Turn Off a Gaze Attack

[Joseph Rossow]

First of all, I believe the DM based the race around the "Medusa," which is covered in the Pathfinder Bestiary. That entry, however, makes no mention of Medusa's being able to "turn off" their gaze attacks.

Second, frankthedm's point is very good. If the line was removed from the "Gaze" entry in the Pathfinder RPGRD, then it may have been done so intentionally.

However, this means that it still might be possible. A clever application of spells might be able to achieve the desired effect. For example - and this may be going over the top - a supernatural ability, like a Medusa's gaze, is supressed within an antimagic field.

For example, what if a wizard researched a smaller-area, shorter-lasting version of the spell? Trying to knock down the spell level to a point where it's more managable?

Are there any lower-level spells or abilities (or creatures with special abilities) that can temporarily neutralize a supernatural ability?

 

[Hellcow]

In the Eberron novel The Queen of Stone: Thorn of Breland by Keith Baker the Queen of Stone, a medusa can close her eyes to turn of her gaze attack and still see through the eyes of the serpents that make up her hair iirc.

As a side note, this is something that is described in mechanical terms in the Dragonshard article on the Medusas of Droaam. The original Medusa was cursed with a petrifying visage. Once medusas are a species as opposed to victims of a curse, it seemed logical to me that they would evolve ways to effectively use the gaze as a tool... along with exploring just why they have "living hair". Having them be able to use the eyes of the serpent mane makes the "primary" eyes a weapon they can choose to use as opposed to their primary sense organ.

 

[Joseph Rossow]

One possible solution I was thinking of as a "non-item" solution to turning off the gaze attack was to develop a new spell. I was thinking of cobbling together a couple of second level spells, like blindness/deafness and blur. The end result would look something like this.

CLOUD SIGHT
School enchantment; Level sorcerer/wizard 2
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V
Range medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Target one living creature
Duration 1 day/level
Saving Throw Fortitude negates; Spell Resistance yes
The target's vision becomes clouded, preventing gaze attacks from being made and imposing a -8 penalty on Perception checks. Further, anyone the target attempts to hit with an attack suffers a 20% miss chance. In effect, everyone gains concealment from the target.

I figure the spell is like a lesser version of blindness/deafness. Cloud sight would still allow the subject to see, but they couldn't make gaze attacks and suffer other penalties.

Does this sound like a reasonable spell/solution?

 

[steeldragons]

Seems to me, the SRD is quite clear that you could "turn off" either/or/both of your gaze powers.

If, for some reason, the DM chooses to ignore this very simple solution and magic alterations are an option...then what about simply casting an illusion over your eyes...of your eyes.

That way the subject is not actually looking into your real eyes...which negates the turning to stone thing, but, then, I guess could be ruled to negate your "secret finding"power as well. OR maybe the GM would be game to allow that, perhaps, since they are still looking into what they believe are your eyes, and you can look into theirs from behind the illusion, you can still glean your secrets without creating statue gardens wherever you go.

Other than that, I'm pretty on board with Redbranch's suggestion that it makes for an interesting roleplay and potential character story arc/quest...the social character who can't be social anymore...or with whom it is potentially hazardous to be social...Medusans need love too.

Good luck.
--Steel Dragons

 

[Ajores]

One possible solution I was thinking of as a "non-item" solution to turning off the gaze attack was to develop a new spell. I was thinking of cobbling together a couple of second level spells, like blindness/deafness and blur. The end result would look something like this.

CLOUD SIGHT
School enchantment; Level sorcerer/wizard 2
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V
Range medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Target one living creature
Duration 1 day/level
Saving Throw Fortitude negates; Spell Resistance yes
The target's vision becomes clouded, preventing gaze attacks from being made and imposing a -8 penalty on Perception checks. Further, anyone the target attempts to hit with an attack suffers a 20% miss chance. In effect, everyone gains concealment from the target.

I figure the spell is like a lesser version of blindness/deafness. Cloud sight would still allow the subject to see, but they couldn't make gaze attacks and suffer other penalties.

Does this sound like a reasonable spell/solution?

Your spell sounds good in theory, though I think your length is too long. That could be a bit too powerful if allowed to last that long; parties with magic casters might no longer have much to fear from a monster with a gaze attack. I don't have my books in front of me to check just how balanced it is, but I believe that your game would benefit if that spell had it's time shortened to no more than 1 minute/level (depending on like-spells of similar properties or power level, perhaps 1 round/level.)

Great news though, since you created a spell you can apply it to magic item creation rules. So your character, whoever, could be wearing a circlet (or go for something less appropriate like a brooch or a ring if that suits you better) that could be under a constant effect of your spell. It would probably be a bit of an expensive item, however (as spells that have their duration increased to "constant" in magic item creation should be much more expensive.)

There are OTHER options, however, when it comes to getting around your problem. I see no reason as to why it could not be said that a monster with a gaze attack (or someone who simply has a gaze attack as a natural ability) cannot "learn" to suppress their ability (feats, perhaps?) if they truly wished it. Also, a less powerful form of magic item that would still do the trick might have a "lag" effect to it. Rather than said "veil" effect kicking in as soon as the item is donned, it could instead take 1 - 10 minutes for the item to start working (warm up time.) That should dramatically decrease the item's value and make it mostly ineffectual for a combat encounter, and, imo, sounds like it could have a neat role playing and subterfuge property to it and a neat origin story.

That my be just my two cents however. DMs always have the right to omit, change, or add their own rules to a game (especially for the sake of fairness), and in the case of something like "what's the universal rule on gaze attacks" that can easily be agreed upon at the start of the game and then house ruled. It will certainly save time around the game table lol. And all of what I'm saying is under the assumption that it is ruled in your game that gaze attacks "cannot" be turned off at will.

Hope that helps!

 

[steeldragons]

OO! What about making the secrets/stone be effective at the same time!

Hear me out.

So, you look into the persons eyes for 1 round, you get your secrets, if you desire NOT to turn them to stone, you avert your eyes, close them, look at the ground, whatever. It could be a skill check or worked out like a feat. If you don't avert in time, then the person gets petrified. If you do, no worries.

Also kinda de-powers the gaze attack in that you REALLY have to stare at the person...look at them for more than 1 round, before the petrification starts. If they fail their save in round one, you get their secrets, they fail it in round too, they're stone.

If this option works for you and your DM, I'd HIGHLY advise investing in some potions or a (highly charged up) wand of Stone to Flesh..ya know, for those times you don't mean to turn someone into stone...Nobody's perfect.

This would also allow you to keep your "social" nature in that you could be in a tavern full of people and have a grand ole time...long as you simply avert your eyes/don't make eye contact with anyone you chat with...Of course, as a DM, if you were drinking/got drunk I'd be sure to make you make checks every few round to remember/control yourself enough not to look directly at anyone.