Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.
Enchanted Trinkets Complete--a hardcover book containing over 500 magic items for your D&D games!

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="taliesin15" data-source="post: 4417323" data-attributes="member: 22058">I'm having trouble as a DM ascertaining the mechanics for disrupting spells in many kinds of situations. Use of Spellcraft makes sense to me. But it seems like the casting time for most spells is practically instantaneous, so that the about the only way I can see a character purposefully disrupting the spell casting of an opposing character is if the former has readied an action to attack the opposed spellcaster once s/he begins to cast the spell.One example: let's say the setting is an urban setting, a small city at dusk. An mid level (let's say 7th/7th) Rogue/Wizard Elf has been spying on a rich gem merchant for a few days, watching his place of residence, where he goes, how many bodyguards he usually has with him, which tavern he goes to, where his clients lives. Normally the Elf watches in shadows using his Hide skill. Now here's the scenario: while Hiding in an alley, some 50' away from the main thoroughfare where the merchant and bodyguards (let's say 6 5th level Human Fighters or Warriors) is passing. The Elf has a clear line of sight for ten seconds. He casts Detect Thoughts. Assuming the merchant for bodyguards doesn't have any kind of magic item that picks up on spells being cast or magical thought intrusion protection/detection of any sort, what would the opposing checks be?My thought is the merchant & entourage would be allowed a Spot check vs. the Elf's Hide skill. In this case, the Elf usually would not be Spotted. Other than that, there's the Will Save vs. the spell. It doesn't seem like there's any other way the merchant & entourage could tell that their thoughts are being detected.Readied actions seem to be the only way to disrupt an opposing spellcaster. Especially if the spellcaster has high initiative modifiers.If Spellcraft checks are considered Free Actions, then let's say in a battle between two mages, one who's casting defensively, readying say Magic Missiles to disrupt the casting of offensive spells by the other mage would be a standard tactic.</blockquote>

Verification