General Consensus on Purely Mental Actions?

[James McMurray]

What confusion? If something isn't physical, it must be mental. When D&D provides no definition, we fall back on the English language (or whatever language your book is in). In English there is no mistaking what the phrase "purely mental" means.

 

[Crothian]

And I think that's a mistake. If that was the case then that would be in the PHB or DMG. Purely mental actions is not something that should have been skipped in the books.

And even if we do that, people start making the leap between spells and spell like abilities. It's badly defined terms that leads to confusions.

I'm of the opinion that if it isn't in the books, it isn't that way. It's too easy to come up with rediculus stuff the other way.

 

[James McMurray]

What do you do when someone asks what "neutralized" means in regards to neutralizing an acid arrow?

Or when they ask you what "suppress" means in regars to how an antimagic field affects spells that are cast within its confines?

Or when they ask you what "the" means in any number of places its used?

It is both unreasonable and impossible to expect every term used to be defined in a glossary. The reason books don't invent their own languages when they are written is because we've already got one to use.

I'd be interested to see what kinds of "rediculous stuff" can be come up with because mental actions are undefined in game terms but have an easy to use english definition.

 

[Crothian]

Neutralize and supress are not action types....a mental action is. Action types need to be defined.

When books fail to cover a particuliar area there are those that think it must be possible because the book doesn't say one cannot. There are others that think it is not possible because the book does not say you can. Over the past 4 years on EN World I've run into a lot of things that people wanted to do and they figured it was possible just becasue the book did not say no.

 

[James McMurray]

Ok, so what kind of rediculous things will happen if we define a mental action to mean an action that is not physical? Given that its the only possible efinition of the term, I can't see anything rediculous coming of it.

 

[RangerWickett]

The answer, when people cannot find a rule that is standardized, is to go back to Rule 0. Ask the DM. That is in the books.

This DM says actions that don't involve movement are 'purely mental.'

 

[Crothian]

Ok, so what kind of rediculous things will happen if we define a mental action to mean an action that is not physical? Given that its the only possible efinition of the term, I can't see anything rediculous coming of it.

Due purely mental actions provoke an AoO? That's a fairly improtant question and because it is not in the books we have no answer.

I'm not good of coming up with the rediculous. But there ar epleanty of people who know the books better then I that can.

 

[Shadowdweller]

Well...I must confess that I recall seeing it written SOMEWHERE within the books or FAQ that you CAN cast a spell without any components while helpless. I can't seem to remember where, though, so I guess that doesn't mean much.

It would create some AOO silliness, though. Actually, when you think about it, paralysis in and of itself creates some AOO silliness. Letting down your guard provokes attacks of opportunity, but being incapable of 'having a guard' in the first place does not?

 

[James McMurray]

Due purely mental actions provoke an AoO? That's a fairly improtant question and because it is not in the books we have no answer.

Is that mental ability spell-like or psionic? If so, and if it isn't done defensively, it provokes AoOs. If it isn't one of those, we have to refer to the action in question. If it states it provokes AoOs, it does. Otherwise it doesn't. It isn't rocket science.

 

[Crothian]

Is that mental ability spell-like or psionic? If so, and if it isn't done defensively, it provokes AoOs. If it isn't one of those, we have to refer to the action in question. If it states it provokes AoOs, it does. Otherwise it doesn't. It isn't rocket science.

Which does not make a whole lot of sesne to people. How can a purely mental action provoke an AoO?