Lazy DMs doing stupid things

[vulcan_idic]

Problem with that plan:
"The caster can form the wall into a flat, vertical plane whose area is up to one 10- foot square per level."

-Hyp.

Sir, I believe that is why the method requires the use of six of those spells - one for each flat side of the aforementioned cube.

 

[Nail]

Sir, I believe that is why the method requires the use of six of those spells - one for each flat side of the aforementioned cube.

....so, how do you get a floor and ceiling with a vertical plane?

 

[Nonlethal Force]

....so, how do you get a floor and ceiling with a vertical plane?

Snickers ...

Well, there could be the possibility that this is on a plane with extremely subjective gravity! But somehow I think that such is not the case... Snickers some more

And if this relatively new DM is infact DMing on a plane with subjective gravity then I further add that he bit off way more than he could chew!

 

[Nail]

Snickers ...

Well, there could be the possibility that this is on a plane with extremely subjective gravity! But somehow I think that such is not the case... Snickers some more...

Careful with the snickers. Not only is Pielorinho on a tear, but some people are allergic to peanuts.

 

[Infiniti2000]

Several things point to that the GM is actually being lazy. The GM not knowing anything about the class until confronted by its potential power.

That's a good point. Bat, did the DM ever answer why he never looked at both classes to begin with? Was he too busy? Was he, in fact, "lazy" from the get go?

Careful with the snickers. Not only is Pielorinho on a tear, but some people are allergic to peanuts.

That's why you can get them with almonds.

 

[Bat]

That's a good point. Bat, did the DM ever answer why he never looked at both classes to begin with? Was he too busy? Was he, in fact, "lazy" from the get go?

He never stated why he never looked at them. As I stated, we started playing over the summer, at which point he was taking one class and doing nothing else except perhaps an hour of homework a night and playing computer games. As such, I do feel he was lazy for not looking them up when we started. I can understand him not doing it on school nights, but he was informed of these things a good two weeks before we started, and had at least half-an-hour free on one of those weekends to get it done.

 

[Patlin]

What's the big deal with the shifter?

I don't understand all the fuss. The shifter's abilities are roughly equivalent, once completed, to the shapechange spell, and you give up 10 spellcasting levels to get them. If the 14th level character in question had simply gone straight Druid levels, he'd have significant shapechanging powers anyway, and in 3 more levels would get the shapechange spell. At that point, he'd have essentially all the powers the shifter would have, plus 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th level spells... all of which a druid 7/shifter 10 wouldn't have. And that's assuming he uses every single 9th level spell slot for shapechange. At 17th level, the shapechange spell lasts almost 3 hours per cast, so you can usually have it around when you need it.

In my opinion, the powergamed shapeshifter doesn't need a prestige class. Stick all your stats into wisdom, take 2 levels of monk and the rest in Druid and you're good to go. The only non-core feature I'd want all that much would be the Dragon Wild Shape feat from the Draconomicon, but a large bear is probably at least as good for shere combat as a little Dragon anyway. Having the heal spell at your fingertips beats the heck out of being able to turn into a golem a few levels early any day.

Oh, and by the way, wouldn't Resilient sphere be better for the purpose than multile walls of force, even if the walls of force thing would work?

 

[werk]

Snickers ...

Well, there could be the possibility that this is on a plane with extremely subjective gravity! But somehow I think that such is not the case... Snickers some more

And if this relatively new DM is infact DMing on a plane with subjective gravity then I further add that he bit off way more than he could chew!

I think the DM (or player relating the info) is remembering Forcecage.

Windowless Cell
This version of the spell produces a 10-foot cube with no way in and no way out. Solid walls of force form its six sides.


Again, these guys are novices, take it easy on them with the ridicule.

 

[Pielorinho]

Careful with the snickers. Not only is Pielorinho on a tear, but some people are allergic to peanuts.

RAHHH! PIELORINHO SMASH!!!!!

Actually, it appears that someone has reported this thread for being in the inappropriate forum. And I agree: it looks more like a general thread than a thread about a specific rule-question. So I'm going to move it.

Daniel

 

[Pielorinho]

I think the DM (or player relating the info) is remembering Forcecage.

Windowless Cell
This version of the spell produces a 10-foot cube with no way in and no way out. Solid walls of force form its six sides.

Incidentally, in our weekly campaign, last session ended with our party ambushed and trapped in a solid forcecage. The cage takes up a room of an inn, and I've blocked the doorway with a Wall of Stone so the ambushing wizards can't see their way in, but I'm worried that we're officially In Trouble. Advice would be welcome.

Here's the lowdown:
-We're sneakily infiltrating an enemy kingdom ruled by a cabal of high-level wizards. One of them got away from us (stinking enchantment spells!) and somehow managed to track us down.
-I'm a Druid14 in disguise; I don't think they realize what I am, having never seen my real face.
-I'm carrying my companions in a portable hole: it's a "dwarven" barbarian (earth-spirit, who also has a burrowing speed through natural earth) and an air elemental archer. I don't think the bad guys know that I have them with me.
-I don't have Transport Via Plants prepared, but I do have a trio of QUall's Feather Tokens of trees. If we can survive till I can re-prepare spells, we can escape.
-My animal companion is an elephant, polymorphed into a mouse. I have Dispel Magic prepared.
-I have an intelligent amulet that is telepathic with me and can talk; this means that I can communicate while wildshaped.

One idea I had was to wildshape into a dire ape, and wait quietly in the middle of the room for a wizard to teleport in. Grab the wizard, and threaten to kill him unless he teleports us to safety or disintegrates the wall of force. However, this is pretty dangerous: what keeps the wizard from teleporting us into Bad Guy Central?

Or I can get my companions to watch over me as I sleep and reprepare spells; however, if the wizards come in then, I'm in trouble.

Another idea would be to not freakin' go adventuring without a party wizard who can counter a stinkin' forcecage spell.

Any thoughts?
Daniel