Good Questions to Ask an All Knowing Magical Orb

[Silva Stormrage]

So my Dm just created one of the most annoying Items ever. Its a magical orb that can forsee the future with a very high chance of success. I don't know if there IS a fail rate to this thing. I can ask it questions that can be awnsered in one word and would like to know how to get the most benefit out of the questions. I can ask the orb as many questions as I want each day.

Why don't I just ask 30 questions and how is this annoying you ask? Well in order to activate it I need to read a 10 line activation chant. The activation chant basically goes, "Oh all powerful orb please grant this undeserving smelly servant of your awesome might a small portion of the unlimited future you command"... for 10 lines. And the DM is requiring me to say it OOC for the Orb to work. And I have to say it each time I want a question, so I really don't want to waste my questions.

I am soon getting a base as well from the Landlord feat in Stronghold Builder's guide and want to make sure I am not flatfooted when my base is inevitably attacked. So I ask the playground, what is the best way to divine the future using the orb that will defend my fortress in the fewest one word answers possible.

Right Now I am thinking of asking the orb once a week if I will be under attack by a force that can not be wiped out effortlessly by the guards stationed there.

If it responds yes, then I will try to divine the method they will attack from (Burrow, Teleporting, Fly, March through front gate, etc)

Not sure what else I should ask though, even things about normal adventuring would be nice.

Oh and also it should be noted that my DM will likely try to subvert the future if the question is easily twisted, such as "Will my base be breached by an something with an intent to attack". He would have a mosquito come in and bite one of my soldiers and answer the question with "yes".

[Eurus]

You could ask it if you'll die within the next... month? If it says no, you basically have a free pass as long as you take precautions against petrification/imprisonment/etc. If it says yes... well, you can reduce the time frame and try again. A week? A day?

This might count as tempting fate if the DM decides to say "Yep, you're going to die within the next hour." Cue the cardiac arrest.

[Zaq]

Really? He really gave you a Magic 8-Ball? Really?

[Silva Stormrage]

Ya I think I will avoid asking if I will die or not. While amusing I think I will ask things that the DM has a good chance or knowing. Though it is a good idea to change the question into something like, "If I attempt to invade the castle with our current plan will it result in a likely chance of my death?"

@Zaq: Ya pretty much, I honestly was really happy... until I figured out the command phrase for it.....

[NikitaDarkstar]

You could always ask it if you'll come in contact with any cursed items in the near future, same with poisons, if there are any spies among your allies and such. Or just plain old "Is anyone trying to have me killed?"

Ask it if anyone/thing is planning any attacks against you and if so will your defenses be enough. (Those walls might be great protection against that army... but the red dragon wanting your magical orb? Not so much.)

And you could of course try to use it to make more money. "Will I make more money of off this item if I save it for X time and sell it to Y place?" But you'd probably have to be very specific with the wording.

[ShneekeyTheLost]

Then what you need, my friend, is a good tree-traversing algorithm to cover your base's bases (insta-rimshot).

For example:

* Am I going to be invaded by a force my troops cannot adequately handle by themselves in the past month

If yes, then:

** Is this invading force going to arrive within the week?

If yes, then:

*** Is this attack going to have arcane, divine, or psionic support or backup?
(this question lets you know how serious it is, since casters are more powerful than a legion of soldiers)

If no, then you know you don't have much to fear, and can send out conventional scouts to give you plenty of advanced warning of the impending invasion, since without magical support, they have to march the whole way. If yes, then you know you've got problems, and need to set up things like Dimension Lock/Forbiddance to prevent arcane assassins from teleporting in and attacking you directly, and things like that. Asking further questions concerning propable tactics might lead to more information, or might lead to a really pissed off GM. Also asking 'is the highest caster level in the group invading over, say, 10th level? If so, you've got a major problem and need to pull out all the stops. Following up a 'no' with 'over 5th level' will tell you how big a problem the casting is going to be.

** If no, then you know you have at least a week, but less than a month, before the invasion arrives. This gives you prep time. Start stocking up now. Make sure to still ask the question about magical support, so you know what to prepare for.

* If no, then you're safe to go out adventuring.

Other handy questions to ask:

* Is my property going to be invaded by a force which my troops will not be able to adequately handle while I am off on the adventure we are planning?

* Do I have any traitors who will betray my castle to an invader? (even the strongest of castles may be taken from within by duplicity)

* Will there be a shortage of food or other logistical necessity for my people this season?

* Are any neighboring landowners plotting against me?

* Are there any foreign agents currently in my roster?

[Silva Stormrage]

Then what you need, my friend, is a good tree-traversing algorithm to cover your base's bases (insta-rimshot).

For example:

* Am I going to be invaded by a force my troops cannot adequately handle by themselves in the past month

If yes, then:

** Is this invading force going to arrive within the week?

If yes, then:

*** Is this attack going to have arcane, divine, or psionic support or backup?
(this question lets you know how serious it is, since casters are more powerful than a legion of soldiers)

If no, then you know you don't have much to fear, and can send out conventional scouts to give you plenty of advanced warning of the impending invasion, since without magical support, they have to march the whole way. If yes, then you know you've got problems, and need to set up things like Dimension Lock/Forbiddance to prevent arcane assassins from teleporting in and attacking you directly, and things like that. Asking further questions concerning propable tactics might lead to more information, or might lead to a really pissed off GM. Also asking 'is the highest caster level in the group invading over, say, 10th level? If so, you've got a major problem and need to pull out all the stops. Following up a 'no' with 'over 5th level' will tell you how big a problem the casting is going to be.

** If no, then you know you have at least a week, but less than a month, before the invasion arrives. This gives you prep time. Start stocking up now. Make sure to still ask the question about magical support, so you know what to prepare for.

* If no, then you're safe to go out adventuring.

Other handy questions to ask:

* Is my property going to be invaded by a force which my troops will not be able to adequately handle while I am off on the adventure we are planning?

* Do I have any traitors who will betray my castle to an invader? (even the strongest of castles may be taken from within by duplicity)

* Will there be a shortage of food or other logistical necessity for my people this season?

* Are any neighboring landowners plotting against me?

* Are there any foreign agents currently in my roster?


Genius, I have no idea why I didn't think of using this. Well that just made my day ALOT easier. If I can write a long enough if/else case then I could get most of the defense questions out in 1/2 questions. Especially since in this world NPC's are aware of spell levels so at the end of that one I can ask "What spell/power level are they able to cast/manifest".

[Sir Homeslice]

While this is unhelpful, personally I'd try asking it some kind of truly paradoxical question just to see what happens.

[Hiro Protagonest]

While this is unhelpful, personally I'd try asking it some kind of truly paradoxical question just to see what happens.

Most likely the answer would be "maybe" or "either".

[NichG]

Ask it how you can change the activation code.

[Silva Stormrage]

Ask it how you can change the activation code.

I am going to bet that the answer to that one is "Impossible". :smallbiggrin:

[Zaq]

I think that what you need to do is set the command line to music. Get up and do a little song-and-dance routine whenever you ask the Magic 8-Ball a question. Get the other players to join in.

I'm not sure how it will help, but I'm sure that it will.

[Silva Stormrage]

I think that what you need to do is set the command line to music. Get up and do a little song-and-dance routine whenever you ask the Magic 8-Ball a question. Get the other players to join in.

I'm not sure how it will help, but I'm sure that it will.

I will try that later actually, sounds like fun :smallbiggrin:. First I need to be able to say the ridiculous command phrase without cracking up first :smallbiggrin:.

[Zaq]

I will try that later actually, sounds like fun :smallbiggrin:. First I need to be able to say the ridiculous command phrase without cracking up first :smallbiggrin:.

How many people do you have? I'm thinking barbershop quartet.

[deuxhero]

What can change the nature of a man?


Surprised I'm the first to suggest it.

[Lord_Gareth]

What is the name of my true love?

Where shall I meet my true love?

When shall I meet my true love?

[Silva Stormrage]

How many people do you have? I'm thinking barbershop quartet.

Unfortunately, its just a two person campaign with my brother being the DM to get a feel for the rules mostly. Might get my friends in orchestra to make a nice background music for it :smallsmile:.

@Lord Gareth Ya I can SOOOO see him responding with something like "N/A", or "Steve"

[ShneekeyTheLost]

What can change the nature of a man?


Surprised I'm the first to suggest it.

Answer: Mankind

[Hazzardevil]

Unfortunately, its just a two person campaign with my brother being the DM to get a feel for the rules mostly. Might get my friends in orchestra to make a nice background music for it :smallsmile:.

@Lord Gareth Ya I can SOOOO see him responding with something like "N/A", or "Steve"

If I got that answer I'd be sad too.
With the question about changing teh command word heres my way of wording it.

If you could give answers tgo questions about the future, what would be the first word in your sentance to the following question:

Then ask:

If you could give answers tgo questions about the future, what would be the second word in your sentance to the following question, using the same sentance as before:

and so on until the sentance is finished.

[deuxhero]

I thought it was "Belief"?

That aside, gambling ho!

[Eurus]

What can change the nature of a man?


Surprised I'm the first to suggest it.

Forty-two.

[rgd20]

it's regret surely?

[bigstipidfighte]

You need to use this thing to help your fellow man. Whenever you come into a town, set up a (free!!!) fortunetelling booth. NPCs who wish to have their questions answered must say the command word for themselves.

And yes, your brother has to say the whole thing OOC. And yes, every time.

[Vandicus]

You need to use this thing to help your fellow man. Whenever you come into a town, set up a (free!!!) fortunetelling booth. NPCs who wish to have their questions answered must say the command word for themselves.

And yes, your brother has to say the whole thing OOC. And yes, every time.

Best suggestion ever.

[Silva Stormrage]

You need to use this thing to help your fellow man. Whenever you come into a town, set up a (free!!!) fortunetelling booth. NPCs who wish to have their questions answered must say the command word for themselves.

And yes, your brother has to say the whole thing OOC. And yes, every time.

You are awesome. I will set up a fortune telling "booth" in my fortress and advertise it. I will make sure that people think its not the orb granting the power though and its the cohort I leave there.

[ShneekeyTheLost]

You are awesome. I will set up a fortune telling "booth" in my fortress and advertise it. I will make sure that people think its not the orb granting the power though and its the cohort I leave there.

That could be dangerous if your opponents ask it for advice...

[Rogue Shadows]

That could be dangerous if your opponents ask it for advice...

Not just your opponents.

"Would I be better off if I took you and started my own fortunetelling booth somewhere else?"

[Analytica]

If you want to piss off your DM and get them to nerf the orb, you could do an encoding trick.

Write down a series of questions with yes/no answers you are interested in. List a big matrix of possible yes/no combinations, or just do it implicitly, like when converting binary number sequences to decimal numbers. This way, every combination of answers has a number, which is a valid one-word answer. Also, all possible answer combinations are represented by a number. Now ask which the number is that correspond to the correct set of answers to the questions on the list. Arbitrary number of yes/no questions answered using only a single incantation.

[ShneekeyTheLost]

If you want to piss off your DM and get them to nerf the orb, you could do an encoding trick.

Write down a series of questions with yes/no answers you are interested in. List a big matrix of possible yes/no combinations, or just do it implicitly, like when converting binary number sequences to decimal numbers. This way, every combination of answers has a number, which is a valid one-word answer. Also, all possible answer combinations are represented by a number. Now ask which the number is that correspond to the correct set of answers to the questions on the list. Arbitrary number of yes/no questions answered using only a single incantation.

Ahh, binary... are there any problems you can't solve?

[bigstipidfighte]

If you want to piss off your DM and get them to nerf the orb, you could do an encoding trick.

Write down a series of questions with yes/no answers you are interested in. List a big matrix of possible yes/no combinations, or just do it implicitly, like when converting binary number sequences to decimal numbers. This way, every combination of answers has a number, which is a valid one-word answer. Also, all possible answer combinations are represented by a number. Now ask which the number is that correspond to the correct set of answers to the questions on the list. Arbitrary number of yes/no questions answered using only a single incantation.

I was actually going to suggest something like this before I decided turning the orb on NPCs would be funnier.

[Alleran]

Ahh, binary... are there any problems you can't solve?

010011100110111100101110

:smallwink:

[Qwertystop]

010011100110111100101110

:smallwink:

Nicely done.

[Slipperychicken]

You're Doing It Wrong:


1. Cheat at gambling

2. Build a bigger base castle kingdom indestructible planeshifting starship, cheat death, win at everything forever

3. ???

4. PROFIT!



Have a party member keep asking the orb from afar while you're gambling and then use Message or something to commune the answer to you, so it isn't blatantly obvious to your gambling-buddies. And purposefully lose some big bets every so often to infuriate your DM as to how to punish you for it.


If you get sick of saying it aloud, see if a Magic Mouth (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/magicMouth.htm) on some inconspicuous item will work. If it doesn't, try a Charmed (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/charmPerson.htm) Person [nonthreatening creature that can talk but not easily run away like an awakened turtle or something] that you can easily transport. Actually, just divert [2250gp] of the funds from your stronghold to buy a casting of Awaken on a turtle. Say it's your Super-Cute-Talking-Pet-Turtle to get him to roleplay it. Make the turtle say the lines for you.


EDIT: If he won't let Awaken grant speech, treat the turtle as an NPC so he roleplays it, get a pearl of tongues (MiC), and have the turtle say the lines for you. The only restriction on this item is gone. Smash his campaign into tiny pieces, you know you want to.

[Kol Korran]

i don't have much to add except to say:

1) your DM is a bastard.
2) he is a funny and devious bastard! :smallwink:

this idea is quite cool, i shall steal it for my campaign!

Edit: if the item really bugs you, you could go to a major city and ask "can i get 50000 for you hear?" up or lower the price according to the answers, and then narrow down the search for a buyer through further question (or just do the leg work and save on the chants)

Also, you can give the ball to some minion (that you highly trust) to go and ask the questions for you while you're going on adventures and what not, supplying him with some means of communication (Sending stone) to alert you if there is trouble).

pick a PATIENT minion, and reward him well.

[Rogue Shadows]

Have a party member keep asking the orb from afar while you're gambling and then use Message or something to commune the answer to you, so it isn't blatantly obvious to your gambling-buddies. And purposefully lose some big bets every so often to infuriate your DM as to how to punish you for it.

If gambling dens in D&D worlds that are worth going to (i.e., those that have enough people going to them that you're likely to make wortwhile money) aren't shrouded in ten different kinds of antimagic fields, then...

...

...yup. Verisimilitude shattered.

The DMG actually has a section dealing with this. People know magic exist in D&D and know what it can do - and will take steps to oppose it.