can you cast a spell as an attack of opportunity??? [Archive] - Wizards Community

can you cast a spell as an attack of opportunity??? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
raistlin_devreault
10-03-03, 01:33 PM the title is actually my question?? i looked in the 3.5 book and didn't find any explanation!!!

:uh-huh:
Dartanel
10-03-03, 01:41 PM No, the only action allowed for an attack of opportunity is an attack action. Spellcasting is not an attack action.

There is an epic feat which allows you to cast spells as an attack of opportunity, but that's epic.
raistlin_devreault
10-03-03, 01:44 PM thank you! that's what i thought but wasn't sure!! :bow:
Sacrusha
10-03-03, 01:58 PM There's a nonepic psionic variant of that feat, but it only works for powers, not for spells.
raistlin_devreault
10-03-03, 02:27 PM good to know
sandskimmer
10-03-03, 02:53 PM As a house rule, my group lets quickened spells be cast as an AoO.

By the core rules, this is strictly a no-no, but it makes sense, seeing as how a quickened spell is a free action, & therefore takes no more time to do than a regular AoO.

Besides, what are the odds that you'd have just the right quickened spell prepared for any given AoO?

As a general rule, you'd probably want to save them for a more opportune time...
Dheran
10-03-03, 04:00 PM Originally posted by sandskimmer
As a house rule, my group lets quickened spells be cast as an AoO.

By the core rules, this is strictly a no-no, but it makes sense, seeing as how a quickened spell is a free action, & therefore takes no more time to do than a regular AoO. It doesn't make sense because other free actions aren't permitted during an Attack of Opportunity. This one caught me by surprise, too; it's in the 3rd Edition Main FAQ rather than in the PHB. I guess the rule stands until they get around to revisiting the issue in the 3.5 Main FAQ. (There have been so many changes from 3.0 to 3.5 that it could go either way.)

Even if you have the Quick Draw feat you can't make an AoO with any weapon except what you have already in use. With a few noted exceptions (like the Feather Fall spell and Snatch Arrows feat) you can't use free actions except when it's your turn.
R.M.G.C.L.F.
10-04-03, 03:21 PM You probably could attack someone with a touch spell you were holding though.
Tzalice Minoladir
10-04-03, 03:41 PM I suppose if you had a spell readied you might be able to use it.. it depends on what it was readied for.
sandskimmer
10-04-03, 04:38 PM It doesn't make sense because other free actions aren't permitted during an Attack of Opportunity. This one caught me by surprise, too; it's in the 3rd Edition Main FAQ rather than in the PHB.
Hmmm. Curious. My group will just use this an augruement as to why all free actions should be able to be done as an AoO, including the quickdraw example you provided.
But thanks for pointing that out non-the-less.
Luminous Crayon
10-04-03, 05:07 PM Originally posted by Sacrusha
There's a nonepic psionic variant of that feat, but it only works for powers, not for spells.

Game designer 1: "Okay, the deadline for the psionics handbook is getting closer, have you got any ideas?"
Game designer 2: "Not really. Remind me again why we don't just treat them like spellcasters, and give them their own spell lists?"
Game designer 1: "Because that wouldn't be enough to justify an entirely new book."
Game designer 2: "Oh, right. Hey, why don't we just take a big list of stuff that characters can't already do, and stuff that doesn't make a whole lot of sense, and use that for the psionic classes' list of abilities?"
Game designer 1: "Great idea, Fred! ... Say, you wanna go get some coffee?"
Finwe
10-04-03, 06:53 PM It doesn't make sense because other free actions aren't permitted during an Attack of Opportunity. This one caught me by surprise, too; it's in the 3rd Edition Main FAQ rather than in the PHB. I guess the rule stands until they get around to revisiting the issue in the 3.5 Main FAQ. (There have been so many changes from 3.0 to 3.5 that it could go either way.)

I dissagree: although the rules say no, it makes more sense than not. Swinging a sword at someone will take at least 1 second, if you are fast. Making a thought, or s imple gesture will take no more than 1 second to do, so I don't see why you couldn't cast a quickened spell as a AoO
Inigo Carmine
10-04-03, 08:12 PM Originally posted by Finwe
I dissagree: although the rules say no, it makes more sense than not. Swinging a sword at someone will take at least 1 second, if you are fast. Making a thought, or s imple gesture will take no more than 1 second to do, so I don't see why you couldn't cast a quickened spell as a AoO

Depending upon the weapon, (especially a shorter/lighter one) it could take signifigantly less than a second to swing.

Don't assume you know how magic works. Just because you can cast a (quickend) spell very fast doesn't mean you can do it reflexively.

On the other hand, it makes no sense that you could cast one as an AoO and not any any other time during the round (not your turn). Say you have a quickened fireball prepared that day. A barbrian decides to bullrush you from 80 ft away, provoking An AoO when he finally gets there. For some reason, you couldn't cast the spell while he was coming at you, but his last 5 ft of movement suddenly makes you able to cast a spell.

Sorry. Doesn't make sense to me.

Originally posted by R.M.G.C.L.F.
You probably could attack someone with a touch spell you were holding though.

When you have a touch spell, you are considered armed, and therefore threaten with it...so yes, you can use a touch spell as an AoO (as long as it was cast before the AoO was provoked).
Jerks
10-05-03, 01:00 AM Guys, don't forget that the ENTIRE reason you get attacks of opportunity is that you threaten an area around you WITH you Melee weapon. You can't quick draw a weapon to attack someone, because obviously you weren't threatening that square with THAT weapon.

A mage with an already cast touch spell DOES threaten the area around him, and therefore can use THAT spell for his attack of ops.

He cannot use a quickened spell, because THAT spell does not threaten the area around him.

Likewise, that whole psionics thingy really wasn't thought out well. The designers really shouldn't of let that one get through the planning stages.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
raistlin_devreault 10-03-03, 01:33 PM	the title is actually my question?? i looked in the 3.5 book and didn't find any explanation!!! :uh-huh:
Dartanel 10-03-03, 01:41 PM	No, the only action allowed for an attack of opportunity is an attack action. Spellcasting is not an attack action. There is an epic feat which allows you to cast spells as an attack of opportunity, but that's epic.
raistlin_devreault 10-03-03, 01:44 PM	thank you! that's what i thought but wasn't sure!! :bow:
Sacrusha 10-03-03, 01:58 PM	There's a nonepic psionic variant of that feat, but it only works for powers, not for spells.
raistlin_devreault 10-03-03, 02:27 PM	good to know
sandskimmer 10-03-03, 02:53 PM	As a house rule, my group lets quickened spells be cast as an AoO. By the core rules, this is strictly a no-no, but it makes sense, seeing as how a quickened spell is a free action, & therefore takes no more time to do than a regular AoO. Besides, what are the odds that you'd have just the right quickened spell prepared for any given AoO? As a general rule, you'd probably want to save them for a more opportune time...
Dheran 10-03-03, 04:00 PM	Originally posted by sandskimmer As a house rule, my group lets quickened spells be cast as an AoO. By the core rules, this is strictly a no-no, but it makes sense, seeing as how a quickened spell is a free action, & therefore takes no more time to do than a regular AoO. It doesn't make sense because other free actions aren't permitted during an Attack of Opportunity. This one caught me by surprise, too; it's in the 3rd Edition Main FAQ rather than in the PHB. I guess the rule stands until they get around to revisiting the issue in the 3.5 Main FAQ. (There have been so many changes from 3.0 to 3.5 that it could go either way.) Even if you have the Quick Draw feat you can't make an AoO with any weapon except what you have already in use. With a few noted exceptions (like the Feather Fall spell and Snatch Arrows feat) you can't use free actions except when it's your turn.
R.M.G.C.L.F. 10-04-03, 03:21 PM	You probably could attack someone with a touch spell you were holding though.
Tzalice Minoladir 10-04-03, 03:41 PM	I suppose if you had a spell readied you might be able to use it.. it depends on what it was readied for.
sandskimmer 10-04-03, 04:38 PM	It doesn't make sense because other free actions aren't permitted during an Attack of Opportunity. This one caught me by surprise, too; it's in the 3rd Edition Main FAQ rather than in the PHB. Hmmm. Curious. My group will just use this an augruement as to why all free actions should be able to be done as an AoO, including the quickdraw example you provided. But thanks for pointing that out non-the-less.
Luminous Crayon 10-04-03, 05:07 PM	Originally posted by Sacrusha There's a nonepic psionic variant of that feat, but it only works for powers, not for spells. Game designer 1: "Okay, the deadline for the psionics handbook is getting closer, have you got any ideas?" Game designer 2: "Not really. Remind me again why we don't just treat them like spellcasters, and give them their own spell lists?" Game designer 1: "Because that wouldn't be enough to justify an entirely new book." Game designer 2: "Oh, right. Hey, why don't we just take a big list of stuff that characters can't already do, and stuff that doesn't make a whole lot of sense, and use that for the psionic classes' list of abilities?" Game designer 1: "Great idea, Fred! ... Say, you wanna go get some coffee?"
Finwe 10-04-03, 06:53 PM	It doesn't make sense because other free actions aren't permitted during an Attack of Opportunity. This one caught me by surprise, too; it's in the 3rd Edition Main FAQ rather than in the PHB. I guess the rule stands until they get around to revisiting the issue in the 3.5 Main FAQ. (There have been so many changes from 3.0 to 3.5 that it could go either way.) I dissagree: although the rules say no, it makes more sense than not. Swinging a sword at someone will take at least 1 second, if you are fast. Making a thought, or s imple gesture will take no more than 1 second to do, so I don't see why you couldn't cast a quickened spell as a AoO
Inigo Carmine 10-04-03, 08:12 PM	Originally posted by Finwe I dissagree: although the rules say no, it makes more sense than not. Swinging a sword at someone will take at least 1 second, if you are fast. Making a thought, or s imple gesture will take no more than 1 second to do, so I don't see why you couldn't cast a quickened spell as a AoO Depending upon the weapon, (especially a shorter/lighter one) it could take signifigantly less than a second to swing. Don't assume you know how magic works. Just because you can cast a (quickend) spell very fast doesn't mean you can do it reflexively. On the other hand, it makes no sense that you could cast one as an AoO and not any any other time during the round (not your turn). Say you have a quickened fireball prepared that day. A barbrian decides to bullrush you from 80 ft away, provoking An AoO when he finally gets there. For some reason, you couldn't cast the spell while he was coming at you, but his last 5 ft of movement suddenly makes you able to cast a spell. Sorry. Doesn't make sense to me. Originally posted by R.M.G.C.L.F. You probably could attack someone with a touch spell you were holding though. When you have a touch spell, you are considered armed, and therefore threaten with it...so yes, you can use a touch spell as an AoO (as long as it was cast before the AoO was provoked).
Jerks 10-05-03, 01:00 AM	Guys, don't forget that the ENTIRE reason you get attacks of opportunity is that you threaten an area around you WITH you Melee weapon. You can't quick draw a weapon to attack someone, because obviously you weren't threatening that square with THAT weapon. A mage with an already cast touch spell DOES threaten the area around him, and therefore can use THAT spell for his attack of ops. He cannot use a quickened spell, because THAT spell does not threaten the area around him. Likewise, that whole psionics thingy really wasn't thought out well. The designers really shouldn't of let that one get through the planning stages.