Need help explaining something to a player

[Aereas]

There is a player in my pbp game that is arguing a point. The character dealt 53 damage on an attack to the bad guy. The bad guy then uses a standard action to activate a spell-like ability. The player believes that the damage should have some effect on the bad guy's ability to cast since the damage is 1) such a large amount and 2) because combat is a short 6 second time period during which all the characters act and there were 2 successful melee attacks and 3 magic missiles that hit him during the round.

To help appease her I said I would increase the DC of the concentration check to cast on the defensive. However, she seems to beleive that a failed concentration check would cause him to lose the spell AND provoke an AoO. I have since moved the battle on but she still is unsatisfied with my ruling. So I ask here for second opinions.

Things to note about the battle:
The group as a whole was given init and so all act before the baddie.
After using the spell like ability he also casted a quickened spell (player thinks this should factor in as well)
At the time he was being flanked by a total of 4 characters.

Currently I have 2 questions I would like answered.
1) Should the number of surrounding opponents, crit, damage, number of hits, or number of actions, he takes have any influence on his spell?
2) Does a failed concentration check trigger an AoO as well as losing the spell?

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer

 

[nittanytbone]

RAW, you're exactly right.

I might force a +2 circumstance modifier to the DC of a concentration check for each flanking opponent to cast defensively, but that would be a pure house rule.

If you really want to shut down casters in melee, you should either (A) grapple them or (B) play 1E.

 

[Bront]

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/skills/concentration.htm

Durring the action is defined by either (A) continious damage (on fire, acid arrow), (B) damage recieved after starting the spell but before finishing the spell.

Now, on the defensive side, I agree with the flanking houserule, but it is a houserule.

My other question, the 53 pts of damage, was that one hit? If so, did you make a massive damage save?

 

[Rystil Arden]

If they wanted to disrupt his spell, they should have readied an action instead of just attacking. Since they didn't, it is their own fault if he gets off a spell.

 

[Aeric]

I type too slow, but I'll post this anyways.

Using a spell-like ability provokes an Attack of Opportunity, but casting a quickened spell does not.

I don't know if Casting on the Defensive applies to spell-like abilities, but if it does, then the first Concentration check the baddie needs to make is to avoid provoking any AoOs while using his spell-like ability (DC 15 + spell level). If he fails this roll, he is subject to AoOs.

If he is hit, then he needs to make another Concentration check (DC 10 + damage dealt) in order to successfully use the ability. In this case, the check DC is an incredible 63--unless the baddie is epic level, there's really no way he's going to succeed.

There's also the issue of death from massive damage. The baddie has to succeed at a DC 15 Fortitude save or die. If the baddie makes this save--and if your players are throwing around attacks that do 53 points of damage, chances are that he will--then his quickened spell goes off without a hitch.

In regards to your specific questions:

1) Should the number of surrounding opponents, crit, damage, number of hits, or number of actions, he takes have any influence on his spell?

The only thing that will interfere with his ability to use the spell-like ability is whether or not he makes the Concentration checks covered above.

Nothing should interfere with his quickened spell, unless he dies from massive damage.

2) Does a failed concentration check trigger an AoO as well as losing the spell?

As mentioned above, there are two Concentration checks involved. The first one is to avoid AoOs; failing that one earns you AoOs from anyone in range, but does not cause you to lose the spell. The Concentration check that causes you to lose the spell is the one you make after you've taken damage, but you do not gain additional AoOs on top of that, no.

AoOs are tricky business. Hope that helps clear things up a little!

 

[jeffh]

I type too slow, but I'll post this anyways.

Using a spell-like ability provokes an Attack of Opportunity, but casting a quickened spell does not.

I don't know if Casting on the Defensive applies to spell-like abilities, but if it does, then the first Concentration check the baddie needs to make is to avoid provoking any AoOs while using his spell-like ability (DC 15 + spell level). If he fails this roll, he is subject to AoOs.

If he is hit, then he needs to make another Concentration check (DC 10 + damage dealt) in order to successfully use the ability. In this case, the check DC is an incredible 63--unless the baddie is epic level, there's really no way he's going to succeed.

That isn't how casting on the defensive works. If you cast on the defensive, you don't trigger AoOs, but if you blow the Concentration check, the spell fails and is lost.

(BTW, it does apply to spell-like abilities.)

 

[Thanee]

A fighter that just got a 53 damage wound can also attack without penalty, right?

It's not realistic, but it's a deliberate choice to allow characters to use their abilities in combat.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Li Shenron]

There is a player in my pbp game that is arguing a point.

...

The player believes that the damage should have some effect on the bad guy's ability to cast

...

However, she seems to beleive that a failed concentration check would cause him to lose the spell AND provoke an AoO.

D&D is not a game of believes.

 

[shilsen]

A fighter that just got a 53 damage wound can also attack without penalty, right?

It's not realistic, but it's a deliberate choice to allow characters to use their abilities in combat.

Bye
Thanee

That would be precisely my answer. Does the player want every PC to be hampered based on how much damage they've taken in a round? While certain game systems take that approach to damage, D&D doesn't.

 

[Piratecat]

It's not a case of unclear RAW, of course, it's a case of explaining it to the player.

I'd do so by saying, "I'm okay giving him a penalty (+2) if you want due to the massive damage, but if I do so I should be giving you guys a penalty as well then you get hit really hard. Is that what you want?

Whenever I explain things this way, I players usually change their minds.