Initiate of the Sevenfold Veil questions

[RogueWizard]

If you don't know Initiate of the Sevenfold Veil (IotSV) is in my opinion one of the most over powered prestige classes in the game as it allows full spell leveling as well as some ridiculously powerful defensive perks. However, some of the abilities given to the IotSV are not completely clear and I have a few questions as to how some of them work.

Question 1&2:

"Personal: This warding is a sphere whose diameter is equal to an initiate's space (5 feet for Small or Medium creatures, 10 feet for Large, and so on) and encapsulates the initiate. It moves with her, but she cannot force another creature to pass through it (for example, by attempting to grapple an enemy). If she does force a creature to pass through, the warding has no effect on that creature. Any creature striking at her with a melee weapon or natural attack is subject to the veil's effect (although creatures using reach weapons are not). The warding provides concealment to the initiate, but she can see out with no hindrance. It lasts for 1 minute per level or until dismissed."

"Violet Veil: At 7th level, an initiate masters the seventh and final veil: the violet veil. This barrier destroys all objects and effects that cross it, as if they were disintegrated. Living creatures passing a violet veil must succeed on a Will save or be shifted to a random place on a random plane (as the plane shift spell). A violet veil is destroyed by a successful dispel magic spell. A warding with this veil is the equivalent of an 8th-level spell."

As clearly stated the Violet Veil destroys all objects and effects that cross it except living creatures who get to make a save. My first question is would the gear of the creature passing the barrier be affected by the veil? My guess would be that it would not, and even on a failed save the creature would be transported with all their gear intact, but I'm not entirely sure.
Question 2 is highly related, what becomes of reach weapons? Does the reach weapon get a will save like it's possessor against the planar transportation, a fortitude save vs disintegrate, or does it just get a freebie through the veil? I'm leaning towards instant disintegration, but I'm not sure about whether or not there is a save.

Question 3: Do the veils stop the IotSV from attacking through them as well? Each of the colored veils have a differently worded prevention.

Red: A warding imbued with this veil blocks
Orange: A warding with this veil halts
Yellow: This veil prevents gases or clouds from entering
Green: This veil stops the passage
Blue: This veil blocks
Indigo: This veil prevents the passage
Violet: This barrier destroys all objects and effects that cross it

It seems as if the author was trying to use a synonym for each veil so as not to be redundant, and some seem to imply a one way barrier and others a two way barrier. If an IotSV were to raise an indigo barrier which prevents spells from passing, would that prevent him from casting spells as well, and on that note would a Violet barrier be just as good at keeping things in as it is at keeping things out?

If this is the case and the barriers work both ways it significantly reduces the amount of OP that I originally thought the class had. For the sake of balance I want to assume that the barriers work both ways, but at the same time I'm not sure what the author's intent was and would like more opinions.

[Vogonjeltz]

The gear would be destroyed unless the initiate forced the touch. The creature would be teleported (now nude). Reach weapons get disintegrated, and the barrier is no barrier for the Initiate.

[userpay]

Um... I think thats completely up in the air as one doesn't necessarily need to pass their whole body through to attack the initiate. I'd say at least the weapon and perhaps and hand or bracers would be destroyed but not everything unless the attacker is the one going for a grapple. Also take size differences into account so a giant for example might only be the weapon.

[Mato]

If you don't know Initiate of the Sevenfold Veil (IotSV) is in my opinion one of the most over powered prestige classes in the game as it allows full spell leveling as well as some ridiculously powerful defensive perks. However, some of the abilities given to the IotSV are not completely clear and I have a few questions as to how some of them work.

#1 reach weapons are unaffected.
As you so aptly quoted, reach weapons are not subject to the veil's effect. So if violet never affects the weapon, it's never hit with "as disintegrate" (which btw allows a saving throw for 5d6 damage).

#2 creatures are kicked to another plane "as planesshift".
Which takes all the worn and wielded items by the creature as well.

#3 Indigo is meant for gishes under persisted buffs seeking to be the ultimate warrior.
Each type only allows specific things through, such as reach weapons (personal), vision (area), or you personally (wall). And Indigo prevents the passage of all spells, it does not note allowing one way travel through it.

[Vogonjeltz]

#1 reach weapons are unaffected.
As you so aptly quoted, reach weapons are not subject to the veil's effect. So if violet never affects the weapon, it's never hit with "as disintegrate" (which btw allows a saving throw for 5d6 damage).

This is incorrect. It describes the outcome (items are dusted), it doesn't say they are subjected to a disintegrate spell. The character using a reach weapon might be ok, but the weapon is just gone.



#2 creatures are kicked to another plane "as planesshift".
Which takes all the worn and wielded items by the creature as well.

Except by passing into the veil, all the gear is dusted.


#3 Indigo is meant for gishes under persisted buffs seeking to be the ultimate warrior.
Each type only allows specific things through, such as reach weapons (personal), vision (area), or you personally (wall). And Indigo prevents the passage of all spells, it does not note allowing one way travel through it.

The initiate is in no way hindered by their own veils.

[RogueWizard]

The initiate is in no way hindered by their own veils.

You may be right, but if that's the case I cannot comprehend how the creator of this class possibly thought it was balanced? A barrier that stops everything with a save or lose spell for all those passing it covered by a barrier that stops all spells with another save or lose consequence for passing which needs to be dispelled first by a very specific not always carried spell? And you get to do that four times per day in response to any attack? The amount of broken here is absurd without the mitigation of a few consequences to the Initiate as well.

Thanks for answering my questions, I'm just having a hard time swallowing such a clearly broken class as being in an official rulebook.

[Karnith]

The initiate is in no way hindered by their own veils.
Please provide a citation. IotSV specifies that the initiate can see without hindrance through her own personal or area wardings, and she can pass through her wall warding safely, but I don't see an exception for her spells, effects, or attacks to pass through the warding. If an Initiate puts up a warding with, say, an indigo veil, she cannot cast through it, in much the same way that if she puts up a red veil, she can't throw a rock out of it.
Rich Baker's alleged intent notwithstanding
(The exception, of course, is the Yellow veil, which specifically prevents clouds, gases, and poison effects from entering the warded area)

Thanks for answering my questions, I'm just having a hard time swallowing such a clearly broken class as being in an official rulebook.
Even if Initiates of the Sevenfold Veil can cast through their wards without hindrance, there are worse things. WotC had a very poor grasp of balance, particularly early on in 3.5's run.