Just realized this (abjuration on the phylactery)

[cloudland]

Xykon said that his phylactery got a lot of abjuration on it. When 2 spell from abjuration are within 10 feet of another for 24 hours, there is a barely visible energy fluctuation. Lich have +8 bonus for Search check. That means that Xykon would be able to detect the fake phylactery as lacking such barely visible energy flunctuation, and hence know that the abjuration is very newly casted. What I don't understand is why Xykon act as if he didn't know that. What do you think?

[qwertyu63]

My guess would be "Rich didn't know and/or care about that rule".

[psijac]

Seems like a silly rule. Then again I don't play d&d

[Doppelganger]

Also, search doesn't really apply to "glance at this and see if there's something wrong," that's spot. If Xykon actually took a close look at the thing, he might notice something wrong, but he doesn't seem likely to do that.

[FlawedParadigm]

I still don't know or care that rule exists and I just finished reading it.

[BaronOfHell]

Please forgive me for asking this, but I'm not familiar with how D&D works. Is abjuration something only Xykon can cast? Because RC did cast more than two spells on the duplicate, I believe.

In any event, could RC not simply have overcome this obstacle by using scrolls? Is it possible one of the protection spells actually hides the described effect? After all, I imagine such a glow would be somewhat unique and a spell searching for such glow would give away the position of the phylactery in a non-magic place such as the sewers of Gobbotopia quite fast.

[Branco]

@BaronofHell: NO abjuration is a school of arcane spells which specializes in protection and stuff.

the thing this is about that Redcloaks spells havent been on it for 24 hours (since he said he killed Isiko, like, ten minutes ago).

Personally, I believe Rich didnt know about it or he knew about it but didnt care to make it visual in the comic. Anyway, if you want an in-universe explanation: either this effect doesnt exist or Cyxon doesnt know how to interpret it.

[Grey Watcher]

While I think "Rich forgot/didn't care about that rule" is most plausible, you could argue that hiding this defect is why Redcloak put it in a non-magical leather case.

[Tev]

I don't think Xykon would be able to recognize any difference simply because he never had that phylactery long enough to look at it closely. Actually IIRC he never even touched it . . .

[Morquard]

More importantly, Redcloaks holy symbol would have sparked and glowed during the Azure City occupation, because they had those spells on it ever since the fight with Soon.
It didn't. So I go with "Rich didn't know/care" and "it doesn't exist in the OotS world"

[Forbiddenwar]

I imagine a spell to hide the glowing of the phylactery abjurations so it can appear as an ordinary object, is a standard spell to cast on a phylactery.

[Balok]

At least one version of the lich had the ability to know instantly if anyone was tampering with his phylactery, and in addition could teleport to that location to deal with the threat. Did they remove this from 3.0+? I haven't had players who have needed to fight a lich in many years.

[veti]

I imagine a spell to hide the glowing of the phylactery abjurations so it can appear as an ordinary object, is a standard spell to cast on a phylactery.

This. Xykon went to a lot of trouble to make his phylactery as completely undetectable as inhumanly possible. I don't picture him tolerating any kind of "barely visible energy fluctuation" that would give the game away to the naked eye for anyone with a few ranks in spellcraft.

And I don't picture Redcloak overlooking it, either. That guy is careful.

[Aron Times]

Actually, Redcloak cast a several abjurations on the fake phylactery, so it would also have the energy fluctuations. Also, the rule about abjurations being perceptible was used before, when Celia noticed how her teeth were buzzing due to the Cloister.

[Flame of Anor]

Actually, Redcloak cast a several abjurations on the fake phylactery, so it would also have the energy fluctuations.

I think the OP meant that they wouldn't have been together for 24 hours.

[psijac]

There are probably so many energy fluctuations in the astral plane let alone Xykon tomb fortress that one he's not going to notice one missing. Its like you are in a crowded restaurant. You are going to tune out all the voices that are unimportant to you