Abrupt Jaunt

[Shin Okada]

OK, this is an immediate action short range teleport. So, if it is used as a reaction to an opponents action, it is resolved before that opponent's action right?

In that case.

A) Assume an opponent was casting a target spell. If the 10 foot teleport was not enough to bring the abjurer out of the range of the spell, the opponent can still cast the spell on the abjurer right? Or not?

B) Assume an opponent was making a ranged attack, If the 10 foot teleport was not enough to bring the abjurer out of the range of the ranged attack, the opponent can still attack on the abjurer right? Or not?

C) Assume an opponent with speed 30 moved 20 foot and tried to attack the abjurer. Abjurer used Abrupt Jaunt. Can the opponent cancel using an attack action there and instead continue his move action and move 10 foot, then attack the abjurer?

 

[aboyd]

I can only say how I've ruled on this. I do not suggest that this is somehow encoded into the official description of the ability.

For me, I consider it to "precede but not prevent" actions. With that in mind, let's try your A, B, C.

A) Whether the 10 foot teleport moves the caster out of range or not, the spell still goes off. If it has a center of effect (such as a fireball) and the effect was centered on the caster who used abrupt jaunt, then then effect remains centered where the caster was. Since something like a Fireball has a big radius, it will still catch the wizard who uses abrupt jaunt. It would allow a character to get juuuuuusst out of range of a Fireburst spell, though.

B) The attack would already be launched by the time the caster invokes abrupt jaunt. So the attack cannot be stopped or redirected. However, depending upon what the attack was it might still do damage. For example, if a flask of alchemist's fire was thrown at the caster, and if the caster teleported 10' to the left, and IF the flask missed the target (the original position of the caster) and IF the flask landed 5' to the left, then the caster would get hit with 1 HP of splash damage.

C) No, the attack action cannot be canceled; he/she is already in full swing. However, if the opponent had Spring Attack, there would still be a possible move action after the initial (failed) attack. Note that I would say that the abrupt jaunt only affects the one thing it's dodging. So if an enemy uses full attack to take 4 swings but the wizard teleports away on the first swing, well, technically, only the first swing is lost. That full attack could become a standard attack (which failed) followed by a move (to get right next to the wizard again). Or the remaining 3 swings could be directed to an opponent that is still within range.

In the case of an enemy such as a spiked-chain enlarged fighter (which gives reach of 20' I think), the first attack would be lost even if the wizard teleported to a place still within range, because the attack is already in motion, directed toward a specific spot (which is suddenly unoccupied). However, if the wizard teleported to a position that was still within range, and if the fighter still had attacks left, he could continue with the remaining attacks, targeting the new location.

Eventually, the wizard is getting hit. It just might take a little persistence.

 

[frankthedm]

At least a few folks will argue that Abrupt jaunt is one of the more broken abilities out of the PHB2.

http://www.enworld.org/forum/d-d-3r...t-alt-wizard-class-feature-phbii-pg-70-a.html

And I'd say that's extremely powerful.

If any class in the game had an ability available from 1st lvl which read "3 times per day, as an immediate action, you automatically make an enemy attacking you miss" (that's an ability which is both weaker and less versatile than the Abrupt Jaunt, BTW), I think most people would call it significantly overpowered.

+1. Given the squishiness of your normal Wizard it normally makes the difference between "alive and kicking" and "can I have some french fries with my Wizburger?".

It is the most powerful alternate feature in that book. IMHO it's broken.

Cheers, -- N

Seems others feel similarly to myself about this one. IMO it's quite overpowered and introduces some odd vagueness in certain situations. I think Aestolia's take on it - 50% miss chance for an attack if the jaunt is used to avoid such, or 100% miss chance on a readied action. Heck, I have no problem with this ability at all if it's used when readied. Go right ahead and ready that action... it means your wizard isn't casting spells that round, or doing much else really.

Nifft's and Mistwell's examples of using the jaunt to escape Force Cage, grapple et. al. are even worse. I hate banning stuff (wraithstrike excepted, oh yes indeed) but this one may need the ban hammer. I love all the options that the alt class features add, but I don't want to start an arms race with my players here... we've already had the wraithstrike conversation.

Now Eamon suggests that the attacker, whose attack is jaunted away from, can immediately and without error re-target a different square in response to the (immediate action/interrupt) jaunt. Can you reference other immediate effects that allow the PC/monster to change his action after the interrupt?

Thanks for the feedback, folks.

 

[Shin Okada]

Thanks.

It seems that as the rule is not 100 clear about allowing redirection of target type spell, I should allow them for better game balance.

I am not sure if RAW is clear or not about other two options, though.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

I neutered the ability by causing it to take up your next round's standard action (on top of the immediate action, which effectively kills your next round's swift action).

So it basically completely ruins your ability to mount offense on your next turn and becomes strictly an emergency-only kind of deal. Haven't play-tested it yet to see if that's too harsh.

EDIT: I'm also considering increasing the teleport range by +5 ft per 5 class levels, to make up for the hard nerfing a little and make staying in your base class have some benefit. As written, no reason not to just get it at level 1 and prestige class out ASAP.

 

[FEADIN]

For me if you're still in range you can be targeted and you're hit or subject to the spell.
To level it down in my campaign I play it as a SWIFT action.

 

[Mark Chance]

At least a few folks will argue that Abrupt jaunt is one of the more broken abilities out of the PHB2.

IME, "broken" usually doesn't mean anything more than "I don't like it," and many times means, "That ability makes me have to think too much as a DM."

I'd probably allow the ability as is. I can't see it being a game-breaker.

 

[Jhaelen]

IME, "broken" usually doesn't mean anything more than "I don't like it," and many times means, "That ability makes me have to think too much as a DM."

If it's the latter I'm even more inclined to not allow it.

 

[Olaf the Stout]

IME, "broken" usually doesn't mean anything more than "I don't like it," and many times means, "That ability makes me have to think too much as a DM."

I'd probably allow the ability as is. I can't see it being a game-breaker.

This one ability means that the character basically can no longer be grappled. It also allows the Wizard to make attacks automatically miss him. I think it is very powerful.

My resident powergamer took it for his Conjurer and it is much stronger than any of the other school's abilities. As a result I changed it from being an Immediate action to being a Swift action. It is still powerful like that, but not quite as powerful.

Olaf the Stout

 

[Mark Chance]

This one ability means that the character basically can no longer be grappled.

No, it means he's really hard to grapple three times per day.

It also allows the Wizard to make attacks automatically miss him.

Not all attacks, not always, and, again, only three times per day.

I think it is very powerful. .... As a result I changed it from being an Immediate action to being a Swift action.

Fair enough.