Getting Around Anti-Magic Field

[the Federation]

Hey guys,

I wanted to buy the Rod of Shadowblending for my level 10 beguiler, but it's a bit on the pricey side. I tried convincing my DM that I can cast glibness on myself to bluff a merchant into selling me the rod for a drastically reduced price, and still maintain my chaotic good alignment. (I'm fairly certain I said my beguiler could stab himself with a dagger and bluff the merchant into believing that it is actually angel blood, thus making the dagger highly valuable.). He wouldn't go for it, but he did say that if I wanted to, I could go on a side miniquest to try to steal the dagger. He said that it would be extremely difficult, and that if I suggest any strategies of mine to him, he would find a way to counteract them. All I could get from him is that the security would involve Disintegrate and Anti-Magic Field attached to a Contingency spell that would activate as soon as I try to steal the rod.

Any suggestions as to what I could do to get around the Anti-Magic field?

[Courier6]

Hey guys,

I wanted to buy the Rod of Shadowblending for my level 10 beguiler, but it's a bit on the pricey side. I tried convincing my DM that I can cast glibness on myself to bluff a merchant into selling me the rod for a drastically reduced price, and still maintain my chaotic good alignment. (I'm fairly certain I said my beguiler could stab himself with a dagger and bluff the merchant into believing that it is actually angel blood, thus making the dagger highly valuable.). He wouldn't go for it, but he did say that if I wanted to, I could go on a side miniquest to try to steal the dagger. He said that it would be extremely difficult, and that if I suggest any strategies of mine to him, he would find a way to counteract them. All I could get from him is that the security would involve Disintegrate and Anti-Magic Field attached to a Contingency spell that would activate as soon as I try to steal the rod.

Any suggestions as to what I could do to get around the Anti-Magic field?

My advice is don't try to get into an arms race with your DM he literally said he would counteract any strategy you came up with, you should be able to buy the rod by next level. Failing that any cover negates an anti-magic field, so a tower shield or large plank of wood can protect you.

[The Grue]

On the other hand, my suggestion would not be to metagame by acting on knowledge your character shouldn't have. Your GM is giving you a gentle hint that stealing the rod won't be as easy as you think it is. Don't abuse that, or next time he won't give you the hint and you'll find yourself disintegrated with no prior warning.

[BWR]

In the words of the First Gamer: "Are you sure you want to do that?"
If your GM ever says these words, you should take a very long and hard think about what you are about to do and probably decide not to do it after all. Ifthe GM ever gives you OOC information that indicates something will be a Bad Idea, you should take the hint if you value your character.

Looking at your argument for being Good:
- bluffing the merchant to reduce the price. This is using magic and deliberately lying to someone for your own petty gain to his great detriment. I don't know about your DM but you'd lose that Good alignment in my game.
- 'angel blood' - big-time fraud. See above
- stealing the rod - see above

Because let's be honest, this sounds very much like it is pure greed on your part. I've had players who argued that they should be considered Good no matter what they steal because the stuff they steal is for the benefit of Good people (themselves) and will be at some unspecified later time used to fight Evil. That argument didn't impress me.

[Jay R]

Here is a simple way to evaluate any plan for getting around this merchant's defenses:

Does he still have any magic items for sale?

If he does, then nobody has ever managed to get around his defenses. Unless you are significantly more powerful than anyone else in the world, you won't either.