Dead Magic Zones (Slightly, but still, related to OotS)

[guguma]

Although I have limited PnP experience in my cRPG experiences I have come across dead magic zones, mostly playing as an arcane caster these zones were extremely challenging.

As far as I know dead magic zones prevent any type of spellcasting(arcane, divine etc.), and one cannot use enchanted weapons, wands, equipment etc.

Now I have 2 questions about these.

1. In OotS why are the gates not protected by dead magic zones (or anti-magic zones) assuming they can be created, since only magic users can attempt to control the gate?

It might be because "the gate" is actually an arcane/divine architecture surrounding the rift and the dead magic zone would disassemble the gate, but maybe one put a small magical pocket inside the dead magic zone where the gate will be active (Order of the Scribble were probably capable of this all of them being epic and all that).

Then you will only need to protect the gate with tough fighters and/or monsters.

2. Don't you think dead magic zones are a bit unfair to casters (mostly to wizards) because a dead magic zone does not care which level you are, even a lvl 30-40 wizard will be a squishy human in a dead magic zone?

[Skyrunner]

IIRC, you can't create dead magic zones on the Material Plane. If you mean Antimagic Fields, they do care whether you're 30~40 or not. Antimagic fields hve to make a 1d20+Caster level check against the epic spellcaster level and win to suppress epic magic. Therefore, a nice Superb Despell or a Mage's Disjunction outside of the field will destroy your field.

[MesiDoomstalker]

Not to mention if the gates were protected by anti-magic/dead magic zone with a "donut hole" so the gate's themselves aren't suppressed, then their would be little conflict. The point of the story is conflict, if the gates were protected as such then conflict would be much different or even non-existent.

Also dead magic/anti-magic zones only suppress magic within their boundaries. If the gates were in a donut-hole, they could still be targeted with whatever epic spell would gate crashers tried as long as its cast out of the zone.

[JSSheridan]

Not to mention if the gates were protected by anti-magic/dead magic zone with a "donut hole" so the gate's themselves aren't suppressed, then there would be little conflict. The point of the story is conflict, if the gates were protected as such then conflict would be much different or even non-existent.

Also dead magic/anti-magic zones only suppress magic within their boundaries. If the gates were in a donut-hole, they could still be targeted with whatever epic spell would gate crashers tried as long as its cast out of the zone.

A necromancer or conjuror (or a sorcerer focused on one of those, like Xykon) would be best suited to deal with that kind of encounter. They can just throw minions at the defenders until they roll over.

:xykon: Sacrificing minions: is there any problem it CAN'T solve?

[Porthos]

Stepping aside from the points already brought up....


1. In OotS why are the gates not protected by dead magic zones (or anti-magic zones) assuming they can be created, since only magic users can attempt to control the gate?

Generally speaking there is a huge difference between a dead magic zone and an anti magic zone. An anti magic zone is an ongoing effect that suppresses magic. As such the field can be gotten rid of by a sufficiently powerful (group of) spellslinger(s). and therefore isn't the end and and be all it might seem.

A dead magic zone*, however, is where magic does not work. Period. Full stop. Which, incidentally, might interfere ever so slightly with the actual Gate and the magics sealing the Rift. But let's set that aside for the moment, as well :smallwink:

Now it's been years since I was actively playing 3/3.5e and I never had all of the splatbooks anyway, but as far as I know there were never any rules to show how (N)PCs could intentionally create a dead magic zone (and if there were, I'm sure someone will pipe up soon :smallwink:). But, speaking Fluff-wise, dead magic zones were often created when Unbelievably Cataclysmic Events Occurred in an area in the (distant) past. The magical equivalent of massive nuclear weapons going off, say. Or a society Doing Really Stupid Things In Their Empire.

Many times, though admittedly not always, dead magic zones were analogies for the environmental damage that occurs when People Gone Done Screwed Up Real Bad. But even setting that analogy aside, dead magic zones generally only occurred when the fabric of reality was messed up pretty fierce.

Now considering that last sentence, I have an observation. Does anyone think it really is a good idea to try to replicate a dead magic zone in an area where the fabric of reality is already unravelling? :smalltongue: That'd be like observing that, hey, this earthquake fault looks pretty dangerous. Let's drop a few nukes on it and see if that fixes things. :smallbiggrin:

* NOTE: For the purposes of this discussion, I am ignoring the example of the Center of the Outlands in the Outer Planes. Partially because, fluff wise, that's just a whole different kettle of fish. But mostly because I don't think any character is ever gonna get to the power level needed to recreate something like that. Well, not without a few 'minor' repercussions that is. :smalltongue:

[Skyrunner]

Dead magic zones can be created as demiplanes with Genesis, but it becomes rather pointless - can't get in, can't get out.

[Chronos]

No, of course dead magic/antimagic isn't unfair to casters. In 99% of locations, fighters can't use magic. In 1% of them, wizards can't. The problem here is...? Besides, there are plenty of ways for casters to deal with antimagic fields. Even aside from the distressingly large number of spells that work inside them anyway, actions outside the field can influence the inside. For instance, if a particular cavern is warded with an antimagic field, then you could use Disintegrate or other spells to tunnel down below that cavern, and undermine it.