Dragon Breath Recharge Question

[Pielorinho]

You don't have to wait one action; you have to wait one round.

So we're agreed that the dragon has to wait one round?

A round equals 6 seconds. Thus, a dragon has to wait at least 6 seconds before it can breathe again.

Attempting to break down the TIME it takes a dragon to breathe is futile, there's no mechanic for how long a standard action is. So we're not going to go there.

Fortunately, we don't need to go there; that's immaterial to the point I was making.

How long does it take to cast a one-full-round spell?

If a dragon finishes breathing before someone begins casting a one-full-round spell, and then breathes again after someone finishes casting a one-full-round spell, how long has the dragon waited?

Daniel

(edited first sentence to clarify)

 

[Murrdox]

Biliruben, I like your reasoning... but it takes TIME for the dragon to actually breath, it isn't instantanous. He can't breath and begin recharging in 1 second. Breathing is a standard action. Since one can only take one standard action per round, it makes sense that a standard action takes up the bulk of a 6 second time slot. You need to begin timing the recharge when the dragon finishes breathing.

 

[Murrdox]

If a dragon finishes breathing before someone begins casting a one-full-round spell, and then breathes again after someone finishes casting a one-full-round spell, how long has the dragon waited?

The dragon hasn't waited at all, because you cannot "wait" when it is not your turn.

By your logic, then let's say a dragon is in combat with 4 spellcasters. On round 1, the dragon breaths. He rolls a 4 on the D4 for how long he must wait. 4 rounds. Okay, now the 4 spellcasters all cast full-round action spells. The dragon's turn comes up again, and 4 full rounds have passed and he can breath again?

No. This is not how combat timing works.

 

[kreynolds]

I thought the comparison made it beyond crystal clear. I don't think there's a chance that after all of these points made against your interpretation that anything I'll say will change your mind, but I can't resist.

A point can change my mind if I agree with it. I'm not being stubborn, I just haven't heard a compelling argument yet.

So, let me break it down the way I see it:

Given:
1 round = 6 seconds
"Wait" = Informal. To delay; postpone

Scenario:
Adventurers meet a dragon, dragon meets the adventurers, combat begins with Round 1

Round 1 begins at +0 seconds:
+1 seconds: Dragon breathes. DM rolls 1d4 and rolls up 1, the dragon must wait 1 round before breating again.

Round 2 begins at +6 seconds:
+7 seconds: Dragon may breathe again.

So, did the Dragon wait 6 seconds until breathing again? Yes.
Does 6 seconds = 1 round? Yes.

Therefore, did the Dragon wait 1 round? Yes.

And by waiting 1 round, did the dragon still get to breathe on a round immidiately following the previous? Yes.

If the system actually worked like that, I might agree, but it doesn't.

 

[Pielorinho]

The dragon hasn't waited at all, because you cannot "wait" when it is not your turn.

By your logic, then let's say a dragon is in combat with 5 spellcasters. On round 1, the dragon breaths. He rolls a 4 on the D4 for how long he must wait. 4 rounds. Okay, now the 4 spellcasters all cast full-round action spells. The dragon's turn comes up again, and 4 full rounds have passed and he can breath again?

No. This is not how combat timing works.

You're correct that that's not how combat works; you're incorrect that that's how it would work "according to my logic."

We all know that "wait' is not a game-defined term. It is not something you do on your action; in fact, the closest the rules come to defining "wait" is to describe how to delay your action, and that's specifically not an action. When you say you cannot wait when it is not your turn, you are unsupported either by the rules or by the English language.

That was the point I made earlier (the one kreynolds misconstrued to be talking about paralysis): "waiting" is not an action, but rather is the consequence of being a creature that exists in time.

Once six seconds have passed, you have waited one round. No matter how many people have acted in those six seconds, you have waited one round.

[edit: and no matter what else you have done during those six seconds, e.g., taken an attack of opportunity, you have waited one round.]

The wizard who cast a summoning spell didn't cause the six-seconds to pass, any more than an egg-timer causes three minutes to pass. Both are simply useful tools for measuring the passage of time.

Daniel

 

[kreynolds]

That was the point I made earlier (the one kreynolds misconstrued to be talking about paralysis): "waiting" is not an action, but rather is the consequence of being a creature that exists in time.

Do me a favor. If you don't want to explain to me what you meant by "may do nothing else", that's fine, but don't take pot-shots at me either.

 

[Pielorinho]

The last I'll say on this: statement of fact !=pot shot. You misinterpret, whether deliberately or accidentally, far too much of what I say for it to be productive for me to continue the conversation with you. I do not have this problem with other folks; nor do I always have this problem with you. This is the third or fourth time you've misstated my position or actions in this thread, however, and it's not doing me good to continue the discussion with you.

Feel free to have a last word, I've made no pot-shots nor bashed you.

Daniel

 

[the Jester]

How about this...

Since you can choose to take your standard action before or after your move or move-equivalent action, what if the dragon breathes then moves in round one... and the recharge roll is a 1...

Can he move then breathe in round two?

 

[kreynolds]

Feel free to have a last word, I've made no pot-shots nor bashed you.

I'm not trying to put an ugly spin on this and place it on you. I merely ask that you show me the same amount of respect that I've shown you. That's all. What I meant by "pot-shot" is that I could come to only one conclusion as to a statement you made, and you then stated that I didn't understand. I asked you to explain. You didn't. Thus, you took a pot shot at me by proclaiming that I misconstrued something you said, something I had asked clarification of, to which you ignored. I was seeking more information, but you chose not to provide it, thus I don't think it's fair that you complain about me misconstruing something you said.

I just wanted an explanation. That's all. I don't know what else to say, except that I think we had a good discussion going for a while there.

 

[kreynolds]

Since you can choose to take your standard action before or after your move or move-equivalent action, what if the dragon breathes then moves in round one... and the recharge roll is a 1...

Can he move then breathe in round two?

LOL Smart<bleep!>.