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Dust
2009-08-03, 08:24 PM
I have stumbled into a problem in my campaign, and I'd like the masters of all things magical to lend me a hand.

Here's the situation. An Xth level Wizard (ideally, the variable X should be a number as small as possible) is imprisoned without spell components or his spellbook in a 50-ft deep, 10x10 pit. He has no light and the walls are all thick stone. Once per day, food is dropped down through the locked grate at the roof of his prison by 10th level guards.

He has a near-unlimited amount of time. Decades.

How does he escape? What is the minimum level the Wizard would have to be to pull this off?


In a PERFECT world, it would be best if the Wizard found a way to manipulate outside events to frame the party and get them tossed in there with him. But that's probably asking too much.

What if we replaced the Wizard with an Xth-level Sorcerer?

Pharaoh's Fist
2009-08-03, 08:28 PM
A wizard of low level in a situation such as that is pretty much useless unless he has Spell Mastery and Eschew Materials.

His Familiar might be able to set him free by contacting an adventuring party though.

quick_comment
2009-08-03, 08:34 PM
What spells did he have prepared before he was dropped in?


Prepared Spell Retention

Once a wizard prepares a spell, it remains in her mind as a nearly cast spell until she uses the prescribed components to complete and trigger it or until she abandons it. Certain other events, such as the effects of magic items or special attacks from monsters, can wipe a prepared spell from a character’s mind.


Also, I think that somewhere, it mentions that wizards can reprepare spells they had prepared the previous day without a spellbook.


A well prepared wizard snaps his fingers and uses instant summoning to get his replacement spell book and/or a scroll of teleport.

Dust
2009-08-03, 08:38 PM
What spells did he have prepared before he was dropped in?
That's up to you.

Instant Summons is a 7th level spell, and requires the character to crush a 1,000gp sapphie - such an item wouldn't be with the wizard in his prison, either.

Weezer
2009-08-03, 08:39 PM
Something like this just happened to one of my characters, luckily he has dimension door prepared, which is perfect for this situation. You'd be able to teleport 400+ feet in any direction. The problem from there is getting the rest of the way out without your components/spell book. Its a 4th level spell so 7th level minimum.

But in this situation its 100% dependent on what spells you have memorized.

HamsterOfTheGod
2009-08-03, 08:39 PM
I have stumbled into a problem in my campaign, and I'd like the masters of all things magical to lend me a hand.

Here's the situation. An Xth level Wizard (ideally, the variable X should be a number as small as possible) is imprisoned without spell components or his spellbook in a 50-ft deep, 10x10 pit. He has no light and the walls are all thick stone. Once per day, food is dropped down through the locked grate at the roof of his prison by 10th level guards.

He has a near-unlimited amount of time. Decades.

How does he escape? What is the minimum level the Wizard would have to be to pull this off?


In a PERFECT world, it would be best if the Wizard found a way to manipulate outside events to frame the party and get them tossed in there with him. But that's probably asking too much.

What if we replaced the Wizard with an Xth-level Sorcerer?
All you need is the right spell for either the Sorcerer or Wizard with Spell Mastery. Then, given the conditions, escape is easy:
Limited Wish...minimum level 15 (Wizard and Sorcerer)
Teleport...minimum level 9 (Wizard) or 10 (Sorcerer)
Dimension Door...minimum level 9 (Wizard) or 7 (Sorcerer)

(Add the Silent Spell feat, or better yet the Sudden Silent Spell, and escape is possible even if bound and gagged.)

If you add Eschew Materials you can lower it further
Fly...minimum level 6 (Wizard or Sorcerer)
Levitate or Spider Climb...minimum level 3 (Wizard) or Sorcerer (4)

Now "realistically" no character in the D&D-verse would imprison any low level wizard without at least binding his hands and no high level wizard without some thing to negate teleport, communication or summoning and other spells.

quick_comment
2009-08-03, 08:43 PM
That's up to you.


Ok, he had teleport prepared. He casts teleport, goes away.

Dust
2009-08-03, 08:45 PM
That's one of the simple solutions, sure. I'm wondering what convoluted methods the forums can dream up; the more unusual, the more memorable it'll be for my players. And I'm stuck.

Obviously, let's also assume he doesn't have the skill points to get out physically (ie; climb and pick lock).

AstralFire
2009-08-03, 08:49 PM
Stone has a hardness of 8.

If the wizard has a strength of 14 (let's say he works out down there - not much else to do) - he can begin pounding words into the rock with his fists on a critical hit. I'd say this takes three months of daily work, doing nothing but strength training, for every point it would increase him.

Eventually, through doing push ups and working really, really hard, he is able to research a spell - it doesn't have to be a new spell, he just backwards engineers one. He proceeds to scribe this spell into the walls with critical hit punching. Learning the spell takes a month; scribing it takes a day, his hands bloody and raw at the end. His obvious choices are Charm Person and then Disguise Self.

The guard comes. He befriends one with daily uses of Charm Person, until the guard comes to genuinely like him and lets his guard down. The wizard suggests that if he comes alone, they can talk pleasantly. Bring a little wine. Get drunk. The guard does so, climbs down, brings the wine.

"Let's drink, eh?" Charmed creatures can be convinced to obey dangerous suggestions, just not obviously suicidal ones - and our multiweek brainwashing has got him thinking this Wizard is a really good friend. Guard falls unconscious.

Mister Punchy Wizard coup-de-graces the guard with his own weapon, uses the guard's rope to climb up and out and makes a break for it disguised as the guard.

Level 1.

Pharaoh's Fist
2009-08-03, 08:53 PM
Since P = F/A, you can etch words on your wall with a utensil or something.

Mr.Moron
2009-08-03, 08:53 PM
Stone has a hardness of 8.

If the wizard has a strength of 14 (let's say he works out down there - not much else to do) - he can begin pounding words into the rock with his fists on a critical hit. I'd say this takes three months of daily work, doing nothing but strength training, for every point it would increase him.

Eventually, through doing push ups and working really, really hard, he is able to research a spell - it doesn't have to be a new spell, he just backwards engineers one. He proceeds to scribe this spell into the walls with critical hit punching. Learning the spell takes a month; scribing it takes a day, his hands bloody and raw at the end. His obvious choices are Charm Person and then Disguise Self.

The guard comes. He befriends one with daily uses of Charm Person, until the guard comes to genuinely like him and lets his guard down. The wizard suggests that if he comes alone, they can talk pleasantly. The guard does so; he opens the grate, too.

Mister Punchy Wizard coup-de-graces the low-level guard in the middle of talking, uses his corpse to climb up and out and makes a break for it disguised as the guard.

Level 1.

Or he could just set apart a small portion of his bread each day, to chew up spit out and make ghetto bread-paper out of. Similar effect without the wall punching.

AstralFire
2009-08-03, 08:54 PM
Or he could just set apart a small portion of his bread each day, to chew up spit out and make ghetto bread-paper out of. Similar effect without the wall punching.

MISTER MORON.

You are correct. But I ask you. I ASK YOU.

Which is more completely and thoroughly badass - "I used regurgitated bread as a spellbook" or "I punched spells into solid rock".

I presume he's given no utensils to use to avoid him being able to tricky dig his way out, and he can be regularly doused with water to ruin any spells figured out with his crumbs - but do they expect words punched into the walls?!

quick_comment
2009-08-03, 08:59 PM
Spider climb lets him climb out. Material components are spider and coal, which can probably be found in a pit.

Levitate and alter self let him fly out. Levitate needs leather, alter self needs nothing.

Whispering wind lets him send for help

Charm person to get a guard to lower a rope.

Invisibility, the guards check to see where he went, when they go down to look around he climbs up their rope and steals it.

He could use ghost sound to trick the guards into leaving. The material component could be made out of his clothing. Silent image might work too.

Prestigitation might let him dig his way out. No material component

Animate rope on the rope they use to lower down his food.

Multiple unseen servants might be able to fly the wizard out. Material components might reasonably be found in the pit.

quick_comment
2009-08-03, 09:00 PM
Stone has a hardness of 8.

If the wizard has a strength of 14 (let's say he works out down there - not much else to do) - he can begin pounding words into the rock with his fists on a critical hit. I'd say this takes three months of daily work, doing nothing but strength training, for every point it would increase him.

Eventually, through doing push ups and working really, really hard, he is able to research a spell - it doesn't have to be a new spell, he just backwards engineers one. He proceeds to scribe this spell into the walls with critical hit punching. Learning the spell takes a month; scribing it takes a day, his hands bloody and raw at the end. His obvious choices are Charm Person and then Disguise Self.

The guard comes. He befriends one with daily uses of Charm Person, until the guard comes to genuinely like him and lets his guard down. The wizard suggests that if he comes alone, they can talk pleasantly. The guard does so; he opens the grate, too.

Mister Punchy Wizard coup-de-graces the guard with his own weapon in the middle of talking, uses his corpse to climb up and out and makes a break for it disguised as the guard.

Level 1.

Spell research costs money though, which the wizard doesnt have.

Still pretty awesome.

HamsterOfTheGod
2009-08-03, 09:01 PM
That's one of the simple solutions, sure. I'm wondering what convoluted methods the forums can dream up; the more unusual, the more memorable it'll be for my players. And I'm stuck.

Obviously, let's also assume he doesn't have the skill points to get out physically (ie; climb and pick lock).

Well by RAW you need to start with a spontaneous caster or a wizard withe spell mastery.

Then it is just a question of spells. Which means that the jailers have to put a block to fly/teleport spells.

The you have to stop gaurds from being charmed, the caster from changing shape or summoning or calling a monster, or tunneling through the earth, or fabricating or shaping and escape route, etc.

The conditions you gave are just too simple to make a "memorable" escape. There must be more like AMF's or planar blocks.

One way to make it memorable for ex, is to have multiple prisoners help the escape.

So for ex, the imprisoned sorcerer can't cast spells in area X but the imprisoned rogue can do something to loosen the restraints on the sorcerer so he can cast a spell. The sorcerer can't cast an escape spell but he can dispel the magic preventing the imprisoned cleric. And the imprisoned cleric can in turn buff the imprisoned barbarian...

Pharaoh's Fist
2009-08-03, 09:03 PM
One way to make it memorable for ex, is to have multiple prisoners help the escape.

So for ex, the imprisoned sorcerer can't cast spells in area X but the imprisoned rogue can do something to loosen the restraints on the sorcerer so he can cast a spell. The sorcerer can't cast an escape spell but he can dispel the magic preventing the imprisoned cleric. And the imprisoned cleric can in turn buff the imprisoned barbarian...
Then Danny Ocean breaks into the vault holding the party's gear...

Arakune
2009-08-03, 09:09 PM
Stone has a hardness of 8.

If the wizard has a strength of 14 (let's say he works out down there - not much else to do) - he can begin pounding words into the rock with his fists on a critical hit. I'd say this takes three months of daily work, doing nothing but strength training, for every point it would increase him.

Eventually, through doing push ups and working really, really hard, he is able to research a spell - it doesn't have to be a new spell, he just backwards engineers one. He proceeds to scribe this spell into the walls with critical hit punching. Learning the spell takes a month; scribing it takes a day, his hands bloody and raw at the end. His obvious choices are Charm Person and then Disguise Self.

The guard comes. He befriends one with daily uses of Charm Person, until the guard comes to genuinely like him and lets his guard down. The wizard suggests that if he comes alone, they can talk pleasantly. The guard does so; he opens the grate, too.

Mister Punchy Wizard coup-de-graces the guard with his own weapon in the middle of talking, uses his corpse and the guard's rope to climb up and out and makes a break for it disguised as the guard.

Level 1.


I presume he's given no utensils to use to avoid him being able to tricky dig his way out, and he can be regularly doused with water to ruin any spells figured out with his crumbs - but do they expect words punched into the walls?!

I don't think anything on this topic can top this.

I aprove these posts. :smallbiggrin:

Mr.Moron
2009-08-03, 09:10 PM
Level 1: Be a human and take a flaw to get Eschew Materials Spell Master and Precious Apprentice for Knock.

Take Summon Monster 1, Reduce Person and Knock as your spell Master Spells.

Knock the gate open, Shrink to Small, summon the medium monstrous centipede (Climb 40ft) and ride your way to freedom. Once out of the pit... just book it. Wait until the guards are sleeping or something.

That's building pretty specifically to the problem though.

Kelpstrand
2009-08-03, 09:10 PM
First level spell with no Material component: Summon Component.

Use it to summon the Material Component of a Rope Trick Spell. A Rope.

Climb the Rope into the Rope Trick a few rounds before they check for food, the window is right next to the trapdoor. If you are lucky enough to be fed by only a single guard, (You are level 3 Wizard with no book or components, you should be) then when he tries to go down to look, climb out and close the door.

No one knows you are running around free, maybe you have an extra alter self to look like the guard and walk right out some door.

Have fun escaped Wizard.

Cieyrin
2009-08-03, 09:15 PM
The only issues I see with your solution, Astral, is that you can't critical hit objects, unless you're playing Neverwinter Nights, which wouldn't do this situation justice, anyways.

The other problem I see is that the guards are 10th level, as stated in the problem, so s/he perhaps has a half-decent will save, even a poor Will having +3, possibly +1 from wisdom and +2 from Iron Will (b/c, let's face it, he needs the willpower to stay awake through these long guard sessions), for a total of +6, which gives him a decent chance of succeeding at the DC 14-16 Will save. Should he be charmed anyways, he almost undoubtedly has a good Fort save, so +7 there plus an almost guaranteed +1 or +2 from Con (they don't hire wimps to guard duty), for +9, which gives hims a much better chance to surviving the coup, as he'll suck up the subdual easy and probably make the save, which, from your example has a damage between 6-10, so DC 16-20, which is definitely within reach of the guard. I also question whether punching a guard in the throat in conversation with you really constitutes him being considered helpless to be able to coup him in the first place.

Them's my 2 bloody copper pieces. Take as you will.

chiasaur11
2009-08-03, 09:19 PM
Of course, if it's a warforged wizard, he could just punch the walls steadily until said walls cease to exist.

He's got time, after all.

But the bloodied fists one is more awesome anyway.

PId6
2009-08-03, 09:22 PM
Take Spell Mastery for Acid Splash and Lesser Orb of Acid. Since acid damage ignores hardness, you can just keep firing at the wall/floor until you build a working tunnel to somewhere. It'd take a bloody long time, but it would work, assuming it's dark enough that the guards never see what he's doing.

AstralFire
2009-08-03, 09:23 PM
The only issues I see with your solution, Astral, is that you can't critical hit objects, unless you're playing Neverwinter Nights, which wouldn't do this situation justice, anyways.

I would allow it; as a general rule, the reason you cannot critical objects is because there's no structural damage you can do to them - they don't have the equivalent of internal organs. Here, you are specifically interested in dealing superficial damage. And strictly speaking from a non-gamist PoV, you can crudely carve rock with any decent knife (though you'll damage the knife), which is doing about as much damage. But yeah, a friend raised that mechanical issue.


The other problem I see is that the guards are 10th level, as stated in the problem, so s/he perhaps has a half-decent will save, even a poor Will having +3, possibly +1 from wisdom and +2 from Iron Will (b/c, let's face it, he needs the willpower to stay awake through these long guard sessions), for a total of +6, which gives him a decent chance of succeeding at the DC 14-16 Will save.

Right - but:

A creature that successfully saves against a spell that has no obvious physical effects feels a hostile force or a tingle, but cannot deduce the exact nature of the attack. Likewise, if a creature’s saving throw succeeds against a targeted spell you sense that the spell has failed. You do not sense when creatures succeed on saves against effect and area spells.

He has nothing else to prepare for most of this plan, and eventually, the guy will fail his saves. And cognitive dissonance will mean that he'll start to assume he really does like the Wizard, given enough time.


Should he be charmed anyways, he almost undoubtedly has a good Fort save, so +7 there plus an almost guaranteed +1 or +2 from Con (they don't hire wimps to guard duty), for +9, which gives hims a much better chance to surviving the coup, as he'll suck up the subdual easy and probably make the save, which, from your example has a damage between 6-10, so DC 16-20, which is definitely within reach of the guard. I also question whether punching a guard in the throat in conversation with you really constitutes him being considered helpless to be able to coup him in the first place.

A good point, which is why I changed it to taking his sword ("mind if I see it?" A charmed person won't do obviously suicidal orders, but can be convinced to do dangerous ones).

To get him helpless, convince him to bring wine and get drunk. :smallbiggrin:

Mr.Moron
2009-08-03, 09:23 PM
MISTER MORON.

You are correct. But I ask you. I ASK YOU.

Which is more completely and thoroughly badass - "I used regurgitated bread as a spellbook" or "I punched spells into solid rock".


You raise a very good point actually. I suppose the awesome is worth a few bloodied extremities.

Cieyrin
2009-08-03, 09:39 PM
Alrighties, works for me, cuz impaling a guard on his own sword definitely makes this look much more badass, even if you do it when he's passed out and drunk. Just gloss over that note and tell about how awesome you were in taking the sword from the guard and maybe the bar wench will give you that second ale on the house.:smallbiggrin:

Animefunkmaster
2009-08-03, 09:49 PM
Changling Wizard1 Immediate Magic (Conjuration/Abrupt Jaunt) tack on Domain Wizard/enchantment.

Feats: Alacritous Cognition

18 int would be nice.

Gear: Tattooed spell book
Disguise Self
Charm Person
expeditious retreat

Over the course of a week the same guards drop food into the dark hole where they are keeping there prisoner. What they failed to realize is that the Wizard is a changeling and concealed on his body are magical tattoos that the changeling had on his body in case he were ever in a pinch. Like a rogue with hidden tools this wizard has slowly been infecting the guards with the charm person spell (they can't see him casting in the cell, they can only hear his voice, and there is no material components so all good). Using this method the Changeling exchanged rumors and through his persuasive attitude (lets say ranks in diplomacy or bluff) to keep up with intel on whats going on outside.

The Escape:
At the right moment, when there is a single guard, or an easily duped guard, the changeling will cast disguise self (stacking with his racial bonus to disguise) and expeditious retreat to look like another guard. After a few successful bluffs he will get hoisted out of his prison and wait for an opportunity to run away (disguising as someone else if need be).

There is an unusual interaction with Alacritous Cognition and a lack of a spell book. Open spell slot can be used to cast a 'spell you know' whatever that exactly means.

Edit: Abrupt Juant is used for the free 10 teleports as an immediate action, helps against attacks and need to hide. Nothing like a bluff that your casting some long range teleport and then abrupt jaunt behind a wall.

Dust
2009-08-03, 09:57 PM
Could a first or second-level trapped spellcaster level up by killing rats with his bare hands? Could he get spell components from his food?

AstralFire
2009-08-03, 09:59 PM
Punchy-the-Wizard needs no spell components! (I picked those spells out for that reason.)

Spell components from food - probably not. Killing rats granting XP? Anything 'challenging' can give you XP, as you can get XP for roleplaying encounters. I would say rats, no, but extensive meditation and exercise in harsh conditions - yes.

AppleChips
2009-08-03, 10:03 PM
Lv. 1 Wizard with Prestidigitation. Color the walls like, orange and neon green, or something horrible or excruciating to look at. Eventually,the guards will get sick of it and call someone to paint over it. Jack his clothes, tape his mouth or whatever, and leave!

Or, through using Message, get people to believe that you're a famous person of some type, and when a guard comes for an autograph, cast touch of fatigue on him. Offer to help him out of the pit. Once out, cast obscuring mist, and make your escape!

Curmudgeon
2009-08-03, 10:13 PM
I think the best answer is level 4. That's the level to use Alter Self to assume the form of a 1 HD Avariel (winged elf from Forgotten Realms; +3 LA). Alter Self has no material components. As Alter Self is so generally useful, the Wizard should have it memorized.

Debihuman
2009-08-03, 10:16 PM
With an unlimited amount of time, he can Take 20 to his Climb check to climb the walls and escape when he reaches the top.

Debby

AppleChips
2009-08-03, 10:20 PM
But what of the Lv. 10 guards?

Babale
2009-08-03, 10:48 PM
He can take 20 on his Craft (Alchemy) check to make a horrid poison that will kill them on touch.

Hell, not having the right tools is only a -4 to the check.

PId6
2009-08-03, 10:52 PM
He can take 20 on his Craft (Alchemy) check to make a horrid poison that will kill them on touch.

Hell, not having the right tools is only a -4 to the check.
Still needs to pay for materials. And, you know, people to buy materials from.

Arakune
2009-08-03, 10:59 PM
Still needs to pay for materials. And, you know, people to buy materials from.

He could use his own stomach acid. Of course, after escaping fro prision he will need to see a dentist.

AppleChips
2009-08-03, 11:00 PM
He makes a rope out of dead rats and casts mount, and uses it to drag rocks to make a tunnel. Mean while he casts silent image to make it look that he's not. And after a long time, he has an escape route!

HamsterOfTheGod
2009-08-03, 11:08 PM
Then Danny Ocean breaks into the vault holding the party's gear...

I was thinking more Steve McQueen on a motorcycle...


With an unlimited amount of time

Jump into another universe all together...but that is a different sort of "magic".

Kelpstrand
2009-08-04, 12:06 AM
I think the best answer is level 4. That's the level to use Alter Self to assume the form of a 1 HD Avariel (winged elf from Forgotten Realms; +3 LA). Alter Self has no material components. As Alter Self is so generally useful, the Wizard should have it memorized.

Uh, LA doesn't apply to Alter Self HD/CL, so you can actually do that from level 1 with Precocious Apprentice (Alter Self).

Fizban
2009-08-04, 03:15 AM
Nothing can beat pounding spells into the rock with your bare hands. I'd let the meticulously hand carved drawings count as expensive inks for scribing myself.

Myrmex
2009-08-04, 03:28 AM
You can't critical an object. They are immune to criticals.

He could just ride out on a mountain of his own filth. All he has to do is excrete 5,000 cfs of waste. Actually, a little less than that if he is a tall elf with good reach.

pingcode20
2009-08-04, 03:30 AM
I... think I prefer the punching a spell into walls. :smallyuk:

Myrmex
2009-08-04, 03:33 AM
I... think I prefer the punching a spell into walls. :smallyuk:

I'd rather not be bleeding in an otyugh hole.

kamikasei
2009-08-04, 03:40 AM
Once the wizard's been down there long enough, he only has to be high enough level to make the Knowledge check to say "Pazuzu, Pazuzu, Pazuzu, i can haz warlock level plz?"

(Yes, just like that. Secretly, Abyssal is in fact lolspeak.)

Or, y'know, wish for his spellbook, if you want to be boring.

Myrmex
2009-08-04, 03:44 AM
Once the wizard's been down there long enough, he only has to be high enough level to make the Knowledge check to say "Pazuzu, Pazuzu, Pazuzu, i can haz warlock level plz?"

(Yes, just like that. Secretly, Abyssal is in fact lolspeak.)

Or, y'know, wish for his spellbook, if you want to be boring.

You know, a level 1 kobold paladin would have an advantage here....

Or a kobold loredrake.

kamikasei
2009-08-04, 03:50 AM
You know, a level 1 kobold paladin would have an advantage here...

Properly speaking, I'd say any demon/devil/fey should be summonable with the materials to hand (blood, and a surface to draw on) for the purpose of selling one's soul - it's just that Pazuzu has a built-in mechanic for free summoning.

Taking up pact magic should work, too.

Yora
2009-08-04, 04:05 AM
People, think outside the box!

Charm Person

The only catch is, that he has to see one of the guards. But if he's held imprisoned for long enough, he could just start to talk every time food is brought and I guess at some point one of the guards will think he's harmless and disregard the order never to speak to the wizard. And once he shows his face, bam!

That is, if the wizard doesn't go insane before, which he should after about three to four days.

Myrmex
2009-08-04, 04:09 AM
People, think outside the box!

Charm Person

If only Charm Person worked outside the box. Unfortunately, with a 30ft range, it's not going to work.

Tyrmatt
2009-08-04, 04:47 AM
My plan requires you to be level 1 so far. Wizard/Sorc with Eschew Materials gets 3 cantrips a day. Since cantrips are such simple spells, it's feasible that within a week at most, the wizard could work out what he needs to cast the spells without his spellbook. I'm a big fan of writing things in blood so he can scribe them onto the wall if need be. The sorcerer can plow on if he selected the right spells. He needs Acid Splash and Ghost Sound. Having chosen a lizard familiar is a bonus.

Using Acid Splash once a day to begin carving steps into the side of the solid wall. Let's assume that to dissolve a smooth and workable foot/handhold, it takes 3 days to carve one foothold, using the acid and pieces of rock from the bottom of the pit. To climb 50 feet he therefore needs 25 of these. He can potentially spend 2 of his cantrips using Acid Splash to begin to eat his way up the wall. So a day and half of carving * 25 = 37.5 days required to build a climbable ladder of rock to the top of the pit.
Once halfways up, he can use his final casting to use Ghost Sound when the guard appears at the top with his food. Once a day, he will use the spell to whisper in the guards ear, innocuously at first, altering between gentle and harsh acts, everything from whispers of great power, to orders to stab his comrade in the heart. As the ladder nears completion, he increases the violence and promises offered in the whisper, culminating in the day approximately 2 months later where he compels the guard to open the grate. By this point, the poor guard has been hearing whispers for 2 months and is at the end of his rope. He'll do anything to make the whispers that no one else can hear stop.

The wizard is waiting at the top of the pit, aided by his lizard familiar's bonus to climb. When the guard opens the grate, the wizard pulls the guard in (the guard is leaning over a pit in most likely heavy armor and thus easily unbalanced) perhaps using a second use of Ghost Sound to ask him to "extend your hand and receive my power" to give you something to pull. Since you've been carving rock with your bare hands and other chunks of rock for months, your strength should have gone up and you can pull him in rather easily. Once the guard hits the bottom of the pit, you can lock the grate again and you're free. Since you've got one cantrip remaining today, use Ghost Sound to rouse the other guard (who wastes more than 2 guards on helpless prisoners in pits?) to come aid their comrade. After he's rushed in and opened the pit to save him, shove him in, lock all the doors and begin your escape. If the party are nearby, jack a rope and fetch them up from their pits.

Because you are the goddamned Batman!

Yes, I know highly contrived. But it's how I would approach the scenario. 2 months is a pretty good escape time from a prison you weren't expecting to be in with no tools or plan beforehand.

For bonus style points, leave the pit open as the other guard comes in and have worked out "Grease" while down in the pit. Cast it for cartoon hilarity. Or I suppose cast Unseen Servant and open the lock at the top during the night and begin your stealthy escape. I however like the idea of using only cantrips to escape.

PairO'Dice Lost
2009-08-04, 09:25 AM
On the subject of carving a tunnel and hitting walls with your fists...


Two years after the Last War, a wizard escaped from an anonymous prison. All they found of him was a muddy set of wizard robes. I remember thinking it would take an elf six hundred years to tunnel through that wall. The wizard did it in less than twenty. He loved Knowledge (Geology). I imagine it appealed to his meticulous nature. An ice age here, a million years of mountain-building there, plates of bedrock grinding against each other over a span of millennia...Geology is the study of pressure and time. That's all it takes, really. Pressure and time. Like I said. In prison, an elf will do most anything to keep his mind occupied. It turns out the wizard's favorite hobby was turning his wall into a layer of dirt on his cell floor a handful at a time...While his guards slept, the wizard spent years working the nightshift...Probably took him most of a year just to get his pointy ears through.

I guess he decided he'd been there just about long enough. The wizard did just as he planned: buffed his fists with an acid sheath, then punched a tunnel through the wall. The guards simply didn't notice. I mean, seriously, how often do you really look at an elf's hands? That wizard crawled to freedom through five hundred yards of acid-smelling foulness I can't even imagine. Or maybe I just don't want to. Five hundred yards...the length of two Long range spells. Just shy of half a mile. The next morning, right about the time the guard was spilling the story, an elf nobody ever laid eyes on before strolled into the Kundarak Bank of Sharn. Until that moment, he didn't exist--except on parchment. He had all the proper ID...arcane mark, travel papers....

The signature was a spot-on match. That elf visited nearly a dozen banks in Sharn that morning. All told, he blew town with better than 370,000gp. Adventuring loot for nineteen years.


:smallcool:

AstralFire
2009-08-04, 09:47 AM
You can't critical an object. They are immune to criticals.

Already covered why that works.

More pressing is the issue that you can't Charm Person at that range, but if you bump mine up to level 3 or 4 and assume he took Enlarge Spell (which is not unreasonable at all!), it still works. :)

AppleChips
2009-08-04, 09:57 AM
Continuously kill rats until you have a large enough pile to fit under. Wait for them to begin to rot. When somebody comes to take it away, hide inside, while casting silent image to look like you're in the corner. Or, with no spells, make a you-shaped pile of rocks in the corner.

The Glyphstone
2009-08-04, 10:15 AM
If you're not badass enough to punch yourself a spellbook in the wall, Polymorphing into anything with a Burrow speed will get it done at level 7, 2 levels earlier than Teleport. Just need Spell Mastery (Polymorph), which isn't a bad idea.

KillianHawkeye
2009-08-04, 10:21 AM
On the subject of carving a tunnel and hitting walls with your fists...

That is the awesomest thing I've read all week! :smallbiggrin:

I need to watch that movie again.

wykydtron
2009-08-04, 11:01 AM
That is the awesomest thing I've read all week! :smallbiggrin:

I need to watch that movie again.

What movie was it?

AstralFire
2009-08-04, 11:03 AM
What movie was it?

Shawshank Redemption, I believe. I never saw the whole movie in one sitting, to my chagrin (what I have seen was awesome), but it sounds very familiar.

Umael
2009-08-04, 11:09 AM
Just a note about taking 20 on your Skill Checks... that isn't an automatic success. So no taking 20 on your Climb or Craft (Alchemy) Checks...

(Also, add another vote for the carving your spellbook into the wall by punching it.)

quick_comment
2009-08-04, 11:09 AM
A number of reserve feats could be very helpful as well, depending on what he has prepared.

PairO'Dice Lost
2009-08-04, 11:11 AM
Shawshank Redemption, I believe. I never saw the whole movie in one sitting, to my chagrin (what I have seen was awesome), but it sounds very familiar.

Yep, it's a takeoff of Shawshank Redemption and the movie is indeed awesome.

wykydtron
2009-08-04, 11:13 AM
Just a note about taking 20 on your Skill Checks... that isn't an automatic success. So no taking 20 on your Climb or Craft (Alchemy) Checks...

(Also, add another vote for the carving your spellbook into the wall by punching it.)

You also aren't allowed to take 20 on those skills because there are set-backs to failing and taking 20 assumes you are trying 20 times imaginarilly rolling everything from 1-20. So taking 20 when you're 10-ft. away from the top would mean you also just rolled a 1 and fell 90 ft.

Cieyrin
2009-08-04, 03:46 PM
Continuously kill rats until you have a large enough pile to fit under. Wait for them to begin to rot. When somebody comes to take it away, hide inside, while casting silent image to look like you're in the corner. Or, with no spells, make a you-shaped pile of rocks in the corner.

With all these rats, you could be making rat-flails.:smalltongue:

Alejandro
2009-08-04, 04:25 PM
A level 1 wizard could kill rats. They could do so with their hands and feet, or by wielding a loose rock, or by saving their feces and creating a large ball of dried feces that could be used to smother a rat. It may also be possible to craft a stone dagger, which a wizard is proficient with.

Eventually, the level 1 wizard will earn enough XP from rat kills to level up. Since the wizard likely already has a high INT, they choose to become a level 1 wizard, level 1 rogue, and dump their skill points into disguise, bluff, and climb. The wizard/rogue climbs up and escapes when food is delivered, perhaps by sneak attacking the guard with a 'water balloon' made from rat hides filled with urine and feces. The wizard then relies on their new bluff and disguise skills to escape the area.

Forbiddenwar
2009-08-04, 04:38 PM
A) you don't get any Exp from rats, there too easy. Unless we're talking dire, in which case a 1st lvl wizard with no spells or equipment might have a lot of trouble with it.
B) killing rats for a ramp. Pretty quickly the rats are going to figure on avoiding you.
Yes, nothing beats scribing your spells into the wall with your fists. That is as good as it can possibly get. Unless, of course, the guards see this.

Umael
2009-08-04, 04:43 PM
Yes, nothing beats scribing your spells into the wall with your fists. That is as good as it can possibly get. Unless, of course, the guards see this.

Or you make a mistake while scribing.

"Oh, Abyss, I forgot to carry the two..."

Alejandro
2009-08-04, 04:48 PM
You can get XP from rats. Not much, but some. CR 1/8th. The OP did say it might take years :)

Foryn Gilnith
2009-08-04, 04:50 PM
You also aren't allowed to take 20 on those skills because there are set-backs to failing and taking 20 assumes you are trying 20 times imaginarilly rolling everything from 1-20. So taking 20 when you're 10-ft. away from the top would mean you also just rolled a 1 and fell 90 ft.

Then just roll the dice every single time until you get a twenty. I usually prefer that to taking 20, because often I need a 19 or 20 rather than just a 20; and rolling individually is faster.

quick_comment
2009-08-04, 04:59 PM
That moves you what, 10ft?

Foryn Gilnith
2009-08-04, 05:00 PM
Then roll more. Over, and over, and over, for decades. Eventually you'll get to the top.

I'm not sure why you'd want to, since you'll attract attention and the grate is probably locked; but I'm sure the originator of the idea has a better sense of the context.

ericgrau
2009-08-04, 05:07 PM
I move that we limit this to spells that it is plausible for the wizard to already have prepared:


The material component for grease is a pit of pork rind or butter.
A pinch of fine sand from the unkempt pit bottom provides the material component for sleep.
Ground mica, the material component for glitterdust, is commonly found glittering on the surface of many natural rocks. The wizard could chip some off if he's given any eating utensils.
Given some natural chewing gum he can use it to encase one of his own eyelashes and cast invisibility.
If the pit is made of bricks, it may contain bitumen (tar) as a sealent or mortar. Combine with a live spider, which you're certain to find eventually, and you can cast spider climb.
A pinch of dust and a few drops of water allows a sleet storm, one of my favorites.
If given iron eating utensils, a small straight piece allows hold person.
Make an excuse to write a message and use the quill feather to cast fly.
Get hurt and request some gauze. Create a wisp of smoke by rubbing sticks if you have to. Or start a fire with prestidigitation, etc. The gauze and smoke allow gaseous form.


I think I'll stop at 3rd level.

Btw, I just noticed that the material component for detect thoughts is a copper piece, i.e. a penny. <groan>.

Oh, and since both spellbooks and scrolls require special costly inks and other such materials, I don't think fist chiseling is gonna cut it. And I know a lot of DMs handwave training after leveling up, but I doubt learning new abilities like disguise without any resources is at all plausible. Suggesting such a thing to a DM will probably just get a chuckle, at which point he immediately shifts his attention to the other party members and what they're doing.

AstralFire
2009-08-04, 05:13 PM
He is the DM, so he can handwave things that make for a good story as long as it's not outside the realm of possibility and it's not something a player would be disallowed to do in the same circumstances.

ericgrau
2009-08-04, 05:16 PM
Certainly. And that allows for a lot of good RP solutions. But I was responding to the suggestion that the wizard kill rats for xp and then somehow learn to be a rogue... while in a pit isolated from all materials that might be used for learning or practicing and isolated from other people. I don't think most players would even get to explain the idea past "kill rats for xp".

AstralFire
2009-08-04, 05:31 PM
I was referring to the fist chiseling. :)

I agree with rats for XP not working. That just doesn't make much sense narratively.

Gorgondantess
2009-08-04, 06:36 PM
Y'know, I understand it sounds absurd, but believe it or not, not all prisons have rats in them; especially when you're at the bottom of a stone pit.:smallannoyed:

That's why you need to punch your spells into the wall!:smallbiggrin: