My @!@#! Player abusing Feather Fall

[satori01]

I don't find what the player is doing as metagaming at all. As a DM if I find a player is using the same combo of actions over and over again, I place intelligent oponents that try to counter them ala fire resistant creatures against a pyro wizard.

I think it perfectly reasonable for an intelligent adventurer to realize "hmm I seem to get attacked by a lot monsters just waiting for me to cast a spell, I better come up with something to counter that."

I would reccomend changing your tactics a bit. All DMs can get a bit stale in how we use our creatures, if a simple and creative tactic like this is freaking you out, dont nerf the player, change your tactics.

 

[diaglo]

Isn't using a skill usually a standard action? So a wizard couldn't pretend to cast a spell convincingly (ie, Bluff check) AND cast a real spell (ie, cast a spell) during the same round...

AR

in this case you are correct. the feint... is a standard action per the bluff skill.

but some casters will take the improved feint.. which makes the feint a move action.

edit: of course, you can't break up your actions tho.... in the 6 seconds.

you can't feint... wait for the arrows ... and then cast... so this is where it fails.

 

[johnsemlak]

Clever or not, it's most definitely metagaming. If you were a real wizard being threatened by potential enemy fire, what difference would it make to you if you were shot immediately before or during spellcasting? Either way you're still being shot, and that would be of paramount concern. The fact that the rules distinguish between casting during and immediately before is just that - the rules; something that a character would have absolutely no conception of. What's the wizard thinking, "Oh, I can just cast my really quick feather fall spell to provoke their attack and then they won't be able to shoot me when I cast the spell I really want." How would he know that? That's metagaming.

In the context of a Fantasy RPG, I don't think the tactics being discussed here are all that unbelievable. It makes sence that a clever wizard, and one that is used to casting spells in the midst of combat (as opposed to the solitude of a Wizard's Tower) woudl have a few clever tricks to be able to cast spells freely.

Quite simply, this wizard is faking doing one thing, then doing anohter thing. It's something that happens all the time in combat.

 

[Someone]

I´d make archer N in the squad ready the following action: "Shoot the same wizard archer N-1 shot, unless said wizard already lost his spell."

Of course, archer nº 1 readies an action to shoot at the wizard if he casts an spell.

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

In principle, it is a perfectly fair tactic.

If the Wizard in question owned a Rod of Metamagical Quickening we would not be having the conversation because it would be obvious the archers would live in fear of a Quickened Fireball. The real metagaming is the presumption that simple ignorant archers should be able to stop a wizard of a certain level from casting spells. These simple archer tactics generally fail against my 11th level Wizard and it does not seem at all odd. (I have a high enough Concentration to usually suck it up, if, for some reason, I do not have Mirror Image, Protection from Arrows, Stoneskin, Blur, etc. And I go up against more flaming boulder throwing Fire Giants than run of the mill archers, to boot.)

I would also add it was probably a mistake to allow a Free Action spell as a cantrip. 1st level would be about right. If he is willing to use a 1st level slot for this tactical advantage, I would call that close enough to balanced.

 

[KarinsDad]

I think that the important aspect of this is not whether it is metagaming or not (which I believe it is), but that the rules do not allow for readying against a swift, free, or immediate action.

So, casters have choices in this situation:

1) Cast away. At 8th/9th level, most casters will make a concentration roll versus most arrows that hit them.

2) Move to cover and then cast away.

3) Take the Improved Feint feat, Bluff as casting a spell in a move action, possibly get hit and then cast away. Note: I think this does work since actions occur within a move action all of the time and do not affect spellcasting (e.g. AoO for moving, but you still get your spell off during the standard action).

4) Put up Protection From Arrows and then cast away.

5) Other standard options.

But, I think the important thing for the original poster here is that this stupid anti-Readying tactic does not work at all according to the rules, so he no longer has to worry about it.

 

[tylerthehobo]

You gotta be kidding me...

Y'know, the DM is the ultimate arbiter of what is and isn't allowed. If a player abuses ANY rule, they should be prevented from continuing the abuse. I would essentially censure the player - not yell at them or anything - but just give them a taste of their own medicine. Say, perhaps claim that they cast the cantrip in a Wild Magic area and it backfires so that the falling arrows hit him TWICE or something...

 

[AuraSeer]

Say, perhaps claim that they cast the cantrip in a Wild Magic area and it backfires so that the falling arrows hit him TWICE or something...

Or equivalently, you could say that a giant anvil with "DON'T CAST SPELLS" carved on the side falls out of the sky and lands on his head. That'll work just as well, and will piss off the player in exactly the same way.

 

[RuminDange]

Or equivalently, you could say that a giant anvil with "DON'T CAST SPELLS" carved on the side falls out of the sky and lands on his head. That'll work just as well, and will piss off the player in exactly the same way.

Basically one of the points I was trying to make. It's a wonder he has anyone playing a spellcaster at all with these constant tactic employeed by NPC's that probably don't know a spell being cast until they are hit by it.

Still say the wizard should get the leadership feat and a Monk Cohort with deflect arrows, have the monk bluff spellcasting since they should be able to tell which one of them is a spellcaster or not while the wizard blasts them. Or just disguise self to look like he is wearing armor. Then who they ready the attacks on?

RD

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

I think that the important aspect of this is not whether it is metagaming or not (which I believe it is), but that the rules do not allow for readying against a swift, free, or immediate action.

Not correct. You can ready an action against any other action - "If he talks, I'll shoot him."

Talking is a free action.

What the rules do *not* allow is, under most circumstances, an attack readied against a Quickened spell / spell with a Swift action casting time forcing a Concentration check.

Subtle, but very important, difference. See above.