How Many Spells Can You Cast In A Round?

[Hypersmurf]

Agreed, I stated that the duration was "undefined" or "null", and people didn't seem to like the "rules" consequences of that choice with regards to instantaneous effects specifically:

The duration is neither undefined nor null; it is 1d4+1 rounds (apparent time); see text.

If I am fighting goblins (CR 1/3?) and have access to Energy Drain (minimum 17th level caster) I think something is wrong, from a metagame perspective, don't you? Do they have 10 levels of barbarian or something?

I think something's wrong from a metagame perspective if you assume that every encounter will always be tailored to your level.

If a bunch of goblins are preying on travellers along a certain road, and they don't know you're 17th level, isn't it appropriate for them to prey on you, the traveller?

-Hyp.

 

[Gerion of Mercadia]

If I am 17th level, I am NOT travelling along a road - I am flying my hippogriff(at worst) - or preferrably, My roc Warbeast.

If there might be a security problem at base camp... teleporting without error.
Heck, I might just be able to fly magically unaided.

 

[Hypersmurf]

If I am 17th level, I am NOT travelling along a road - I am flying my hippogriff(at worst) - or preferrably, My roc Warbeast.

If there might be a security problem at base camp... teleporting without error.
Heck, I might just be able to fly magically unaided.

If you're not capable of imagining a scenario where a 17th level caster might face goblins, let's make it a 13th level caster facing a dozen hobgoblins instead. (And if you can't picture that, have a look at the battle in progress in the Order of the Stick.)

Fireball or Disintegrate?

-Hyp.

 

[Gerion of Mercadia]

The duration is neither undefined nor null; it is 1d4+1 rounds (apparent time); see text.

Ok -

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.

That is the "text" ... the bolded portion indicates that I am free to act for the equivalent of 1d4+1 rounds. However, those rounds aren't "really" there. The spell is cast on ME. The rest of the world is still moving, but I am at "super-speed", so fast that it visually looks like everyone else is "frozen" in mid action. In the Normal time stream - how much "time" passes? It doesn't say.

Hmm, experiment!!!!

Required Materials:
6 Stopwatches, synchronized.
1 Time Stop Spell; Maximized.
1 Measuring string
Nearby Windmill in motion.

1. Set Stopwatch at base of windmill (stopwatch G)
- Cast Timestop (windmill will visually "stop moving") and Hustle
2. Have stopwatch on My person (Stopwatch A)
3. Have stopwatch set 30 feet away (Stopwatch B)
4. Have stopwatch set 60 feet away (Stopwatch C)
5. Have stopwatch set 90 feet away (Stopwatch D)
6. Have Stopwatch set 120 feet away (stopwatch E)
7. Have Stopwatch set 150 feet away (stopwatch F)
- Time Stop - End (windmill will visually "resume motion")
8. Pick up stopwatch set at base of windmill (Stopwatch G)
Cast TimeStop
Pick up watches in letter order, from A to G.
Record Difference in times shown, if any from stopwatch A to G.

What is the result of each stopwatch?

 

[Nail]

In the Normal time stream - how much "time" passes? It doesn't say.

It's not relevant.

Your spell durarations are the times that are relevant. You are under the effects of Time Stop for 1d4+1 rounds. If your spells last longer than that, they are capable of affecting those around you.

 

[Hypersmurf]

That is the "text" ... the bolded portion indicates that I am free to act for the equivalent of 1d4+1 rounds.

Right. And when we cast an Area spell, we compare the duration (say Instantaneous, for a fireball) to the remaining duration of the Time Stop (say 3 rounds (apparent time)).

Instantaneous is apparently less than 3 rounds, so apparently the Fireball is already gone by the time the Time Stop expires.

-Hyp.

 

[Gerion of Mercadia]

Duration:
A spell's duration entry tells you how long the magical energy of the spell lasts.

Duration = How long the magical energy sustains itself in the game world?

Pretty explicit -

Experiment for determination?
"Equivalent", In the context I intend to use it, does not necessarily mean "equal" sign.

The experiment above is what I propose to use to determine the difference, if any between the following.

1d4+1 rounds ___ 1d4+1 rounds (apparent time).

If no difference were observed in the stopwatches, then 1d4+1 rounds = 1d4+1 rounds (apparent time).

If differential is observed; then 1d4+1 rounds =\ 1d4+1 rounds (apparent time).

 

[Hypersmurf]

If no difference were observed in the stopwatches, then 1d4+1 rounds = 1d4+1 rounds (apparent time).

The fireball is on your stopwatch. And its duration is instantaneous - on your stopwatch, it takes up no time at all - it comes and goes in the same instant.

-Hyp.

 

[Gerion of Mercadia]

The fireball is on your stopwatch. And its duration is instantaneous - on your stopwatch, it takes up no time at all - it comes and goes in the same instant.

The fireball is an object that, once cast, I am not attending as the fireball has neither a wisdom nor charisma score. It has My stopwatch at the moment of casting and acquires the other stopwatches as it is released.

If I had a "grenade" with a 3 round fuse - cast Time Stop, Pull the pin, set it down on the ground, and walk 10 feet away, will it go off and fill me with shrapnel before or after the time stop ends?

 

[Hypersmurf]

The fireball is an object...

It's not an object at all. It's a spell.

If I had a "grenade" with a 3 round fuse - cast Time Stop, Pull the pin, set it down on the ground, and walk 10 feet away, will it go off and fill me with shrapnel before or after the time stop ends?

I'd say before. If you pulled the pin before casting Time Stop, it would be after. But you brought it into bullet time with you when you cast the spell.

-Hyp.