, so you can see them to hit them, but their eyes are themselves not visible and therefore not able to gaze you.

Of course, if it's a normal Invisibility spell, then it ends as soon as they take any direct offensive action...

2) Cast Darkness in the area of the opponants. You cannot see them, so the gaze does not work. They also cannot see you, so everyone is on a fairly even playing field otherwise and attacking at the same penalty.

In 3.5, Darkness only provides concealment... so there'd be a 20% chance the gaze attack would fail. (Or, in other words, an 80% chance it would be just as effective as normal )

-Hyp.