DMing COUNSEL REQUESTED

[Cherub]

If there are any spellcasters in the group, I'd expect that would be another big issue to keep track of. The vast majority of spells have changed from the previous edition, so you'll constantly be looking them up during play.

I'm glad you brought that up Shilsen, coz here's another basic query i have regarding spell casters and actions per round (possibly with a very obvious answer that I am not aware of)...is it right to say that, except where its stated otherwise under the spell description of a particular spell, a spell caster can only cast 1 spell per round regardless of the fact that at higher levels he gets multiple attacks per round based the natural progression of his BAB? If not, could someone point me to the page or chapter in the PHB 3.5 / DMG 3.5 that states otherwise. Thanks, heaps!

C.

 

[Varianor Abroad]

I'm glad you brought that up Shilsen, coz here's another basic query i have regarding spell casters and actions per round (possibly with a very obvious answer that I am not aware of)...is it right to say that, except where its stated otherwise under the spell description of a particular spell, a spell caster can only cast 1 spell per round regardless of the fact that at higher levels he gets multiple attacks per round based the natural progression of his BAB? If not, could someone point me to the page or chapter in the PHB 3.5 / DMG 3.5 that states otherwise. Thanks, heaps!

C.

It's better to state that a caster can only take a single standard action per round. Almost all spells require a standard action to cast. That still allows room for corner cases - like a quickened spell or a contingent spell.

 

[Silveras]

I'm glad you brought that up Shilsen, coz here's another basic query i have regarding spell casters and actions per round (possibly with a very obvious answer that I am not aware of)...is it right to say that, except where its stated otherwise under the spell description of a particular spell, a spell caster can only cast 1 spell per round regardless of the fact that at higher levels he gets multiple attacks per round based the natural progression of his BAB? If not, could someone point me to the page or chapter in the PHB 3.5 / DMG 3.5 that states otherwise. Thanks, heaps!

C.

In some ways, the best advice I can give is: Forget you ever played a game with a similar name before. Treat 3.x as a whole new game, and read the Players' Handbook thoroughly. Make sure you grasp the basic concepts about levels, actions, and so on; and try to forget "how they used to work" (that's the part I always have the most trouble with).

This is especially important because many monsters advance by gaining character class levels; a tougher Hill Giant, for example, doesn't just have more Hit Dice... he probably has Fighter levels, with extra feats and skill points as well as more Hit Points and better attacks and saves.

Then get familiar with where to find the additional information in the DMG and MM.

Pay special attention to how multi-classing works now, because if your players over-multiclass their spellcasters, they won't have the spells they need to deal with some of the challenges appropriate to their overall level (and will have to hope that any added non-magical abilities can compensate).

 

[Agback]

I think what he did was hand them 105k-current experience points PER CLASS.

I don't think so. They would have come out 15th/15th. I think what he let them do was split 105,000 experience points between two classes, calculate the level that would give in each class, and then combine the classes into one character. Which is consistent with the way multiclassing used to work in previous D&Ds: a major problem, the mending of which is one of the best things about D&D 3.x

 

[Agback]

In some ways, the best advice I can give is: Forget you ever played a game with a similar name before.

Excellent advice! This is something I had a struggle with when 3.0 came out.

 

[WayneLigon]

I'm glad you brought that up Shilsen, coz here's another basic query i have regarding spell casters and actions per round (possibly with a very obvious answer that I am not aware of)...is it right to say that, except where its stated otherwise under the spell description of a particular spell, a spell caster can only cast 1 spell per round regardless of the fact that at higher levels he gets multiple attacks per round based the natural progression of his BAB? If not, could someone point me to the page or chapter in the PHB 3.5 / DMG 3.5 that states otherwise. Thanks, heaps!

C.

That would be correct. Look at the chapter in combat where it describes actions (such as standard actions, partial actions, etc) and how they differ from the number of attacks. Also, off the top of my head I don't know of any spell that allows you to cast more than 1 spell a round. Haste used to under 3.0 but they changed that in 3.5.