Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Bort333 11-22-04, 11:04 PM	Example. Caster vs. opponet. Opponet readies an action to attack Caster if he starts casting. So the Caster starts casting, the opponets readied action triggers. Does the attack happen BEFORE the spell goes off, AFTER the spell goes off, or DURING the spell forcing a concentration check?
allenchan 11-22-04, 11:08 PM	From the SRD: Distracting Spellcasters: You can ready an attack against a spellcaster with the trigger “if she starts casting a spell.” If you damage the spellcaster, she may lose the spell she was trying to cast (as determined by her Concentration check result).
Bort333 11-22-04, 11:52 PM	Hmm interesting a few questions. 1. What if it is a quicken spell. 2. What if the opponet is using a spell to do damage to interrupt a spell. If someone else starts the spell, shouldn't there spell be done before the other person can finish their spell? 3. How noticable is it? If you ready action to interrupt are you staring at the guy with spell component in hand?
Stuntman 11-23-04, 12:39 AM	1. You can interrupt a quickened spell. There is nothing preventing you from doing so. 2. Let me see if I understand here. B readies a spell to go off if A starts casting a spell. C readies an action to attack B if B starts casting a spell. What happens when A starts to cast a spell is that it triggers B's action of casting a spell which in turn triggers C's action to attack B. You would resolve it as follows, C's action happens first in response to B starting to cast a spell. If C is able to damage B and B fails the concentration check, then B's spell fizzles and A is able to cast his spell. If C fails to interrupt B or if B is able to pass the concentration check, then B's spell resolves affecting A. If the spell is able to affect A and A fails the concentration check, then A's spell fails. Otherwise, A's spell also resolves. 3. I would assume that it easy enough to know when someone is casting a spell under normal conditions. A spell with any type of components (V, S, M, etc.) can be easy to spot being cast. If the spell is still, silent and has no material components or foci, then you may rule that it is not obvious that someone is casting a spell. In general, a caster must concentrate somewhat to cast a spell even if it is stilled and silent. You may rule that this is enough of a cue to allow the ready vs. spell to trigger. The easiest thing to do is to assume that if you are observing someone, you know when he is about to cast a spell.
Bort333 11-23-04, 01:25 AM	Well what I ment was the person that was trying to interrupt the spell is using a spell. It seems very silly to be able to intterupt a spell thats in progress with the exact same casting times.
Goblin-King 11-23-04, 05:18 AM	You can interrupt a quickened spell. There is nothing preventing you from doing so. After checking the official FAQ (which says nothing about it), this seems to be correct. However, I would personally rule that you need a free action to interrupt a quickened spell. Quickened spells don't provoke attacks of opportunity normally and it really seems an oversight in the rules to me. This one wouldn't be a bad addition to the FAQ. Well what I ment was the person that was trying to interrupt the spell is using a spell. It seems very silly to be able to intterupt a spell thats in progress with the exact same casting times. Compare it with two archers, one of whom has readied his bow with the arrow/bolt in place and aimed. It's easy to see he would act before the other bowman simply because he's already ahead. Spellcasting probably requires you to raise your hands ominously or something, and someone readying his spell has done that before the other guy :) When several are chained like in the example Stuntman gave, this is stretching the imagination a bit. In that case, though, I can accept game mechanical issues being the reason for it.
Ph33r_the_Wheelchair 11-23-04, 09:20 AM	You can ready an action to attack a caster in order to interrupt their casting, including the casting of quickened spells. If you hit, they are forced to make a concentration check or lose the spell. You can ready an action to interrupt a caster by casting a damaging spell, as long as the spell you choose has a casting time of no longer than one action.
Fixxxer 11-23-04, 04:28 PM	Disclaimer: It should be assumed that I have only the utmost respect for any poster whom I mock, and my signature is intended for comedy only and involves no malice whatsoever. If you are insecure enough to want me to change my sig, send me a polite PM, and I will proceed to mock or emulate someone else. Sending me an insulting or angry PM will receive no response, although you may rest assured I am laughing as I read it. Thank you. This has nothing to do with the thread, but based on this alone, I think I'm in love with you. Will you marry me? :love:
Fixxxer 11-23-04, 04:34 PM	Disclaimer: It should be assumed that I have only the utmost respect for any poster whom I mock, and my signature is intended for comedy only and involves no malice whatsoever. If you are insecure enough to want me to change my sig, send me a polite PM, and I will proceed to mock or emulate someone else. Sending me an insulting or angry PM will receive no response, although you may rest assured I am laughing as I read it. Thank you. This has nothing to do with the thread, but based on this alone, I think I'm in love with you. Will you marry me? :love:
teclis 11-23-04, 06:14 PM	the only question I that remains would be: does the person you ready to interupt know you readied a spell to interupt their spell? as in, could they notice you reading an action and choose to do something else instead?
Stuntman 11-23-04, 06:41 PM	the only question I that remains would be: does the person you ready to interupt know you readied a spell to interupt their spell? as in, could they notice you reading an action and choose to do something else instead? I would say that you know someone is readying an action. However, you do not know what will trigger the action. It could be when you start casting a spell or when someone moves closer than 30' or something else. As for knowing what action someone will take, I'm not sure about that. Somethings may be obvious like if someone has a crossbow loaded and ready. If someone is readying a spell, I think the rules are not exactly clear if you can tell if someone readies a spell, exactly what spell, or readies to counterspell. I would say that you would be able to tell someone is readying a spell, but you would not know which spell will be cast. The reason is that when you ready to counterspell, you need to figure out which spell the other guy is casting at the time he is casting it. That way you can cast the appropriate spell in a manner to counter it.
Fixxxer 11-23-04, 07:46 PM	I would say that you know someone is readying an action. I agree to a point. I think if someone draws his sword and adopts a threatening pose while staring at you with hatred, it should be obvious that he's getting ready to do something. However, most of the time, if the fact that the person is readying an action is not obviously apparent (such as when a spellcaster wants to ready an action to counterspell), then I simply descripe what the PCs see...a person who is looking at them, but isn't taking any obvious physical action.
Someone 11-23-04, 08:12 PM	My take on the questions relates to how I view readied actions. By readying an action (a standard action in itself), you have basicly performed the action, and are waiting until an event you specified. So, readied actions when triggered are free actions. That is, it is a free action to perfrom your readied action, even if it were normally a standard or move action. So, you could interrupt a quick'd spell (using a free action vs a free action) and use a spell to iterrupt a spell (you have the "spell on your lips", only needing the final part to complete). Of course a quick'd spell would be hard to pin down for a readied attack, they could just move (drawing AoOs), cast the quick'd spell, and another spell with the casting time of a standard action.