Permanency and greater magic fang

[Hypersmurf]

That is why you get GMF +5 (i.e. Caster Level 20) for a few gp more. CL20 spells are effectively immune to regular dispel magic (the DC is too high).

It does also mean finding a level 20 druid-for-hire.

And a level 20 wizard-for-hire who will cast the not-generally-available Permanency spell, since there's no point in having a GMF immune to dispelling if the Permanency that prevents it expiring isn't.

-Hyp.

 

[mvincent]

It does also mean finding a level 20 druid-for-hire.

Yup. But if a 20th level caster cannot be located, try for a lower level one that has his Caster Level temporarily augmented using a bead of karma, candle of invocation, orange ioun stone, and/or a ring of spell-storing loaded with death knell. Most cities should have a 14-16th level druid available to them. Alternately, a scroll could be purchased for a bit more.

And a level 20 wizard-for-hire who will cast the not-generally-available Permanency spell, since there's no point in having a GMF immune to dispelling if the Permanency that prevents it expiring isn't.

There are various interpretations on what is subject to dispel, but yup, I'd certainly recommend it (depending on your DM). Some of the above CL boosting methods could still be used (especially if the wizard has UMD), or there is always the scroll option.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Most cities should have a 14-16th level druid available to them.

I know that's where all the 16th level druids I've heard of like to hang out

Alternately, a scroll could be purchased for a bit more.

Er, yeah, but to craft a CL20 scroll still requires a CL20 caster...

-Hyp.

 

[mvincent]

I know that's where all the 16th level druids I've heard of like to hang out

Yeah... that is a bit of irony... the larger the city, the greater the chance that a higher-level NPC druid will be randomly generated for it.

to craft a CL20 scroll still requires a CL20 caster...

Presumeably, there are 20th level casters available somewhere, and the D&D rules seem to condone high-level scrolls being more readily available than high level casters. I mean, I'm just following the rules here. A CL20 scroll of GMF should cost 1,500 gp and so should be available in towns with a 1,500 gp limit or higher.

A scroll of permanency would be a bit harder. A standard one costs 10,125 gp and provides enough XP for GMF. Getting a CL20 one (assuming your DM says you need it to resist regular dispels) might be more difficult, but it seems like one could be ordered even if the spellcaster wasn't available locally.

Dunno how it all works... maybe the mercanes have a big, extra-planar warehouses full o' the stuff and an effective distribution system that rivals amazon.com.

 

[Nifft]

Yeah... that is a bit of irony... the larger the city, the greater the chance that a higher-level NPC druid will be randomly generated for it.

As an aside, there are three reasons for this in my game:

- Druids are in charge of the Ministry of Ways and Roads. Minimizes conflict with nature; also, their spell list is fantastic for non-destructive landscaping.

- Cities tend to form around trade routes, like rivers. In D&D, this could also mean around Portals. Druids might be easy to find when you're in a big city because there's a nearby Portal which leads to the Druid's actual location.

- "Elf architecture". Who says that "city" only means brick & mortar? Not all cities will be embedded in a living organism of some kind, but some surely will.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Hypersmurf]

Yeah... that is a bit of irony... the larger the city, the greater the chance that a higher-level NPC druid will be randomly generated for it.

I actually played an LN urban druid at one point. His philosophy was that man is a part of nature, and that a city is thus as much a natural environment as a termite mound or a beaver dam. He therefore tasked himself with protecting that environment and its inhabitants from aberrant influences - criminals, invasion, and so forth.

(His 'animal companion' was a swarm of cats )

-Hyp.

 

[Darklone]

I like to have druids in the sewers... favored animal companion: rats.

 

[eamon]

On the matter of Permanency...

Spells cast on other creatures, objects, or locations (not on you) are vulnerable to dispel magic as normal.

i.e., though a higher level caster still makes dispelling harder, you're not immune to dispelling by lower-level casters.

In any case, is it even possible to use permanency on a spell cast by someone else?

 

[Hypersmurf]

i.e., though a higher level caster still makes dispelling harder, you're not immune to dispelling by lower-level casters.

That's right.

But a CL20 spell requires a dispel check of 31, which is very difficult to achieve on 1d20+10 - the cap for Dispel Magic. You can still do it with Greater Dispelling, for example.

A CL19 permanent spell cast on someone else can be dispelled by a CL10 caster on a lucky roll. A CL19 permanent spell cast on yourself can't - it's immune. But while a CL20 permanent spell cast on someone else isn't immune, it's also beyond the capability of a standard Dispel Magic.

-Hyp.

 

[mvincent]

You can still do it with Greater Dispelling, for example.

Yup. Some more tips for the OP (in case you are truly worried that the DM is planning to hit you with GDM's):
A ring of counterspells (loaded with GDM) can help prevent targeted GDM's, while a bunch of CL 21 magic mouths can protect against area GDM's (the magic mouths could be created by a lower level caster using any of the CL augmenting methods mentioned above).