Ultimate Guide to Ambiguous/Problem Rules

[IceBear]

I've understood it to be as Caliban describes as well. You make a Concentration check when damaged, so if you got hit three times you make three different concentration check, not one with a DC=10+total damage for the round.

IceBear

 

[Archer]

My vote is for all damage taken while casting the spell. Getting hit by 2 axes shouldn't be as easy as being hit by one. If you are knocked prone but take no damage does that interrupt the spell? There is no mention of the effect of being prone and spell casting as far as I know.

 

[IceBear]

It isn't as easy - you have to make two checks.

I have a lot to track in my games, so keeping track of the total damage inflicted by all attacks against the spellcaster is an extra level of tracking I don't want to do. In my mind, I can see the caster get scraped by a dagger and shrug it off, and then an instant later get clobbered by an axe which would be a seperate incident and not influenced by what happened before.

IceBear

 

[Artoomis]

Three views will be reflected in my Guide:

1. ALL spell-interrupting damage is taken at essentially the same time, so the concentration check is for ALL damage at once. This would even include continuous damage - the damage you get from another source is added on top of the continuous damage.

2. Magic missle and similar spells damage is all at once, so the concentration check for that is all at once. The concentration check for other forms of damage is done per source, so multiple checks are possible.

3. Each thing that does damage, even seperate Magic Missles, will require individual concentration checks.

For a number of reasons, both for game balance and common sense, I will use #1 as "My Best Advice." If you don't, casting spells in combat quickly becomes a gimmie, and it is supposed to have some risk. Also, it won't come up often - how many times to multiple characters attempt to interrupt a spell from one spellcaster?

 

[IceBear]

As an FYI, I've emailed this question to the Sage for his opinion.

I could use it either with the total damage or with each individual damage. When both methods make equal sense to me, I just take the one that appeals the most to my laziness .

BTW - spellcasting is pretty much a gimme with Casting Defensively anyway

IceBear

 

[Voadam]

#33

For #33 breaking of invisibility here is a sage response originally posted by kreynolds in the attacking while invisible thread

"I have a question about the invisibility spell. The description states that if you attack a target, the spell is cancelled. An invisible attacker always receives a bonus to hit a target, unless they have blindsight or something similar. So my question is this; If you are under the effects of invisibility, and you have three attacks at +16/+11/+6, do you gain the usual bonus to hit with the first attack, all of the attacks, or none of the attacks?

All of them. (Note you have to use the full attack action to make all those attacks, so you opponent must be close by.)

Skip Williams
RPG R&D

 

[Artoomis]

Thanks. I think Skip was out to lunch on this one, but I'll publish it in the Guide.

he logic of those who say one attack only was just too good for me, so that's my position.

 

[Artoomis]

As an FYI, I've emailed this question to the Sage for his opinion.

I could use it either with the total damage or with each individual damage. When both methods make equal sense to me, I just take the one that appeals the most to my laziness .

BTW - spellcasting is pretty much a gimme with Casting Defensively anyway

IceBear

You are correct about Casting Defensively. After about 10th level it is nearly automatic (DC 20 for a 5th level spell, concentration maxed out at 13 + 4 (Int 18) = a bonus of 17, at the least. It doesn't take much to boost that to make it a sure thing, and it doesn't even take a feat to cast defensively.

 

[Artoomis]

To be put in the Guide:

What kind of action is hide?

Gaiden: Hide is not a free action.

In the PHB it states that most skills require a standard action, move-equivalent action, or full round actions. Some take no time at all since they're part of movement (like Jump and Tumble).

Now if you read Hide, carefully, you will note it speaks about Hiding, and that the character MAY move up to half movement rate at no penalty. Nowhere does it say that Hiding takes no time at all (A Free Action). The implication is that Hiding is at the least move-equivalent, because you do it while moving (even 0 feet).

IF Hide were a Free Action, then using the Free Action rules, one could Hide while Attacking, Hide while casting a spell, Hide while doing anything else since it is a Free Action.

Obviously my above examples are abusive but that's to make the point.

So either Hide is Standard or Move-Equivalent.

If you read Song and Silence, pg 36, Tailing

Tail Someone: Since the Hide skill allows for movement, you can use it as a move-equivalent action or part of a move action if desired.

It goes on about the mechanics of using Hide to tail someone, showing how you must use move equivalent actions to follow them while still Hiding.

Hide In Plain Sight allows you to perform Hide even under direct observation. So you can state that Hide in Plain Sight is a supernatural ability that allows you to attempt a Hide under direct observation (DC -20 note the ability does not lower penalties).

Thus you could argue for Move Equivalent use of Hide in Plain Sight.

Thus if it is Move Equivalent, you cannot Spring Attack with Hide in Plain Sight on both your approach and departure ... Spring Attack specifically states you may MOVE before and after your attack action. You have only one MOVE action for Spring Attack, you can only Hide in Plain Sight once. So you move up to the opponent while Hiding (better make sure the shadow is next to them because the minute you leave it you're visible) and attack them, but that's it ... you've already broken your hiding.

Using the logic that the Supernatural Ability Hide In Plain Sight is a Move Equivalent Action because Hide is. You cannot have two Move Equivalents with Spring Attack. In fact no matter what you do, you can't attack and stay hidden on approach and departure in a normal round unless you are Hasted.

 

[CRGreathouse]

#21's "Best Advice" never actually states the advice, merely restating the problem.