Destroying Incoming Ranged Attacks

[Patlin]

A readied Counterspell action (a standard action) or Attack action (a standard action) can disrupt a Quickened spell (a free action).

-Hyp.

Well said. I'd allow this too, and would also point out it's suboptimal most of the time. With rapid shot, even a low level character can shoot off multiple arrows each round. If you're using your entire action to thwart only a portion of what the enemy is doing, you're in big trouble.

 

[Infiniti2000]

Upon seeing what the archer is up to, the spell caster starts part of his spell, holding on to the final committment to actually cast it. He gets ready to say the last word as the arrow is released. He shatters the arrow in mid-air (impressive, no?).

Of course this is all flavor text to justify how the rules work.

Not really. If the trigger doesn't occur, the spellcaster will not actually have started his spell and may, on his turn next round, decide to do something completely different, never having his that spell (slot).

There's no flavor text to explain the fact that you can cast a standard action spell faster than someone can cast a free (Swift) action spell or have an arrow fly to its target. Some things are just paradoxical like that. As Patlin said, though, it's mostly a suboptimal choice so it's not bad to just ignore the weirdness of it. However, sometimes it's too bizarre (like the ready to move system crashes). To answer Quidam, basically if the system will seg fault it's best not to allow that particular readied action.

 

[Quidam]

I'd allow this too, and would also point out it's suboptimal most of the time.

Yeah, I reckoned that, too. I could see specific situations where it would be useful- protecting a downed ally from being finished off or some such, but it's hardly the sort of tactic that'd be useful often aside from at the very low levels.

It is, however, packed with flavor and brought up another interesting aspect of readied actions. I'd allow it in my game, but since I'm going to be a player (for the first time in years), I thought I'd get some extra opinions before presenting it to my DM.

 

[RigaMortus2]

With rapid shot, even a low level character can shoot off multiple arrows each round. If you're using your entire action to thwart only a portion of what the enemy is doing, you're in big trouble.

A level 1 Human Warlock with the Shatter Invocation and IUS + Deflect Arrows will defeat the Rapid Firing archer's two arrow shots

 

[Artoomis]

Not really. If the trigger doesn't occur, the spellcaster will not actually have started his spell and may, on his turn next round, decide to do something completely different, never having his that spell (slot).

Well, you may note that I carefully selected my language - he does not use up his spell if the trigger action does not occur. It's only flavor text, not rules.

There's no flavor text to explain the fact that you can cast a standard action spell faster than someone can cast a free (Swift) action spell or have an arrow fly to its target....

Sure there is. You have to really play with things a bit to do it, but it is possible to come up with flavor text that matches the rules. I already gave you one example.

Sure it's a stretch.

 

[Patlin]

Anyone else out there like The Belgariad by David Eddings?

It occurs to me the sorcerors in that series did this sort of thing a few times. Specifically, toward the begining of book 4.

 

[Particle_Man]

We allowed a sorceror with Feather Fall to cast them on the rocks a giant was hurling at us.

 

[RigaMortus2]

We allowed a sorceror with Feather Fall to cast them on the rocks a giant was hurling at us.

Now THAT is a cool idea...