Some Chain Contingency Questions (Mostly EE Related)

Livegood118

Hi all,

I was wondering if anyone could help me answer a few questions related to Chain Chain contingency on the enhanced editions. I've got SCS installed.

1. Can a projected image cast chain contingency?

2. Do spells loaded in a chain contingency assume a level 9 spell value for the purposes of penetrating "protects against spells of level x and below effects" (e.g. Globe of Invulnerability) and Lich/Rakshasa spell level protection?

3. Does the old trick of firing a party-unfriendly spell in a chain contingency at yourself to penetrate magic resistance still work in EE (e.g. Fireball?

4. Can chain contingencies still target foes that are completely invisible?

Thanks for the help.

semiticgoddess

1. Nope. Original caster only. Casting it won't do anything, and the original caster's contingencies will only trigger on them; not their clones. Same goes for spell sequencers and triggers; the clone can't create them or use them.
2. Nope. Only the original spell levels matter; three level 8 spells will strike as three level 8 spells.
3. No, EE changed that. A bunch of Sunfire spells will still be terribly strong, though.
4. Yes!

Livegood118

Great – thanks for the help!

Couple of questions for bonus points:

1. Does Shapechange work with project image?
2. What Enchantment level do mindflayer tentacles hit with in EE?

I'm trying to think of ways to combat demons in SCS with a sorcerer and frankly it's not looking good. They can auto-invis (making them untargetable), teleport at will, immune to fire, high magic resist, strong resistances/saving throws etc ...

semiticgoddess

1. EE may have changed it, but at least in vanilla, Project Image and Simulacrum clones can shapeshift if they or the original caster cast Shapechange or Polymorph Self. Before EE, but probably not in EE, shapeshifting also allowed Project Image clones to attack. The Shadow Thief Dagger also let PI clones attack, but that was removed in EE.
2. Mind flayers and mages in mind flayer form attack using the same weapon, MINDFLAY.itm. That item strikes as +2. However, in EE as of version 2.0, Enchanted Weapon causes all of the caster's weapons (even if the caster changes weapons) to strike as +3 magical weapons, unless they already strike as +4 or higher. A mage with Enchanted Weapon and Shapechange can therefore kill anything with Intelligence drain except for critters like demi-liches, the Lesser Demon Lord in Ust Natha, the Ascension version of Melissan, and mages who have Protection from Magical Weapons, Improved Mantle, Absolute Immunity, or the SCS version of Mantle active.

There are some good ways of dealing with SCS demons as a solo sorcerer. For Cornugons, you'll want MGOI or the Cloak of Reflection/Mirroring or Spell Immunity: Evocation to block their Lightning Bolts. For Glabrezus, you'll want a Spell Deflection/Turning/Trap or Spell Immunity: Conjuration to block their Power Word: Stun spells (note that Minor Spell Turning won't bounce spells above level 4). For Pit Fiends and Balors, you'll want immunity to fire or SI: Evocation, and maybe SI: Conjuration to block their Symbol spells. For all of them, you'll want SI: Abjuration to block their Remove Magic spells, which they cast at a very high level and which cannot be disrupted.

As for actually taking them down, there are some reliable ways to get past their magic resistance:
1. Mordenkainen's Sword
2. Summon (Fallen) Planetar
3. Energy Blades
4. Fire Shield: Blue
5. Lower Resistance, Pierce Magic, or Pierce Shield, followed by Skull Trap, Cone of Cold, Horrid Wilting, Melf's Acid Arrow, or Magic Missiles
6. Mind flayer form combined with Tenser's Transformation to improve your THAC0 or Time Stop to guarantee successful hit.

Normally, I wouldn't have a solo sorcerer tackle demons until I could cast Summon Planetar. If the demon in question is summoned by an enemy mage, I just avoid them until their duration runs out.

Livegood118

Wow - best answer I could have possibly hoped for. Cheers.