need help on rules check

[xyamius]

Just checking validation on this stupid combo.

Race: Grey elf. int 34 (due to gear and such)
player went wizard 5/incantrix 10/spellguard of silvermoon 5/archamage 1

They have multiple other spells running but this is what I want to check on.

Their globe of terror they have on themselves. edit clarification: it's layered antimagic/destruction/antimagic/destruction/antimagic/destruction(elf). in (edit changed diameter in post to radius).

They cast antimagic field sculpted to 20' and widened exclude grey elves that way they are not affected from it. Then cast sphere of ultimate destruction sculpted and widened leaving grey elf out of being affected. They use the Archmage ability to sculpt and leave out areas to layer it like a jawbreaker with the Grey elf in the center of ultimate destruction.
Once this is in effect they use the Incantrix abilitly of Metamagic Effect to change the damage on the sphere of destruction via Empower to 360 on a failed or 45 on a successful persisted. Then persisted the antimagic field.

They plan to go Dweomerkeeper next to change the Sphere of destruction to an SU at later levels.



Spellguard of Silverymoon
(Player's Guide to Faerûn variant, p. 75)

Selective Spell (Su): Spellguards are specifically trained to minimize collateral damage when casting their combat spells. Once per day per point of Intelligence bonus (minimum once per day), a spellguard o f at least 3 rd level may d esignate a s ingle type (and subtype, if desired) of creature when casting a spell. When a single creature type has multiple subtypes, the spellguard may choose to count only one of the subtypes or all of them, at his discretion. At the spellguard's option, that type of creature is either the only type affected by the spell or the only type unaffected by it. Inorganic material, objects, and anything else that does not have a creature type is affected normally. Casting a selective spell requires a fullround action.
For example, suppose a spellguard is patrolling the forest around Silverymoon with a party of Knights in Silver made up of two humans, an elf, and a dwarf. Suddenly, the group is rushed by goblins. The spellguard uses his selective spell ability to cast a fireball, designating humanoid (goblinoid) as the only creature type affected. The fireball detonates in the midst of the melee, and although the spellguard's companions are within the area of the spell, they are spared any ill effects.
At 5th level, the spellguard may designate multiple creature types and subtypes for a s elective spell. Each type o r subtype so designated, however, uses up one additional use per day of his selective spell ability.

[tstewt1921]

Just checking validation on this stupid combo.

Race: Grey elf. int 34 (due to gear and such)
player went wizard 5/incantrix 10/spellguard of silvermoon 5/archamage 1

They have multiple other spells running but this is what I want to check on.

Their globe of terror they have on themselves. edit clarification: it's layered antimagic/destruction/antimagic/destruction/antimagic/destruction(elf). in diameter.

They cast antimagic field sculpted to 20' and widened exclude grey elves that way they are not affected from it. Then cast sphere of ultimate destruction sculpted and widened leaving grey elf out of being affected. They use the Archmage ability to sculpt and leave out areas to layer it like a jawbreaker with the Grey elf in the center of ultimate destruction.
Once this is in effect they use the Incantrix abilitly of Metamagic Effect to change the damage on the sphere of destruction via Empower to 360 on a failed or 45 on a successful persisted. Then persisted the antimagic field.

They plan to go Dweomerkeeper next to change the Sphere of destruction to an SU at later levels.



Spellguard of Silverymoon
(Player's Guide to Faerûn variant, p. 75)

Selective Spell (Su): Spellguards are specifically trained to minimize collateral damage when casting their combat spells. Once per day per point of Intelligence bonus (minimum once per day), a spellguard o f at least 3 rd level may d esignate a s ingle type (and subtype, if desired) of creature when casting a spell. When a single creature type has multiple subtypes, the spellguard may choose to count only one of the subtypes or all of them, at his discretion. At the spellguard's option, that type of creature is either the only type affected by the spell or the only type unaffected by it. Inorganic material, objects, and anything else that does not have a creature type is affected normally. Casting a selective spell requires a fullround action.
For example, suppose a spellguard is patrolling the forest around Silverymoon with a party of Knights in Silver made up of two humans, an elf, and a dwarf. Suddenly, the group is rushed by goblins. The spellguard uses his selective spell ability to cast a fireball, designating humanoid (goblinoid) as the only creature type affected. The fireball detonates in the midst of the melee, and although the spellguard's companions are within the area of the spell, they are spared any ill effects.
At 5th level, the spellguard may designate multiple creature types and subtypes for a s elective spell. Each type o r subtype so designated, however, uses up one additional use per day of his selective spell ability.

I personally as a DM would probably rule that yes, you in your antimagic field have access to all your magic items and things to that extent however the second you cast a spell, if it is not centered on you or effects you, then the spell is effected by the antimagic field. If you throw a fireball and it goes out the and hits the antimagic field, it's done and immediately dispelled. However if they get that combo and want to walk through their own field, then how I'm interpreting them they are doing it correctly. Same thing with projectile weapons, if you fire an arrow through the field and it hits the destruction, if the destruction field does enough damage to the arrow to destroy it, then it's destroyed. The field is great and no one is going to get to you, however you can't force someone into the field if you run it like the Initiate of the 7 veils class.

[xyamius]

It's the spell Sphere of ultimate destruction they are running with the spell antimagic field:

(Spell Compendium, p. 200)

Conjuration (Creation)
Level: Sorcerer 9, Wizard 9,
Components: V, S, M,
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Effect: 2-ft.-radius sphere
Duration: 1 round/level (D)
Saving Throw: Fortitude partial; see text
Spell Resistance: Yes

As you successfully complete the intricate gestures and tongue-tying syllables of this spell, you conjure a featureless black sphere of nothingness. Matter that touches the sphere disappears, causing a slight breeze to form that blows endlessly in the direction of the all-consuming blackness.
You create a terrible sphere that destroys anything it touches. The sphere flies up to 30 feet per round. The sphere stops moving when it enters a space containing a creature, automatically striking it. You must actively direct it to a new target as a move action.
When struck by the sphere, a subject takes 2d6 points of damage per caster level (maximum 40d6). Any creature reduced to 0 or fewer hit points by this spell is disintegrated, leaving behind only a trace of fine dust (though its equipment is unaffected). When used against an object, the sphere disintegrates as much as one 10-foot cube of nonliving matter. A creature or object that makes a successful Fortitude save is partially affected, taking only 5d6 points of damage. If this damage reduces the creature or object to 0 or fewer hit points, it is disintegrated.
The effects of the sphere count as a disintegrate spell for the purpose of destroying a wall of force or any other spell or effect specifically affected by disintegrate. If the sphere moves beyond the spell's range, it winks out.
Material Component: A pinch of dust from a disintegrated creature.

[InvisibleBison]

How are they turning sphere of ultimate destruction into an area spell?

[xyamius]

How are they turning sphere of ultimate destruction into an area spell?

due to it takes up a 2's radius (4' diameter) it's arguable an area spell.

Area Spell:
Some spells affect an area. Sometimes a spell description specifies a specially defined area, but usually an area falls into one of the categories defined below.
Regardless of the shape of the area, you select the point where the spell originates, but otherwise you don’t control which creatures or objects the spell affects. The point of origin of a spell is always a grid intersection. When determining whether a given creature is within the area of a spell, count out the distance from the point of origin in squares just as you do when moving a character or when determining the range for a ranged attack. The only difference is that instead of counting from the center of one square to the center of the next, you count from intersection to intersection.
You can count diagonally across a square, but remember that every second diagonal counts as 2 squares of distance. If the far edge of a square is within the spell’s area, anything within that square is within the spell’s area. If the spell’s area only touches the near edge of a square, however, anything within that square is unaffected by the spell.

Change it to a 20' radius spread ball
Sculpt Spell:
( Complete Arcane, p. 83)

[Metamagic]

You can alter the area of your spells.
Prerequisite: Any metamagic feat,

Benefit:
You can modify an area spell by changing the area's shape to either a cylinder (10-foot radius, 30 feet high), a 40-foot cone, four 10-foot cubes, a ball (20-foot-radius spread), or a 120-foot line. The sculpted spell works normally in all respects except for its shape. For example, a lightning bolt whose area is changed to a ball deals the same amount of damage, but affects a 20-foot-radius spread.
A sculpted spell uses a spell slot one level higher than the spell's actual level.

Widen Spel
( Player's Handbook v.3.5, p. 102)

[Metamagic]

You can increase the area of your spells.
Prerequisite

Benefit
You can alter a burst, emanation, line, or spread shaped spell to increase its area. Any numeric measurements of the spell's area increase by 100%. For example, a fireball spell (which normally produces a 20-foot-radius spread) that is widened now fills a 40-footradius spread. A widened spell uses up a spell slot three levels higher than the spell's actual level. Spells that do not have an area of one of these four sorts are not affected by this feat.


Edit note:The reason he said why not 80' was so if things got to close he could tap them in with another sphere such as a sculpted widened prismatic sphere allowing them no escape from the doom in front of them.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

First of all, AMF doesn't block line of effect for spells. If he's inside but unaffected by his selective antimagic field, he can still cast spells on targets outside the AFM or who are inside of it but also unaffected by it. Anyone who casts a spell from outside the AMF can still target him as though the AMF wasn't there, because he's not affected by it.

Second, Sphere of Ultimate Destruction's range is Medium. It's completely ineligible for being made persistent.

Third, Sphere of Ultimate Destruction is opaque, it completely blocks any hope of line of sight from within it. He's effectively blinded by it. It also automatically stops when it's in a creature's space, including his own, so the sphere doesn't move unless nobody is in it and he needs to spend a move action to make each one of them move, but as soon as it moves so he's within the edge of it, it will stop. It won't ever be completely surrounding him except right after he casts it, and only stays if he never moves.

Fourth, the sphere will disintegrate the ground out from under him. It will disintegrate any portion of the atmosphere that touches it. A 2-ft. sphere doesn't have much impact, but a 20-ft. radius sphere that's widened to a 40-ft. radius sphere... A 2-ft. radius sphere has a surface area of 50.27 square feet. A 40-ft. radius sphere has a surface area of 20,106.19 square feet, four hundred times as large. It would start as a breeze, and gradually increase in intensity every round until you have a hurricane force wind moving toward the sphere from miles around, obliterating the atmosphere and making the world uninhabitable. Congratulations, you just killed the planet.

[InvisibleBison]

due to it takes up a 2's radius (4' diameter) it's arguable an area spell.

This reasoning is incorrect. "Area spell" means one that has an area entry (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicOverview/spellDescriptions.htm#area) in its spell description. Sphere of Ultimate Destruction has an effect line instead, so it's not an area spell and is ineligible for Sculpt Spell.

[xyamius]

First of all, AMF doesn't block line of effect for spells. If he's inside but unaffected by his selective antimagic field, he can still cast spells on targets outside the AFM or who are inside of it but also unaffected by it. Anyone who casts a spell from outside the AMF can still target him as though the AMF wasn't there, because he's not affected by it.

Second, Sphere of Ultimate Destruction's range is Medium. It's completely ineligible for being made persistent.

Third, Sphere of Ultimate Destruction is opaque, it completely blocks any hope of line of sight from within it. He's effectively blinded by it. It also automatically stops when it's in a creature's space, including his own, so the sphere doesn't move unless nobody is in it and he needs to spend a move action to make each one of them move, but as soon as it moves so he's within the edge of it, it will stop. It won't ever be completely surrounding him except right after he casts it, and only stays if he never moves.

Fourth, the sphere will disintegrate the ground out from under him. It will disintegrate any portion of the atmosphere that touches it. A 2-ft. sphere doesn't have much impact, but a 20-ft. radius sphere that's widened to a 40-ft. radius sphere... A 2-ft. radius sphere has a surface area of 50.27 square feet. A 40-ft. radius sphere has a surface area of 20,106.19 square feet, four hundred times as large. It would start as a breeze, and gradually increase in intensity every round until you have a hurricane force wind moving toward the sphere from miles around, obliterating the atmosphere and making the world uninhabitable. Congratulations, you just killed the planet.

Line of effect if one could hit him he has that covered. Since antimagic field suppresses not dispels magic going into or through I would have to agree yeah if you knew where the target was and could land a hit vs 100% cover it's possible.

Grey elf is the folly on the disadvantage of that whole shielding so one on the enemy side would ignore it and run right through.

The range is designed for how far from the caster it can go. So if he is in the center his range is -30' but let's call it's 0. Persist Spell can not be done to spells of instant and those that discharge that spell doesn't do either.

For the Sphere not moving the character does fulfill the in square portion but doesn't fulfill the valid target portion for striking so it is unable to strike that target. This is another area which can be debated but I don't see it affecting the character due to they are exempt from the spell due the class ability.

The destruction of the world... the group banned auto world destruction and cause and effect with major out comes due to the phone call that the dm had to make to their college math teacher to check the math a few years back. Let's just say someone got a bit to creative. The math did check out though as 3 other players and the dm called no way that should check out as they waited for it to validate. Fun times fun times... Also he's flying since I pointed out on the ground he would be sinking. I mean if you wanted to destroy the planet hey there is a way right there. It would take a while but still.

[Crake]

It's worth noting that he can't specifically designate "grey elf" because grey elf isn't a subtype, elf is. Which means any elf at all, including drow, or simply someone polymorphed into an elf, could bypass his defenses.

[xyamius]

This reasoning is incorrect. "Area spell" means one that has an area entry (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicOverview/spellDescriptions.htm#area) in its spell description. Sphere of Ultimate Destruction has an effect line instead, so it's not an area spell and is ineligible for Sculpt Spell.

Going to post from your link. since well I might be missing something there on area spells. I'll bold the areas I think I might have some confusion on. So I can get help on clarification of this.

Some spells affect an area. Sometimes a spell description specifies a specially defined area, but usually an area falls into one of the categories defined below.

Regardless of the shape of the area, you select the point where the spell originates, but otherwise you don’t control which creatures or objects the spell affects. The point of origin of a spell is always a grid intersection. When determining whether a given creature is within the area of a spell, count out the distance from the point of origin in squares just as you do when moving a character or when determining the range for a ranged attack. The only difference is that instead of counting from the center of one square to the center of the next, you count from intersection to intersection.


A sphere-shaped spell expands from its point of origin to fill a spherical area. Spheres may be bursts, emanations, or spreads.

[xyamius]

It's worth noting that he can't specifically designate "grey elf" because grey elf isn't a subtype, elf is. Which means any elf at all, including drow, or simply someone polymorphed into an elf, could bypass his defenses.

Thought grey elf would qualify as a subrace of elf. Interesting did not know that drow where not either.

Yes if you polymorphed into the omitted race walk right on through and ignore the whole thing. It's the flaw in that.

I would have suggested omit the spellguard go with dweomerkeeper for 4 levels and cloistered cleric for 1. That way you get the SU cast on a spell and the arcane sight not to mention 3 domains. Just run it with two layers and hollowed out center with holes in the antimagic to cast through at different angles. widen a tensors floating disc or craft/buy a floating platform to what you need and run a mobile command center from within using a prismatic sphere cut into a hemisphere and rune up the underside. you have your mage hand and familiar to cast with not to mention plenty of divination spells along with magic items out there to know what's going on and just give the party field artillery support without worry from your cozy floating command center. The guy wanted the onion/jawbreaker of weirdness.

I expect racist elves later on going around with these destroying the country side going disintegrate all the non elves!!! While I have the npc's huddled behind prismatic walls and spheres like some strung out post apoch dnd world knowing the people I play with.


edit post: Thanks for posting polymorph now I might see one of the reasons why they did that onion design. They plan to heal the party since the others took caster options via domain or other routes to get shapechange placed on them for a 24 hour period each day. They will heal 21pts for each 10' they run through 60' wide gives it a heal of 126 each round potential for free if they change into the race omitted. This is due to the antimagic suppresses shifting them down and then they run into a non antimagic zone shifting them back. It's like hitting a light switch but one of the spells says every time it goes from off to on they heal 1 per level back.

[Crake]

Thought grey elf would qualify as a subrace of elf. Interesting did not know that drow where not either.

Grey elf is indeed a subrace of elves, but the wording in the ability doesn't specificy a specific creature, it says a subtype. That's a specific game term, and there is no "grey elf" subtype, there is simply the "elf" subtype.


edit post: Thanks for posting polymorph now I might see one of the reasons why they did that onion design. They plan to heal the party since the others took caster options via domain or other routes to get shapechange placed on them for a 24 hour period each day. They will heal 21pts for each 10' they run through 60' wide gives it a heal of 126 each round potential for free if they change into the race omitted. This is due to the antimagic suppresses shifting them down and then they run into a non antimagic zone shifting them back. It's like hitting a light switch but one of the spells says every time it goes from off to on they heal 1 per level back.

I'm not entirely sure this is how this works honestly, polymorph only heals you on the initial change, also, even if it did work, keep in mind that if they're polymorphed into an elf, the AMF won't affect them, so it won't get suppressed, and if they AREN'T polymorphed into an elf, the destruction sphere will kill them as they pass through it, since they're no longer an elf.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Magic Overview (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicOverview/spellDescriptions.htm#aimingASpell): "Effect" and "Area" are two completely different things. Sphere of Ultimate Destruction is an "Effect" like a ray or a summoning spell or a flame blade. It has no "Area" portion in the spell's stat block, so Sculpt Spell doesn't do anything to it. Sculpt Spell can only change its "Area" portion, not a spell's "Effect" portion. The "Range" entry for that spell is "Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)" but Persistent Spell only works if the range is "Personal" like See Invisibility, or a set distance that doesn't change like Detect Magic's "60 ft." range. Any spell with a "Range" of Touch, Short, Medium, or Long cannot benefit from Persistent Spell. The Sphere of Ultimate Destruction doesn't follow him around, he has to spend an action every turn to move it, it's not an emanation that stays centered on him.

NOTHING in his Sphere of Ultimate Destruction trick actually works, 100% of it breaks the rules. Even if it did, he would make the game's setting uninhabitable the first time he casts it and the game would be over because everything would suffocate to death.


Rules Compendium page 11, Antimagic under Spells:

Spells don’t function in an antimagic area, but an antimagic area
doesn’t block line of effect. If a
spell’s point of origin is inside an
antimagic area, that spell is entirely suppressed. When a spell’s point
of origin is located outside an antimagic area, but part of that spell’s
area overlaps the antimagic area, that
spell’s effect is suppressed where the
two areas overlap. Time elapsed within
an antimagic area still counts against a
spell’s duration.

So if he's unaffected by the AMF, he's effectively outside its area of effect because there's a hole in the effect shaped like him. If someone outside the AMF casts a spell at him, that spell will be temporarily suppressed for the distance it travels through the AMF, but once it reaches him it still hits him as though the AMF was never there.

[xyamius]

looking at just the Sphere of Ultimate Destruction.

I have to disagree on that you can not sculpt the Sphere of ultimate destruction still.

The reason why is that under area effect spells it leads on to explain that sometimes it has the area descriptor which means it doesn't always. It also states that spheres are normally area spells which this is. If this spell required a ranged touch attack to hit I would 100% agree that it was a ray but it doesn't. It auto hits and area spells auto hit. This is an area disintegration orb with a base 2' radius that has a level 9 spell slot requirement which stays around for 1 round a level and uses the owners move action for the round to operate and isn't intended to not be adjusted with metamagic except by level 10+ epic spells or spells feats that don't stack normally.

Increasing the dimensional size of this spell slows it down on going through solid objects due to the 10' cube of non living is a fixed number so nothing can increase this but it makes larger holes. It still would stop at the first target it hits. so orcs throwing a goblin to just say no each round if you get the idea if the npc's figure it out.

Spell has both a fort save and spell resist.

Does It suck the air out of the area. no due to nothing in the spell description states that nor does it state that it works like a black hole or a house hold appliance.

For persisting I have to agree it can not be done to this spell due to it isn't fixed but the duration can be extended.

It violates the fixed position due to it is able to be moved from it's original casting location each round. Unlike a sleet storm which is fixed at the location it is cast at.