Interrupting a spell impossible w/Core rules?

[evileeyore]

Okay I'll take a stab in the dark and play Devils Advocate for a minute.

What is wrong with the current rules?

Your buddy doesn't like that mages can get away with casting by moving away. He feels it should be easier to interupt mages who are casting spells in the midst of a melee, where their d4 Hit Die says they should run far, far away.

I was just basically restating your friends case (just more simply).

Does he feel that mages should get some sort of compensation for making their jobs harder? I mean there is really no way to interupt a Fighters attacks, and Archers shots, etc...

It is really rough enough on those beleagured Mages (and Sorcerors) already! They are wading into the thick with less than 1/2 the Fighters Hit Points!!

The only solution IMHO is to ignore his requests. Or have him play a mage and let him see just how rough it is when he can never cast a spell because some one is always there to interupt his casting with 2-3 levels worth of damage. (If the average fighter does d8+2 to d12+4 damage per swing, and your average mage gets d4+1 HD/level...)


Sorry to be somewhat abrasive but your gaming companion's request just really set me off. It sounds to me like he is tired of being dinky smacked by mages and can't tactically out think them, and so wants to change the rules.


Editted to add: Hmmm, I think I'll chime in with some tactics:

The Alche Fire is great... But so are Tangle Foot Bags. Pins the Mage in place.

If you really need more options check out the back issue of Dragon (not sure which one) that had tips for fighting Sorcerors...

And i can see your friends point. The sorceror I play uses Levitate combined with D-Door to move about the battlefield above it. Really makes interupting me rough...

 

[Nail]

Jus' so this is out there:
You can't get up from a trip, take a 5 foot step, then cast a spell. It's 'cause ye can only take a 5 foot step with the full round action. Yer MEA of getting up jus' nixed that possibility.

So: if you trip a mage, he gets up, starts casting a spell, and you AoO him. If ye'd like, make it a trip attack....for extra demoralization goodness.

EDIT: I'm wrong, here.

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

I am with evileeyore. I think this guy is whining because those wizards get away with casting combat spells during combat most of the time. Would it be an improvement to change that?

 

[Thanee]

That's wrong, Nail. You can make a 5' step, when you substitute your move for a MEA.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Thanee]

If you don't like the current rules for interrupting spells, I can give you a nice and easy alternative, which we are using right now and which - so far - works great!

When you start an action where concentration is needed (like casting a spell) and suffered damage during the last round, you have to succeed at a Concentration check with a DC of 10 + 1/2 the damage suffered + spell level to continue with that action. If you fail, your action (the applicable part of your action) is wasted, but the spell remains in memory/spell slot is not used up.

Of course, this is in addition to any other Concentration checks that might apply!

It's somewhat similar to continuous damage, but the effect of failure is less harsh.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Nail]

That's wrong, Nail. You can make a 5' step, when you substitute your move for a MEA.

Bye
Thanee

Wha????

(I'm at work, so no books.)

Really? Huh.

 

[DrSpunj]

Your buddy doesn't like that mages can get away with casting by moving away. He feels it should be easier to interupt mages who are casting spells in the midst of a melee, where their d4 Hit Die says they should run far, far away.

I was just basically restating your friends case (just more simply).

And you've done a very nice job of it, thanks. At the crux, that's it. (And I take no offense at your's or anyone's else's comments about this topic. It's this player/DM's beef, not mine; I just need to address it and work something out.)

I think this guy is whining because those wizards get away with casting combat spells during combat most of the time. Would it be an improvement to change that?

RC, this is *the*question we're wrestling with. It's a huge issue to him, and after several discussions with ouini I can now understand his point. But is it worth making a rule change/tweak for? I think a small one is in order, but nothing so grandiose as his "You can take a MEA to Ready a Move" house rule for the campaign he DMs.

When you start an action where concentration is needed (like casting a spell) and suffered damage during the last round, you have to succeed at a Concentration check with a DC of 10 + 1/2 the damage suffered + spell level to continue with that action. If you fail, your action (the applicable part of your action) is wasted, but the spell remains in memory/spell slot is not used up.

Of course, this is in addition to any other Concentration checks that might apply![/B]

Thanks a lot Thanee! This ranks right up there with CullAfulMoshuN's suggestion and is similar to the Lingering Blow I listed above. We'll have to sit down and look through them to decide which is the best for our group.

Anyone else have anything similar or addressed this (possible) problem for their games/group?

Again, thanks to everyone for their comments. Everyone's suggestions/criticisms/etc. have been really helpful!

DrSpunj

 

[Thanee]

Thanks a lot Thanee! This ranks right up there with CullAfulMoshuN's suggestion and is similar to the Lingering Blow I listed above. We'll have to sit down and look through them to decide which is the best for our group.

Oh, havn't seen those posts, but yes, this is really very similar!

Bye
Thanee

 

[Thanee]

Really? Huh.

Yes, really!

When you get home check p. 121 PHB right column, last paragraph under Move-Equivalent Action. 'If you move no actual distance...'

Bye
Thanee

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

RC, this is *the*question we're wrestling with. It's a huge issue to him, and after several discussions with ouini I can now understand his point. But is it worth making a rule change/tweak for? I think a small one is in order, but nothing so grandiose as his "You can take a MEA to Ready a Move" house rule for the campaign he DMs.

Point out to him that a minmaxed Fighter or Barbarian can outright kill a similar level Wizard with 2 swings. If he wants to make it trivial to stop Wizards from casting he better give them more hit points.

Has he actually ever played a Wizard?