Endarire
2009-03-03, 06:51 PM
Having played a Wizard in a 3.5 game running from level 1 to 21, I tell you that arcane power is awesome. As a DM, it's painfully hard to challenge players that know their options and can think like their characters would. A properly prepared and somewhat paranoid (or is that very paranoid?) level 20 Wizard- just shy of epic- is practically invincible short of deities or more powerful casters.
Considering V is getting the aid of an Epic Sorcerer ("Their epic spells should complement your own spellcasting deficits most superbly" (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0633.html)) who can cast any of his spells on the fly and two epic Wizards who have more spell slots than they can expect to use in a rest period, and assuming these fiends speak the truth, V is about to enter God Mode. It may be overkill for saving his family, but there are plenty of opportunities even in 10 minutes to take over the world, create infinite wealth, and screw over everyone. Logically, this won't happen because it would make for a less interesting story, but V can now time stop ([url=http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/timestop.htm), greater teleport (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/teleportgreater.htm) home, continue time stop (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/timestop.htm) as prudent, and take out the dragon before she knows what's coming. If Rich plays by the rules as written, V can't just spam his biggest Evocation booms- see time stop (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/timestop.htm)'s clause about being unable to affect anyone not in stopped time- but he can use gate (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/gate.htm) or summon enough critters then cast dimensional lock (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/dimensionallock.htm) to ensure the dragon can't just warp out.
The dragon, if she wanted to ensure the death of V's family, could have cast time stop (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/timestop.htm) upon arriving at V's house- probably from an item- set up everything she needed, and with trap the soul (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/trapthesoul.htm), tricked his family into touching certain trapped objects. In short, the dragon could have already achieved her goal and be gone by now, but that potentially makes for less interesting drama.
Also, if the dragon can cast greater teleport (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/teleportgreater.htm) and antimagic field (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/antimagicfield.htm) from her spells known and she has no class levels, she's a great wyrm (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/dragonTrue.htm#blackDragon), or a significant threat to a group of level 20 characters. (Her challenge rating is 22.) I can understand why she'd be especially cautious around a group of level 13+ adventurers because of disparities in the CR system, especially with casters, and an entire fleet of people eager to take her down. That's a minor point.
Perhaps "all the wrong reasons" includes wanting to try out banned schools. V definitely banned Conjuration, but he's cast many Evocations, invisibility (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/invisibility.htm) (Illusion), fly (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/fly.htm) (Transmutation), a homebrew (?) spell similar to scrying (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/scrying.htm) (Divination), suggestion (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/suggestion.htm) (Enchantment), and protection from arrows (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/protectionfromarrows.htm) (Abjuration). I don't recall him casting any Necromancies, but this finally gives him the opportunity to animate dead (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/animatedead.htm) with troops that have an instantaneous duration. (The soul splice may cancel instantaneous effects after the splice ends.) Perhaps V will feel the pull of power and desire to continue partaking in the ritual because it's so delicious, nevermind that each of the fiends could probably easily undo V's results. I see a compelling case for V wanting ultimate arcane power to avenge the deaths of his family whom he doesn't realize is dead more than wanting to use this power to protect them.
For more info on what a paranoid and prepared level 20 Wizard can do, read this link (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=3763.0).
Finally, I see the fiends' proposed plan as so convoluted as not to be viable. For someone as smart as Vaarsuvius, Murphy's Law is a bummer. V would depend first on these factors:
-V's ability to send a completely clear message to Durkon and co
-Qaar's loyalty
-Qaar's ability to take V's message to Durkon and have Durkon understand it
-Durkon's willingness and ability to revive V
-The group's ability to get V's master's attention and his willingness to cooperate
-The ability to revive V's family if dead or prevent their deaths if alive
-The ability to prevent future incidents
-Time!
I don't like those odds when I have someone offering the ability to accomplish my immediate and longer-term goals for a higher but worthwhile price.
Considering V is getting the aid of an Epic Sorcerer ("Their epic spells should complement your own spellcasting deficits most superbly" (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0633.html)) who can cast any of his spells on the fly and two epic Wizards who have more spell slots than they can expect to use in a rest period, and assuming these fiends speak the truth, V is about to enter God Mode. It may be overkill for saving his family, but there are plenty of opportunities even in 10 minutes to take over the world, create infinite wealth, and screw over everyone. Logically, this won't happen because it would make for a less interesting story, but V can now time stop ([url=http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/timestop.htm), greater teleport (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/teleportgreater.htm) home, continue time stop (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/timestop.htm) as prudent, and take out the dragon before she knows what's coming. If Rich plays by the rules as written, V can't just spam his biggest Evocation booms- see time stop (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/timestop.htm)'s clause about being unable to affect anyone not in stopped time- but he can use gate (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/gate.htm) or summon enough critters then cast dimensional lock (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/dimensionallock.htm) to ensure the dragon can't just warp out.
The dragon, if she wanted to ensure the death of V's family, could have cast time stop (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/timestop.htm) upon arriving at V's house- probably from an item- set up everything she needed, and with trap the soul (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/trapthesoul.htm), tricked his family into touching certain trapped objects. In short, the dragon could have already achieved her goal and be gone by now, but that potentially makes for less interesting drama.
Also, if the dragon can cast greater teleport (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/teleportgreater.htm) and antimagic field (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/antimagicfield.htm) from her spells known and she has no class levels, she's a great wyrm (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/dragonTrue.htm#blackDragon), or a significant threat to a group of level 20 characters. (Her challenge rating is 22.) I can understand why she'd be especially cautious around a group of level 13+ adventurers because of disparities in the CR system, especially with casters, and an entire fleet of people eager to take her down. That's a minor point.
Perhaps "all the wrong reasons" includes wanting to try out banned schools. V definitely banned Conjuration, but he's cast many Evocations, invisibility (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/invisibility.htm) (Illusion), fly (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/fly.htm) (Transmutation), a homebrew (?) spell similar to scrying (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/scrying.htm) (Divination), suggestion (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/suggestion.htm) (Enchantment), and protection from arrows (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/protectionfromarrows.htm) (Abjuration). I don't recall him casting any Necromancies, but this finally gives him the opportunity to animate dead (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/animatedead.htm) with troops that have an instantaneous duration. (The soul splice may cancel instantaneous effects after the splice ends.) Perhaps V will feel the pull of power and desire to continue partaking in the ritual because it's so delicious, nevermind that each of the fiends could probably easily undo V's results. I see a compelling case for V wanting ultimate arcane power to avenge the deaths of his family whom he doesn't realize is dead more than wanting to use this power to protect them.
For more info on what a paranoid and prepared level 20 Wizard can do, read this link (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=3763.0).
Finally, I see the fiends' proposed plan as so convoluted as not to be viable. For someone as smart as Vaarsuvius, Murphy's Law is a bummer. V would depend first on these factors:
-V's ability to send a completely clear message to Durkon and co
-Qaar's loyalty
-Qaar's ability to take V's message to Durkon and have Durkon understand it
-Durkon's willingness and ability to revive V
-The group's ability to get V's master's attention and his willingness to cooperate
-The ability to revive V's family if dead or prevent their deaths if alive
-The ability to prevent future incidents
-Time!
I don't like those odds when I have someone offering the ability to accomplish my immediate and longer-term goals for a higher but worthwhile price.