Good spells for Contingency?

[StreamOfTheSky]

What spells (and trigger conditions) would you recommend for the Contingency spell?  I'll have CL 18, so anything 6th level or lower is open, though I can only use core (PHB) spells from the Sorc/Wiz spell list.

For lack of a better idea, current plan is to have a contingent Mage's Lucubration with the trigger of, "My character declares, 'I came re-prepared for this!' "

[SneeR]

There's always sweet old Revivify that goes off at death.

Teleport that goes off if you are about to take damage and you have less than 10% of your max hp is how my cousin does it.

[StreamOfTheSky]

There's always sweet old Revivify that goes off at death.

Teleport that goes off if you are about to take damage and you have less than 10% of your max hp is how my cousin does it.

Revivify is neither core nor sorc/wiz.  Teleport is possible, though.  I was considering some sort of "Teleport to my deity's largest temple if reduced to X% hp/killed/something else" as well.

[Halinn]

Disintegrate when you say "Pow! Ha ha!" and point at a target.

[phaedrusxy]

Resilient Sphere, on yourself. Then you can do whatever is needed to deal with the situation (buff, teleport away, etc). It's like a Panic Room, basically. Of course, if you're incapacitated and not with a party, this might not be the best one... but if your trigger is "If anyone begins to cast Mordenkainen's Disjunction", it might not be a bad one.

[StreamOfTheSky]

Does Resilient Sphere stop MDJ?!  Cause my character's going to be an Initiate of the 7-fold Veil and even my veils, which stop an AMF, don't stop a MDJ, iirc.

In any case, won't work...  I lied when I said any spell, I have evocation and enchantment as prohibited schools, and the shadow evocation line has that annoying bit of text that says non-damaging effects do diddly squat if the target saves, regardless of the realism %.  I just....didn't actually expect someone to recommend an Evocation or Enchantment spell for this. 

[StreamOfTheSky]

Disintegrate when you say "Pow! Ha ha!" and point at a target.

Contingencied spells must have you as the target, so that would be an incredibly bad idea...

[Mooncrow]

Does Resilient Sphere stop MDJ?!  Cause my character's going to be an Initiate of the 7-fold Veil and even my veils, which stop an AMF, don't stop a MDJ, iirc.

In any case, won't work...  I lied when I said any spell, I have evocation and enchantment as prohibited schools, and the shadow evocation line has that annoying bit of text that says non-damaging effects do diddly squat if the target saves, regardless of the realism %.  I just....didn't actually expect someone to recommend an Evocation or Enchantment spell for this. 

It depends how you read the spell description:

The sphere is not subject to damage of any sort except from a rod of cancellation, a rod of negation, a disintegrate spell, or a targeted dispel magic spell.

edit: ah, never mind, I get what he was saying now.

[phaedrusxy]

Does Resilient Sphere stop MDJ?! 

Anything that blocks Line of Effect stops MDJ. Technically a sheet over your head would.

It would negate the Resilient Sphere of course (at least I think so), but since MDJ is instantaneous and doesn't say anything about "penetrating barriers" (like Lightning Bolt, for example), then by the time the Sphere is gone, so is the MDJ.

Wings of Cover would also work, according to this interpretation.

[StreamOfTheSky]

Alright, say Resilient Sphere does stop MDJ, then.  I still don't think it's an option if I ban evocation.  I can use Shadow Evocation, but that spell has the draconian restriction of: "Nondamaging effects have normal effects except against those who disbelieve them. Against disbelievers, they have no effect."

I really don't think I want to rely on a guy who can cast MDJ failing his will save to save my ass...

[phaedrusxy]

Alright, say Resilient Sphere does stop MDJ, then.  I still don't think it's an option if I ban evocation.  I can use Shadow Evocation, but that spell has the draconian restriction of: "Nondamaging effects have normal effects except against those who disbelieve them. Against disbelievers, they have no effect."

I really don't think I want to rely on a guy who can cast MDJ failing his will save to save my ass...

Got Limited Wish? I'm not sure if it is technically legal to put it in a Contingency, but emulating it with that might be an option. Just an idea... not saying you should do it.

Any other spell which blocks LoE could also be a substitute, if you're wanting to block MDJ, like Wall of Ice/Stone/etc. Wall of Ice conveniently can be shaped in a sphere/hemisphere and doesn't require adjacent structures.

[StreamOfTheSky]

Limited Wish is 7th, out of bounds.

Wall of Ice is Evocation, and thus same problem as Resiliant Sphere.

Wall of Stone is possible, but Contingency requires that the spell "affects your person," so I don't think that can ever be a valid spell...

[phaedrusxy]

Limited Wish is 7th, out of bounds.

That's why I questioned whether it was legal.

Wall of Ice is Evocation, and thus same problem as Resiliant Sphere.

Sorry I didn't check. Seemed like it should be Conjuration. Stupid random school distributions...

Hmm... what about Antimagic Field? It would depend a bit on DM interpretation, but it might work, if you're wanting to block MDJ. It would also block a lot of other effects, and so might be useful in some kind of general contingency, rather than one for a specific spell.

Dimension Door is a pretty good one, also, and has the advantage of not taking you completely out of the fight, unlike Teleport (and lacks that nasty mishap table). You could say DD 1000 feet straight up (assuming you have a Feather Fall effect of some kind available). That would get you out of range of a lot of stuff, but still within long range for your spells

[StreamOfTheSky]

Antimagic Field is a good idea.  Should have an 80% or slightly higher chance of blocking a MDJ.  I really need to ask my DM how he interprets AMF for blocking line of effect.  I plan to use my mastery of shaping to donut hole it around myself and just fly around debuffing people by hovering near them, based on the idea that it should block line of effect -- for both me and them.  I read somewhere this an FAQ or something said this is not the case, though...  Obviously if I can mastery of shaping the AMF to not strip me of my spellcasting (hard to escape the danger at that point...) but still block the MDJ from entering, that would be idea.

Dimension Door is tricky....  Say we're in a cavern or something.  I'm not sure I like the idea of needing to specify how far up I get sent, but I'm not sure how to set up a clear, concise trigger to modify that on the fly.  And yes, I have a ring of featherfalling.

[Solo]

Dimension Door, keyed to a rude gesture.

[Halinn]

Dimension Door is tricky....  Say we're in a cavern or something.  I'm not sure I like the idea of needing to specify how far up I get sent, but I'm not sure how to set up a clear, concise trigger to modify that on the fly.  And yes, I have a ring of featherfalling.

You could key it off some finger gestures, since that would probably be free actions. Say, each finger on your left hand increments by 100, each finger on right hand increments by 10. Head would nod in direction of travel (or moved up by standing on your toes or down by crouching)

[veekie]

Dimension Door, keyed to a rude gesture.

Key one hand's to an escape spell, and the other for something to remember you by?