Little Known Rules of D&D

[Infiniti2000]

Combat Casting adds +4 to your Concentration check only when casting defensively.

In actuality, "You get a +4 bonus on Concentration checks made to cast a spell or use a spell-like ability while on the defensive or while you are grappling or pinned." Once you can successfully cast a spell defensively (i.e. once your bonus is high enough), you should always do it because then you get the +4 bonus vs. any other Concentration checks while casting (such as if someone readied to interrupt you with an arrow or it's a full round spell, etc.). Skill Focus (Concentration) is a terrible choice unless required for an unbalanced PrC.

 

[Thurbane]

In actuality, "You get a +4 bonus on Concentration checks made to cast a spell or use a spell-like ability while on the defensive or while you are grappling or pinned." Once you can successfully cast a spell defensively (i.e. once your bonus is high enough), you should always do it because then you get the +4 bonus vs. any other Concentration checks while casting (such as if someone readied to interrupt you with an arrow or it's a full round spell, etc.). Skill Focus (Concentration) is a terrible choice unless required for an unbalanced PrC.

Really? I could have sworn that was not how Combat Casting works...

 

[Vegepygmy]

Really? I could have sworn that was not how Combat Casting works...

No, not really. I2K's interpretation relies on a pretty loose definition of "while."

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Combat Casting adds +4 to your Concentration check only when casting defensively. Skill Focus (Concentration) adds +3 to your Concentration checks all the time.

...so when's the last time you saw anyone with Skill Focus:Concentration?

It's standard for most spellcasters in my group, but then, we know the rules pretty well.

(The only rule so far I didn't really know of was the rule on Abjurations in close proximity.)

 

[Victim]

Combat Casting adds +4 to your Concentration check only when casting defensively. Skill Focus (Concentration) adds +3 to your Concentration checks all the time.

...so when's the last time you saw anyone with Skill Focus:Concentration?

I've only seen people take Combat Casting to get into PrCs.

 

[Jeff Wilder]

Skill Focus (Concentration) is a terrible choice unless required for an unbalanced PrC.

Or if you want to cast while on a moving mount, or on a rocking boat, or in harsh weather, or while concentrating on an active spell, or while entangled, or if you get hit while casting (even if not casting defensively), or if you need to recover some kind of focus, or ...

Generally speaking, Skill Focus (Concentration), while still fairly suck-tastic, beats Combat Casting all to hell.

 

[KarinsDad]

Generally speaking, Skill Focus (Concentration), while still fairly suck-tastic, beats Combat Casting all to hell.

Yup.

Which is why taking a Single Minded Psicrystal gains the abilities of two feats: Skill Focus Concentration and Alertness.

It doesn't give the first feat for purposes of PrCs, but it gives the +3.

Combat Casting and Combat Manifesting are "terrible choices unless required for an unbalanced PrC" (like Enlightened Fist).

+3 all of the time is generally better than +4 some of the time. And in our games, NPCs are sometimes smart enough to try to disrupt spell casting with readied missile fire or spells.


Note: This assumes that I2K's interpretation is incorrect which I think it is. If that were the intention of Combat Casting (to always give a +4 bonus), it would be spelled out more clearly than that. If this were designer intent, it would say "caster gets a +4 bonus to all Concentration checks". This concept of only doing it when needed at low level and always doing it at high level is a play on words and not designer intent.

 

[Infiniti2000]

Note: This assumes that I2K's interpretation is incorrect which I think it is. If that were the intention of Combat Casting (to always give a +4 bonus), it would be spelled out more clearly than that. If this were designer intent, it would say "caster gets a +4 bonus to all Concentration checks". This concept of only doing it when needed at low level and always doing it at high level is a play on words and not designer intent.

Do you think it's incorrect per the rules or as per designer intent? There's a significant difference. I think it's correct as per the rules. As per designer intent, my support lies in the fact that the DC for casting defensively is ludicrously low, as you seemingly agree. So, the designer intent must otherwise be that combat casting is useless at higher levels?

 

[akbearfoot]

The casting time on the spell Lesser Restoration is 3 rounds...Most games Ive seen treat it as a standard action.

The casting time on Sleep is 1 full round. pretty useless when a spellcraft check and a move action can make you immune to it, or the guards can all sound the alarm and charge you once you stand up from the bushes and start waving your hands around for 6 seconds.

The casting time on Enlarge person is 1 round.

 

[KarinsDad]

Do you think it's incorrect per the rules or as per designer intent? There's a significant difference. I think it's correct as per the rules.
I think it is not the intent of either.

Both.

I think it is clear that the +4 is for the act of Casting Defensively or Casting while Grappling or Pinned.

An additional Concentration roll is needed for taking damage. The fact that the caster happens to be casting defensively at the time does not mean that the second Concentration check gets the +4. It means that the feat was poorly worded.

As per designer intent, my support lies in the fact that the DC for casting defensively is ludicrously low, as you seemingly agree. So, the designer intent must otherwise be that combat casting is useless at higher levels?

Useless? This is your rationale for interpreting what is written in a way in which it was not intended?

I think that forcing a Sorcerer who typically only has two skill points per level to take Concentration every level when there are skills like Spellcraft and Knowledge Arcana and other skills makes Combat Casting hardly useless at high level. It allows the Sorcerer to concentrate on other skills and not focus on Concentration every level. So, your rationale here is suspect.


Your interpretation here is a semantical loophole. A trick of the words when viewed in one specific way.

You know it. I know it. If they had meant +4 to all Concentration checks, they would have stated +4 to all Concentration checks. They were quite explicit in what the bonus is for. It is mere happenstance that the phrase "while on the defensive" allows for your interpretation.


Let's turn your question around. Do you really think that the designers intended for Combat Casting to rarely (almost never) be helpful at low level against Readied Missile attacks and for it to always be helpful against that at high level? Do you really think that Combat Casting was designed to be more frequently useful at high level than at low level?


Finally, look at balance. If Combat Casting is +4 for all concentration rolls while casting, why is it in the game at all when Skill Focus Concentration exists? Sure, there are better feats than core feats in the splat books, but there are not any feats in the core books TMK that are virtually the exact same feat with one being better.

Skill Focus Concentration is +3 to all Concentration.
Combat Casting is +4 for Combat Casting and casting while grappled or pinned Concentration rolls.

One is broader, but a lower bonus. One is narrower, but a higher bonus.

Pros and Cons.

Hence, your interpretation and your rationale for it is suspect. IMO.