Gilda
2017-04-24, 01:54 PM
So I DM a 3.5 campaign where PCs have reached Level 16. As a foil to the PC Cleric of Apollo, I made a Cleric Lich, who is cohort to a Wizard Lich (Immortal Koschei).
Now this campaign has had a history of complaints about encounters tough enough that one PC dies, because Raise Dead/Rez costs them a level. So I've long been structuring things to spare them. So last session, I warned the Cleric's player that at Level 17 the party will have access to Astral Projection and True Rez, so I'll be able to cut loose and run Koschei as an optimized Wizard with an army of Pit Fiends, Succubi, Nightmares and some kind of 12 HD outsider.
... well, he's convinced that's not rules legal. He's reading the Planar Binding line of spells like so:
1) The creature gets a Will save to not be drawn into the trap. (Correct)
2) The creature can escape from the trap with by successfully pitting its spell resistance against your caster level check, by dimensional travel, or with a successful Charisma check (DC 15 + ½ your caster level + your Cha modifier). (Correct except that a wizard with a brain uses Dimensional Anchor & Magic Circle Against X calling diagram, as the Lesser Planar Binding rules tell you to)
3) If all 3 escape attempts fail, you can attempt to compel the creature to perform a service by describing the service and perhaps offering some sort of reward. You make a Charisma check opposed by the creature’s Charisma check. The check is assigned a bonus of +0 to +6 based on the nature of the service and the reward.
4) If the creature wins the opposed check, go to 5. If you win, skip to 6.
5) A creature who won the opposed Charisma check spends the next 24 hours in the trap, then gets to try the 3 escape mechanics again before you can re-offer the contract or try a new one. (Correct except see #2)
6) Once the creature accepts service, it gets 3 chances to change its mind every day. (Incorrect: it has to finish the service)
Do I have this right?
The next question is how can a wizard minimize his chance of failure? His resources, besides monsters, are limited to the SRD.
Before embarking on a Greater Planar Binding career, Koschei pumped his INT to 36 (Black Ethergaunt, Headband of Intellect). That's a save DC of d20+8+13, and a Pit Fiend gets d20+21... that means whoever rolls the highest natural number wins. I don't like those odds! Then there's the SR check. How to minimize the risk of that? At least for the CHA check, he could have Cerebrilith servants previously gained with Planar Binding, enough of them standing by the Magic Circle to reduce a Pit Fiend's CHA to 1 in the first round.
Thoughts?
Now this campaign has had a history of complaints about encounters tough enough that one PC dies, because Raise Dead/Rez costs them a level. So I've long been structuring things to spare them. So last session, I warned the Cleric's player that at Level 17 the party will have access to Astral Projection and True Rez, so I'll be able to cut loose and run Koschei as an optimized Wizard with an army of Pit Fiends, Succubi, Nightmares and some kind of 12 HD outsider.
... well, he's convinced that's not rules legal. He's reading the Planar Binding line of spells like so:
1) The creature gets a Will save to not be drawn into the trap. (Correct)
2) The creature can escape from the trap with by successfully pitting its spell resistance against your caster level check, by dimensional travel, or with a successful Charisma check (DC 15 + ½ your caster level + your Cha modifier). (Correct except that a wizard with a brain uses Dimensional Anchor & Magic Circle Against X calling diagram, as the Lesser Planar Binding rules tell you to)
3) If all 3 escape attempts fail, you can attempt to compel the creature to perform a service by describing the service and perhaps offering some sort of reward. You make a Charisma check opposed by the creature’s Charisma check. The check is assigned a bonus of +0 to +6 based on the nature of the service and the reward.
4) If the creature wins the opposed check, go to 5. If you win, skip to 6.
5) A creature who won the opposed Charisma check spends the next 24 hours in the trap, then gets to try the 3 escape mechanics again before you can re-offer the contract or try a new one. (Correct except see #2)
6) Once the creature accepts service, it gets 3 chances to change its mind every day. (Incorrect: it has to finish the service)
Do I have this right?
The next question is how can a wizard minimize his chance of failure? His resources, besides monsters, are limited to the SRD.
Before embarking on a Greater Planar Binding career, Koschei pumped his INT to 36 (Black Ethergaunt, Headband of Intellect). That's a save DC of d20+8+13, and a Pit Fiend gets d20+21... that means whoever rolls the highest natural number wins. I don't like those odds! Then there's the SR check. How to minimize the risk of that? At least for the CHA check, he could have Cerebrilith servants previously gained with Planar Binding, enough of them standing by the Magic Circle to reduce a Pit Fiend's CHA to 1 in the first round.
Thoughts?