On Combat Casting... [Archive] - Wizards Community

On Combat Casting... [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
AlanBruce
04-23-07, 08:55 PM Greetings. I have a player who has a Grey elf wizard 9. His Concentration check is 15, and with Combat Casting, it goes up to 19. So far so good.

A week ago, this wizard was engaged in melee with a duergar fighter. About 30 feet away, 3 archers readied actions vs. the wizard in the event he tried casting anything nasty against the duergar.

When the wizard's turn came around, he rolled his Concentration check so as to cast defensively. I told him that, even though he cast defensively against the duergar in melee with him, that I would still roll for the readied archers, and that, should their arrows hit, he'd have to roll separate Concentration checks for each arrow at his normal check (sans CC). The player questioned on this, stating that his one concentration check against the duergar should suffice for all attacks against him this round, be they readied or not.

I'm quite certain that I was right on this ruling, but I would like further imput. Thank you in advance.
BugHunter
04-23-07, 09:26 PM You would be correct since Casting on the Defensive only stops the AoO and not the ready actions see PHB page 160 heading Distracting Spellcasters. I hope this helps.
Novacat
04-23-07, 10:09 PM 1. The archers, using ranged weapons, do not threaten the caster, and so cannot make attacks of opportunity. Therefore, his concentration check to avoid attacks of opportunity does nothing to protect him from these attacks.

2. Readying an action to attack someone should they cast a spell is a perfectly legitimate tactic, and casting defensively does not protect you from it. However, if he forgoes casting defensively, a melee attacker who also has a readied action will actually get 2 consecutive attacks (one readied action, and one attack of opportunity), which will, upon hitting, require 2 separate concentration checks to overcome.

3. Combat Casting applies ONLY to checks made to cast defensively. It does not apply to concentration checks against damage taken. Therefore, he only gets his +15 to the check.

In short, the wizard got boned by smart tactics and a poor feat choice (it's for this very reason that my casters take Skill Focus: Concentration instead). Just remember the first two laws of wizardry:

1. Only the stupid wizards ever die.
2. The stupid wizards deserve to die.
Nom
04-24-07, 12:59 AM To put it another way: casting defensively means that you don't "drop your guard" when casting, and thus don't provoke AoOs for doing so. Readied actions use a different mechanic that doesn't require you to "drop your guard", but merely perform a specific activity that can be observed by those waiting for it to happen.

As an interesting contrast, if he somehow managed to disguise the fact he was casting a spell (which core doesn't include specific rules for) then the readied actions would not trigger (since they trigger "when he casts a spell") while the AoO would (since it triggers because you are distracted, not because the guy recognises why you are distracted).
Leilond
04-24-07, 04:59 AM To put it another way: casting defensively means that you don't "drop your guard" when casting, and thus don't provoke AoOs for doing so. Readied actions use a different mechanic that doesn't require you to "drop your guard", but merely perform a specific activity that can be observed by those waiting for it to happen.

As an interesting contrast, if he somehow managed to disguise the fact he was casting a spell (which core doesn't include specific rules for) then the readied actions would not trigger (since they trigger "when he casts a spell") while the AoO would (since it triggers because you are distracted, not because the guy recognises why you are distracted).

Well... if you cast silenced teleport I will proably won't allow to trigger the readied action because teleport is "only verbal component" and using the "silent spell" feat make your Wizard cast the spell without moving at all... pheraps another caster with a spellcraft check can understand what the wizard is doing and still trigger his readied action, but a fighter surely not

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
AlanBruce 04-23-07, 08:55 PM	Greetings. I have a player who has a Grey elf wizard 9. His Concentration check is 15, and with Combat Casting, it goes up to 19. So far so good. A week ago, this wizard was engaged in melee with a duergar fighter. About 30 feet away, 3 archers readied actions vs. the wizard in the event he tried casting anything nasty against the duergar. When the wizard's turn came around, he rolled his Concentration check so as to cast defensively. I told him that, even though he cast defensively against the duergar in melee with him, that I would still roll for the readied archers, and that, should their arrows hit, he'd have to roll separate Concentration checks for each arrow at his normal check (sans CC). The player questioned on this, stating that his one concentration check against the duergar should suffice for all attacks against him this round, be they readied or not. I'm quite certain that I was right on this ruling, but I would like further imput. Thank you in advance.
BugHunter 04-23-07, 09:26 PM	You would be correct since Casting on the Defensive only stops the AoO and not the ready actions see PHB page 160 heading Distracting Spellcasters. I hope this helps.
Novacat 04-23-07, 10:09 PM	1. The archers, using ranged weapons, do not threaten the caster, and so cannot make attacks of opportunity. Therefore, his concentration check to avoid attacks of opportunity does nothing to protect him from these attacks. 2. Readying an action to attack someone should they cast a spell is a perfectly legitimate tactic, and casting defensively does not protect you from it. However, if he forgoes casting defensively, a melee attacker who also has a readied action will actually get 2 consecutive attacks (one readied action, and one attack of opportunity), which will, upon hitting, require 2 separate concentration checks to overcome. 3. Combat Casting applies ONLY to checks made to cast defensively. It does not apply to concentration checks against damage taken. Therefore, he only gets his +15 to the check. In short, the wizard got boned by smart tactics and a poor feat choice (it's for this very reason that my casters take Skill Focus: Concentration instead). Just remember the first two laws of wizardry: 1. Only the stupid wizards ever die. 2. The stupid wizards deserve to die.
Nom 04-24-07, 12:59 AM	To put it another way: casting defensively means that you don't "drop your guard" when casting, and thus don't provoke AoOs for doing so. Readied actions use a different mechanic that doesn't require you to "drop your guard", but merely perform a specific activity that can be observed by those waiting for it to happen. As an interesting contrast, if he somehow managed to disguise the fact he was casting a spell (which core doesn't include specific rules for) then the readied actions would not trigger (since they trigger "when he casts a spell") while the AoO would (since it triggers because you are distracted, not because the guy recognises why you are distracted).
Leilond 04-24-07, 04:59 AM	To put it another way: casting defensively means that you don't "drop your guard" when casting, and thus don't provoke AoOs for doing so. Readied actions use a different mechanic that doesn't require you to "drop your guard", but merely perform a specific activity that can be observed by those waiting for it to happen. As an interesting contrast, if he somehow managed to disguise the fact he was casting a spell (which core doesn't include specific rules for) then the readied actions would not trigger (since they trigger "when he casts a spell") while the AoO would (since it triggers because you are distracted, not because the guy recognises why you are distracted). Well... if you cast silenced teleport I will proably won't allow to trigger the readied action because teleport is "only verbal component" and using the "silent spell" feat make your Wizard cast the spell without moving at all... pheraps another caster with a spellcraft check can understand what the wizard is doing and still trigger his readied action, but a fighter surely not