Contingency Questions?

[Viktyr Gehrig]

Let's say I'm in love with Craft Contingent Spell. I've got heal contingent on being reduced to 0 or fewer hit points, last breath and greater teleport contingent on dying, and polymorph any object contingent on being reincarnated.

Lo, I am struck down mightily.

Now, greater teleport and polymorph any object require the caster to specify a great deal of detail. Am I correct in assuming that all of the variables of the spell are set when the contingent spell is craft?

Do I retain my contingent spells after being reincarnated? If I am killed, will heal affect my new body or fizzle? If I am reincarnated, will the polymorph any object trigger automatically?

Greater teleport has a target of "you". Does my corpse count as myself?

If last breath is cast simultaneously with greater teleport, is my new body formed where I died or where my corpse is now?

[gomipile]

Let's say I'm in love with Craft Contingent Spell. I've got heal contingent on being reduced to 0 or fewer hit points, last breath and greater teleport contingent on dying, and polymorph any object contingent on being reincarnated.

Lo, I am struck down mightily.

Now, greater teleport and polymorph any object require the caster to specify a great deal of detail. Am I correct in assuming that all of the variables of the spell are set when the contingent spell is craft?

Do I retain my contingent spells after being reincarnated? If I am killed, will heal affect my new body or fizzle? If I am reincarnated, will the polymorph any object trigger automatically?

Greater teleport has a target of "you". Does my corpse count as myself?

If last breath is cast simultaneously with greater teleport, is my new body formed where I died or where my corpse is now?

Well, an untriggered crafted contingent spell remains active on a dead body. So, if you are still in the same body, an untriggered contingent spell will remain active after reincarnation. If the reincarnation method creates a new body, then the contingent spells would not be on you anymore.

[Doc Roc]

Contingent Revivify is a superior and cleaner option.

[TroubleBrewing]

Contingent Revivify is a superior and cleaner option.

Cheaper, too.

[Viktyr Gehrig]

Thank you. Revivify looks much better for adventuring use, but it's more difficult for me to obtain. Have to think about that one for awhile.

I'll need last breath by the time I'm venerable, though.

[Cruiser1]

Am I correct in assuming that all of the variables of the spell are set when the contingent spell is craft?Yes, any Contingency (spell or crafted) is basically a spell cast ahead of time, and preserved in stasis until it's activated at the appropriate circumstance. Hence you could do "Protection From Energy: Fire" if you take fire damage (or even for if you're about to take fire damage) but not "Protection From Energy: Whatever element hits me next" since the element to be protected from is decided ahead of time.
Do I retain my contingent spells after being reincarnated? If I am killed, will heal affect my new body or fizzle?No, because Reincarnation creates a new body, where Contingent spells will be attached to your old dead body. Similarly, a Contingent Heal will fail if you're already dead, because a dead body is an object and not a valid target for Heal. However a Contingent spell such as Close Wounds that can actually prevent damage will save you even if an event drops you to -10 hp or below.
Greater teleport has a target of "you". Does my corpse count as myself?No, because your corpse is just an object, and is no longer a valid target.

[SilverLeaf167]

Simple fix: make those spells contingent on "a quarter second before I die". Thus, you are still alive when they are activated, making you count as "you" instead of an object.

[Viktyr Gehrig]

Yes, any Contingency (spell or crafted) is basically a spell cast ahead of time, and preserved in stasis until it's activated at the appropriate circumstance. Hence you could do "Protection From Energy: Fire" if you take fire damage (or even for if you're about to take fire damage) but not "Protection From Energy: Whatever element hits me next" since the element to be protected from is decided ahead of time.

Okay, that makes sense.


No, because Reincarnation creates a new body, where Contingent spells will be attached to your old dead body. Similarly, a Contingent Heal will fail if you're already dead, because a dead body is an object and not a valid target for Heal.

I could, however, craft a contingent heal to be triggered after revivify, when I am once again a valid target. I'd have to have two contingent heal spells, though, one triggered by the dying condition and the other triggered by revivify.

With last breath, could you trigger mass cure light wounds with "every creature within range" as a target?


No, because your corpse is just an object, and is no longer a valid target.

Well, it looks like I don't want to go that route, anyway. It's better to revivify and heal, and then cast greater teleport the old-fashioned way if necessary.

[Viktyr Gehrig]

Simple fix: make those spells contingent on "a quarter second before I die". Thus, you are still alive when they are activated, making you count as "you" instead of an object.

Can you craft predictive contingent spells? That would seem... problematic.

[SilverLeaf167]

Oh, right... umm...
Hmm...
Well, that complicates things a little.

Maybe some trigger you can manually activate really easily, such as "when I touch my pinky and index fingers together?" Though that won't work if you die immediately from something...
Well bluh. Just set a contingent resurrection spell, then some healing and teleport spels that activate when you are revived by the other spell?

[Viktyr Gehrig]

Well, the reason for the greater teleport originally was that I didn't want to wake up naked right next to whatever just killed me. If I woke up at home, I could strip my own corpse, gear up and heal, and greater teleport back into it.

If I'm using revivify, I don't need that.