Why wouldn't you always cast on the defensive?

[ciaran00]

The reason why readying an action isn't the same as an action is because it can be B.S.'ed if it's not. Think about two mages: one gets initiative and the other one does not. The first one perpetually READIES a spell to hit the other with when he casts. The disadvantage (that must be so) is the guy readying the action doesn't get to take an elaborate move. Similarly, the readied action is something extra, so they don't get a full attack. It's contingent on something someone else is doing... so it's less.

Consequently, outside of readied actions, why not let a player move around if he still has movement left? Ie: if the guy takes a 5' step back, so can the other people IF they have movement left in the round. I think this is fair because:
(a) a fighter can't choose not to be hit by an arrow at long distances, barring cover
(b) an archer shouldn't be able to choose not to be hit by the fighter in close quarters, barring melee defenders

ciaran

 

[Darklone]

When we started to play 3.0, we had that houserule that a 5ft step does not help against AoOs for the stuff you do afterwards, e.g. the movement causes no AoO, but if you cast afterwards. This was supposed for a low magic game to make spellcasters a little bit more vulnerable.... and it worked out pretty fine.

The spellcasters learned pretty fast to stay out of melee... or got bashed. Actually, one never learned, he kept complaining for two years that his sorcerer always ended up unconscious when going toe to toe to fighters ... but well.

I do think from my personal martial arts, swordfighting and fencing experience as well that it's impossible to get away from someone 5ft to do things I would consider as equally difficult to casting. E.g. notching an arrow. Once I was busy bashing an archer (buffer combat) while his two buddies tried to get me... he never managed to back off and shoot at me, even with help.

I could imagine one shot, something like tumbling back 30ft and shooting once... but 5ft and a full attack action with a bow?

 

[Altalazar]

I see nothing wrong with it - eventually, you are just going to have so high a skill you will never fail, even on a '1', so you don't even need to roll. Nothing wrong with that at all - as someone else pointed out, fighters can do plenty of things automatically.

It just puts the possibility of ruined spells into the game and makes mages (at lower levels especially) REALLY want to stay out of melee range (as if they didn't have enough incentive already due to hit points, weak attacks, lower physical stats, and the crowning factor: the cheesy and non-balancing arcane spell failure chance by armor.