The deadliest CR 18 in the world, courtesy of WotC

[two]

Huh?

This whole "easy dragon killing" method depends upon surprise, won initiative, and a dragon unable to escape a force cage which is -- after all -- a CAGE with BARS?

A simple gaseous form lets him out, or shapechange into something small, move around/through the bars, and now you have a very upset Dragon on your hands.

Just a few of scads of ways to escape a force cage with, well, bars.

[Inset other shapechange options as desired]

 

[Majere]

This whole "easy dragon killing" method depends upon surprise, won initiative, and a dragon unable to escape a force cage which is -- after all -- a CAGE with BARS?

A simple gaseous form lets him out, or shapechange into something small, move around/through the bars, and now you have a very upset Dragon on your hands.

Just a few of scads of ways to escape a force cage with, well, bars.

[Inset other shapechange options as desired]

Yes it relies on you being set up
How many times do I have to say you are ment to be prepared and fighting the dragon on your terms

How many sorcerers have gasous form ?
Even if he does he needs two rounds to move out of the forcae cage and that means you can blow the crap out of it for a round, then just ready for force cage/dim anchor it when in dissipates its gasoues form.
Yes shape change would work, except that its a level 9 spell so to cast it while silenced is a level 11 slot and you dont get many of those as fas as I know.
I have not read the eact wording of barred force cage but I imagine they are only about 6" apart if that so polymorph wont make you small enough.

Majere

 

[James McMurray]

The bars are 1" apart. Plenty of room for someone polymorphed into an ooze. For the record, silent shapechange is only a 10th level slot. If he spends a feat on improved spell capacity he'll be able to do it. Even if he does, he can always silent limited wish for a polymorph (using an 8th level slot).

 

[Will]

Re: Counterspelling disintegrate...

If the dragon is smart, he'll have Silent, Eschew Materials, and Still spell.

You can't counterspell a spell you can't identify, and you can't identify a spell with no components.

BAM.

 

[reiella]

Re: Counterspelling disintegrate...

If the dragon is smart, he'll have Silent, Eschew Materials, and Still spell.

You can't counterspell a spell you can't identify, and you can't identify a spell with no components.

BAM.

Is a house rule... At least from my interp of the SRD document.

Something 'clues' others to a spell being cast with no obvious sign, after all, it will still provoke an AoO (or at the very least, force the individual to Cast Defensively).

Not saying it isn't a reasonable house rule, given that I dunno what to call the 'PERSON CASTING A SPELL' magic sign that floats over someone's head.

 

[James McMurray]

Identify a spell being cast. (You must see or hear the spell’s verbal or somatic components.)

If its silent and still, it can't be identified via spellcraft.

 

[reiella]

If its silent and still, it can't be identified via spellcraft.

Ah good catch thanks.

Interesting thing I just noticed thanks to that, unforunately.

The text of that table entry and the text of the counterspell entry are actually in conflict (in a way non-relevant to this discussion).

If the target of your counterspell tries to cast a spell, make a Spellcraft check (DC 15 + the spell’s level). This check is a free action. If the check succeeds, you correctly identify the opponent’s spell and can attempt to counter it. If the check fails, you can’t do either of these things.

Versus

15 + spell level Identify a spell being cast. (You must see or hear the spell’s verbal or somatic components.) No action required. No retry.

While rule order implies, it should follow the 'text', but well it just seems like it should be a "no action" (are Spot checks free actions or No Actions?) It also kinda fits the rules of readied actions better as a no action (as earlier mentioned, you can only ready a standard,a move, OR a free).

Lodestone ... urgh. I still don't understand why that's considered 'less than a 1 gp', but oh well, it was my mistake .

 

[Derren]

Dimensional Anchor does. Dimensional Lock does not. Its an 8th level power that stops dimensional travel in a small (15'?) radius.

Dimensional Lock also allows for SR and even with all spell penetration feats the cleric needs to roll a 16 or better so you shouldn't count on it.

Also beeing forcecaged isn't even that bad for the dragon, because it is protected from physical attacks from the party and can hurl damage spells at them without fear.

 

[Will]

I think I'd houserule that you can counterspell blind.

That is, counterspell when the person's action comes up, and hope to whatever you worship that A) the person isn't delaying his action (at which point you've blown it), and B) you picked the right spell.

 

[Derren]

When you want to counterspell blindly, you have to use dispell magic and you must make a dispell check. And the the chance to make this dispell check is 0% (dispell magic) or 40% (Greater Dispell Magic)