Help, Confusion Spell.

[Petrosian]

Confusions are fun...

last session they fought a devourer...

confusions spell went off... will save 17...
barbarian... made her save
dwarf fighter... made his save...
monk with 18 wisdom... FAILED his save...

go figure

 

[Ferox4]

Confusions are fun. My players loathe them....especially when they start hacking one another.....

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

To me "take no actions" is a rule specific term. Anything that is defined as an ACTION is out.

Saves, keeping dex to Ac or full Ac etc are not actions.

Deflecting arrows, assigning dodge bonus to AC, counterspelling, using items powers ARE actions.

While pretty convincing reasoning, the SRD makes it clear you are incorrect on one important detail:

"Attempting to deflect a ranged weapon doesn’t count as an action. "

 

[hong]

To me "take no actions" is a rule specific term. Anything that is defined as an ACTION is out.

Saves, keeping dex to Ac or full Ac etc are not actions.

Deflecting arrows, assigning dodge bonus to AC, counterspelling, using items powers ARE actions.

The specific wording of the spell in the PHB is "do nothing for 1 round". That sounds a bit broader than just not taking actions.

 

[Petrosian]

Well when i run it, i dont allow the character to take any actions for one round, he skips his turn in the initiative order. I do NOT apply any of the following type of conditions as the spell does not state they occur: helpless, stunned, lose dex bonus, loss of ability to make reflex saves, held, etc etc etc. In other words, i give no bonus to attackers vs the character. I guess its treated by me kinda like a daze effect, unable to move or act but no penalties to defense.

None of my players or Dms have ever semed to have a question about that. maybe we are just wrong and we should stray from this understandable method and go to something between the "can deflect arrows" or all the way to "can do nothing" (even breathe? even think?) stances.

or then again, maybe we should rather open our own skulls with claw hammers.

 

[hong]

Well when i run it, i dont allow the character to take any actions for one round, he skips his turn in the initiative order. I do NOT apply any of the following type of conditions as the spell does not state they occur: helpless, stunned, lose dex bonus, loss of ability to make reflex saves, held, etc etc etc. In other words, i give no bonus to attackers vs the character. I guess its treated by me kinda like a daze effect, unable to move or act but no penalties to defense.

None of my players or Dms have ever semed to have a question about that. maybe we are just wrong and we should stray from this understandable method and go to something between the "can deflect arrows" or all the way to "can do nothing" (even breathe? even think?) stances.

or then again, maybe we should rather open our own skulls with claw hammers.

I'm standing by my "player does nothing for 1 round" interpretation.

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

or then again, maybe we should rather open our own skulls with claw hammers.

That would probably be an action. If you yourself are the only visible "nearest creature" maybe that would be OK.



My personal opinion is Deflect Arrows should be thought of as a save, even if it can only be invoked only once per round (although S&F has a Feat that lets you do an unlimited number of deflects).

Of the top of my head, I cannot think of any active actions that involve save mechanics; they typically use BAB or a skill roll if any.

In contrast save mechanics are defensive passive reactions.

Furthermore the spell sort of states you may react appropriately to a direct attack upon you. You do get to respond the next round to an attack after all

Just my 2 cents.