Shield Other ruling

[wojtyk]

What happens with the spell Shield Other if the caster dies before the spell expires? Does the dead caster continue taking half the damage until spell expiration? If not, what happens when combined with Delay Death? They both seem like horribly broken spells (or at the very least, way too low level for what's provided). At level 7, a cleric's Extended Delay Death + Enlarged/Extended Shield Other would run 14 rounds and the Shield Other range increment would increase to 85 ft...that's longer than any encounter I've ever run and pretty much guarantees that an ally is permanently taking 50% off all damage types for that time period. And don't even get me started on Beastland Ferocity... (i've read the posts)

 

[blargney the second]

If the caster dies, I'd say the shield other ends: If you and the subject of the spell move out of range of each other, the spell ends. (In D&D being dead usually means your soul is on another plane, which is out of range of the spell.)

 

[frankthedm]

What happens with the spell Shield Other if the caster dies before the spell expires? Does the dead caster continue taking half the damage until spell expiration?

I'd Rule the spell stops working.

If not, what happens when combined with Delay Death?

I'd say either Shield Other circumvents the protection of Delay Death or that Shield Other stops working once lethal damage is assigned [-10] to the damage receiver.

They both seem like horribly broken spells (or at the very least, way too low level for what's provided).

As DM, you are the one who has to step in and say "No, it does not work." IMHO Shield Other is ok. Delay death on the other hand is not a spell I'd allow.

And don't even get me started on Beastland Ferocity... (i've read the posts)

"Beastland Ferocity" kinda has a safety feature built in, the bonus stops once you go past -9 HP.

"While between -1 and -9 hit points, the creature gains a +4 enhancment bonus to strenght. If the creature is reduced to -10 HP it dies normally"

 

[FEADIN]

I think the spell ends, you can't take additional damage past -10 because you're dead (unless some special ruling), for me delay death will work, very good combination but even with half damage the target can die if the cleric can no longer heal....

 

[Kmart Kommando]

If you have a second person that can heal, you just put delay death on the Shield Other caster. You get to watch them flop around on the ground, taking half your damage for..like forever.

Good Times..


No one in my groups will even prep Shield Other, as the first one to use it died.

Though it was their own fault, putting it on the guy with 3 times the cleric's hit points, then walking right next to him. Something like 'oh noes, incoming fireball!'...'I failed my save..'..'..uhhh, me too'..'how many hit points do you have left?'..'uhh, negative 28'

Shield Other is just another of those party unity patching spells that doesn't really work right. It should be 1st level, and have a built-in limit to the damage shifted. Then have better versions at higher levels.

 

[Jhaelen]

Look like the boards ate my original answer

I think the spell ends, you can't take additional damage past -10 because you're dead (unless some special ruling)

That's _almost_ how I'd rule it. I think the spell doesn't end (only spells with Concentration duration end when the caster dies), i.e. the shielded target continues to get the bonus to AC & saves but damage is no longer shared because the caster is no longer a valid target for taking damage.

I don't know about delay death, though. I guess this is from the Spell Compendium? I don't have that book, so if the spell doesn't have some kind of 'safety feature' it clearly should have one. Otherwise I'd ban it (like frenzied berserkers...).

 

[Kmart Kommando]

With all the immediate action spells around, maybe Shield Other should be first level, immediate, and lets you take half of the damage from a single attack. Or all of it, still fits the theme.