Question re: Blink

[Khairn]

I may be blind, but I couldn't find this answer, so perhaps there is some kind soul who can help a slightly perplexed GM.

Due to how our group is reading this spell, Blink is having a major impact on our Epic game. Not enough to truly break things, but enough to get a real power boost at least IMHO.

According to the spell description the character effected by a "blink" spell travels back and forth between the ethreal realm and the prime. This "blinking" target gains a number of abilities, but primarily it denies a target his dex bonus, making him vulnerable to sneak attack's.

In the description of the spell it indicates (amongst other things) that anyone attacking a blinking character has a 50% of missing that blinking character.

If the target has "see invis" ( true seeing or any other ability to see into the ethreal) he only has a 20% of missing the blinking target, and if he also has the ability to strike an ethreal target he has no penalty to attack the blinking target at all.

But it does not indicate that if you can see into the ethreal and have the ability to strike at that target in the ethreal, that you then retain use of your dex.

My logic is telling me that the benefit of a blink comes from the "blinking" back and forth into the ethreal and therefore out of sight. If I can see into the ethreal and attack an ethreal target, wouldn't that negate the "deny dex" effect of a Blink?

Am I seeing this correctly or does the blinking PC effectively have the ability to deny dex to any target he is attacking no matter what?

Thanks for the help.

 

[mikebr99]

If you have abilities to completely negate the benefits of Blinking on your attacker, then you wouldn't suffer any penalties.


Mike

 

[Lord Pendragon]

My logic is telling me that the benefit of a blink comes from the "blinking" back and forth into the ethreal and therefore out of sight. If I can see into the ethreal and attack an ethreal target, wouldn't that negate the "deny dex" effect of a Blink?

Not only out of sight. Being on the Ethereal Plane puts you out of touch as well. Those are the two components of the spell's effect. The invisibility effect is countered by being able to see Ethereal creatures. The intangibility effect is countered by being able to attack Ethereal creatures.

I'd rule that having both counters does indeed counter the loss of dex bonus to AC.

 

[Hypersmurf]

This "blinking" target gains a number of abilities, but primarily it denies a target his dex bonus, making him vulnerable to sneak attack's.

It denies a target his Dex bonus, because "You strike as an invisible creature".

See Invisible states "You can see any objects or beings that are invisible within your range of vision, as well as any that are ethereal, as if they were normally visible."

Therefore, if you See Invisible, a Blinking attacker will "strike as a creature that is normally visible", and you retain your Dex.

-Hyp.

 

[azmodean]

I'd rule that just being able to see the creature would negate the loss of dex bonus to AC. Which means see invis and true seeing both do it.

 

[Shellman]

I may be blind, but I couldn't find this answer, so perhaps there is some kind soul who can help a slightly perplexed GM.

Due to how our group is reading this spell, Blink is having a major impact on our Epic game. Not enough to truly break things, but enough to get a real power boost at least IMHO.

According to the spell description the character effected by a "blink" spell travels back and forth between the ethreal realm and the prime. This "blinking" target gains a number of abilities, but primarily it denies a target his dex bonus, making him vulnerable to sneak attack's.

In the description of the spell it indicates (amongst other things) that anyone attacking a blinking character has a 50% of missing that blinking character.

If the target has "see invis" ( true seeing or any other ability to see into the ethreal) he only has a 20% of missing the blinking target, and if he also has the ability to strike an ethreal target he has no penalty to attack the blinking target at all.

But it does not indicate that if you can see into the ethreal and have the ability to strike at that target in the ethreal, that you then retain use of your dex.

My logic is telling me that the benefit of a blink comes from the "blinking" back and forth into the ethreal and therefore out of sight. If I can see into the ethreal and attack an ethreal target, wouldn't that negate the "deny dex" effect of a Blink?

Am I seeing this correctly or does the blinking PC effectively have the ability to deny dex to any target he is attacking no matter what?

Thanks for the help.

I would say that the blinking effect is negated.

Also, here is something to think about. I don't have the spell in front of me, so correct me if I'm wrong. I believe the Blink spell says that both the blinking character and it's opponent have a 50% miss chance while blinking.

So not only does your Rogue with a ring of Blinking gain the benefits of the spell, he also gains the miss chance to his attacks as well.

 

[Plane Sailing]

If you can see them with see invisibility, they don't get the sneak attack because you are not denied your dex.

Whether you can hit them or not doesn't come into it

 

[Khairn]

Thanks for everyone's response!

I just wanted to make certain that I wasn't missing anything.

Shellman, the person who is "blinking" has a 20% chance to miss his target with a melee attack or a spell according to the Blink description.

My players are going to be soooo happy.