Nasty trick - will it work?
- Thread starter Vaxalon
- Start date
Altamont Ravenard
Explorer
No problem there. The only thing is now you are separated from the sorcerer, you don't know what he's up to, and your companions can't get to him anymore...
AR
AR
Unseelie
First Post
Vaxalon said:
Maybe, though I think would have to read...
<i>Enemy readies an action to cast a wall spell in front of the caster if the Sorceror casts.
Sorceror, not knowing this, casts fireball...
Crispy sorceror</i>
The enemy would have to already have his readied action in place, unless the sorceror was casting a full round spell.
Altamont Ravenard
Explorer
Also, the use of this tactic is pretty limited against fireballs, if I'm not mistaking. Most spells simple don't work if you don't have line of effect anymore, and don't just blast in your face. Lightning bolt, per example, wouldn't be reflected on the sorcerer, neither would a cone of cold.
Finally, it is subject to interpretation wether what the readier can do if the sorcerer doesn't cast fireball (but, say, charm monster). Can the readier react in time or does he act after the sorcerer?
AR
Finally, it is subject to interpretation wether what the readier can do if the sorcerer doesn't cast fireball (but, say, charm monster). Can the readier react in time or does he act after the sorcerer?
AR
I don't know if there's a specific rule on this, but IMC I wouldn't ever allow a readied spell to disrupt another spell if they had the same casting time.
Think about it. Wizard A readies an action to cast the wall spell as soon as he sees Wizard B start a spell. Wizard B starts casting. Wizard A starts casting his spell.... after Wizard B has started his. So there's no possible way he could finish his spell before Wizard B.
Now, if someone wanted to use a quickened spell in this way... that, I'd have no problem with. But it just doesn't (or shouldn't) work for spells with the same casting time.
Think about it. Wizard A readies an action to cast the wall spell as soon as he sees Wizard B start a spell. Wizard B starts casting. Wizard A starts casting his spell.... after Wizard B has started his. So there's no possible way he could finish his spell before Wizard B.
Now, if someone wanted to use a quickened spell in this way... that, I'd have no problem with. But it just doesn't (or shouldn't) work for spells with the same casting time.
WizarDru
Adventurer
Strictly by the rules, I don't believe so. The wall does appear in front of the sorceror...but he then chooses another target, unless the wall is invisible, and he is completely unaware of you casting the wall in front of him. You can't 'interrupt' his spell, except by damaging him, dsipelling or counterspelling. He isn't obligated to keep the same target once the wall is cast, any more than an archer or melee character is forced to target someone who's been killed before they use all of their attacks.Vaxalon said:
For this trick to work, it would have to be a wall of force, and he'd have to be ignorant of your casting it. And if you're casting a wall that powerful, you've probably got better ways to use it or similarly powered spells.
I think it's a good tactic to remove line of effect from enemy casters. The enemy sorc might be able to stop casting his spell and not get burnt, but he has to stop casting (possibly burning a slot) move around "the bloody wall of stone that just friggin appeared!", and then next round have line of effect on your buddies.
That to me sounds like a darned good counterspell.
If the DM rules that your wall spell interrupts his casting - and therefore he doesn't have to burn a slot - it's still useful. You can force the enemy to go where you want him to go while at the same time giving your meat shields time to kill the mooks, and also not have to risk the caster level check a Dispel Magic entails.
In the end, not always useful, but good enough for a Sorc to pick a wall spell as one of his spells, and for a Wizard to always have a wall spell handy.
Good pickup, Vaxalon
That to me sounds like a darned good counterspell.
If the DM rules that your wall spell interrupts his casting - and therefore he doesn't have to burn a slot - it's still useful. You can force the enemy to go where you want him to go while at the same time giving your meat shields time to kill the mooks, and also not have to risk the caster level check a Dispel Magic entails.
In the end, not always useful, but good enough for a Sorc to pick a wall spell as one of his spells, and for a Wizard to always have a wall spell handy.
Good pickup, Vaxalon
MerakSpielman
First Post
He'd have to guess that the enemy was going to cast a fireball.
Potential readied actions:
1. I cast my wall if the enemy starts casting. or
2. I cast my wall if the enemy starts casting fireball.
1: You will create a wall no matter what the enemy casts. Chances are, it won't be a fireball, so the best you can hope for is to avoid what might potentially be an offensive spell.
2: If the enemy casts fireball, the wall goes up and he toasts himself. If he casts anything else, or you fail to recognize the fireball spell, you just don't do anything and whatever spell he casts goes off, potentially doing very bad things to you.
Option to keep him from re-targeting his spell (if re-targeting is allowed) once he sees the wall go up. Use a wall of force! It's invisible, and if he didn't recognize the spell when you cast it, he won't know it's there.
Potential readied actions:
1. I cast my wall if the enemy starts casting. or
2. I cast my wall if the enemy starts casting fireball.
1: You will create a wall no matter what the enemy casts. Chances are, it won't be a fireball, so the best you can hope for is to avoid what might potentially be an offensive spell.
2: If the enemy casts fireball, the wall goes up and he toasts himself. If he casts anything else, or you fail to recognize the fireball spell, you just don't do anything and whatever spell he casts goes off, potentially doing very bad things to you.
Option to keep him from re-targeting his spell (if re-targeting is allowed) once he sees the wall go up. Use a wall of force! It's invisible, and if he didn't recognize the spell when you cast it, he won't know it's there.
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