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Contingency

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Contingency
  • Level: 6
  • School: Abjuration
  • Class: Wizard
  • Casting Time: 10 minutes
  • Range: Self
  • Components: V, S, M (a gem-encrusted statuette of yourself worth 1,500+ GP)
  • Duration: 10 days

Choose a spell of level 5 or lower that you can cast, that has a casting time of an action, and that can target you. You cast that spell—called the contingent spell—as part of casting Contingency, expending spell slots for both, but the contingent spell doesn't come into effect. Instead, it takes effect when a certain trigger occurs. You describe that trigger when you cast the two spells. For example, a Contingency cast with Water Breathing might stipulate that Water Breathing comes into effect when you are engulfed in water or a similar liquid.

The contingent spell takes effect immediately after the trigger occurs for the first time, whether or not you want it to, and then Contingency ends.

The contingent spell takes effect only on you, even if it can normally target others. You can use only one Contingency spell at a time. If you cast this spell again, the effect of another Contingency spell on you ends. Also, Contingency ends on you if its material component is ever not on your person.

Tactical Usage​

Automated Protection: Contingency creates automatic spell responses to specific triggers, providing security and tactical advantages. This 6th-level abjuration spell excels at emergency protection and strategic preparation.

Optimal Timing: Most effective when you can anticipate specific dangers and prepare appropriate responses. The 10-day duration allows long-term strategic planning.

Resource Management: Uses a 6th-level spell slot plus the contingent spell slot - significant investment requiring careful planning for maximum value.

Target Selection: Choose contingent spells that provide emergency responses - healing, escape, defense, or tactical repositioning.

Spell Combinations​

Synergistic Spells:

  • Emergency Escape: Misty step, dimension door, or teleportation spells for threat avoidance
  • Defensive Responses: Shield, counterspell, or protection spells for damage mitigation
  • Healing Responses: Cure wounds or healing spells for low health triggers

Class Feature Interactions:

  • Spell Selection: Wizard spell access determines contingent spell options
  • Component Management: Must maintain statuette on person for duration
  • Trigger Expertise: Understanding of likely combat scenarios improves trigger design

Multi-Caster Coordination: Each caster can maintain one contingency for comprehensive emergency coverage.

Material Component Details​

Component Acquisition: Gem-encrusted statuette worth 1,500+ GP - significant investment requiring wealthy contacts or major treasure.

Component Handling: Must remain on your person throughout duration. Loss ends the contingency immediately.

Roleplay Opportunities: Commissioned statuettes can reflect character personality, achievements, or magical traditions.

Economic Considerations: 1,500+ GP represents major financial commitment. Plan resource allocation carefully for this magical insurance.

Creator Notes​

Encounter Balancing: Provides automatic responses that can prevent character death or dramatically shift encounter dynamics.

NPC Usage: Powerful NPCs might have contingencies, creating surprising tactical moments when triggers activate.

Environmental Considerations: Triggers must be specific and observable. Complex or ambiguous conditions might not activate properly.

Campaign Integration: Excellent for high-stakes adventures where character survival requires automated protection systems.

Environmental Interactions​

Terrain Effects: Triggers can be environment-based - entering specific areas, encountering hazards, or environmental changes.

Weather Influence: Weather conditions can serve as triggers for appropriate contingent responses.

Structural Interactions: Architectural features, magical effects, or structural changes can trigger contingencies.

Elemental Interactions: Elemental exposure, damage types, or planar effects can serve as specific trigger conditions.

Common Rulings & Clarifications​

Timing Questions: 10-minute casting time requires safe preparation. Trigger must be specific and measurable.

Target Limitations: Contingent spell must target you, be 5th level or lower, and have action casting time.

Duration Interactions: 10-day duration until triggered. Must maintain statuette throughout period.

Mechanical Interactions: Only one contingency at a time. Automatic activation occurs whether desired or not.

Alternative Applications​

Non-Combat Uses: Automatic responses to social situations, environmental hazards, or specific campaign events.

Social Encounters: Triggered responses to social threats, though automatic activation might escalate situations.

Exploration Applications: Automatic protections during dangerous exploration, planar travel, or magical research.

Utility Functions: Scheduled spell activation, emergency communication, or automatic magical services.

Same School: Other abjuration spells like glyph of warding (3rd level triggered effects), symbol (7th level triggered magic), guards and wards (6th level area protection).

Similar Effects: glyph of warding (3rd level stored spell), programmed illusion (6th level triggered illusion), symbol (7th level triggered effects).

Progression Options: alarm (1st level warning), glyph of warding (3rd level stored magic), contingency (6th level automated response).

Complementary Magic: clone (backup body), demiplane (secure storage), mind blank (ultimate mental protection).

Scaling Analysis​

Level Progression: Excellent high-level utility that provides unique automated protection unavailable through other means.

Upcast Benefits: No improvement from higher spell slots, but can use higher-level contingent spells within the 5th-level limit.

Campaign Phases: Peak effectiveness in high-level play (11+) where automated responses become crucial for survival.

Comparative Value: Unique magical insurance that justifies the high cost for critical protection needs.

Narrative Flavor​

Casting Description: Magical energies weave into the enchanted statuette as you program specific responses to future dangers.

Effect Manifestation: When triggered, the statuette pulses with stored magic as the contingent spell activates with perfect timing.

Personal Style: Different wizards might create statuettes reflecting their magical traditions, with activation appearing as personal magical signatures.

World Integration: Represents ultimate magical preparedness available only to master wizards, often associated with paranoid or strategic magical practitioners.