Prismatic Wall Question

[Otterscrubber]

So the last layer in a PW states "Energy field destroys all objects and effects,Creatures sent to another plane (Will negates)." Does this mean if you save you are not sent to another plane but you are destroyed or does it mean if you make all your saves you can walk right through a PW as long as you have enough hit points to survive the other layers?

 

[James McMurray]

If you save you get to walk right through.

 

[Otterscrubber]

Wow, that makes this spell kinda lame if it can't keep things out. What's the point of a high level wall spell if it won't really keep out high level monsters.

 

[Pax]

It means they have to stick themselves THROUGH the wall to get to you -- and it shields you from a lot of stuff (like Antimagic Field, for one).

But generally, yeah, I agree -- that save DOES devalue PrisWall a lot.

 

[Sir Whiskers]

Quoted from the SRD:
Each color in the wall has a special effect. The accompanying table shows the seven colors of the wall, the order in which they appear, their effects on creatures trying to attack you or pass through the wall...

Red, Deals 20 points of fire damage (Reflex half)
Orange, Deals 40 points of acid damage (Reflex half)
Yellow, Deals 80 points of electricity damage (Reflex half)
Green, Kills; Fortitude partial for 1d6 points of Con damage insteadl
Blue, Turned to stone (Fortitude negates)
Indigo, Will save or become insane (as insanity spell)
Violet, Energy field destroys all objects and effects. 1 Creatures sent to another plane (Will negates).

Keep in mind that someone/something attempting to pass through the wall must save vs. each effect, in order. Passing through the wall is much more difficult than just making one save.

The reference to "Energy field destroys all objects and effects" should probably only be applied to unattended items and effects. If someone throws an item through the wall (or just sticks the end of his sword into it), the item is destroyed, no save. Ditto for spells and effects. If the person/creature attempts to pass through, and makes each save, then I would rule that their items and personal spells are not affected, but I haven't seen an official ruling on this.

BTW, prismatic sphere is clearer in how the effects are applied to someone passing through the wall.

 

[James McMurray]

True, it is multiple saves. But at the level where you are casting Prismatic Wall, your foes are probably immune to the green layer (poison) and the indigo layer (mind affecting). That just leaves the violet layer, which can be gotten around by dimension dooring yourself, and the blue layer. So usually your foes will have some resistance versus the elemental damage, and immunity to all but two of the other layers.

 

[dark2112]

True, it is multiple saves. But at the level where you are casting Prismatic Wall, your foes are probably immune to the green layer (poison) and the indigo layer (mind affecting). That just leaves the violet layer, which can be gotten around by dimension dooring yourself, and the blue layer. So usually your foes will have some resistance versus the elemental damage, and immunity to all but two of the other layers.

Encountering the Prismatic Spray (very similar to the wall when you're the only target available) as a high level rogue, I had no worries about the energy attacks, as even if I botched, I'd still be taking half damage, and had more than enough HP to suck it up. What got me was botching the fort save _and_ the will save, so I was instantly killed, and my corpse was transported to another plane. Brutally vicious. Even with immunities, the wall is still very effective. At least, until you start dealing with creatures that teleport w/o error at will, are immune to energy, and have crazy fort/will saves. Oh wait, sounds like near-epic monsters, to me

 

[James McMurray]

Oh wait, sounds like near-epic monsters, to me

Or a large chunk of the CR 15 critters out there.

 

[Sir Whiskers]

Encountering the Prismatic Spray (very similar to the wall when you're the only target available) as a high level rogue, I had no worries about the energy attacks, as even if I botched, I'd still be taking half damage, and had more than enough HP to suck it up. What got me was botching the fort save _and_ the will save, so I was instantly killed, and my corpse was transported to another plane. Brutally vicious. Even with immunities, the wall is still very effective.

Yep, the power of the wall is that it requires someone passing through it to make three different types of saves - only the monk is likely to have good saves in all three areas. Even then, if you blow just one of the important saves...

At least, until you start dealing with creatures that teleport w/o error at will, are immune to energy, and have crazy fort/will saves. Oh wait, sounds like near-epic monsters, to me

Keep in mind that magical effects do not penetrate the wall (violet layer), so adjudicating ways to bypass it could be a bit tricky. I personally would not allow teleport if the wall is directly between the teleporter and the target space. Same with dimension door, which was mentioned by someone else. Of course, a creature could teleport above the wall, then teleport down, but that would take an extra move. Also, an earth elemental could be summoned on the summoner's side of the wall, then move through the earth to bypass it. There are ways, but I can't think of any easy ones.

 

[James McMurray]

Teleportation passes through the astral plane, where the wall does not exist. Thus a primatic wall does not stop teleportation.