Mage Killer Bags

[Saeviomagy]

I would say that if an object that has a spell cast on it breaks (such as a tanglefoot bag) then the spell ends.

This can be easily evaded by casting the silence on a stone that is then stick it to the bag. In order to be rid of the silence, the mage has to get rid of the stone.... which is a lot easier than scraping off all of the goo from the tanglefoot bag, but not trivial, either.

It also takes longer to prepare it this way, too; when the PC's see the silence spell cast, and the stone shoved inside the bag, they'll know what's coming the next round, and will have time to try to counteract it.

Except silence is an emanation, so if it's blocked by a solid object (like, say, tanglefoot goo), then it stops at that point.

 

[Darklone]

Nothing wrong with that tactic. Used it a little differently, I had a hostile bard with wand cast it on some tanglefoot bags before the encounter. Since assassins usually know when they will strike, it's no problem and since that guy was rather famous for such things... there was a chance for the players to counter it.

The biggest problem I would expect is with the wizards touch AC, which does not have to be so low (and don't forget concealment).

A related question: Would a blinking wizard escape the goo or would it blink with him?

 

[MarauderX]

I would vote for using it. So what if they cry 'no fair!' when they get their butts handed to them, it makes them think of how to get around such an attack. While you are at it, toss in a thunderstone, or a globe of darkness or daylight spell to stun your foes that have the weakness.

If they decide to use similar tactics in the future (why would you discourage them?) have foes that can fly, have anti-magekiller bags, or bag eaters, or anti-grenade weapons shield, or some other way of defeating the bag. It won't last too long to begin with, so a mage can thwart the efforts of putting something like that together. When you look back at it in the higher levels it will be laughable to the PCs, so throw it in now so they can get used to it.

edit: dang tpyos.

 

[Nail]

(Imbuing silence in 3.5e: Can't be done. Wrong school.)

The problem with the tactic is the silence spell:

• The spell must be put on an object, not the goo. Thus the spell must be on the bag. Since the bag breaks, the spell is lost.
  
• If you put the spell on a stone within the bag: the stone is covered (with goo!), and thus the emination won't work.

One would presume this in a one-shot magic item, usable by anyone, so the cost of the silence part would be 100gp * 2 (spell lvl) * 3 (caster lvl) = 600 gp.