Creating the Arena (HLC)

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When two spellcasters have a disagreement that can't be solved amicably, a magical duel is often the best way to resolve the dispute. Duels are also fought to prove who is more proficient in the magical arts, and many apprentices enter magical duels with their peers to demonstrate their skills. The duel is a highly refined form of combat, more subtle than simply squaring off and hurling spells until an opponent fails a saving throw and infinitely more subtle than physical combat.
To conduct a magical duel, the opponents must seek out a third spellcaster who agrees to oversee the event and assist with the construction of the arena where it is to take place. It often helps bring a few friends along to the duel site to help guard against treachery or unwelcome interventions from third parties.
Creating the Arena  The arena is a magical construct that the combatants must forge cooperatively. To form the arena, the two opponents must participate in a protocol similar to casting a spell. They begin by standing at arm's length, then circle each other, chanting and gesturing for a full turn. If the combatants' concentration is disturbed before the arena is completed, the preparations must begin again. Typical disturbances include anything that would normally prevent spellcasting, but even loud noises can ruin the creation process.
The mediator then casts some kind of protective spell over the combatants. Wall of force is the usual choice, but any protective spell that encompasses the two combatants is sufficient. The combatants now have the option of contributing their own spells. The spells contributed need not be protective spells, but they must be currently memorized. A contributed spell disappears from the character's memory as though it had been cast; the spell does not have its normal effect but instead helps determine how large the arena is, which combatant has the advantage, and how severe the consequences of defeat are (see below). Unscrupulous characters might contribute multiple spells or spells stored in scrolls or other devices to increase their chances of gaining the initial advantage and to raise the stakes beyond what the opponent would willingly undertake.
Spells contributed to the arena are recorded secretly by the players involved. The characters involved in the duel cannot tell how many spells their opponent is contributing or how long the opponent spends casting them, but the mediator is aware of the spells contributed by both sides.
===Balance of Power (Optional)===
If the two opponents are not the same level, the number of spell levels each character contributes to the arena cannot exceed the weaker opponent's level. For example, if Calvin, a 7th-level wizard, is dueling Delsenora, a 12th-level priest, neither character could contribute a spell higher than 7th level or multiple spells totaling seven levels or more. There is no limit to the number of spells that can be contributed if both opponents are the same level.
When the arena is complete, the two combatants are standing still with a ball of shimmering force hovering between them. A close look at the ball reveals tiny images of the two combatants floating opposite each other. The images are mental constructs that represent the combatants in the duel.
Characters must willingly cooperate to form an arena and conduct a duel. A character under a magical or psionic compulsion, such as a charm person or suggestion spell, cannot be forced to give consent. A character can be intimidated into giving consent in any number of ways, including a geas or quest spell. Consent given under threat is still consent for purposes of a magical duel as long as the character in question is free to think for himself. In the case of a geas or quest spell, the subject is free to ignore the request for a duel and face the consequences.
==Arena Physics==
Although the arena looks like a sphere from the outside, it has a weird geometry all its own. It is best pictured as a rectangle 12 to 30 spaces long and one space wide, resembling a long, narrow corridor more than anything else. The opponents stand on opposite ends of the corridor facing each other.
The number of spaces between them depends on the highest level of spell each opponent contributed to the arena. If neither opponent contributed a spell, there are 10 intervening spaces. The highest level spell contributed by each opponent adds its level. For example, if one opponent contributed a 5th-level spell and the other contributed a
3rd-level spell, there would be 18 spaces between the duelists. There are never more than 30 spaces between the opponents, and only the single, highest-level spell contributed by each side of the duel is factored for determining the distance between the spellcasters.
The space occupied by the duelists in the arena does not count as far as the length of the corridor is concerned. Thus, the largest arena would consist of 32 spaces, but each combatant would occupy one space at opposite ends of the corridor, leaving 30 spaces between them.
==Conducting the Duel==
When the arena is complete, the opponents fight by casting spells. The spells emanate from the characters' images, and their effects become mental constructs that move across the arena and battle opposing spells along the way.
To help keep track of spells cast during a duel, it is helpful to use some kind of large grid. The reusable sheets used for conducting combat encounters with miniature figures are ideal. Place a miniature or counter for each combatant on the grid with the appropriate number of spaces between them.
A duel is fought in rounds, just like a normal encounter. The sequence of actions in each round is as follows:
# The advantaged caster's spells move and any resulting combats are conducted.
# The disadvantaged caster's spells move and any resulting combats are conducted.
# Both casters cast new spells.
# Steps 1–3 are repeated until the duel ends.
On the first round of the duel, there is no spell movement because there are no spells in the arena.
===Determining Advantage===
Throughout the duel, one opponent has the advantage—the upper hand—while the other caster is disadvantaged. When the duel begins, the advantage lies with the spellcaster who contributed the highest level spell to the arena (not the highest combined level of multiple spells). If neither opponent contributed any spells, or if neither opponent contributed a higher level spell than the other, each opponent rolls 1d10 and the character with the highest roll has the advantage. The opponent with the advantage retains it until one of his spells is destroyed in combat. At that point, the advantage shifts to the other opponent. Each time a spell destroys another spell in combat, the advantage shifts to the opponent who cast the victorious spell. The advantage does not shift if a character defeats a spell through use of his power rating (PR) or making a successful saving throw.
===Spells in the Arena===
Once cast, a spell acquires a physical form and moves across the space between the combatants, taking effect only when it reaches the opponent. Spells are not readily identifiable, but detect magic and the spellcraft proficiency can identify them. To help keep track of spells, players should secretly record the spells their characters cast. Writing the spells' names on a piece of folded cardboard creates a marker that can easily be moved across the grid (3” x 5” index cards cut in half, then folded are ideal).
A spell never leaves the arena or affects creatures outside the arena. Remember that
the combatants themselves are not in the arena—magical constructs represent them. It is not possible for combatants to cast spells upon themselves. For example, a priest involved in a duel can cast cure light wounds, but the spell appears in the arena—it does not heal any damage the caster has suffered. Likewise, a wizard can use a teleport spell, but the spell merely travels across the arena toward the opponent—it does not whisk the caster away to another place. Spells also do not truly affect the opponent. A charm person or imprisonment spell might fight its way to the opponent's space, but when the spells take effect, the caster neither controls nor imprisons his opponent. Instead, the opponent's actions are restricted until he can throw off their effects (see the Characters vs. Spells section for details).
If a spell encounters an opposing spell on its way across the arena, the two spells might struggle to annihilate each other before continuing on or they might pass each other. Each spell has three characteristics that govern its behavior in the arena: Type, Movement, and Power Rank. The Appendix contains dueling characteristics for spells included in the Player's Handbook and the Tome of Magic.
==Spell Movement and Combat==
When a spell is cast, it appears in the space immediately ahead of the caster; if it is a defensive spell, it can appear in the caster's space instead. No spell moves on the round when it is cast. If an opponent's spell already occupies the space, the two spells must check for combat.
 Table 26: Spell Movement
Spell Range*	Movement Rate
Touch or 0**	1
1–20 yards 	2
21–50 yards 	3
51–100 yards	4
101+ yards 	5
: * If the spell's range varies with the caster's level, its movement rate increases with the increased range. For example, a fireball cast by a 5th-level wizard has a range of 60 yards (MV 4), but a fireball cast by a 15th-level wizard has a range of 160 yards (MV 5).
: Some spells, such as prismatic spray, have ranges listed as 0, but areas of effect that allow them to reach distant targets. These spells' movement rates are a function of their areas of effect, not their basic ranges. Spells that allow instantaneous movement or that affect huge areas have movement rates of 5. See the Appendix for examples.
: ** Also includes spells with a range of less than one yard.
===Movement===
A spell already in the arena when a round begins moves one or more spaces toward the opponent. The spell must move at least one square forward unless it is locked or it is a defensive spell occupying the caster's square; the latter type of spell has a movement of 0 and remains where it is until it is destroyed in combat or the duel ends. A spell need not move its full movement rate.
All of the advantaged caster's spells move first, even if combat causes the advantage to shift to the other caster. When spells move, the spell closest to the opponent always moves first, then the next closest, and so on until all the character's spells have moved.
It is possible for two or more spells to occupy the same space. All spells cast by one character can freely move through each other or stop in the same space. When two friendly spells begin a round in the same space, the spell with the fastest movement rate moves first.
Spells from different casters also can move through each other or stop in the same space if they are not required to conduct combat. Spells never move backward unless forced to do so by an opposing spell's special ability.
 Table 25: Spell Interactions
Type	A	D	AD	L	M
A 	—	C	C 	A	—
D 	C	—	C 	A	G
AD 	C	C	C 	A	A
L 	A	A	A 	C	—
M 	—	G	A 	—	—
: A = The opponent with the advantage decides if the spells fight or pass each other with no effect.
: C = Combat must take place between the spells when they meet.
: G = Generally, these types of spells ignore each other, but there are some defense spells that conduct combat with missiles; see the Special Dueling Characteristics for Spells section for details.
: — = The spells pass each other with no effect.
Combat: When two opposing spells meet, the disadvantaged caster must announce his spell's type (A, D, AD, L, or M). The advantaged caster then checks his spell's type against Table 25 to determine if the spells battle or if they pass each other. The advantaged caster is not required to reveal his spell's type, and neither caster is required to reveal what the spells actually are. Note that some spells must battle each other even if their types don't require them to (see the notes on special abilities). It is the disadvantaged opponent's responsibility to announce special abilities that might be relevant.
If combat occurs, it is conducted immediately, and all spell movement temporarily stops until the combat is resolved.
To conduct combat between spells, each player rolls 1d20 and compares the result to his spell's power rank. If the roll is higher than the power rank, the spell fails. If the roll is equal to or less than the power rank, the spell succeeds.
If one spell fails and the other succeeds, the failed spell is destroyed. If other opposing spells exist in the same space, battle is conducted with them as well. If the winning spell was moving when the combat occurred it can finish its move after the battle. It is possible for one spell to fight several different battles in a single round, but combat between any one pair of spells is conducted only once each round.
If both spells fail, the two spells lock. Failure can occur when both spells roll higher than their power scores or when two spells with the same power scores tie each other.
Locked spells prevent other spells from passing; refer to Locked Spells, below.
If both spells succeed, the spell with the higher roll destroys the spell with the lower roll.
For example, Rary casts a charm person spell (A, PR 10) that meets Serten's cure light wounds spell (D, PR 10). The two spells must battle. Rary rolls a 12 and Serten rolls a 1. Rary's charm person spell is destroyed because it failed its roll and Serten's cure light wounds spell succeeds. If Rary had rolled a 9 instead of a 12, the charm person would have destroyed the cure light wounds spell because it succeeded with a higher roll. If Serten had rolled a 20 and Rary had rolled a 12 (or if both had rolled a 10), the two spells would have locked.
If an opposing spell occupies the space in front of a character during step 3 and the character casts his own spell into that space, the two spells immediately check for combat.
 Table 27: Character Power Scores
Ability Score*	Bonus	Power Score
14 or less 	0 	9
15 	1 	10
16 	2 	11
17 	3 	12
18+ 	4 	13
: * Wizards and bards use Intelligence/Reason. Priests, paladins, and rangers use Wisdom/Intuition.
===Locked Spells===
When two spells lock, they remain in place until another spell enters the space and destroys the opposing spell. No spell can move through a space containing locked spells, even if it normally could ignore the opposing spell. Once the opposing spell is destroyed, all the blocked spells are free to move normally.
For example, the charm person and cure light wounds spells from the previous example are locked. There is no further combat between the two spells until a third spell moves into the space. The next spell to move is a magic missile that belongs to Rary. Magic missile is a type M spell that normally ignores type D spells, so it cannot destroy the cure light wounds spell and is blocked until the lock is cleared. The next spell to move is Serten's dispel magic. Dispel magic is an AD spell that normally fights the type A spell charm person. If the dispel magic spell destroys the charm person spell, the lock is cleared. If not, the lock continues and spells are still blocked from advancing past the lock.
It is possible to have multiple locked spells in the same space. When this occurs, each spell that enters the space must check against all locked spells in the area. Once all opposing spells are defeated, the lock is cleared.
===Combat Between Multiple Spells===
If a spell enters a space containing more than one opposing spell, all the spells must be checked for combat.
If there is a lock in the space, the opposing spell that caused the lock is checked first. If the incoming spell cannot battle the locking spell, the incoming spell is blocked and no combat occurs between it and any other spell in the space until the lock is removed.
If there is no lock in the space, the opposing spell with the highest movement rate is checked for combat. If there is no combat or the incoming spell wins the combat, the spell with the next highest movement rate is checked. This process continues until the incoming spell is destroyed or all opposing spells have been checked. If a lock occurs during the process, all combat stops until the lock is cleared.
If there are multiple locks in the space, the incoming spell checks the opposing locked spell with the highest movement rate for combat. If the incoming spell cannot conduct combat with that spell, no combat occurs and all the locks remain in place. If the incoming spell defeats the first locking spell, it checks for combat with the next fastest locking spell and so on until all the opposing locks are checked or until the incoming spell is locked or defeated.
When all locks are removed from a space containing multiple opposing spells, there is no further combat until another spell enters the space. The spell entering the space checks the opposing spell with the highest movement rate and continues checking until all the opposing spells have been checked or the spell is locked or defeated.
==Character Movement and Combat==
The characters involved in a duel have power ranks and can move across the arena and conduct combat just as spells do.
A character can move one space each round instead of casting a spell. Unlike a spell, characters can move forward or backward. If the character enters a space containing an opposing spell, the spell takes effect just as though the spell entered the character's space. A character has power rank of 9 plus a bonus for high Intelligence/Reason or Wisdom/Intuition. Characters use their power ranks for conducting combat between themselves and sometimes for resisting spells.
===Characters vs. Spells===
Opposing spells are immediately revealed when they enter a character's square; when a spell hits, the character knows exactly what it is. Spells have varying effects according to their type:
Attack Spells: These take effect just as if they were cast upon the character during an adventure. However, it is important to remember that the character is not affected directly, only the mental construct that represents the character in the duel is affected.
If the spell normally allows a saving throw, the character is entitled to one in the duel. The saving throws by caster level optional rule (see page 143) is always used in duels; bonuses for high ability scores never apply during a duel. Refer to the individual spell description for the spell's effects.
If the spell normally requires the caster to make an attack roll, such as Melf's acid arrow and all touch-delivered spells, the two characters conduct a combat to see if the incoming spell takes effect (see the Character vs. Character section).
If the spell inflicts damage, the appropriate number of hit points are deducted from the character's total. Characters reduced to zero hit points or less lose the duel and suffer the effects indicated under the Spoils of Victory section (page 105).
If a spell has any lingering effects that hinder or incapacitate the target in any way—loss of mental control, immobilization, or any other effect that keeps the character from casting spells or acting freely—the character cannot move or cast spells into the arena, but he can cast counter spells or conduct combat with the spell. This represents the character's struggle to regain control over his mental construct. A character with a positive hit point total can never be removed from the arena or forced to end the duel by a spell cast as part of the duel, such as a suggestion that tries to convince him to quit.
Combat between a character and a spell is conducted just like combat between spells except that the affected character uses his power score. If a lock occurs, the attacking spell is destroyed instead. Characters cannot opt to use their power scores instead of attempting saving throws when spells first enter their spaces.
When a spell first enters the same space occupied by their magical construct, the
attacking spell is revealed and the character has the option of either making a saving throw or employing a counter spell. To cast a counter spell, the character selects a spell that can normally conduct combat with the spell (this can be affected by who has the advantage). The combat between spells is conducted normally, but both the attacking spell and the counter spell are destroyed if the counter spell wins or if there is a lock. If the counter spell is defeated, the attacking spell affects the character. A character can cast any number of counter spells during a round provided he has an appropriate spell memorized, but he can only cast a single counter spell against each incoming spell. Casting a counter spell does not prevent a character from casting a spell later in the round.
Defense Spells: These vanish when they enter the opponent's space. A defense spell—not an AD spell—can also be cast in the character's own space. A spell cast in this manner remains in the space until destroyed or the duel ends. Any attack or attack/defense spell that enters the space must defeat the spell before it can affect the character, and some defense spells can also combat missiles in this manner.
Attack/Defense Spells: Unless the spell has a special ability that states otherwise, an attack/defense spell inflicts 1d6 points of damage per spell level when it reaches an opponent's space. The opponent is allowed a saving throw vs. spells to negate the damage.
Leech Spells: Unless the spell has a special ability that states otherwise, a leech spell inflicts 1d6 points of damage per spell level when it reaches an opponent's space. The opponent is allowed a saving throw vs. spells to reduce the damage by half.
Missile Spells: These spells follow the same procedures as attack spells.
===Characters vs. Multiple Spells===
If several hostile spells enter a character's space at once, the character deals with all of them simultaneously, making saving throws, conducting combat and casting counter spells; it is possible for a character to cast multiple counter spells in a single round.
The character must deal with any spell that began the round in his space first and then with the fastest opposing spell, and so on until he conducts combat with every spell in the space. If some of the spells in the space do not allow counter spells, such as creature summoning spells, the character can use counter spells against any spells in the space that do allow counter spells.
===Character vs. Character===
Combat between characters occurs whenever two characters occupy the same space as well as when a spell that requires an attack roll enters a character's space. Character combat is conducted just like spell combat, except that locks are treated differently.
If a spell causes character combat, the attacker uses his power score or the spell's, whichever is higher. The spell takes effect if its caster wins the combat. The spell is destroyed if it is defeated or locked. The defender can respond with his power score or a counter spell.
If two characters are engaged in combat, the winning character can choose to inflict 1d6 points of damage or send the loser 1d4 spaces away in either direction, but in no case can the loser be moved out of the arena. If the forced movement takes the character into a space containing an opposing spell, the spell takes effect.
It is not possible to cast spells while engaged in character combat. Counter spells cannot be used against another character.
===Identifying Spells===
Spells are not readily identifiable when they are moving across the arena. However, a spell is always revealed when it is in the same space as the opponent.
A character with the spellcraft proficiency can try to identify opposing spells instead of moving or casting a spell. The character chooses any spell currently in the arena and rolls a power check. If the roll succeeds, the spell is revealed. This can be particularly useful for targeting specific enemy spells.