OOC:  If Garath casts Caustic Smoke at W-X/9-10, 5' under the walkway, is it correct that the smoke will cover all of the cubes W-Z/9-12 from ground level to 5' up?  (My objective is to have the smoke cover all those cubes, including the hellcat's space obviously, but not reach rows 13 or 14, or at least not reach them at an altitude at or above the causeway.  I think the origin point above does cause smoke to reach into row 13 at columns W, X, but only at an altitude from the walkway to 10' below the walkway, so no impact on "my" critters.)

If not, what would be a better origin point?

OOC: What is the spread of caustic smoke: 10' radius?

OOC:  20'.  Complete Mage, p. 98.

OOC: The spell description of caustic smoke says it is a 20' radius, 20' high. It is thus a cylinder of smoke, not a sphere.

OOC:  Okay...  So, if the center-point of the cylinder is at Y/Z-8/9, 5' below causeway-level, then its upper edge will be 5' above the causeway-level, sufficient to blanket the hellcat.  And, the cross-section will cover columns Y and Z from rows 5 to 12 and columns W and X from rows 6 to 11 (and a little bit of column V, at rows 8 and 9).  Accurate?

Yes, but the cylinder is 20' high, that means it will reach 15' above ground. Spatially I'd say you got it, blast away!

The little spiny devil - or rather, the wizard metamorphed into that appearance, for, say what you will about the young Wheloonite (and people did say various things about him), the good-hearted youth is no devil (and moreover some would contest his having a spine) - summons forth a billowing mass of acidic haze, in a massive cylinder that settles over a swathe of the arena, including the location of the trapped hellcat.  Satisfied with his conjuration, he lithely scampers off his perch on the large statue, and sails across to land somewhere south of the main action.

Caustic Smoke, round 1 of 5:  6 acid damage, Fort Save DC 21 or suffer -5 to attack rolls, search and spot until exit the cloud plus 2 more rounds (repeat save each round while in the cloud).
Cylinder centered on Y/Z-8/9, with top of cylinder at +5' (above causeway) and bottom of cylinder at -15' (below causeway).

Round 8:
  [Standard] Cast Caustic Smoke
  [Move] Fly
  [Free]

Status:
  Initiative: 19
  AC (Touch AC): 21 (14)

Celestial Bison (W-X/13-14):
  [Standard] Full attack - misses twice
  [Move]
  [Free]

  Damage Taken:   0
  Damage Dealt:   18 (Bison 12, caustic smoke 6)

Effects:
Alter Self - ends round 599
Mage Armor - ends round 4798
Message - ends round 601
See Invisibility - ends round 602
Haste - ends round 13 - +1 dodge AC, +1 attack, +1 Reflex, +30' movement

Final Position: V17, on causeway

Still visible, the devil does not attempt to flee or escape, knowing well that its greatest defence is to stay inside the concealing smoke. The caustic matter in the latest spell sting a little, but the cat can bear it.

OOC: Unless the smoke is good aligned, the hellcat only takes a single point of damage.

Round 8:
  [Move]
  [Free] Assign dodge to Lyssander (+1 AC)
  [Standard] NA

  Initiative: 16
  AC (Touch AC): 21 (14)

  Damage Taken:   18
  Damage Dealt:   0

  Effects: Glitterdust (1 rds), Cover (varying degree), entangled, concealement, nauseated, tear eyed (-5 to attack, spot, search)

Final position: YZ11,12
This message was last edited by the GM at 12:20, Tue 29 Nov 2011.

OOC:  The SRD describes Damage Reduction as follows:

"A creature with this special quality ignores damage from most weapons and natural attacks. Wounds heal immediately, or the weapon bounces off harmlessly (in either case, the opponent knows the attack was ineffective). The creature takes normal damage from energy attacks (even nonmagical ones), spells, spell-like abilities, and supernatural abilities. A certain kind of weapon can sometimes damage the creature normally, as noted below."

So, I think the Caustic Smoke does full damage...

Correct, my bad. Damage updated.

The Sealer and the scorpion continue attacking the smoke-wreathed devil-cat.  Again, only the priest manages to land a blow, while the scorpion lashes about ineffectually.

Round 8:
  [Standard] Full attack - hit once (10 damage, 5 after DR)
  [Move]
  [Free]

Scorpion
  [Standard] Full attack - misses all
  [Move]
  [Free]

Status:
  Initiative: 14
  AC (Touch AC): 25 (15) (+1 vs. Hellcat)

  Damage Taken: 0
  Damage Dealt: 12 (7 last round, 5 this round)


Effects:
Bull's Strength: +4 Strength (30 rounds)
Alter Self (Protectar): flight 60' (30 minutes)
Magic Tattoo: +1 AC (deflection)
Magic Tattoo: +1 attack (luck)
Shield: +4 AC (shield bonus) (20 rounds)
Protection from Evil: +2 AC (deflection; only +1 incremental to the Magic Tattoo); +2 all saves (resistance) (20 rounds)
Haste - ends round 13 - +1 dodge AC, +1 attack, +1 Reflex, +30' movement


Final Position: W13, 10' up

While his bison continues to lunge at the infernal feline - managing to connect a solid blow, this time - the wizard keeps up the stream of casting, choosing now to refresh his glitterdust spell.

The acidic miasma, meanwhile, continues to wash over the unfortunate hellcat, corroding it further.  (Damage 6)

Round 9:
  [Standard] Cast Glitterdust on cat (was memorized twice) - save again vs. blindness effect
  [Move] N/A
  [Free]

Status:
  Initiative: 19
  AC (Touch AC): 21 (14)

Celestial Bison (W-X/13-14):
  [Standard] Full attack - hits once, 14 damage (9 after DR)
  [Move]
  [Free]

  Damage Taken:   0
  Damage Dealt:   33 (Bison 21, caustic smoke 12)

Effects:
Alter Self - ends round 599
Mage Armor - ends round 4798
Message - ends round 601
See Invisibility - ends round 602
Haste - ends round 13 - +1 dodge AC, +1 attack, +1 Reflex, +30' movement

Final Position: V17, on causeway

The devil suffers in the corrosive environment, but is still unable to mount a counter-offensive. Its strong will helps to overcome the blinding effect of the glittering sparks once more covering it and negating the invisibility.

Round 9:
  [Move]
  [Free] Assign dodge to Lyssander (+1 AC), Will save 27
  [Standard] NA

  Initiative: 16
  AC (Touch AC): 21 (14)

  Damage Taken:   29
  Damage Dealt:   0

  Effects: Glitterdust (6 rds), Cover (varying degree), entangled, concealement, nauseated, tear eyed (-5 to attack, spot, search)

Final position: YZ11,12
This message was last edited by the GM at 08:32, Wed 30 Nov 2011.

The Sealer and the scorpion continue their assault.  The giant arthropod continues to fail to distinguish itself in combat, while Lyssander again manages to hit true.

Round 9:
  [Standard] Full attack - hit once (13 damage, 8 after DR)
  [Move]
  [Free]

Scorpion
  [Standard] Full attack - misses all
  [Move]
  [Free]

Status:
  Initiative: 14
  AC (Touch AC): 25 (15) (+1 vs. Hellcat)

  Damage Taken: 0
  Damage Dealt: 20


Effects:
Bull's Strength: +4 Strength (30 rounds)
Alter Self (Protectar): flight 60' (30 minutes)
Magic Tattoo: +1 AC (deflection)
Magic Tattoo: +1 attack (luck)
Shield: +4 AC (shield bonus) (20 rounds)
Protection from Evil: +2 AC (deflection; only +1 incremental to the Magic Tattoo); +2 all saves (resistance) (20 rounds)
Haste - ends round 13 - +1 dodge AC, +1 attack, +1 Reflex, +30' movement


Final Position: W13, 10' up

The devil is now critically wounded, yet can't do anything to get out of the trap the cunning wizard has set up.

Round 10:
  [Move]
  [Free] Assign dodge to Lyssander (+1 AC), Will save 27
  [Standard] NA

  Initiative: 16
  AC (Touch AC): 21 (14)

  Damage Taken:   53
  Damage Dealt:   0

  Effects: Glitterdust (5 rds), Cover (varying degree), entangled, concealement, nauseated, tear eyed (-5 to attack, spot, search)

Final position: YZ11,12
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:17, Wed 30 Nov 2011.

[OOC:  Note - Garath goes before the hellcat.  I'll wait after this post to give the hellcat a chance to change its actions this round (round 10), after observing Garath's turn, and before I post Lyssander's actions in round 10.]

The bison stamps, snorts, and lunges in a fierce goring attack - but its powerful horns connect only with shadows, led astray by the concealing wisps of smoke.

Garath begins casting another spell.

Meanwhile the acidic smoke damages the devil yet further.  (Damage 4)

Round 10:
  [Standard] Start casting full-round spell
  [Move] N/A
  [Free]

Status:
  Initiative: 19
  AC (Touch AC): 21 (14)

Celestial Bison (W-X/13-14):
  [Standard] Full attack - misses (one attack, a natural 20, misses due to concealment)
  [Move]
  [Free]

  Damage Taken:   0
  Damage Dealt:   37 (Bison 21, caustic smoke 16)

Effects:
Alter Self - ends round 599
Mage Armor - ends round 4798
Message - ends round 601
See Invisibility - ends round 602
Haste - ends round 13 - +1 dodge AC, +1 attack, +1 Reflex, +30' movement

Final Position: V17, on causeway

[OOC:  Okay...  I assume the hellcat isn't really doing anything, and keeps its "actions" for Round 10 as posted above.  Lyssander goes next: ]

The Sealer and the scorpion continue their assault.  Lyssander manages to pierce the hellcat's defenses yet again, while the scorpion's attacks meet with no real success.  Though the creature does connect with one of its claws, the blow is shrugged off entirely by the resilient devil.

Round 10:
  [Standard] Full attack - hit once (9 damage, 4 after DR)
  [Move]
  [Free]

Scorpion
  [Standard] Full attack - hit once (5 damage, none after DR)
  [Move]
  [Free]

Status:
  Initiative: 14
  AC (Touch AC): 25 (15) (+1 vs. Hellcat)

  Damage Taken: 0
  Damage Dealt: 24


Effects:
Bull's Strength: +4 Strength (30 rounds)
Alter Self (Protectar): flight 60' (30 minutes)
Magic Tattoo: +1 AC (deflection)
Magic Tattoo: +1 attack (luck)
Shield: +4 AC (shield bonus) (20 rounds)
Protection from Evil: +2 AC (deflection; only +1 incremental to the Magic Tattoo); +2 all saves (resistance) (20 rounds)
Haste - ends round 13 - +1 dodge AC, +1 attack, +1 Reflex, +30' movement


Final Position: W13, 10' up

The wizard finishes casting his spell.  Suddenly, a hail of rocks, some the size of small boulders, erupts above the hellcat, pelting it most injuriously.

Hail of Stone - 13 damage, no save, no SR.

[OOC:  Should we proceed with Garath's and the bison's acts for round 11?  Or are we done?]

Done!

As usual, a most humiliating experience! :-)

IC: The effect of the last spell also spelled doom for the devil. The walkway seems to dissolve as the large cat-like creature collapses and the corpse is swallowed by the lava underneath.

Dismissing the summoned bison with a few words of thanks in Celestial - which, considering their apparent source, must have been at least a little confusing for the big beast - Garath sails over to land next to Lyssander (who had similarly dismissed his scorpion and was also, now, standing on the walkway's surface).

"Would you like me to have a look at that ring of yours?" he inquires of the tall, pale-faced priest.  "Your scorpion seems to be defective."  The merry glint in Garath's eye suggests he is teasing the older man; indeed, there may even be a grin on his face, though, on a spinagon's features, the toothy expression is not an unambiguous indicator of mirth.

[OOC:  Time to log this in the arena records, then?  Garath and Lys will finish up their chit-chat shortly here.]

The Sealer, imperturbable, ignores the gibe.  "I had expected fiercer opposition," he comments, gravely, as he methodically cleans off the devil-ichor from his wickedly spiked chain with a thick rag.

"Meh.  'Twere a mere kitten facing us, a weak creature by the standards of its foul native land," Garath's tone grows more serious.  "We should not let the victory puff our self-estimation overmuch.  A true devil is immune against any degree of toxicity, and my sickening smoke would have not have affected it.  Also, many devils can teleport themselves as and how they please - my web-magick would have availed us not."

He shakes his head.  "Nay, Lyssander, if we had been arrayed against an Erinyes, say, this battle would have ended rather differently."

"As you say, Master Darkstar."  Lyssander regarded the little devil-form mage for a long moment, his inscrutable black eyes not betraying any emotion.  "Perhaps we should ask the arena's beastmaster for a match against other types of opponents, less perfectly calculated to strip away your advantages."

"Hmmm.  Perhaps so," the academician reflects.  "Devils are vicious, vicious creatures, they - Ahem."  He looks down at his fiendish claws, remembering what form he is currently assuming.

He concentrates a moment; a multi-colored shimmering ripples through the air around the little creature for an instant, then bursts in a shower of tiny vivid-hued dots, that almost immediately dissipate.  Garath - now a fair-haired teenage human - chuckles mirthfully.  "Vicious, utterly vicious I say."

Seeing the Kelemvorite apparently unresponsive to his jests, the wizard looks around the arena.  "So...  time to wrap up here, yes?"  He angles his head to look up expectantly at the ceiling, where the arena masters are watching the fight below.

The two surviving combatants are magically whisked away back into the Inn of the arena.