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I'm a little confused... does this allow a player knowledge of his init roll before combat takes place? If so we have a metagame problem of a player knowing that a lousy (or great) init roll will be used in the encounter, which may allow the PC to determine when to use init modifiers (the spell...

Interesting discussion that I now feel compelled to address. Re-rolling init every round undoubtedly increases time spent resolving combat. Yes, some forms of back-to-back unanswered actions are worse than others. Re-rolling init removes your ability to manage encounter distances tactically...

Page 144 of the PHB restricts the 5 ft step to turns in which you don't perform any other movement - and goes on to give an example of an attack (standard action), 5 ft step, and then close a door (move action). So I'd have to believe that the restrictive "movement" here indicates a move action...

Shield is not a great defense against 1 20th level wizard. Shield is a great defense against 20 1st level wizards. Remember, the defense of the Arcane College will rely heavily on prepping MM! :]

Generally the same people that think ALL of the Orbs are broken, and I don't want to get involved in that debate. I do believe that Orb of Force is balanced with the other Orb spells - the lack of energy resistance is countered by the reduced damage.

There is a balance issue with some Prestige Classes that you simply have to give up something for what you get in return. There's also the question of when in the spellcasting progression you forego a casting level. For example, the Fiend-Blooded from Heroes of Horror does not gain a caster...

Well the PHB has what it has as far as spells go, there's really no why involved as there are space considerations. Orb of Force is a 4th level spell for some good reasons - 10d6 damage, no save, no sr, no energy resistance, medium range, effect spell rather than targeted spell, and force type...

Except, see page 51 of the FAQ: "You aim your spells and your attacks at the figments just as though they were real creatures." The images ARE legitimate targets for spells that require a creature(s) for a target(s).

Actually, I love to use this against a Dread Wraith, which can attack just once a round!

Yes, except for touch spells that specify an additional number of uses.

Spirited debate is an integral element of a Rules Forum. Such a debate causes me to slow down, re-examine the relevant rules, and, ultimately, come away with a better understanding of those rules (usually based on an examination of an argument I disagreed with!). Courtesy should be a goal of...

Spells: Ruin Delver's Fortune from Spell Compendium - 4th level, immediate action. Give yourself a Reflex save bonus = Cha modifier for 1d4 rounds. Oh, and did I mention you get Evasion as well? Wings of Cover from Races of the Dragon - 2nd level, immediate action. +4 Reflex bonus but, Sorc...

It seems to me that allowing the tentacles to deal lethal damage is reasonable. A creature with natural physical weapons is considered "armed" even when it's unarmed. Is it a stretch to consider the tentacles (a spell effect) to be natural physical weapons (simulating a creature)?

A non-EBT grapple deals damage "as if with an unarmed strike" in the round the grapple is initiated. Why wouldn't Evard's operate under the same grappling rules? The "once the tentacles grapple an opponent" language dictates the tentacles' options once the grapple is established. I agree that...

Spell mechanics are identical - but I don't think it's worth a 6th level slot. For those creatures that are somewhat movement deprived (limited to ground movement) the best counter is to crawl out - standing to move is entirely counterproductive (waste of move action - to incur a Reflex save -...

I agree with Ditch. And Spellcraft seems especially warranted here, the party's Wizard actually went through the wall - that's a lot of contact with the phenomenon to help justify trying the check, maybe even once before going through and once after.

Wizard to Sorcerer: Every time we get in a fight you pull a gun! Sorcerer to Wizard: And sometimes you pull a butter-knife.

What's wrong with having a creature (that enters the AoE after casting) considered "once loose"? You were "loose" before you entered, no? I'm defining "loose" as not immobilized by the spell. Sorry, I can't get away from using Rule #1. I fully understand Infiniti's case, but I just don't...

Then it would behoove the authors to state when certain "metagamey" immediate action spells can be used in the descriptive text for those spells. IIRC, this may help explain how Nerveskitter actually functions (or is allowed to function at all).

Is it your contention, then, that there can be no spells that have an area of effect that would allow a saving throw (for those in the area at the time of casting) to avoid one condition, but require a check of some type to avoid a second condition (for those that are in the area after the time...