Spell Resistance and Prismatic spheres, need helping to determine what happens

[DM-Rocco]

Okay, the basic question is this, what happens when a spell caster fails to penetrate a monsters spell resistance when the are grappled and casting a prismatic sphere?

Here is the long version, we are playing 3.0 epic level rules (don't ask me why, he likes 3.0, and it is broken for spells, so I don't complain ). Our party is ambushed by some unidentified colossal tree that grapples most of the party with razor like vines in the surprise round. My Cleric (who can cast prismatic sphere through her domain) makes the concentration check from the damage taken last round and casts prismatic sphere. This should, in my opinion, spread out from the caster, causing me to not be grappled any further.

The DM had me roll for spell resistance, I failed, so he ruled that it was still attached to me through the grapple, and that on its turn he had it pull me through the prismatic sphere and into its mouth.

I thought it was a bit unfair, but since he already had me grappled and I didn't die yet, I thought what the hell, he is only a thrall anyway. Next round, I make another check for concentration and cast another prismatic sphere inside the weird tree beast. This one should work as intended, but I fail the spell penetration yet again and he rules that it can still try to eat me.

Taking 30-50 HP a round from being eaten it not very fun, but I can survive a few more rounds before I try to cast heal. We called it the night around 11:00pm so I have a week to make my case while my cleric is being unched on inside a plant(greenpeace would be proud), my question is this, how does spell resistance work against protection spells like this. I say the creature would not be effected by the effects of the 7 layers but it would still keep him at bay, he just wouldn't take damage from the prismatic sphere. He thinks that if I fail the save the spell either fizzles or he can by pass it. Who can give me the answer please?

 

[Hypersmurf]

My Cleric (who can cast prismatic sphere through her domain) makes the concentration check from the damage taken last round and casts prismatic sphere. This should, in my opinion, spread out from the caster, causing me to not be grappled any further.

Creatures can pass through the sphere; they just suffer the effects of each colour as they do so.

So if the tree isn't killed/turned to stone/sent to another plane, it's still grappling you.

The DM had me roll for spell resistance, I failed, so he ruled that it was still attached to me through the grapple, and that on its turn he had it pull me through the prismatic sphere and into its mouth.

Remind him that "Spell resistance is effective against a prismatic sphere, but the caster level check must be repeated for each color present."

This one should work as intended, but I fail the spell penetration yet again and he rules that it can still try to eat me.

Assuming it hasn't been killed/turned to stone/sent to another plane, sounds right...

Are you sure you want to risk turning it to stone while you're inside it?

my question is this, how does spell resistance work against protection spells like this.

It's not a Target spell, so it doesn't fizzle.

Basically, when he first passes through the Sphere, you roll a caster level check for each colour. Any colour that fails to bypass his SR cannot affect him; he can pass back and forth with impunity. Any colour that does bypass his SR affects him; he suffers that effect each time he passes through the sphere. (He doesn't get a second SR check against those colours the second time he passes through; only the first time.)

So if the yellow and indigo beat his SR, but none of the other colours, then every time he passes or attacks through the sphere, he takes 80 points of electricity damage (Refl half), and must make a Will save or go insane (though as a plant, he's probably immune to the Insanity spell).

-Hyp.

 

[Mephistopheles]

The prismatic wall spell states "A prismatic wall spell cast to materialize in a space occupied by a creature is disrupted, and the spell is wasted.". The prismatic sphere spell states "As prismatic wall, except..." and none of the exceptions overturn the restriction in prismatic wall that disrupt the spell if it is cast to materialize in the same space occupied by a creature.

The first time you cast the sphere it would have intersected with the vine from that creature that was grappling you. The second time you cast the sphere it would have intersected with the mouth of the creature that was chewing on you. It seems like both spells would have been disrupted and wasted.

 

[frankthedm]

Meph is right. The wall and sphere never cam into being in the first place. Know what your spells limitations are befor you cast them.

Prismatic Sphere
Abjuration
Level: Protection 9, Sor/Wiz 9, Sun 9
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 10 ft.
Effect: 10-ft.-radius sphere centered on the character
Duration: 10 minutes/level
Saving Throw: See text
Spell Resistance: See text
The character conjures up an immobile, opaque globe of shimmering, multicolored light that surrounds the character and protects the character from all forms of attack. The sphere flashes in all colors of the visible spectrum. The sphere flashes with seven colors, each of which has a distinct power and purpose. The sphere is immobile, and the character can pass through and remain near the sphere without harm.
When the character is inside the sphere, the sphere blocks any attempt to project something through the sphere (including spells). Other creatures who attempt to attack the character or pass through suffer the effects of each color, one at a time.
Typically, only the upper hemisphere of the globe will exist, since the character is at the center of the sphere, so the lower half is usually excluded by the floor surface the character is standing on.
Any creature with fewer than 8 HD that is within 20 feet of the sphere is blinded for 2d4 x 10 minutes by the colors if it looks at the wall.
Each color in the sphere has a special effect. The accompanying table shows the seven colors of the sphere, the order in which they appear, their effects on creatures trying to attack the character or pass through the sphere, and the magic needed to negate each color.
The sphere can be destroyed, color by color, in consecutive order, by various magical effects; however, the first must be brought down before the second can be affected, and so on. A rod of cancellation or a disjunction spell destroys a prismatic sphere, but an antimagic field fails to penetrate it. Dispel magic and greater dispelling cannot dispel the sphere or anything within it. Spell resistance is effective against a prismatic sphere, but the caster level check must be repeated for each color present.
Color Order Effect of Color Negated By
----- ----- --------------- ----------
Red 1st Stops nonmagical ranged weapons Cone of Cold
Deals 20 ponts of fire damage (Reflex half)
Orange 2nd Stops magical ranged weapoins Gust of Wind
Deals 40 points of acid damage (Reflex half)
Yellow 3rd Stops poisons, gasses, and petrification Disintegrate
Deals 80 points of electricity damage (Reflex half)
Green 4th Stops breath weapons Passwall
Poison (Kills; Fortitute partial to take 20 points of damage instead)
Blue 5th Stops divination and mental attacks Magic Missile
Turned to stone (Fortitude negates)
Indigo 6th Stops all spells Daylight
Will save or become insane (as insanity spell)
Violet 7th Energy field destroys all objects and Dispel Magic effects
Creatures are sent to another plane (Will negates)
The violet effect makes the special effects of the other six colors redundant, but they are included here because certain magic items can create prismatic effects one color at a time, and SR might render some colors ineffective (see above).

Prismatic Spray
Evocation
Level: Sor/Wiz 7
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Area: Cone
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: See text
Spell Resistance: Yes
This spell causes seven shimmering, intertwined, multicolored beams of light to spray from the character's hand. Each beam has a different power. Creatures in the area of the spell with 8 HD or less are automatically blinded (see blindness/deafness) for 2d4 rounds. All creatures in the area are randomly struck by one or more beams, which have additional effects.
Color
1d8 of Beam Effect
--- ------- ------
1 Red 20 points fire damage (Reflex half)
2 Orange 40 points acid damage (Reflex half)
3 Yellow 80 points electricity damage (Reflex half)
4 Green Poison (Kills; Fortitude partial, take 20 points of damage instead)
5 Blue Turned to stone (Fortitude negates)
6 Indigo Insane, as insanity spell (Will negates)
7 Violet Sent to another plane (Will negates)
8 Struck by two rays; roll again twice, ignoring any "8" results.

Prismatic Wall
Abjuration
Level: Sor/Wiz 8
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Effect: Wall 4 ft./level wide x 2 ft./
level high
Duration: 10 minutes/level
Saving Throw: See text
Spell Resistance: See text
Prismatic wall creates a vertical, opaque wall—a shimmering, multicolored plane of light that protects the character from all forms of attack. The wall flashes with seven colors, each of which has a distinct power and purpose. The wall is immobile, and the character can pass through and remain near the wall without harm. However, any other creature with fewer than 8 HD that is within 20 feet of the wall is blinded (see blindness/deafness) for 2d4 rounds by the colors if it looks at the wall.
The wall’s maximum proportions are 4 feet wide per caster level and 2 feet high per caster level. A prismatic wall spell cast to materialize in a space occupied by a creature is disrupted, and the spell is wasted.
Each color in the wall has a special effect. The accompanying table shows the seven colors of the wall, the order in which they appear, their effects on creatures trying to attack the character or pass through the wall, and the magic needed to negate each color.
The wall can be destroyed, color by color, in consecutive order, by various magical effects; however, the first must be brought down before the second can be affected, and so on. A rod of cancellation or a disjunction spell destroys a prismatic wall, but an antimagic field fails to penetrate it. Dispel magic and greater dispelling cannot dispel the wall or anything beyond it. Spell resistance is effective against a prismatic wall, but the caster level check must be repeated for each color present.
Color Order Effect of Color Negated By
----- ----- --------------- ----------
Red 1st Stops nonmagical ranged weapons Cone of Cold
Deals 20 ponts of fire damage (Reflex half)
Orange 2nd Stops magical ranged weapoins Gust of Wind
Deals 40 points of acid damage (Reflex half)
Yellow 3rd Stops poisons, gasses, and petrification Disintegrate
Deals 80 points of electricity damage (Reflex half)
Green 4th Stops breath weapons Passwall
Poison (Kills; Fortitute partial to take 20 points of damage instead)
Blue 5th Stops divination and mental attacks Magic Missile
Turned to stone (Fortitude negates)
Indigo 6th Stops all spells Daylight
Will save or become insane (as insanity spell)
Violet 7th Energy field destroys all objects and Dispel Magic effects
Creatures are sent to another plane (Will negates)
The violet effect makes the special effects of the other six colors redundant, but they are included here because certain magic items can create prismatic effects one color at a time, and SR might render some colors ineffective (see above).

 

[Hypersmurf]

The prismatic wall spell states "A prismatic wall spell cast to materialize in a space occupied by a creature is disrupted, and the spell is wasted."

Oops - true.

Apart from that, everything I said about SR I still stand by

-Hyp.

 

[Li Shenron]

This should, in my opinion, spread out from the caster, causing me to not be grappled any further.

But... I am not sure, but I don't even think that the sphere "spreads out" from the caster! Depending on the creature size, with 10ft radius it is possible that the sphere surrounds it completely, not being disrupted but also not helping much...

 

[Hypersmurf]

But... I am not sure, but I don't even think that the sphere "spreads out" from the caster! Depending on the creature size, with 10ft radius it is possible that the sphere surrounds it completely, not being disrupted but also not helping much...

Right. But he specified Colossal.

If it had been Medium or Large, it would have been inside the radius, and the spell would appear. Huge and larger would intersect the sphere and prevent the spell.

-Hyp.

 

[DM-Rocco]

okay, thanks for the imput.


I still disagree that the spell would fail however, it seems to me that the prismatic sphere says like a prismatic wall except as below. Below it says it shoots out from the caster, centered on him, as the least giving him at least a small amount of a prismatic sphere, like a force fielf, or doesn't it work like that?

 

[Hypersmurf]

Below it says it shoots out from the caster, centered on him...

No, it doesn't. It says it conjures a globe that surrounds the caster. It doesn't start out small and expand to 10' radius; you cast the spell and poof, there's a 10' radius sphere.

Unless it would materialize in such a fashion that it is broken by a creature, in which case it fails.

-Hyp.