Using an aoe to bypass ethereal/sanctuary in PvP?

[Young Werther]

Learned that you can bypass the ethereal/sanctuary effect using an aoe to splash damage the person using either spell.

Is this a legitiment combat strategy or an exploit?

[DM Golem]

A legitimate combat strategy

[Calodan]

A legitimate combat strategy

What if they do not have True Seeing or see invisibility to see through Sanctuary and Ethereal?

[Blackman D]

sanctuary does not hide you, it simply forces a will save to follow thru with an attack but can be bypassed by AoE

with etherealness being dubbed sanctuary the use of true seeing would not be needed, since it does not conceal you

[DM Golem]

Note of course spells that do send you Ethereal will require true seeing to let you be spotted.

That is currently only Ethereal Jaunt

[DM Ninox]

A legitimate combat strategy

I have to disagree with this when it comes to the Ethereal Jaunt spell (but not Greater Sanctuary/Sanctuary)

Even with True Seeing or See Invisibility (yes, the 2nd level spell technically does let you see ethereal creatures within field of vision) only spells of the school of Abjuration or spells containing the Force descriptor (eg. Magic Missile, Orb of Force, Isaac's Missles, Bigby's) should be able to harm an ethereal creature, and conversely creatures on the ethereal plane can only attack and cast spells at other beings on the ethereal plane unless they have an ability that lets them manifest and attack material beings (eg. a wraith, ghost or spectre). Offensive spells cannot be cast from the Ethereal plane to the Material.

Unfortunately, most of the above (with the exception of True Seeing/See Invisibility detecting ethereal creatures) is difficult to enforce with NWN2 mechanics and I suspect there is some difference of opinion about some of the above points amongst the team.

Nothing I've said above are binding rulings, just information!

[DM Golem]

I would agree the AOE tactic should not apply to Ethereal Jaunt, either.

[LISA100595]

Just a note.. sometimes Ethereal / Greater Sanctuary doesn't work at all , especially if you transition. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Meaning NPC's and PC's alike can still attack you. .. I tested this the other day it's still broken.

[Syracuse]

Sorry to just dig this up after it's seemingly concluded, but is the general consensus at least 'it's a feature'? Or 'please avoid doing this'? I saw a lot of 'should not', but no concrete no's, but don't want to go stepping on toes.

[DM Narshe]

Currently, AoEs to combat Sanctuary-effect spells are fine.

[Flasmix]

How to attack someone who is using Sanctuary/Etheralness ; By Flasmix

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZSoJDUD_bU

[Passiflora]

When we had Etherealness changed to Greater Sanctuary, Ethereal Jaunt was supposed to be changed as well, but it was forgotten.

Etherealness was judged too much trouble to roleplay/pvp, that's why it was changed. In P&P you're supposed to be able to pass trough walls and such, but in nwn2 it doesn't work that way.

[LISA100595]

When we had Etherealness changed to Greater Sanctuary, Ethereal Jaunt was supposed to be changed as well, but it was forgotten.

Etherealness was judged too much trouble to roleplay/pvp, that's why it was changed. In P&P you're supposed to be able to pass trough walls and such, but in nwn2 it doesn't work that way.

hmm with our leaning towards making spells more like P&P perhaps we will put Etherealness back to its original spell and description?

[DM Golem]

We are actually having a chat about that DM side

[Charraj]

When we had Etherealness changed to Greater Sanctuary, Ethereal Jaunt was supposed to be changed as well, but it was forgotten.

Etherealness was judged too much trouble to roleplay/pvp, that's why it was changed. In P&P you're supposed to be able to pass trough walls and such, but in nwn2 it doesn't work that way.

IIRC, it was also because people in P&P can't see an ethereal person without True Seeing. However, in NWN2, everyone can mechanicallly see an ethereal person. That created some confusion in RP, so the "Greater Sanctuary" change was meant to create some RP uniformity by clarifying that someone with the buff is visible.