Aborting a spell?

[reiella]

Just had a semi-evil thought while contemplating Sorcerers and Metamagic feats, although it would typically apply to any spell that takes a full round or longer to cast.

The situation I'm pondering is if the 'intended' target of an area effect spell relocates out of the area of effect of the spell while it is being cast, would the casting sorcerer be able to 'abort' casting the spell, and if so, would he still lose the spell slot?

Example:
Sorcerer begins casting a Sonic-Replaced Fireball on Ultroloth. Ultroloth recogonizes spell being cast and on his turn, teleports to a location out of the area of effect of the Sonic-replaced Fireball but still within combat area.

Does the spell go off before the beginning of the Sorcerer's next turn, possibly needlessly endangering party members? And if not, is the spell slot consumed anyway?

My initial thoughts are that the sorcerer can at least interupt himself (breaking his own concentration) but still expend the spell slot.

I'm just curious if it's actually otherwise before I start employing this tactic for my 'Super-Intelligent' advesaries.

 

[Hypersmurf]

A spontaneously-metamagicked spell takes a full round action to cast, but it's not a one-round casting time.

It takes as long as loading a heavy crossbow - it still starts and finishes on your initiative.

But if you're casting, say, Sleep - a spell that actually has a one-round casting time - note that in 3.5 decisions about target, area, etc take place when the spell comes into effect.

So if you want to 'abort' the spell, just centre it somewhere beyond the spell's range, so that it fails.

In this event, yes, you would lose the spell.

-Hyp.

 

[reiella]

A spontaneously-metamagicked spell takes a full round action to cast, but it's not a one-round casting time.

It takes as long as loading a heavy crossbow - it still starts and finishes on your initiative.

But if you're casting, say, Sleep - a spell that actually has a one-round casting time - note that in 3.5 decisions about target, area, etc take place when the spell comes into effect.

So if you want to 'abort' the spell, just centre it somewhere beyond the spell's range, so that it fails.

In this event, yes, you would lose the spell.

-Hyp.

Hehe, actually, it's 3.0 ruleset (Should have mentioned in thread text, but I'm getting lazy with the new tags methinks .

Kinda curious as to the distinction made for spontaneous metamagicking a spell however. It says it's a full-round attack and takes effect at the beginning of the caster's initiative next round. Just wondering how is that different from a spell that normally takes one-round casting time? Or is it a distinction that's only relevant in 3.5?

Specifically with 3.0, the decisions about target etc are made at the beginning of casting time, but the spellcaster should (imo, may be wrong which is why I'm asking heh) be able to interrupt themselves as if they failed a concentration check.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Kinda curious as to the distinction made for spontaneous metamagicking a spell however. It says it's a full-round attack and takes effect at the beginning of the caster's initiative next round.

No, it doesn't.

It says it's a full round action.

The bit about taking effect next round only appears in the description of spells with a one round casting time.

You're reading "a spell that takes one full round to cast is a full round action", and thinking it says "a spell that takes a full round action to cast is a spell with a casting time of one full round".

But it doesn't.

A spontaneously metamagicked spell takes a full round action to cast. A spell with a full round casting time takes a full round action to cast, and you continue casting until your next initiative.

Very, very big difference.

Specifically with 3.0, the decisions about target etc are made at the beginning of casting time...

Yeah. Note also that halfway down the same page, just to confuse you, it states that "you do not have to select your target until the moment you finish casting the spell".

But yeah, if someone's casting a one full round spell, I'd certainly let them choose to stop casting at any point before the end, burning the slot with no effect.

-Hyp.

 

[reiella]

Ah thank you. I hate getting FRA and Full-Round Casting confused...

Resolved and goodie good now hopefully.

So I can't actually do what I had initially intended (Teleport away from Spell Area) from an Substituted Spell. But, a naturally Full-Round Cast spell is possible in that method. The targeting issue is ... annoying and something I'll have to house rule into the "Pre-cast" block (my opinion/call) and something I would have had to do eventually anyway . Now I'll just have to given those critters Quicken SLA (Teleport w/o Error) instead! Muwahaha, err hah!

More importantly, the Self-Interupt seems to work (although burns a spell-slot).

Danke Hypersmurf.