The more I read the rules...

[Dracorat]

So would you have been more satisfied if instead of doing what they did, they still changed the spells and then said:

"Darkness has been removed from the rulebook"
"Shadow Light has been added to the rulebook"
"Timestop has been removed from the rulebook"
"Speedy Gonzales has been added to the rulebook"

??

 

[Sejs]

So would you have been more satisfied if instead of doing what they did, they still changed the spells and then said:

"Darkness has been removed from the rulebook"
"Shadow Light has been added to the rulebook"
"Timestop has been removed from the rulebook"
"Speedy Gonzales has been added to the rulebook"

Me personally?

I would've prefered it a third way, actually. Not darkness = total darkness (raised some issues I guess *shrug*), and not darkness = shadow light but instead something closer to ~

Darkness: When cast, lowers the level of light in its area by one step. Bright light becomes shadowy illumination, shadowy illumination becomes total darkness, and total darkness remains total darkness. Due to its magical nature, light levels produced by the Darkness spell interfere with Low Light Vision and Darkvision equally, treating them as normal vision with regard of areas covered by the spell.

And frankly for Time Stop, I never understood why they changed that one to make it You Go Fast instead of Time Stands Still. Seemed a rather pointless alteration.

 

[Hypersmurf]

And frankly for Time Stop, I never understood why they changed that one to make it You Go Fast instead of Time Stands Still. Seemed a rather pointless alteration.

Time Stands Still requires your spell to affect everything in the universe, no save, no SR, no line of effect required. It's more like a fairly potent Epic effect. And what about creatures on other planes? Are they affected? What about creatures inside an Antimagic Field?

You Go Fast has none of those problems. It's only affecting one creature, who isn't going to be resisting anyway.

It's a bit like SKR's rant about mind-affecting invisibility. Invisibility makes a lot more sense as "I am invisible" rather than "Everyone in the world thinks I'm invisible" - the apparent power of the effect is a lot smaller. Automatically affecting everyone in the world at infinite range with no save or SR allowed is a lot scarier than just turning yourself see-through

-Hyp.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

So what attack do you think a Canine could make in that situation? Halfling paladins and orc direwolf riders are both very curious.

The designers specified hoof attack with good reason IMHO, Canines get str 1.5 on thier bites and trip with those same bites.

A hoof, unlike claws and bites, can be performed crushing the target underfoot, almost as an afterthought. Claws, bites and most other natural weapons require more deliberate motions to deliver.

Problems with the "trample" line of reasoning:

First, you're assuming that the person performing the mounted overrun on a non-hooved critter is riding a war dog. Ka-Zar, who rides a T-Rex, would beg to differ...

Second, the rules already take into account the size of the mount relative to the opponent who was going to be overrun.

 

[Crothian]

Time Stands Still requires your spell to affect everything in the universe, no save, no SR, no line of effect required.

Why is that a problem? And isn't it just effecting time?

 

[Dracorat]

Because it has to affect everything and also opens the question about what happens in areas of null magic, or lead lining, or creatures that are THIS or THAT, etc.

Whereas if you are affected only, then the only variable is you.

 

[Rystil Arden]

Because it has to affect everything and also opens the question about what happens in areas of null magic, or lead lining, or creatures that are THIS or THAT, etc.

Whereas if you are affected only, then the only variable is you.

Exactly.

Imagine you are some kind of entity that is somehow not stopped by the Time Stop spell (for instance, I know the rules probably never actually allowed this, Elminster in FR had chosen Time Stop as the spell he was immune to for level 9). Now also imagine that Time Stop cast by any level 17 Wizard stops all time in the entire multiverse. In a sufficiently large multiverse, you will be benefitting from some mage's Time Stop on another plane on a very regular basis, and it would just be sort of weird in general.

 

[Piratecat]

I am in the 'avoid literal reading and apply the rules as they make sense' crowd...

Me too.

 

[Crothian]

Imagine you are some kind of entity that is somehow not stopped by the Time Stop spell (for instance, I know the rules probably never actually allowed this, Elminster in FR had chosen Time Stop as the spell he was immune to for level 9). Now also imagine that Time Stop cast by any level 17 Wizard stops all time in the entire multiverse. In a sufficiently large multiverse, you will be benefitting from some mage's Time Stop on another plane on a very regular basis, and it would just be sort of weird in general.

Then that is one of the cool benifits of existing outside of time. And if they annoy you then it makes a great plot point as this enity starts hunting down and killing high level wizards that use Time Stop a lot. So, it gives me a great high level plot and mystery to use for my game. By pointing out how wierd it is, it becomes cool and useful.

 

[Crothian]

Because it has to affect everything and also opens the question about what happens in areas of null magic, or lead lining, or creatures that are THIS or THAT, etc.

My game though only focuses on the players so if it does or does not effect a few people well off camera it doesn't matter.