Can a hasted Wizard fight defensively, etc. and still cast a spell

[bensei]

A hasted Wizard stands close to a battle ground, suddenly several archers start shooting at him. On his action, he wants to increase his AC. Can he ...

1. ... fight defensively on his regular action and then cast a spell with his extra partial action? If yes, does he have to perform some silly attack, or can he just do nothing instead?
2. ... use the full defence on his regular action and then cast a spell with his extra partial action?
3. ... use the Expertise feat on his regular action and then cast a spell with his extra partial action? I assume yes, but he must perform a melee attack for this.
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[Mr.Binx]

Yes, as long as the defensive action was the latter of the two actions taken because the defensive bonuses only apply until your next action.

 

[AuraSeer]

In order to get the bonus for Expertise or fighting defensively, you must declare either the Attack action or the Full Attack action. You can then forgo the attacks to which you were entitled. (This is in the FAQ.)

So
1) Yes. You need not actually swing at an enemy, but you must use one of your actions to declare an attack.

2) Yes.

3) Same as #1.

I think Mr.Binx is correct that you want to do the defensive action last, because taking another action would cancel your defensive bonus. This may be open to DM interpretation.

 

[Jondor_Battlehammer]

I belive that you remain on the defensive, period, until your next action. THEN you can go back to normal.

In either case, I would allow this so long as you went on the defensive during your normal action, not taking your full ation, and then declaring defense on your extra partial action. That would weed out alot of problems while still giving options.

 

[Venthrac]

As I recall, the only stipulation of the Fight Defensively is "while attacking". If your Wizard casts a spell at an enemy that affects or injures that enemy, I would argue your Wizard is attacking that enemy, and thus can fight defensively. Any rolls to-hit that your Wizard has to make, for example the ranged touch attack roll on a Ray of Frost spell, will be made at a -4 penalty. Afterward, he will gain a +2 bonus to his AC.

 

[the Jester]

As I recall, the only stipulation of the Fight Defensively is "while attacking". If your Wizard casts a spell at an enemy that affects or injures that enemy, I would argue your Wizard is attacking that enemy, and thus can fight defensively. Any rolls to-hit that your Wizard has to make, for example the ranged touch attack roll on a Ray of Frost spell, will be made at a -4 penalty. Afterward, he will gain a +2 bonus to his AC.

That's an interesting argument.

I'd go for it if the pc's action was an attack and not casting a spell which just happened to include an attack roll; for instance, if dude is holding the charge on a touch spell and makes an attack to discharge it, or... hmm... not sure if Melf's minute meteors ever saw print in 3e, but something where you cast and then get attacks in subsequent rounds (maybe sunray IIRC?), that kind of thing.

 

[Greenfield]

Are we talking D&D 3.5? If so...

Haste
Transmutation
Level: Brd 3, Sor/Wiz 3
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Targets: One creature/level, no two of which can be more than 30 ft. apart
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)
The transmuted creatures move and act more quickly than normal. This extra speed has several effects.
When making a full attack action, a hasted creature may make one extra attack with any weapon he is holding. The attack is made using the creature’s full base attack bonus, plus any modifiers appropriate to the situation. (This effect is not cumulative with similar effects, such as that provided by a weapon of speed, nor does it actually grant an extra action, so you can’t use it to cast a second spell or otherwise take an extra action in the round.)
A hasted creature gains a +1 bonus on attack rolls and a +1 dodge bonus to AC and Reflex saves. Any condition that makes you lose your Dexterity bonus to Armor Class (if any) also makes you lose dodge bonuses.
All of the hasted creature’s modes of movement (including land movement, burrow, climb, fly, and swim) increase by 30 feet, to a maximum of twice the subject’s normal speed using that form of movement. This increase counts as an enhancement bonus, and it affects the creature’s jumping distance as normal for increased speed.
Multiple haste effects don’t stack. Haste dispels and counters slow.
Material Component: A shaving of licorice root.

Your question presumes that Haste gives you "an extra partial action". The problem is, it doesn't do that.

It gives you extra movement (+30 feet per move) if you're moving, but doesn't give an actual move action. It gives an extra attack if you are making a full round attack, but doesn't give you an extra "attack action".

Incidentally, it also gives you a bonus to hit and to AC, to Initiative and to Reflex saves.

It specifically *DOESN'T* let you cast a spell if you're taking some other action in the round.

So the short answer is "No".

 

[the Jester]

Are we talking D&D 3.5?

This thread is from 2002; therefore it is a 3.0 thread.

 

[Empirate]