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Crow
2008-09-28, 07:12 PM
In the SRD, is there any way for a wizard to duplicate some or all of the effects of the Death Ward spell? The group lacks the Paladin/Cleric/Druid that would normally have access to this spell, and I was wondering if I should send a necromancy-heavy cabal after them.

Eldariel
2008-09-28, 07:15 PM
Limited Wish is the easiest. Before that, it's quite difficult, although a variety of Spell Immunity-type effects of course do help.

EDIT: By Spell Immunity-types, I mean, in addition to Spell Immunity itself, stuff like Spell Turning, Globe of Invulnerability et cetera. Of course, if we're talking about targeted death effects, illusion offers many ways to divert them as well, but it doesn't, by any means, replicate any of the effects of Death Ward.

Also note that if we're talking about Necromancers as in spellcasters, they've got access to Dispel Magic-line, which can be used to bring down Death Ward-like protections rather easily.

RebelRogue
2008-09-28, 07:24 PM
Veil of Undeath should do the trick, but the range is Personal. Also, it's an 8th level spell (quite high level).

mabriss lethe
2008-09-28, 11:35 PM
If the party has someone with a high enough UMD skill, maybe do it that way by giving them access to a wand or a handful of scrolls.

Crow
2008-09-28, 11:38 PM
If the party has someone with a high enough UMD skill, maybe do it that way by giving them access to a wand or a handful of scrolls.

I'll have to see if the rogue has UMD. Handing out scrolls of limited wish is certain to end in disaster.

Collin152
2008-09-28, 11:41 PM
I'll have to see if the rogue has UMD. Handing out scrolls of limited wish is certain to end in disaster.

...or maybe scrolls of Death Ward?

Crow
2008-09-28, 11:56 PM
...or maybe scrolls of Death Ward?

The wizard can use the scrolls of Limited Wish. She doesn't have UMD to use the Death Ward scrolls, so I'll need to see if the rogue has it. Otherwise, I believe that is what mabriss lethe was suggesting.

jcsw
2008-09-29, 03:37 AM
If you're the DM an easy way is for them to find an Arcane Version of Deathward, perhaps with slightly different effects.

Eg. A scroll within a treasure hoard, or a quest-giving NPC hands out individualized rewards and the wizard's reward is a bunch of custom spell scrolls.

RebelRogue
2008-09-29, 04:52 AM
If you're the DM an easy way is for them to find an Arcane Version of Deathward, perhaps with slightly different effects.

Eg. A scroll within a treasure hoard, or a quest-giving NPC hands out individualized rewards and the wizard's reward is a bunch of custom spell scrolls.
Which the wizard then copies into his spell book? Sounds like a potentially bad idea for game balance.

jcsw
2008-09-29, 04:58 AM
Which the wizard then copies into his spell book? Sounds like a potentially bad idea for game balance.

The idea is for the Wizard to copy into the spellbook. The OP's original intention was to give the wizard a way to cast Death Ward, this is a way.

Irreverent Fool
2008-09-29, 05:13 AM
I believe that when creating a magical item that casts a spell requiring a qualifier, the creator is free to dictate those qualifiers. If, for example, my wizard wished to scribe a scroll of polymorph that only polymorphed the recipient into an ogre, he could certainly do so.

But why a being powerful enough to waste time and resources on crafting scrolls of Limited Wish: Death Ward is beyond me.

Edit: There may be a class or prestige class that has death ward as a 3rd-level spell. If that's the case, such a character could simply brew potions of the spell.

jcsw
2008-09-29, 05:59 AM
I believe that when creating a magical item that casts a spell requiring a qualifier, the creator is free to dictate those qualifiers. If, for example, my wizard wished to scribe a scroll of polymorph that only polymorphed the recipient into an ogre, he could certainly do so.

But why a being powerful enough to waste time and resources on crafting scrolls of Limited Wish: Death Ward is beyond me.

Edit: There may be a class or prestige class that has death ward as a 3rd-level spell. If that's the case, such a character could simply brew potions of the spell.

Found it. Consecrated Harrier has death ward as a third level spell.
This is slightly cheesy, since it's a prestige class so the actual character would be level 10... But if you're the DM you could magically have a duex-ex-machina consecrated harrier potionmaker.
Come to think of it... he would make a killing out of it, since he's the only class which can make such potions, that, and artificers abusing their ability to do things like this.

EDIT: Consecrated Harrier is in C.Divine, btw. Forgot to say.

Jack_Simth
2008-09-29, 07:15 AM
Scarabs of Protection. Absorbs ten such hits, but saddles you with some pesky SR until they're used up.

Crow
2008-09-29, 01:16 PM
Scarabs of Protection. Absorbs ten such hits, but saddles you with some pesky SR until they're used up.

Is that thing a slotless item? It sure looks like it. Either way, that will certainly fit the bill. Thank you.

Starbuck_II
2008-09-29, 01:21 PM
Is that thing a slotless item? It sure looks like it. Either way, that will certainly fit the bill. Thank you.

They do appear to be slotless.

By the way, the suggestion for a Arcane Death Ward: Don't let it be a Wizard spell, only Bard. Then it can UMD'ed without worry about Wizrd learning it.

Douglas
2008-09-29, 02:11 PM
Scarabs take up the neck slot (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/magicItemBasics.htm#magicItemsOnTheBody).

Making the arcane Death Ward a bard-only spell would negate the whole point of having it in the first place. If you're going to use UMD for it the arcane/divine distinction is irrelevant.

AstralFire
2008-09-29, 02:14 PM
...Make a Rod with charges that have Death Ward if you want an SRD-legal version of the spell that is freely castable for as long as you need it without it actually entering the Wizard's spellbook.

Ionizer
2008-09-29, 02:17 PM
Is that thing a slotless item? It sure looks like it. Either way, that will certainly fit the bill. Thank you.

Magic Items on the Body (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/magicItemBasics.htm#magicItemsOnTheBody)

Scarabs occupy the same slot as Amulets, Necklaces and Periapts. That slot being around the neck.

EDIT: http://forum.travian.us/images/smilies/ninja.gif Ninja'd...

ocato
2008-09-29, 02:46 PM
Not to seem...counterproductive, but as DM can't you just not use death spells? I mean, a cabal of necromancers can still be scary/dangerous through powerful undead, rays of exhaustion/enfeeblement, maybe some Enervations, etc etc. I find that the DMs I like the most give PCs encounters they have the tools to face, as opposed to expecting them to conform to a party set-up based on perceived eventuality of certain encounters. Granted, that's my personal opinion and I mean in no way to derail or belittle the thread.

You could also just homebrew an Arcane Death Ward spell and give your party a minor subquest to find the components/research it in some lost library buried under the earth or something.

Seffbasilisk
2008-09-29, 02:49 PM
Dread Necromancer has it as an arcane spell.