All Powerful Time Stop? [Archive] - Wizards Community

All Powerful Time Stop? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
HighCouncilorSeven
09-04-04, 09:13 PM Has any one else noticed that Time Stop's effect is contained within its duration? I wouldn't consider this a problem, except for the Persistent Spell metamagic feat. An epic level caster could stop time for 24 hours, giving him enough time to re-study spells, cast the spell again, and effectively keep time stopped permanently. This seems a little extreme...
Sancus
09-04-04, 09:24 PM No, he can't, sage has ruled on this in the past - Time Stop's actual duration is Instantaneous, the duration listed is only apparent time, not real duration, so it doesn't qualify for Persistent Spell.

Not that it matters for most games, as of Player's Guide to Faerun, Persistent Time Stop would be a 15th level spell.
HighCouncilorSeven
09-04-04, 09:49 PM Thank you, Sancus. I run something similar to those rules in my game, and just wondered what the world at large thought of the problem. Incidentally, though, if the spelll has an effect of 1d4+1 rounds, that does mean that it can be effected by feats like Maximize,Empower, or the like, no?
Razorblade Smile
09-04-04, 10:08 PM Thank you, Sancus. I run something similar to those rules in my game, and just wondered what the world at large thought of the problem. Incidentally, though, if the spelll has an effect of 1d4+1 rounds, that does mean that it can be effected by feats like Maximize,Empower, or the like, no?
Sure. Why not? You're still effectively trapped in your own little time bubble and there's not much worse you can do with a couple extra rounds than you could with the minimum of two you get every time you cast the spell to begin with. I mean, yeah, you can do more, but why waste such a high spell slot/turn undead attempts on it when you can kill (or whatever) just about anything you need to kill (or whatever) as is?
primemover003
09-04-04, 10:13 PM Is there a counter for Timestop besides a reactive counterspell (greater dispel)??? I mean 5 cones of cold or meteor storms or disintegrates can really suck!
UltimateGnome
09-04-04, 10:57 PM i'm going to assume you haven't read the spell description lately as you could waste your spells casting disintegrate or cone of cold or meteor swarm but they won't do anything.
Senko
09-04-04, 11:04 PM I do vaguely recall seeing one once in a book on time and time related DnD actions but it was so long ago I can't really remember it. I know there were spells for things like locking your current development so if someone wiped you out in the past you'd still be here and protecting yourself against paradox's so you could safely go back in time and make your changes without forgetting what the original world was like then come back and compare it. I'm fairly sure there was something in there that allowed you to continue acting normally when you entered a times stop field (i.e. you had the same number of rounds as the other person).
smrtgmp
09-05-04, 04:03 AM Perhaps you are thinking of the 2nd edition Chronomancy book?
Failut
09-05-04, 04:12 AM i'm going to assume you haven't read the spell description lately as you could waste your spells casting disintegrate or cone of cold or meteor swarm but they won't do anything.

but you could Force cage (barred version) and then start casting Summon Monsters into it (as many and as high as you can fit into the 20ft space). Then when the TS ends, you have yourself a cage match to watch!
Senko
09-05-04, 04:45 AM Maybe but as I said it was so long ago I can't remember.

Sure alternate timeflows are powerful but there's more than enough way's to duplicate the effects and there are plenty of downsides to offset. In the end I suppose its up to personal DMing but for me I take the approach anything the PC's can do their opponents can do. If they use it in reason then their opponents use it in reason if they abuse it then the opponent hits them all with dimensional anchor so they can't leave in the middle of a fight or follows them.
primemover003
09-06-04, 09:49 PM i'm going to assume you haven't read the spell description lately as you could waste your spells casting disintegrate or cone of cold or meteor swarm but they won't do anything.
Actually I haven't until now... my group wanted to fiunish the campaign in 3.0. We're just getting into the new edition now and I admit I haven't seen every new change to the spells.

Well that takes a lot of punch out of that spell! Man that makes me rest easier now... Our wizard just decimated a minor Slaad lord with that spell.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
HighCouncilorSeven 09-04-04, 09:13 PM	Has any one else noticed that Time Stop's effect is contained within its duration? I wouldn't consider this a problem, except for the Persistent Spell metamagic feat. An epic level caster could stop time for 24 hours, giving him enough time to re-study spells, cast the spell again, and effectively keep time stopped permanently. This seems a little extreme...
Sancus 09-04-04, 09:24 PM	No, he can't, sage has ruled on this in the past - Time Stop's actual duration is Instantaneous, the duration listed is only apparent time, not real duration, so it doesn't qualify for Persistent Spell. Not that it matters for most games, as of Player's Guide to Faerun, Persistent Time Stop would be a 15th level spell.
HighCouncilorSeven 09-04-04, 09:49 PM	Thank you, Sancus. I run something similar to those rules in my game, and just wondered what the world at large thought of the problem. Incidentally, though, if the spelll has an effect of 1d4+1 rounds, that does mean that it can be effected by feats like Maximize,Empower, or the like, no?
Razorblade Smile 09-04-04, 10:08 PM	Thank you, Sancus. I run something similar to those rules in my game, and just wondered what the world at large thought of the problem. Incidentally, though, if the spelll has an effect of 1d4+1 rounds, that does mean that it can be effected by feats like Maximize,Empower, or the like, no? Sure. Why not? You're still effectively trapped in your own little time bubble and there's not much worse you can do with a couple extra rounds than you could with the minimum of two you get every time you cast the spell to begin with. I mean, yeah, you can do more, but why waste such a high spell slot/turn undead attempts on it when you can kill (or whatever) just about anything you need to kill (or whatever) as is?
primemover003 09-04-04, 10:13 PM	Is there a counter for Timestop besides a reactive counterspell (greater dispel)??? I mean 5 cones of cold or meteor storms or disintegrates can really suck!
UltimateGnome 09-04-04, 10:57 PM	i'm going to assume you haven't read the spell description lately as you could waste your spells casting disintegrate or cone of cold or meteor swarm but they won't do anything.
Senko 09-04-04, 11:04 PM	I do vaguely recall seeing one once in a book on time and time related DnD actions but it was so long ago I can't really remember it. I know there were spells for things like locking your current development so if someone wiped you out in the past you'd still be here and protecting yourself against paradox's so you could safely go back in time and make your changes without forgetting what the original world was like then come back and compare it. I'm fairly sure there was something in there that allowed you to continue acting normally when you entered a times stop field (i.e. you had the same number of rounds as the other person).
smrtgmp 09-05-04, 04:03 AM	Perhaps you are thinking of the 2nd edition Chronomancy book?
Failut 09-05-04, 04:12 AM	i'm going to assume you haven't read the spell description lately as you could waste your spells casting disintegrate or cone of cold or meteor swarm but they won't do anything. but you could Force cage (barred version) and then start casting Summon Monsters into it (as many and as high as you can fit into the 20ft space). Then when the TS ends, you have yourself a cage match to watch!
Senko 09-05-04, 04:45 AM	Maybe but as I said it was so long ago I can't remember. Sure alternate timeflows are powerful but there's more than enough way's to duplicate the effects and there are plenty of downsides to offset. In the end I suppose its up to personal DMing but for me I take the approach anything the PC's can do their opponents can do. If they use it in reason then their opponents use it in reason if they abuse it then the opponent hits them all with dimensional anchor so they can't leave in the middle of a fight or follows them.
primemover003 09-06-04, 09:49 PM	i'm going to assume you haven't read the spell description lately as you could waste your spells casting disintegrate or cone of cold or meteor swarm but they won't do anything. Actually I haven't until now... my group wanted to fiunish the campaign in 3.0. We're just getting into the new edition now and I admit I haven't seen every new change to the spells. Well that takes a lot of punch out of that spell! Man that makes me rest easier now... Our wizard just decimated a minor Slaad lord with that spell.