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Message: <blockquote data-quote="DND_Reborn" data-source="post: 7572367" data-attributes="member: 6987520">Since the rules are vague about this, why can't we assume that we have time to interrupt a casting? There is no official ruling on this and it can be ruled either way by the DM. 1 action is ambiguous intentionally, so it is up to each table to rule on whether it can be interrupted or not. Point of issue: how else would Counterspell work? It is a reaction, but has the ability to interrupt a creature casting a spell before the spell is finished. Right. Why should the caster always win? He shouldn't IMO. However, one way or the other, we can make assumptions about how long something takes and we won't be right, regardless. How long is a Verbal component, even for a Power Word spell? The word could be Iwannallatheesfosatodi!, or it could be bork! We simply do not know since nothing is specified in 5E.  A 1 action event might be quick, another 1 action event might be long. It can't matter in 5E because such things aren't (yet) defined.Does it take longer to complete the spell once the caster starts casting it or does it take longer to throw the spear? Who knows. It seems pretty clear most people (or at least us vocal ones <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /> ) feel pretty strongly one way or another about it, but there is no official stance on it yet. The best we can do in interpret the other rules we have and make our own decisions on those.Once I read in the SA about how a readied action and take place between a multiattack action, I am pretty convinced myself that allowing a readied action to stop a casting before it is complete is feasible. Since others don't feel that way I am not about to try to change their minds--that isn't my job.For the people who do agree the spear can be thrown before the spell is finished, just decide what effect you want that to have. Will the damage from a hit alone be enough to interrupt the spell? Do you want to have a Concentration check or some other save or something to see if the caster can complete it despite the hit? Whatever works for your table is cool, but no matter what you do it isn't official for anyone else.Personally, we have been using rolled Initiative each round, like older systems. So, for us, if a caster takes damage or fails a save prior to them casting their spell, they need to make a Concentration check to finish. If the caster goes first, nothing can stop them from completing the spell. Thus, we avoid the entire issue of a readied action. It adds more tension to the game as well. In our last session one of the players acted before the archmage and damaged him, the DM rolled and he failed the Concentration check (lucky for us!), so the spell was stopped. We all groaned when we heard "The archmage is going" before any of us... we knew we could be in trouble.Finally, if there is anyone who feels their understanding is the "official" one, tell me what your job is at WotC, and maybe I'll believe you. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)"  data-smilie="2"data-shortname=";)" /></blockquote>

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