Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="DrSpunj" data-source="post: 232506" data-attributes="member: 994">Re: Re: Interrupting a spell impossible w/Core rules?First, let me thank everyone for their replies.  You've all brought up points that entered my discussion about the topic with another player who is concernec about the possible imbalance.Second, I can now come clean (if it wasn't already apparent) and say that I don't agree with the rules change by this other DM/player.  I think the core rules give an advantage to the mage, but are not so skewed that wide-ranging changes to Readied Actions like he has done are needed.Correct, which is why I don't agree with his change and am looking to see if the core rules need addressed, and if so the best way to do it.But as Dr. Zoom pointed out because the typical fighter is in medium-armor his Partial Charge only gets him 20', so he won't be in position to melee attack and interrupt the spell.  So if the mage realizes the fighter is slower, this becomes one method to always cast his spell, without any chance of failure. Both very viable tactics, but neither addresses the specific problem (as this DM/player sees it) of how to interrupt a spell.Our "mini-research" (as in, with miniatures) didn't bear this out.  If they start next to each other and the mage double moves for 60' around an obstacle or a corner, the armored fighter can only double move for 40' and can't run around the corner (though if he can run in a straight line he could go 80', 60' in heavy armor, either way, he'd catch up and the point would be moot) so he falls a bit behind.  This gives the mage a chance to cast one spell then move 30' again which puts enough distance between them that the fighter has to charge or run to close (if the mage ducked around another obstacle or corner the fighter is left further and further behind, though hopefully by this time the mage isn't where he needs to be to cast his spells so the fighter's done his job).I wholeheartedly agree!  <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f600.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":D" title="Big grin    :D"  data-smilie="8"data-shortname=":D" />  These have been my arguments the entire discussion with him.Again, very good points.  However, I am surprised working through all the scenarios we could think of that a smart mage really has very little chance of inducing an AoO with his casting, and can even avoid a majority of a Readied Fighter's melee attacks.  I think overall this is a small imbalance that doesn't really bother me, but our group is kind of having to address it because 2 of our 6 players have taken issue with it.  It also, as you can imagine given his house rule above regarding Readied Actions, has far-ranging effects on the campaign he DMs.Now, we did think of Trips, however we were surprised to realize that they don't help as a melee attack.  If the fighter closes and chooses to trip the mage they can't have Readied an Action.  On the mage's turn they stand up (MEA), take a 5' step back and cast their spell, again with no chance of failure.  A Trip would stop the mage from moving away if you Tripped them with your AoO in situation #3.  I suppose that would mean the mage only had a Standard Action left? since they *tried* to move already?  Or do they have their entire set of actions left since they were interrupted at the beginning of their move?While Grapple is an excellent option, Dr. Rictus points out it's risk.  Combat involving a mage is usually group combat and the grappling fighter is likely going to make himself an easy target for the mage's flunkies.  According to core rules anyone outside a grapple who's melee targeting an opponent in a grapple has several small benefits.  The grappling target loses their Dex bonus (which is not so small with sneak-attacking flunkies) and the core rules don't list any chance of accidentally hitting anyone else involved in the grapple (we've house ruled this to be 25% like Bull Rush).Ranged weapons are an excellent option (especially with Quick Draw apsuman!), but again this discussion is centered around a melee fighter interrupting a mage's spell that he's standing right next to.We're debating about making one change to the rules.  It applies to situation #3.  If a mage moves away and then casts a spell, the AoO by the fighter (induced by the move) forces a Concentration damage check as if the blow landed during the casting of the spell.Thanks again for the responses.  Please keep them coming.DrSpunj</blockquote>

Verification