Prismatic sphere

[Calthropstu]

Prismatic sphere is supposed to prevent all magical effects from passing through it

So, if you were trapped in one and did not have all the spells to destroy one, what would you use to get out?

[Âmesang]

Use a little-known artifact called the Bringer of Doom? :smalltongue: Granted, using it would be the last thing you'd ever do… but you'd certainly be "free."


https://www.schadenfreudestudios.com/backup/pictures/indent.gif"We have set up magical circles of protection, but we don't know how long we can keep them up. I hope that my observations may be of help to my fellow researchers of the Mages' Guild of MakBran. The assault against the black tower went well, the elven archers easily destroying Althabazzerid's undead army while we dealt with his dragon allies. We had closed in and were in the midst of magical combat when Althabazzerid himself appeared on the tower's battlements, protected by a multicolored sphere of light. He raised a small box in his left hand, and perhaps pressed a button on it—hard to tell from our vantage point."
https://www.schadenfreudestudios.com/backup/pictures/indent.gif"At once there was a deafening blast, and the wizard and his tower were destroyed. A huge hole in space opened, and we could see into the dismal spaces of the Gray Wastes. A great crowd of horrid beings—a more fantastic mix of humans, beasts, and fiends cannot be imagined—began moving into our world. Some walked, some hopped, some dragged their deformed bodies along. They gibbered and screamed. Some spat fire, or gas, or acid. Some were horned, others bore tentacles. More and more came, destroying the elves by sheer press of numbers. They attacked without plan or strategy, yet their horrid deformations allowed them many advantages."
https://www.schadenfreudestudios.com/backup/pictures/indent.gif"Then a great fiend flew out from the darkened sky of the Gray Wastes. It has assaulted unceasingly since then. Soon our magics will fail, and we will die either at the hands of the fiend or the press of the horde of darkness…"

— PLANESCAPE™ Monstrous Compendium Appendix, p.55

[Inevitability]

Pazuzu Pazuzu Pazuzu, with the wish being for teleportation to a place of your choice.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

A rod of cancellation might do it. A sphere of annihilation would do it. A scroll of disjunction would do it. Shapechanging into a monster with magic immunity would do it. Various forms of teleportation that don't require LoS or LoE would do it. And if you're an incantatrix, you could always apply Selective Spell to it.

[Eladrinblade]

Prismatic sphere is supposed to prevent all magical effects from passing through it

So, if you were trapped in one and did not have all the spells to destroy one, what would you use to get out?

Plane shift or teleport should do it. I believe teleport whisks you through the astral plane to get where you're going?

[Inevitability]

Plane shift or teleport should do it. I believe teleport whisks you through the astral plane to get where you're going?

It does indeed.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

Plane shift or teleport should do it. I believe teleport whisks you through the astral plane to get where you're going?It does block ethereal and shadow travel if it's affected by Transdimensional Spell, however, which is a nice trap to spring on anyone you cast it on.

[Eldest]

Wait a few hours? It'd be boring, sure, but safe.

[Calthropstu]

A rod of cancellation might do it. A sphere of annihilation would do it. A scroll of disjunction would do it. Shapechanging into a monster with magic immunity would do it. Various forms of teleportation that don't require LoS or LoE would do it. And if you're an incantatrix, you could always apply Selective Spell to it.

Rod of cancellation will, specifically says so in spell. Same with Disjunction.

Sphere of annihilation... might. Not sure what happens there. Prismatic Sphere destroys all objects and effects. Sphere of annihilation destroys everything. Don't see any rules for this. Could be an interesting convo. Unstoppable force meets immovable object? Though being an artifact, I guess the annihilation destruction destroys the spell beating out the spells attempt to destroy it.

Shapechange would, though not in pathfinder.

Teleportation, regardless of form, would not work because it still passes through. Planeshift, however, might work. Does the sphere extend into the astral plane? I don't see anywhere that says it does. For that matter, going ethereal should be able to bypass it.

[Calthropstu]

It does indeed.

No, no it does not.

This spell instantly transports you to a designated destination, which may be as distant as 100 miles per caster level. Interplanar travel is not possible.

It did in second edition, but 3.x and pathfinder do not have that stipulation.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

Teleportation, regardless of form, would not work because it still passes through. Planeshift, however, might work. Does the sphere extend into the astral plane? I don't see anywhere that says it does. For that matter, going ethereal should be able to bypass it.Teleportation passes through another plane. It doesn't zip through space; it zips through the space between spaces. If plane shifting to the ethereal or astral or plane of shadow would work, then so would teleportation effects which traverse through those planes.


Teleportation
A teleportation spell transports one or more creatures or objects a great distance. The most powerful of these spells can cross planar boundaries. Unlike summoning spells, the transportation is (unless otherwise noted) one-way and not dispellable.

Teleportation is instantaneous travel through the Astral Plane. Anything that blocks astral travel also blocks teleportation.

[CockroachTeaParty]

This is all assuming you're not the one who cast prismatic sphere, yes? You can dismiss it...

[MaxiDuRaritry]

This is all assuming you're not the one who cast prismatic sphere, yes? You can dismiss it...Or, y'know, just walk right through it. The caster can explicitly do that. So that's another thing an incantatrix can do -- take control of the spell so you're considered the caster.

[Calthropstu]

Teleportation passes through another plane. It doesn't zip through space; it zips through the space between spaces. If plane shifting to the ethereal or astral or plane of shadow would work, then so would teleportation effects which traverse through those planes.

Ahhh that's where they put it. Blah.

Hmm, well that's a silly weakness of prismatic sphere... dimension door in whee. I defeated a 9th level spell with a 4th level spell that everyone pretty much takes.
Personally, I would rule that as stupid and stop teleportation into or out of a prismatic sphere.
You can pass into and out of the prismatic sphere and remain near it without harm. However, when you’re inside it, the sphere blocks any attempt to project something through the sphere (including spells).
That could be easily construed as blocking teleportation, and I would personally rule it as such.

[Big Fau]

Ahhh that's where they put it. Blah.

Hmm, well that's a silly weakness of prismatic sphere... dimension door in whee. I defeated a 9th level spell with a 4th level spell that everyone pretty much takes.
Personally, I would rule that as stupid and stop teleportation into or out of a prismatic sphere.
You can pass into and out of the prismatic sphere and remain near it without harm. However, when you’re inside it, the sphere blocks any attempt to project something through the sphere (including spells).
That could be easily construed as blocking teleportation, and I would personally rule it as such.

And Anticipate Teleportation stops that handily. Oh, and if the caster of the Prismatic Sphere is Large-sized then any medium or small-sized creatures get shunted out of the area of the Prismatic Sphere.

[AvatarVecna]

If you're the one who cast it, just walk through it; you're explicitly immune to its effects. If you're not the one who cast it, walk through it anyway; if you aren't walking around with immunity to fire damage/acid damage/electricity damage/poison/Con damage/Flesh To Stone/Mind-Affecting/forced planar travel, you have no business being within 10 ft of somebody capable of casting 9th lvl Wizard spells anyway.

[InvisibleBison]

If you're the one who cast it, just walk through it; you're explicitly immune to its effects. If you're not the one who cast it, walk through it anyway; if you aren't walking around with immunity to fire damage/acid damage/electricity damage/poison/Con damage/Flesh To Stone/Mind-Affecting/forced planar travel, you have no business being within 10 ft of somebody capable of casting 9th lvl Wizard spells anyway.

That's a bit harsh, considering that high-level casters are actually capable of moving under their own power.

[Necroticplague]

Well, assuming you're a wizard yourself, you use your persisted Shapechange to turn into Spell Immune creature. Then, just walk out.

Or you use Ethereal Juant to skip out onto the Ethereal, then move past it (since spells don't typically extend across the material-ethereal boundary).

Or you use Ghostform to become incorporeal, then escape via the floor (which is blocking line of effect for the sphere to be in, as the spell itself notes is typically the case.

Or Shapechange into something with Earth Glide for the same effect as Incorporeal above. Heck, probably just something that burrows works.

Frankly, battlefield control at the level it comes into play is incredibly difficult, as the sheer wide variety of ways one can move is difficult to all shut down at once.

[Big Fau]

Or you use Ghostform to become incorporeal, then escape via the floor (which is blocking line of effect for the sphere to be in, as the spell itself notes is typically the case.

Or Shapechange into something with Earth Glide for the same effect as Incorporeal above. Heck, probably just something that burrows works.

These two assume a caster capable of using Prismatic Sphere isn't capable of casting Flight. Or Phantom Steed. Or Overland Flight. Or Alter Self (Raptoran/Dragonborn). Or own a flight-granting magic item.

[Calthropstu]

wait... wouldn't shapechanging into something with magic immunity... cancel the shapechange and return you to your normal form? Since you are now immune to the shapechange?

[MaxiDuRaritry]

wait... wouldn't shapechanging into something with magic immunity... cancel the shapechange and return you to your normal form? Since you are now immune to the shapechange?You can always choose to ignore your own self-buffs where SR (even infinite SR) is concerned.

[Inevitability]

More unambiguous:


A creature’s spell resistance never interferes with its own spells, items, or abilities.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

More unambiguous:Beyond that, you're already affected by the effect, so even if someone else hit you with a shapechange (via a spellblade or something), you would still be under its influence, despite infiniresistance.

[red_kangaroo]

Sphere of annihilation... might. Not sure what happens there. Prismatic Sphere destroys all objects and effects. Sphere of annihilation destroys everything. Don't see any rules for this. Could be an interesting convo. Unstoppable force meets immovable object? Though being an artifact, I guess the annihilation destruction destroys the spell beating out the spells attempt to destroy it.


According to fluff, the sphere of annihilation is basically a hole in the reality, a nothingness rather than an actual object. So I'd say it cannot be destroyed by a prismatic sphere. "Destroying" the sphere of annihilation would require sealing or filling it, not dispelling or disintegrating.