So my BBEG just got a hold of a sphere of annihilation to throw at the party, but I'm looking over its description and finding some murky language in the mechanics. Can you guys help me understand how to use it?
To control an uncontrolled one, that seems clear enough: DC 25 Arcana check. But does that mean you control it now, and can just spend an action to move it, or are you needing that DC 25 roll every turn?
It makes the most sense to me that once you control it, you're no longer rolling for it, and you're just flinging a 4d10 death ball around on your turn. Otherwise, a DC 25 roll is a pretty high cost for something that has an average of 22 force damage, and is save-or-suck at that.
So how do you interpret the unclear wording of this magic item? Am I missing something about how it works?
It does not have a listed time for how long you control it. As such, I would rule you are controlling it as long as a) you are not incapacitated, and b) no one takes control of it from you.
Keep in mind that when you sleep you become incapacitated.
The description of the item includes the information you are likely looking for ...
If you find an uncontrolled sphere, it requires a DC25 Arcana check to take control.
If you attempt to control a sphere that is currently controlled by someone else then you make an opposed Arcana check and the winner has control. So the item can be a risk for a BBEG against a knowledge cleric 1/wizard X with expertise in Arcana since the odds are pretty good that the character could win such a contest.
I would rule that once you have control you don't need to re-roll every round since the sphere is now controlled (if rolling every round was required there could never be a controlled sphere). The only question with that is how long the control lasts and if you leave the sphere behind somewhere do you retain control and are you aware if someone attempts to take control no matter how far away you might be?
One interesting use of the sphere would be for characters to take control from each other sequentially each round so that the party could make multiple attacks with the sphere. Every time someone takes control they can move the sphere to attack on their turn.
P.S. You might want to consider giving the BBEG a Talisman of the Sphere as well if they don't already have expertise in Arcana. (It also lets them move the sphere twice as far).
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"The sphere is stationary until someone controls it. If you are within 60 feet of an uncontrolled sphere, you can use an action to make a DC 25 Intelligence (Arcana) check. On a success, the sphere levitates in one direction of your choice, up to a number of feet equal to 5 × your Intelligence modifier (minimum 5 feet)."
"If you attempt to control a sphere that is under another creature’s control, you make an Intelligence (Arcana) check contested by the other creature’s Intelligence (Arcana) check. The winner of the contest gains control of the sphere and can levitate it as normal."
I would rule that once you have control you don't need to re-roll every round since the sphere is now controlled (if rolling every round was required there could never be a controlled sphere).
That was my reading of it too. It's now controlled, and so you can then move it using your action.
The only question with that is how long the control lasts and if you leave the sphere behind somewhere do you retain control and are you aware if someone attempts to take control no matter how far away you might be?
It's a good question. I wonder if I should just go with the "until incapacitated" end that Mog_Dracov suggested. In the circumstances it will appear, that may not come up (my hope is that they'll use their Portable Hole to destroy it, but you know how players can be), but if the players decide they want to try and take it, I'd better make a clear ruling. Maybe 1 minute of inattention? 1 hour?
One interesting use of the sphere would be for characters to take control from each other sequentially each round so that the party could make multiple attacks with the sphere. Every time someone takes control they can move the sphere to attack on their turn.
Yeah, that would be interesting! The PCs only need one roll high enough to take it from the BBEG, then they can just hot potato it around the room, giving the BBEG a taste of its own medicine! So long as each consecutive player takes a turn to attempt the control--and rolls higher than the one who's currently got it-- they could grind it back and forth across the BBEG in a single round! Most of them have got some pretty awful Arcana, though, so that puts a limit on the sphere's mobility.
P.S. You might want to consider giving the BBEG a Talisman of the Sphere as well if they don't already have expertise in Arcana. (It also lets them move the sphere twice as far).
The BBEG is an elder oblex with Arcana +10. That's a fair sight higher than the best the party's got (+4), so it's not impossible for the players to take it from the BBEG, but it's going to be a very high roll. I am considering the Talisman of the Sphere, though, for the increase of range if nothing else. If it's got the Talisman, though, its Arcana jumps to +14 for the control contest.
Hi, everybody!
So my BBEG just got a hold of a sphere of annihilation to throw at the party, but I'm looking over its description and finding some murky language in the mechanics. Can you guys help me understand how to use it?
To control an uncontrolled one, that seems clear enough: DC 25 Arcana check. But does that mean you control it now, and can just spend an action to move it, or are you needing that DC 25 roll every turn?
It makes the most sense to me that once you control it, you're no longer rolling for it, and you're just flinging a 4d10 death ball around on your turn. Otherwise, a DC 25 roll is a pretty high cost for something that has an average of 22 force damage, and is save-or-suck at that.
So how do you interpret the unclear wording of this magic item? Am I missing something about how it works?
It does not have a listed time for how long you control it. As such, I would rule you are controlling it as long as a) you are not incapacitated, and b) no one takes control of it from you.
Keep in mind that when you sleep you become incapacitated.
So once you make the Arcana check, you don't need to do it again until the circumstances change?
The description of the item includes the information you are likely looking for ...
If you find an uncontrolled sphere, it requires a DC25 Arcana check to take control.
If you attempt to control a sphere that is currently controlled by someone else then you make an opposed Arcana check and the winner has control. So the item can be a risk for a BBEG against a knowledge cleric 1/wizard X with expertise in Arcana since the odds are pretty good that the character could win such a contest.
I would rule that once you have control you don't need to re-roll every round since the sphere is now controlled (if rolling every round was required there could never be a controlled sphere). The only question with that is how long the control lasts and if you leave the sphere behind somewhere do you retain control and are you aware if someone attempts to take control no matter how far away you might be?
One interesting use of the sphere would be for characters to take control from each other sequentially each round so that the party could make multiple attacks with the sphere. Every time someone takes control they can move the sphere to attack on their turn.
P.S. You might want to consider giving the BBEG a Talisman of the Sphere as well if they don't already have expertise in Arcana. (It also lets them move the sphere twice as far).
----
"The sphere is stationary until someone controls it. If you are within 60 feet of an uncontrolled sphere, you can use an action to make a DC 25 Intelligence (Arcana) check. On a success, the sphere levitates in one direction of your choice, up to a number of feet equal to 5 × your Intelligence modifier (minimum 5 feet)."
"If you attempt to control a sphere that is under another creature’s control, you make an Intelligence (Arcana) check contested by the other creature’s Intelligence (Arcana) check. The winner of the contest gains control of the sphere and can levitate it as normal."
That was my reading of it too. It's now controlled, and so you can then move it using your action.
It's a good question. I wonder if I should just go with the "until incapacitated" end that Mog_Dracov suggested. In the circumstances it will appear, that may not come up (my hope is that they'll use their Portable Hole to destroy it, but you know how players can be), but if the players decide they want to try and take it, I'd better make a clear ruling. Maybe 1 minute of inattention? 1 hour?
Yeah, that would be interesting! The PCs only need one roll high enough to take it from the BBEG, then they can just hot potato it around the room, giving the BBEG a taste of its own medicine! So long as each consecutive player takes a turn to attempt the control--and rolls higher than the one who's currently got it-- they could grind it back and forth across the BBEG in a single round! Most of them have got some pretty awful Arcana, though, so that puts a limit on the sphere's mobility.
The BBEG is an elder oblex with Arcana +10. That's a fair sight higher than the best the party's got (+4), so it's not impossible for the players to take it from the BBEG, but it's going to be a very high roll. I am considering the Talisman of the Sphere, though, for the increase of range if nothing else. If it's got the Talisman, though, its Arcana jumps to +14 for the control contest.