Shield Other Cheese

[Infiniti2000]

This is the rule I would follow:

One Effect Makes Another Irrelevant

Sometimes, one spell can render a later spell irrelevant. Both spells are still active, but one has rendered the other useless in some fashion.

Only the last such shield other on a single target functions.

 

[Delta]

It takes 6 spells to set this up. Personally, I'd be happy to let it proceed as the OP describes.

 

[Someone]

It takes 6 spells to set this up.

And a lot of platinum rings!

Though I wonder if the same platinum ring can be used for several castings of Shield other.

 

[rvalle]

And a lot of platinum rings!

Though I wonder if the same platinum ring can be used for several castings of Shield other.

And does it count as one of the two magic rings someone can wear?

rv

 

[Kahuna Burger]

And does it count as one of the two magic rings someone can wear?

rv

Nah the rings themselves aren't magical.

 

[Infiniti2000]

It takes 6 spells to set this up. Personally, I'd be happy to let it proceed as the OP describes.

So, can I stack up greater magic weapon if I do it 6 times? Quantity shouldn't make something work.

And a lot of platinum rings!

You'll note that some of the spells were from a scroll. Regardless, foci can explicitly be reused so there is no hassle there anyway.

 

[Darklone]

I've seen this tactic allowed ... The big group tried this till they ran into a near max rolled damage fireball (only 6D6 IIRC for 35 or 34 damage) which killed all three clerics (each with well over 40 hp, dwarves and gnomes) who failed their saves (not even sure, I think at least one made his save). These three had been protecting 5 other chars though (at least one of them a rogue who made his save). Funnily the 18 hp elven wizard survived as well as my elven bard archer

Since this was a one-shot, the group was effectively done for without cure machines.

Edit: Without the huge spellcasting (each cleric 2 shield other on the other clerics for 6 spellcastings, plus 5 on the other chars for 11 Shield Others that lasted 3 hours... they bought two wands with their starting money) they would have survived... at least one Shield Other on the wizard would have made sense. Spending the money on Wands of Scorching Ray or something else would have been a good idea too.

So, I agree with Calibans RAW answer. But I don't think allowing this tactic would be too strong. Just let the NPCs buy necklaces of fireball. With any AoE effects, this Spell is nothing but a cleric killer.

 

[BlueBlackRed]

I've had two clerics and a barbarian in a group before use a similar tactic.

One good massive attack on the barbarian solved the issue when the barb had over 50hp left and the non-combat cleric was in single digits after one round.

They knew this was coming when the area affect spells started getting used against them (as the Fireball mentioned above).

Afterwards they just began mega-buffing the barb, but w/o Shield Other.

 

[Nail]

This is the rule I would follow:
Only the last such shield other on a single target functions.

Wouldn't you use this (related!) rule instead?

Same Effect More than Once in Different Strengths: In cases when two or more identical spells are operating in the same area or on the same target, but at different strengths, only the best one applies.

I'd imagine that if the Clrs had the same CL, you'd just determine randomly....

 

[Infiniti2000]

Wouldn't you use this (related!) rule instead?

Because they aren't in different strengths. Each shield other has the exact same effect, unlike say resist energy (fire) 10 and resist energy (fire) 20.