Another Wall of Force question

[Sagiro]

Heck...I wouldn't even require a save in most cases(edit: when the target knows what is being cast and has readied an action to deal with it)...if they can reasonably reach the edge with a weapon or something, they can disrupt the spell automatically, IMO.

Hmmm. I don't think this would work, for the same reason that a person can't effectively ready the action "When I see that wizard casting fireball, I run 30 feet to the left." I mean, they can, but since the wizard goes after the ready-er, said wizard can just re-aim the fireball.

In the same way, a wizard casting wall of force would notice that a foe is sticking an arm out, and adjust the final location of the spell accordingly.

And that doesn't even address the other difficulties that the "targetted" character will have -- he doesn't know where the wall of force will be centered, or what its radius will be. It would still be a guess (with a small chance of accuracy) as to where exactly the wall will form.

At least, that's how I see it.

-Sagiro

 

[Artoomis]

Hmmm. I don't think this would work, for the same reason that a person can't effectively ready the action "When I see that wizard casting fireball, I run 30 feet to the left." I mean, they can, but since the wizard goes after the ready-er, said wizard can just re-aim the fireball.

In the same way, a wizard casting wall of force would notice that a foe is sticking an arm out, and adjust the final location of the spell accordingly.

And that doesn't even address the other difficulties that the "targetted" character will have -- he doesn't know where the wall of force will be centered, or what its radius will be. It would still be a guess (with a small chance of accuracy) as to where exactly the wall will form.

At least, that's how I see it.

-Sagiro

Oddly enough, you can move out of the way of a fireball (if you have enough space and you accurately guess the tagerted square AND you readied an action to move).

That's because when the bad guy starts casting, he must declare his target:[quoteThe character must make all pertinent decisions about a spell (range, target, area, effect, version, etc.) when the character begins casting.[/quote]

So he begins casting and makes all the pertinent decisions as above. You make your spellcaft check and know he is casting a fireball (but not where). If your readied action was to move, you can now do so. Of course, he doesn't know where to move, and it only helps him if he guesses right.

No one has used this tactic that I know of, because it's not a very good one, but it is legal. This has been discussed before, if you want to discuss this some more, please start a new thread so we don't hijack this one.

 

[Sagiro]

So he begins casting and makes all the pertinent decisions as above. You make your spellcaft check and know he is casting a fireball (but not where). If your readied action was to move, you can now do so. Of course, he doesn't know where to move, and it only helps him if he guesses right.

No one has used this tactic that I know of, because it's not a very good one, but it is legal. This has been discussed before, if you want to discuss this some more, please start a new thread so we don't hijack this one.

Huh. You learn something new every day... thanks for the ruling! The second part of my logic still applies, though... as you point out, you still have to make lots of guesses about the specifics of the casting.

And don't I have some God-given right to hijack my own thread?

-Sagiro

 

[Artoomis]

Huh. You learn something new every day... thanks for the ruling! The second part of my logic still applies, though... as you point out, you still have to make lots of guesses about the specifics of the casting.

And don't I have some God-given right to hijack my own thread?

-Sagiro

Uh, sure - sorry, I wasn't paying enough attention and forgot this was your thread.

Most humble apologies.

I beg your forgiveness.

 

[gfunk]

Check out p. 39 of the new DND 3E FAQ. All relevant decisions have to made before casting the spell *except* the target. So the caster can re-adjust.

 

[Artoomis]

Check out p. 39 of the new DND 3E FAQ. All relevant decisions have to made before casting the spell *except* the target. So the caster can re-adjust.

Okay, I give. It looks like the PHB has contradictory rules for this. I had totally forgotten about that.

*I'm SO embarassed*