Does caster know the duration of her Time Stop?

[coriolis]

First, here's the relevant information about time stop:

Duration: 1d4+1 rounds (apparent time); see text

This spell seems to make time cease to flow for everyone but you. In fact, you speed up so greatly that all other creatures seem frozen, though they are actually still moving at their normal speeds. You are free to act for 1d4+1 rounds of apparent time. Normal and magical fire, cold, gas, and the like can still harm you. While the time stop is in effect, other creatures are invulnerable to your attacks and spells; you cannot target such creatures with any attack or spell. A spell that affects an area and has a duration longer than the remaining duration of the time stop have their normal effects on other creatures once the time stop ends. Most spellcasters use the additional time to improve their defenses, summon allies, or flee from combat.

You cannot move or harm items held, carried, or worn by a creature stuck in normal time, but you can affect any item that is not in another creature’s possession.

You are undetectable while time stop lasts. You cannot enter an area protected by an antimagic field while under the effect of time stop.

Does the caster know how much apparent time she has when she casts a time stop?

 

[Kask]

Does the caster know how much apparent time she has when she casts a time stop?

No, it's a rolled variable the caster finds out about like all others. When it manifests. Not like it would do much good to know. Sundials aren't that accurate, and wearable models hadn't been invented yet...

 

[irdeggman]

Concur with variable duration effects liek Time Stop. Fixed duration (based on caster level) the caster does knwo since he can choose what caster level to use when casting (at least the minimum caster level to cast) - like a 10th level wizard can choose to cast his fireball at anywhere from 5 to 10 HD.

 

[Vegepygmy]

Player's Handbook, page 176: "If a spell's duration is variable (power word stun, for example), the DM rolls it secretly."

 

[SkinnyD]

Well as long as we are talking about Time Stop I have a question.
It states
"While the time stop is in effect, other creatures are invulnerable to your attacks and spells; you cannot target such creatures with any attack or spell."

What if this is cast on a cliff for instance. Can you push the other creatures off? You are not attacking them but moving them.

What if you cast Stoneshape and make a pit beneath the creatures?
Do they fall in right then? and then you can cast Stoneshape again and seal them in? or does the Time Stop end and then they start to fall?

What if a Wall of Iron is cast and you tip it on them? Does it stop when it hits them until your time is up and then hits them for 10d6? or something else happen?

Thanks for any thoughts and replies.

 

[Vegepygmy]

What if this is cast on a cliff for instance. Can you push the other creatures off? You are not attacking them but moving them.

Wrong. You are attacking them. It's called a bull rush. It doesn't matter that you're really fast and they're really slow...it's still a bull rush.

 

[moritheil]

Welcome to the boards, SkinnyD!

What if this is cast on a cliff for instance. Can you push the other creatures off? You are not attacking them but moving them.

As vegepygmy pointed out, under the rules this is handled as a bull rush, and a bull rush involves an attack, so no, it's not allowed.

What if you cast Stoneshape and make a pit beneath the creatures?
Do they fall in right then? and then you can cast Stoneshape again and seal them in? or does the Time Stop end and then they start to fall?

What if a Wall of Iron is cast and you tip it on them? Does it stop when it hits them until your time is up and then hits them for 10d6? or something else happen?

Thanks for any thoughts and replies.

The wall of iron is external after you cast it, so if it does tip, it will do so after Time Stop runs out. Ditto for digging or blasting a hole underneath other characters - I'd say there's a bit of Wile E Coyote action going on.

A typical use of Time Stop is generally to cast buffs, summon things, and plant a few delayed blast fireballs for when time starts moving again.

 

[javcs]

By RAW ... the caster doesn't know unless it's maximized; however, if someone wanted to figure it out, I would consider allowing them to attempt it with a Spellcraft check with a very hard DC ... at least 50. I would roll this check in secret, so the player doesn't know how well they did.

As for SkinnyD's questions ... Moritheil and Vegepygmy covered them nicely.
However, you could use a spell that contains them, if you didn't target them with it, but centered it near them, and they wouldn't get a Reflex save to interrupt the spell (as with wall of ice, for example).

 

[SolitonMan]

I have a sort of related question, not about caster knowledge but about duration. How long does a maximized extended Time Stop last? Based on the combination of maximize and empower for damage spells, I'd expect a maximized extended Time Stop to last 5 (max) + 1d4+1 (extended) rounds, or 7-10 rounds total. But I could also see the case for a flat 10 round duration (maximized, extended).

Any thoughts? Or better yet, official rulings? Thanks in advance!

 

[NewJeffCT]

A lot of thread necromancy this week!

A maximized & extended spell would be 7-10 rounds. Since your wizard can cast into the epic levels, I would then use my remaining level 9 spells to Gate in a powerful ally (planar dragon is a good choice, per Shin Okada), use Limited Wish to Heal yourself, or plant those Delayed Blast Fireballs...