Concentration check on casting defensively

[IndyPendant]

and another thing readying an action for someone to cast a spell is just silly. The rules as written say you can take a 5' step and cast a spell no prob, as I said silly and metagamy. If you're in a fight with someone and they're trying to do you bad you're not going to sit there while they step back 5' you're going to be all up in their stuff. This is just a silly rule that will not be in my game.

From the SRD:

You can take a 5-foot step as part of your readied action, but only if you don’t otherwise move any distance during the round.

 

[Jdvn1]

I found a d20 variant for Tumbling on some swashbuckling type pdf - since the mechanics for Tumbling and Concentration are pretty similar, I just mimic that pdf.

 

[S'mon]

If you just make the DC 15 + (spell level x2) it scales along with character level & max skill rank. Add circumstance mods to the DC if desired. Generally speaking though I personally don't have a problem with routine defensive casting.

 

[S'mon]

It just happened in my games that the cleric was separated from the group and had to face the cohort of the main villain. He was down to 20 hp, I was already thinking "cool, a prisoner!", when he casted heal defensively. Bam, 100 hp! He did it twice, and of course my fighter could not cure himself since taking a potion provokes an attack of opportunity. End result: the cleric defeated a fighter two levels higher than him.

This is because Clerics are more powerful than Fighters (given similar stats). You could have had the Fighter grapple, yes? Most Cleric spells have somatic components and/or need a holy symbol.

 

[poilbrun]

Grapple was not really possible, thanks to righteous might

Thanks for all the answers, I will probably go with the 10+spell level+BAB option, since this involves the skill of the enemy.

 

[S'mon]

99% of the time using the RAW your Cleric could have just 5' stepped back before casting, anyway. You'll need to nerf 5' steps - I suggest the rule I use, which is that if an action combined with a 5' step provokes an AoO the AoO happens normally as the 5' step is being taken, so if you 5' step back while casting, you still need to cast defensively.

 

[Razz0putin]

From the SRD:

Indy (clever name btw) I know what the rule is. I just find this to be one of the very few cases where the rules as written to be blantantly, hugely, stupid. Therefore this rule will not be in place in any game I run. For player or Npc's.

 

[reanjr]

and another thing readying an action for someone to cast a spell is just silly. The rules as written say you can take a 5' step and cast a spell no prob, as I said silly and metagamy. If you're in a fight with someone and they're trying to do you bad you're not going to sit there while they step back 5' you're going to be all up in their stuff. This is just a silly rule that will not be in my game.

I'm trying to incorporate "press" rules in my game right now so that you can maintain your position next to someone. Initially, I'm just allowing a move as an immediate action if someone moves out of your reach to stay with them. My game doesn't have 5' steps, but if it did, you could allow the same thing. 5' step as an immediate action to follow.

 

[Razz0putin]

reanjr said

I'm trying to incorporate "press" rules in my game right now so that you can maintain your position next to someone. Initially, I'm just allowing a move as an immediate action if someone moves out of your reach to stay with them. My game doesn't have 5' steps, but if it did, you could allow the same thing. 5' step as an immediate action to follow.

sounds interesting. I think that's how I'll handle it if you don't mind my swiping that from you