PDA

View Full Version : A question concerning anti-magic fields



PersonofJid
2007-11-12, 06:56 PM
I've been wondering a lot about anti-magic fields. In particular, is there any magical way to get around the field if you happen to be inside it?

Also, I've been wondering if it's possible to create an item that generates an anti-magic field. Can that even work or would the nature of the field suppress the item?

Kizara
2007-11-12, 07:01 PM
I've been wondering a lot about anti-magic fields. In particular, is there any magical way to get around the field if you happen to be inside it?

Also, I've been wondering if it's possible to create an item that generates an anti-magic field. Can that even work or would the nature of the field suppress the item?

If you are a beholder and you use your eye cone on them before they can invoke their anti-magic field, they can't put it up.

Likewise, if you are already in an anti-magic field, you are immune to the eye cone.

Thus: the only defense for an anti-magic field is having your own, first...

Jack Zander
2007-11-12, 07:05 PM
So to answer your question, the item does not suppress itself in an infinite loop of logic. But it is not immune to other AMFs as long as they are put up first.

Tokiko Mima
2007-11-12, 07:37 PM
This spell is so completely up the the DM's interpretation it's not funny. A fun way to defeat an AMF, for example, is to summon a creature with a high SR next to the AMF casting mage before he casts AMF. Per the RAW,


If you cast antimagic field in an area occupied by a summoned creature that has spell resistance, you must make a caster level check (1d20 + caster level) against the creature’s spell resistance to make it wink out.

If the summoned creature makes the SR level check, then they get to treat the AMF as if it wasn't there, per the rules on spell resistance.

One of the more interesting RAW flaws in the spell is that it very specifically lets you use instantaneous conjurations inside the AMF. This is fun for dropping walls of iron/stone, or teleporting things/people into and out of an established AMF.

Final word, it's a 'DM call' spell. You could make a hundred different interpretations of what will and will not work in an AMF, but it's more or less up to the DM exactly what happens and how it works.

CASTLEMIKE
2007-11-13, 12:09 AM
I've been wondering a lot about anti-magic fields. In particular, is there any magical way to get around the field if you happen to be inside it?

Also, I've been wondering if it's possible to create an item that generates an anti-magic field. Can that even work or would the nature of the field suppress the item?

Double Yes. A being could cast Antimagic field on themselve or an object via some method and enter yours (a good reason why a spellcaster doesn't want to be inside a sculpted anti magic field).

One method for non casters is a 25,000 GP Antimagic Torc from the FRCS Underdark source book usable as many times a day as most people have thumbs on each hand.

Two antimagic fields do not effect each other.

Karsh
2007-11-13, 12:26 AM
The Archmage's Mastery of Shaping ability is probably one of the most widespread ways to abuse it. If you're in Forgotten Realms and want to be a Cleric of Mystra, you can take the Initiate of Mystra feat to get a chance to cast any spell within AMFs with a CL check.

Then it's just a Permanent Emanation feat away from making your enemies cry as you Epic Level CoDzilla them while depriving them of all their own buffs.

SoD
2007-11-13, 07:12 AM
Here's a thought: if a spellcaster tried teleporting while partially in an anti-magic feild...would part of him teleport?

Reinboom
2007-11-13, 08:15 AM
Here's a thought: if a spellcaster tried teleporting while partially in an anti-magic feild...would part of him teleport?

All of the spellcaster would teleport. Even in the most hypothetical situation, if the spellcaster was able to cast teleport at all, then:

(The effects of instantaneous conjurations are not affected by an antimagic field because the conjuration itself is no longer in effect, only its result.)
Teleport is an instantaneous conjuration.

KillianHawkeye
2007-11-13, 08:32 AM
No, because a spellcaster inside an AMF cannot actually CAST the spell. It is only the effects of an instantaneous conjuration that are not affected (so the water from create water would not disappear). Casting is still prohibited, however, so no additional water could be created there after the AMF came into play.

Also, as per the rules for spell areas and the movement grid, a Medium or smaller creature will either be entirely within the area or not. As for larger creatures whose space is not completely in the AMF, the Rules Compendium says that they are not affected unless they attack or use an ability on an affected target.

Also, even if a summoned creature's spell resistance allows it to remain in the AMF, it still can't use any of it's supernatural or spell-like abilities. It doesn't get to ignore the AMF completely.

Dausuul
2007-11-13, 08:37 AM
The effects are not affected, but it doesn't matter because the spell itself fails. It never produces any effects to begin with.

The point of the "instantaneous conjurations" thing is that if you use magic to conjure an object that is not itself inherently magical, that object sticks around if you then drop AMF on it. This doesn't mean instantaneous conjuration spells get a special exemption from the rule against casting spells within AMF.

Edit: Ack! Ninjas!