How can I save myself irregularly from a huge amount of damage that would kill me?

Question

So, I'm playing a character who can deal substantial damage for its level with a single weapon hit, using warmage edge, arcane channeling and bunch of other loopholes.

My DM recently mentioned that he'd like to give me a house homebrew item or ability that doubles my damage in a single strike once a day, but if I miss, I deal that damage to myself. I can deal 50-80 damage normally, and my HP is 70, so I guess you can see the problem.

The damage is basically as follows:

Bastard sword - 1d10+3 physical

Burning sword spell - 1d6+6 fire

Blade of force reserve - 3+6 force

1st spell arcane channeled - 8d6+6 electricity or 7d6+6 fire

2nd spell stored - 8d6 electricity or 7d6 fire

Knowing my DM, simple true strike spell tricks won't cut it, he'll find a way around that, like cruel disappointment spell or something.

Is there a feat, spell, or item that I can use to negate -or at least survive- this damage if I happen to hit myself with it?

We're using d&d 3.5, I have the craft wondrous items feat already, and we can use any written source, including dragon magazines, just not homebrew.

Answer 1

• Spellsink Scarab (from the magic item compendium) lets you absorb 4d6 hitpoints of damage from spells or spell-like abilities

• Ring of mystic defiance (Magic Item Compendium p. 125) lets you reduce any magical damage by 10 points even after your DM announced the damage. For a beneficial DM, that may apply multiple times for you are hit with multiple magics.

• Ring of energy resistance (DMG p. 232) against fire or electricity may go a long way. Protects you from either 10, 20 or 30 points of damage, depending on how much money you want to burn. Positive effect: this protects always and from all other sources as well. Negative effect: the positive effect is calculated into the cost of the item.

But the absolute winner would be:

• Scarab of invulnerability (Magic Item compendium p. 132) protects you from all damage from all sources once per day.

Please note that this may just be a clever trick of your DM so you do all the work figuring out how to protect his henchmen from your powerful attacks. Economically, maybe you are better off leaving your DM in the dark on how to counter your arsenal and just go with your "normal" damage.

Answer 2

Wings of Cover.

Available via sorcerer casting, a wand, a scroll, or a custom magic item.

Delay Death.

Available from your local friendly cleric.

Shield Other + False Life or Vigor.

Available from your local utility casters, or as a Dorje/Wand combo. Use when ambushing to set up a massive screaming alphastrike from above using your 1/day item, and to mean you don't die if in fact you miss.

Answer 3

Following on the wise conclusions of the previous answers and your own words, I don't think it will be easy or convenient to find a way to ward yourself without exposing yourself to the same trick from your DM. I know I may be a bit off target but what would you think of using a contingency to mitigate instead?

Contingency could be use to trigger a Revivify spell. It won't get you out of the wood completely without another trigger to heal yourself or way to act while below 0 hp...

But it will on the other hand keep your DM from using it against you easily. A disabled monster is more or less a dead monster...

The drawbacks are:

1. the high cost of this solution... 1000gp every CL days or every pop or every time it is dispelled.
2. The casting time can also be quite a problem.
3. It is more of a divine solution unless you can manage to get a wondrous item crafted

Answer 4

Unless your spell is stored not in the weapon, the way I read (and have played) Spell Storing weapon enchant is it's optional to discharge even on hit.

Any time the weapon strikes a creature and the creature takes damage from it, the weapon can immediately cast the spell on that creature as a free action if the wielder desires."

If you choose not to discharge the stored spell, then your max damage per the numbers given should be 13+12+9+54=88. In conjunction with low costing elemental cloak of resistance (1k from the Miniatures Handbook) or resist energy even at low level (resist 10) as mentioned by others, this would put you out of the kill-self zone (88-10=78=-8 hp).

Fire Shield would also do it (base halving fire damage) if you use the lower d6 fire spell and would even leave you conscious (assuming you have/can retrain that spell). http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/fireShield.htm Self buffing and does not take an item slot. If you leave the electric spell, you're gambling with dice (13+12+6+54=82) and whether or not you roll near max damage. That's your life;)

Answer 5

If your GM gives you a homebrew item that does this, you could sell it. Sometimes the simplest solutions are best.

If your GM gives you this power as an ability rather than an item, you should explain that you really don't want it, and then never use it. After all, most abilities are things you can choose not to do, and there's no reason for you to use an ability you'd prefer not to have.

If your GM insists that you have no choice but to use this ability (despite it only affecting one strike each day), I advise asking your GM why he wants you to have it. It may be he wants to get rid of your character; If that's the case, and you don't think you'll be able to persuade him otherwise, you'll probably have to accept it - but you may at least be able to negotiate a more dignified retirement than accidental sword-based self-immolation.

Answer 6

There are multiple items and spells that can reduce damage of a specific type, and they are usually cheaper than a general damage reduction item. In this case, I would suggest thinking of a preferred damage-dealer to combine your item with, and then prepare by getting a spell or item that reduces that damage type. (This is assuming the Homebrew item is redirecting the damage, not creating its own damage). If, on the other hand, the item is creating it's own damage, then you are pretty much out of luck.