Is spell "Miasma" broken (from MotW)?

[AuraSeer]

If it's cast by a 10th level druid, the victim would have to make a save per round for 10-30 rounds (depending on constitution score). It's not save or die. It's save or die, save or die, save or die, ad infinitum.

And, unlike other multi-save spells like Phantasmal Killer, one successful save doesn't get you off the hook. You need to make all the saves, or you die. Even if you have a huge Fort save, the probability of success approaches epsilon.

 

[Avatar of the North]

as to a way of beating this horrible spell......
Ioun Stonem Iridescent Spindle - Sustains creature without air.

If you don't need to breath you don't have to worry about said spell

 

[Dark Dragon]

IIRC, you have to make a save if you hold your breath too long. If you cough, no save is needed. So, a character can hold his breath several rounds (depends on CON), cough a round (resetting the "timer" to 0), and again hold his breath...

I don't have MotW at work, but I encountered the spell as a DM and it is not that killer spell as most people think. It is good against spellcasters (when they have no silent dispel at hand), but that's also true for Silence (which is in level 2 and allows no save if used properly / tricky!).

Miasma won't help in battle against non-spellcasting enemies because it takes a lot of time until it becomes effective. As a fire and flee spell, it won't work very good either: the affected creature can simply wait until the spell expires (hold breath, cough after a minute, hold breath....).

 

[Hypersmurf]

IIRC, you have to make a save if you hold your breath too long. If you cough, no save is needed. So, a character can hold his breath several rounds (depends on CON), cough a round (resetting the "timer" to 0), and again hold his breath...

'fraid not. You're either holding your breath, in which case you start making saving throws after your 2xCon rounds run out... or you're not holding your breath.

Failing a save or voluntary resumption of breathing causes you to drop to 0 hit points and fall unconscious. There's no 'resetting the timer'.

That's why it works for 'fire-and-flee'.

-Hyp.

 

[Dark Dragon]

That's right. But I'm referring to the first sentence of Miasma (wording is something like that): By filling the subject's mouth with unbreathable gas, you prevent him or her doing much more than coughing and spitting. The subject can hold his or her breath for a number of rounds equal to twice its CON.

Hmm, well, that could be a debate for the understanding of voluntary breathing (after my understanding that is controlled breathing, not coughing, but that's just IMHO)...But as the spell gives two options to handle the gas, I don't see a reason why not mixing them (the spell won't be broken then...)

 

[JacktheRabbit]

By filling the subject's mouth with unbreathable gas, you prevent him or her doing much more than coughing and spitting.

So just breath through your nose.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Hmm, well, that could be a debate for the understanding of voluntary breathing (after my understanding that is controlled breathing, not coughing, but that's just IMHO)...

When you're holding your breath, you make saving throws because you can't take in air.

To reset the timer, you'd have to take in air.

By electing to cease to hold your breath to cough for a round, you either don't take in air - in which case your timer doesn't reset - or you do - which is voluntary breathing, and you fall unconscious.

-Hyp.

 

[Dash Dannigan]

So just breath through your nose.

Problem solved!


NEXT TOPIC: How to make Miasma useful again?

 

[Dark Dragon]

So just breath through your nose.

LOL

Hypersmurf, I can't resist your logic...for my heart tells me it would be wise

 

[Hypersmurf]

Hypersmurf, I can't resist your logic...

Do you mean the breathing through your nose thing? That wasn't me...

-Hyp.