Michael Morris
First Post
This is one of the items from Dusk that's been tucked away pending the Player's Guide's released - the expanded spellcasting rules. These rules provide a more concrete structure for dealing with readied actions and also puts a stop to using silence and antimagic-shell as counterspells as this isn't their original purposes and, in the case of silence, makes the spells far more powerful than they otherwise have a right to be.
A better formatted version is of course in the Player's Guide - this excerpt is on pages 196 through 197 of the book.
Spellcasting
In this section we’ll review the rules surrounding the casting of spells and introduce some new wrinkles and clarifications. New terms are given in bold the first time they occur.
The increased number of counterspells in this book along with the increased number of triggered effects also makes a revision and exploration of the spell initiative rules necessary.
A counterspell is either the mode of a spell that counters itself (see counterspells, below) or a spell that counters another spell as part of its effect.
A triggered effect is any effect of any spell that occurs in reaction to an outside
event. For instance, the alarm of the alarm spell is a triggered event that occurs in reaction to an intruder entering the area of effect.
A mode is a variation of a spell that is accessible from one given preparation.
Stages of Spellcasting
Every spell goes through the following stages regardless of caster.
Sequences
When only one caster is casting things are simple. The player’s turn arrives, they choose the spell, begin it and resolve it. However, ready actions, immediate actions and triggered spells complicate things.
If anyone chooses to use a ready action in response to step 3 of spellcasting a
sequence is created: A sequence is a series of actions that occur on the same initiative and all of them follow these rules:
A better formatted version is of course in the Player's Guide - this excerpt is on pages 196 through 197 of the book.
Spellcasting
In this section we’ll review the rules surrounding the casting of spells and introduce some new wrinkles and clarifications. New terms are given in bold the first time they occur.
The increased number of counterspells in this book along with the increased number of triggered effects also makes a revision and exploration of the spell initiative rules necessary.
A counterspell is either the mode of a spell that counters itself (see counterspells, below) or a spell that counters another spell as part of its effect.
A triggered effect is any effect of any spell that occurs in reaction to an outside
event. For instance, the alarm of the alarm spell is a triggered event that occurs in reaction to an intruder entering the area of effect.
A mode is a variation of a spell that is accessible from one given preparation.
Stages of Spellcasting
Every spell goes through the following stages regardless of caster.
- Choose the spell: First you choose the spell itself. At the time you choose the spell you must be able to pay all costs (XP, Material, etc.) associated with it and perform all actions (verbal, somatic, etc.) it requires. If you choose a spell you can’t cast nothing happens, though you can certainly bluff the casting of a spell.
- Choose the mode: A spell with multiple versions available in one preparation is said to have multiple modes. At the time you choose the mode you also select the targets and
any other factor of the spell that is variant. The mode and all targets must be legal for you to choose (you can’t target things you can’t see, and certain casters can’t use certain modes of spells). - Begin the spell: Now the spell begins. At this stage spells and characters can use ready actions set to trigger upon the casting of a spell. A trigger is the condition(s) under which a character can take a readied action or a spell with a trigger will act.
- Concentration: If circumstances require it, you make a concentration check.
- Resolve the spell when its turn comes up (see below). All die rolls for the spell are cast, including the spell resistance rolls and saving throws of the targets. At this point the spell is successfully cast. All costs are assessed against you and certain spells that trigger when a spell is successfully cast go off.
Sequences
When only one caster is casting things are simple. The player’s turn arrives, they choose the spell, begin it and resolve it. However, ready actions, immediate actions and triggered spells complicate things.
If anyone chooses to use a ready action in response to step 3 of spellcasting a
sequence is created: A sequence is a series of actions that occur on the same initiative and all of them follow these rules:
- Sequence actions are resolved in the reverse order that they are declared in. Example: Teresa, Timmon and a hobgoblin are in combat. Timmon is guarding Teresa and has readied an action to attack anyone who attacks her. The hobgoblin has readied an action to
attack any spellcaster. Teresa’s initiative comes up, and she casts magic missile at the hobgoblin. The hobgoblin takes its ready action and begins its attack on Teresa. Timmon
takes his ready action to attack the hobgoblin. Now the actions are resolved: Timmon attacks and kills the hobgoblin. The hobgoblin, now dead, can’t act. Teresa loses her spell not because she was hurt but because the target is dead (she can’t change targets after the sequence has been set). - Spellcasters in a sequence can’t change their minds about targets as a result of other events in the sequence nor can they choose to abandon the spell. Example: Teresa casts fireball to hit some goblins surrounding Devon. She isn’t worried about hitting Devon because he has protection from elements (fire) in place. However, as she casts her spell an enemy caster uses sleight of mind to change her fireball into a cold spell. She can’t abandon her spell, and Devon is badly hurt.
- If two characters try to react to the same trigger, the one with the lowest rolled initiative declares his action first. Example: Timmon and Teresa both have readied actions set to when some enemy begins a spell. Teresa has the better initiative, so she can decide what to do based on what Timmon does. She can’t wait to see the outcome of his action. Since she knows the enemy is casting a fireball at them she decides to counterspell. Her counterspell goes off before his attack, since the last declared action goes first.
- Effect spreads (such as silence) and area emanations (such as cloudkill) can’t act while a sequence is being resolved and they can’t change their center points either – they must wait for the end of sequence to do so. Example: Teresa, Devon and a kobold sorcerer are in combat. The kobold begins a fireball, and both Teresa and Devon use a readied action set for when someone casts a spell. Teresa uses deflection, but fails her caster level check against the kobold. Devon casts silence on the kobold, but since
that spell creates an emanation it waits until the sequence is over to act. The kobold gets off his fireball, hurting both our heroes. Now the silence takes hold, which means the creep won’t hit them again. - Once the last action of the sequence is declared, no more characters can perform ready actions until all the actions in the sequence are resolved. Spells however can continue to trigger as their conditions are met, and they are resolved as they trigger during the sequence. Example: Dranock hasa contingency set to teleport him home if he goes to less than 20 hit points. He begins a chain lightning spell and Trishdare uses a ready action to hit him with a fireball. Teresa uses her ready action to cast deflection on his spell, changing the chain lightning target to Dranock himself. Teresa, who declared last, goes first, casting deflection. This triggers a lightning rift Dranock had put in place earlier. The spell lets Teresa deal 5d6 damage to Dranock. That is resolved, and Trishdare goes with his fireball. The
Lightning Rift triggers again and Trishdare has it deal 3d6 damage to Dranock. Dranock at this point feels that casting lightning rift before the battle was a poor idea. Although he’s managed to make all his saves and concentration checks he’s down to 19 hit points. His contingency now triggers, teleporting him miles away. When he gets there he completes his deflected chain lightning, which roasts him quite succinctly.
