Help vs. Scrying

[The Amazing Dingo]

Also, note that scrying does NOT allow hearing, only seeing. Your priests of Iuz will have to use the Lip Reading version of the Spot skill, in order to determine what is being said.

Actually, its right in the spell description that Scrying does allow the caster to hear.

You can see and hear some creature, which may be at any distance. If the subject succeeds on a Will save, the scrying attempt simply fails

 

[Steverooo]

[*]The Scry spell only sees and hears...

Nope. Scry, PHB:274, "If the save fails, you can see (but not hear)..."

 

[The Amazing Dingo]

Nope. Scry, PHB:274, "If the save fails, you can see (but not hear)..."

hehe...looks like there is a misprints someplace. In the SRD, right after the box Connection Modifiers, the opening line is (and I think this is also the line you are referring to):

If the save fails, you can see and hear the subject and the subject’s immediate surroundings (approximately 10 feet in all directions of the subject). If the subject moves, the sensor follows at a speed of up to 150 feet.

I'd be willing to bet that the Handbook has a typo in it and that the typo was corrected in the SRD (I've never seen Scrying not allow hearing in any game I've participated in or read about).

Off to the WotC website for that Errata...knew I should have saved it to my Favorites.

Edit: Yep, just checked the Errata. Link to it is below.

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/er/20040125a

 

[Steverooo]

Why, them SNEAKY, no-good, lop-eared, RULES-CHANGIN' Iuzites! Okay, so now they can hear, too!

Anyway, get some lead foil to screen all the houses in town, and you can sleep wherever you like, without having to make a save. When you go out, have a Dispel Magic handy, and a tent or wagon likewise foiled, to <Ahem!> foil their scrying spells. Assuming you can dispel it...

Rope Trick, etc., aren't as effective.

 

[Nail]

Actually, rope trick is pretty effective. Not only are you on another plane, but there is simply no way to teleport to your location! Moreover, you give the scrier no clues about your surroundings, assuming you fail the Will save.

Admittedly, rope trick is useful only when "camping" or pausing to plan.

As I see it, scrying (the 4th level spell) is really only useful within the "scry-buff-teleport" combo, as the scry spell has such a short duration. What's the likelihood of the Bad Guys(tm) hearing anything useful over the course of a few minutes per day? A better plan for the Bad Guys(tm) is to gather the strike team, scry on the PCs, then teleport and start the slaughter and mayhem.

For the record, that would probably require a cleric and a wizard, both of at least 9th level. So the tactic is neither cheap nor easy. ...And there are counters, as as already been mentioned. Still, the Bad Guys(tm) should use their best techniques as early as possible...it helps "ramp up" the intensity and believability of the story. You won't regret it!

 

[Nail]

.....forgot to add: the Bad Guys should know enough to scry - buff - teleport at night. Say......2nd watch? Wizards and other spell casters are asleep (so they can regain spells), and so the low-Will save fighters and rogues are on watch.

Everyone: look at your own party's watch order. You know it's true.

 

[Someone]

For the record, that would probably require a cleric and a wizard, both of at least 9th level. So the tactic is neither cheap nor easy. ...And there are counters, as as already been mentioned. Still, the Bad Guys(tm) should use their best techniques as early as possible...it helps "ramp up" the intensity and believability of the story. You won't regret it!

If you are thinking on a cleric casting scry an describing the scene to the wizard, note that Teleport no longer works with a description (that requires Greater Teleport). The wizard has to do all the work.

 

[Steverooo]

Actually, rope trick is pretty effective. Not only are you on another plane, but...

I think you misunderstand... On another plane is +5 on the Scryee's Will Save. Lead foil blocks the scrying altogether. Hence, this mundane prevention is superior vs. Scryers. No need to save.

Of course, the two are not mutually exclusive. One could cast Rope Trick while inside a lead-lined shelter in order to gain the benefits vs. teleportation and scrying, both.

Anyway...