Define "At Will" [Archive] - Wizards Community

Define "At Will" [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Kalevi Torin
09-21-03, 02:53 AM We had a strange situation come up in this week's game that caused the players (and the DM) to question a creature's "at will" ability. We have a table rule that we spend 3 minutes in this kind of situation to look up the rule and make suggestions. Then Rule 0 kicks in and the DM makes a ruling. None of us could find the definition of "at will", the DM made a common sense ruling, we agreed and the creature proceeded to kill half the party. ;)

After the game I spent 30 minutes or so trying to tie up that loose end and I still can't find the definition (in terms of game mechanics) of "at will". Does it exist? The question boiled down to "How many things can I do during my turn that I can do at will?" The DM's ruling was, "This ability is sort of like this other thing that is a move-equivalent action so he can do it for his move-equivalent action." We all agreed (and were secretly grateful that it wasn't a free action). Now it is just a matter of curiosity. Is that how it really works?
HalfMunchkin
09-21-03, 03:01 AM You still use the casting time and duration in the spell versions description. At will means you simply think it and it happens. No command words or triggers.:teach:
Boondoggle
09-21-03, 03:35 AM Spell-like abilities take a standard action to activate. At will just means you can activate them as often as you wish.
cwslyclgh
09-21-03, 03:36 AM a creature with an at will ability simply can use it an unlimited number of times per day, it still must follow all of the standeard rules for spell-like abilities (ie using the at will ability takes a standard action). check page 315 of the 3.5 monster manual.
Gez
09-21-03, 07:27 AM "At will" means "up to 14 400 times per day". Because there are 24 hours of 60 minutes in a day, and each minute contains 10 6-second rounds.
The White Sorcerer
09-21-03, 07:57 AM At will = Unlimited number of times per day
Oberon_of_Avalon
09-21-03, 12:59 PM Some creature descriptions also have abilities available "at will" that aren't spell-like. These are usually supernatural abilities at least, and in the few cases I've seen it notes in the monster's description how many times per round it can use it.

For instance, one I recall off the top of my head says "This ability is useable at will once per round." That means that it can do it however many times per day it feels like, but only once in a given round.
Kalevi Torin
09-21-03, 01:15 PM Ok, I spoke with the DM and I think we figured out why the confusion. It was a punctuation error in the module he was using. As I read the Monster Manual entry for Dryad for example under Spell-Like Abilities:

At will--entange, speak with plants, treeshape; 3/day--charm person, etc.

Please note the semi-colon. That wasn't present in his printed version (it was a ',') and that is what caused the confusion. He thought the creature could do its thing "At will 3 times per day" which took us all down the wrong track.

Thanks for the help! It's funny how punctuation and a simple semi-colon can change this: :( to this: ;)

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Kalevi Torin 09-21-03, 02:53 AM	We had a strange situation come up in this week's game that caused the players (and the DM) to question a creature's "at will" ability. We have a table rule that we spend 3 minutes in this kind of situation to look up the rule and make suggestions. Then Rule 0 kicks in and the DM makes a ruling. None of us could find the definition of "at will", the DM made a common sense ruling, we agreed and the creature proceeded to kill half the party. ;) After the game I spent 30 minutes or so trying to tie up that loose end and I still can't find the definition (in terms of game mechanics) of "at will". Does it exist? The question boiled down to "How many things can I do during my turn that I can do at will?" The DM's ruling was, "This ability is sort of like this other thing that is a move-equivalent action so he can do it for his move-equivalent action." We all agreed (and were secretly grateful that it wasn't a free action). Now it is just a matter of curiosity. Is that how it really works?
HalfMunchkin 09-21-03, 03:01 AM	You still use the casting time and duration in the spell versions description. At will means you simply think it and it happens. No command words or triggers.:teach:
Boondoggle 09-21-03, 03:35 AM	Spell-like abilities take a standard action to activate. At will just means you can activate them as often as you wish.
cwslyclgh 09-21-03, 03:36 AM	a creature with an at will ability simply can use it an unlimited number of times per day, it still must follow all of the standeard rules for spell-like abilities (ie using the at will ability takes a standard action). check page 315 of the 3.5 monster manual.
Gez 09-21-03, 07:27 AM	"At will" means "up to 14 400 times per day". Because there are 24 hours of 60 minutes in a day, and each minute contains 10 6-second rounds.
The White Sorcerer 09-21-03, 07:57 AM	At will = Unlimited number of times per day
Oberon_of_Avalon 09-21-03, 12:59 PM	Some creature descriptions also have abilities available "at will" that aren't spell-like. These are usually supernatural abilities at least, and in the few cases I've seen it notes in the monster's description how many times per round it can use it. For instance, one I recall off the top of my head says "This ability is useable at will once per round." That means that it can do it however many times per day it feels like, but only once in a given round.
Kalevi Torin 09-21-03, 01:15 PM	Ok, I spoke with the DM and I think we figured out why the confusion. It was a punctuation error in the module he was using. As I read the Monster Manual entry for Dryad for example under Spell-Like Abilities: At will--entange, speak with plants, treeshape; 3/day--charm person, etc. Please note the semi-colon. That wasn't present in his printed version (it was a ',') and that is what caused the confusion. He thought the creature could do its thing "At will 3 times per day" which took us all down the wrong track. Thanks for the help! It's funny how punctuation and a simple semi-colon can change this: :( to this: ;)