Help with a Halfling Wizard...

[eXodus]

i am going to do it!

i am. the horse assassin is just too blasted cool not to use. damn amazing i must say.

 

[shilsen]

Hah! That's just beautiful, Zarathustran!

Minor point - AFAIK, it's not clear whether a detect magic spell detects supernatural abilities or not. So, depending on how you rule on that, the wildshaped druid/assassin may not have to worry about being detected by that method.

 

[Thanee]

1. Start by using a Still, Silent spell to hit the druid's rider with Poison, followed by Contagion.

Got a question about this. In 3.0 Still and Silent Spell only increased the DC for spellcraft checks to determine a spell being cast.

In 3.5 it seems to me, that you cannot notice a spell being cast, when it has no verbal and somatic component, is that correct? Would make those feats a lot more useful, if you could use them to cast under observation without being noticed.

But still, with the rider on his back, the casting attempt must be obvious (because it provokes an AoO), and casting on the defensive is surely an obvious maneuver as well.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Darklone]

Ohhhh... too bad that druid assassin is level 15...

Guess I still have to go with my "nice kitty" halfelf monk1/druid assassin... doublewielding flameblades/produce flame.

Edit: Wouldn't a simple detect magic spoil the horse trick?

 

[Zaruthustran]

Thanks for the replies! Exodus, if you do use the horse assassin do let us know how it works out. >

Thanee, you are correct that is impossible to use Spellcraft to identify a still, silent spell.

There's no rule that says a Still, Silent spell does NOT provoke an AoO. However, flatfooted opponents do not get to make AoOs, and I'd rule that a person unaware of the horse's nature (in other words, a person that has no reason to threaten the horse) would not get to take an AoO on the spellcasting horse. It's the same reason why a friendly fighter doesn't take an AoO when his wizard buddy casts a spell.

Darklone, Detect Magic would not detect Wildshape.

From SRD on Detect Magic:
"Aura Strength: An aura’s power depends on a spell’s functioning spell level or an item’s caster level. If an aura falls into more than one category, detect magic indicates the stronger of the two."

A wildshaped druid is not an item, and is not under the effect of a spell. Until the druid lays on a buff spell there just aren't any auras to detect.

If one of the party members was a druid or ranger then I'd let them make Know: Nature checks to see if they notice that the horse doesn't quite act like a horse--call it an unconscious "Wild Empathy" check that takes a day or two.

Of course, if the assassin really *is* a horse (an awakened horse druid/rogue/assassin/shadowdancer) then there really is nothing to detect. It's a horse, man. An evil, deadly horse, but still a horse.

-z

 

[DarkMaster]

I really like this idea of the druid assassin. The only concern I would have his like someone mention above with a 10-15th level ranger, who could be able to notice that this horse is smarter than it should, the horse would need a high bluff skill (but that is part of your description) to hide it's superior intelligence from the ranger. And what if the party has a paladin with a horse mount at these level the mount has around 8-9 Intelligence and can be difficult to kill (automatic dismiss). That might be fun to play, the assassin not being liked by the paladin horses can lead to a fun session.
Other thing that comes to my mind how do you deal with the paladin detect evil. Would a paladin wants a evil horse in his group?At the first stop when the horse will be unbriddled the paladin will detect that he his evil.

This is none the less a excellent encounter. It is always difficult to infiltrate a group with a paladin so I should not focus on it. Only problem is level 15 I will have to wait a while before I can introduce it in my campaign

Good work