Does losing levels stop a spell in progress? - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Does losing levels stop a spell in progress?

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
Escantia
Aug 07, 2013 0:23:14 I've gotten a lot of good responses from people on here so before anything, I thank all of you for your help and hopefully you can help me out again.

If a spell is in progress, say a spell takes 5 minutes to cast. You make the roll required to cast it but during the 5 minutes something causes you to lose levels. Does the spell stop even though you made the roll?
#2
Xaspian
Aug 07, 2013 6:24:40 What edition are you talking about? I only know 4e, which I presume you're not talking about, so can't help, but someone who knows your edition will likely be able to provide the answer.
#3
Centauri
Aug 07, 2013 8:26:46
I've gotten a lot of good responses from people on here so before anything, I thank all of you for your help and hopefully you can help me out again.

If a spell is in progress, say a spell takes 5 minutes to cast. You make the roll required to cast it but during the 5 minutes something causes you to lose levels. Does the spell stop even though you made the roll?

The rules are silent on this. It's something one's table would have to decide. I think one could make a cool scene either way, but it's probably best for a DM to rule in favor of the players on this (unless the players think it's more interesting to be rules against). And there's nothing to say it has to work the same way every time.

The attack itself might disrupt the spell, depending on the edition. But the level loss itself might or might not, as the table rules.
#4
Mad_Jack
Aug 07, 2013 21:18:41
Like Centauri said, the rules don't really cover this particular situation, in any edition at least as far as I can remember. Losing a level in and of itself doesn't specifically state it causes spell disruption. So it doesn't inherently do so. An attack that caused level loss might disrupt the spell because of the attack itself, but there's only one real possibility I could see for losing a level causing the disruption of the spell without some kind of outside elements entering into play.
Theoretically, if losing the level cost you the ability to cast the spell at all it might disrupt the spell if you were in the middle of casting it, but again, this is strictly outside the written rules and just a thought.

#5
Escantia
Aug 08, 2013 16:22:37 Yea, The situation I am thinking of is if say the highest level spell I can cast is 2 and then I lose a level due to a spell of anything else that could do that. Technically at a level below, the highest spell would be level 1. So in the middle of the casting time I am suddenly unable to finish it because I suddenly no longer have access to it? It is a weird situation that I wish was addressed somewhere.
#6
Centauri
Aug 08, 2013 17:07:06
Yea, The situation I am thinking of is if say the highest level spell I can cast is 2 and then I lose a level due to a spell of anything else that could do that. Technically at a level below, the highest spell would be level 1. So in the middle of the casting time I am suddenly unable to finish it because I suddenly no longer have access to it? It is a weird situation that I wish was addressed somewhere.

The reason it's not, is because it's a weird situation. I've never seen it happen, but then I think level drain is a pretty lame mechanic. It's gone from 4th Edition and I say good riddance.
#7
MrRezister
Aug 19, 2013 16:21:29 I'm pretty new to 4e, but I haven't noticed any level-drain effects, hopefully Centauri is right that they are gone. In 3rd or 3.5 it seems like if you were hit by an attack that drained levels and/or did any damage, then the spell would have been disrupted anyway. Fortunately now spells go off instantly, except for Rituals which I believe are not intended for use in combat.
#8
thespaceinvader
Aug 20, 2013 7:07:48 They are. Level drain is horrible design, and not present in 4e. Spells do go off instantly, but some of them need maintaining via the Sustain mechanic, which does make it possible to disrupt them by removing the caster's actions, usually by Daze, Stun or Dominate.
#9
Centauri
Aug 20, 2013 10:35:10
They are. Level drain is horrible design, and not present in 4e. Spells do go off instantly, but some of them need maintaining via the Sustain mechanic, which does make it possible to disrupt them by removing the caster's actions, usually by Daze, Stun or Dominate.

I do like how level drain is still emulated in the Raise Dead ritual: you take a -1 penalty to every attack, skill check and ability check (also saving throws) until the character reaches three milestones, i.e. completes about 6 challenges. Since characters gain half their level to attacks and checks, a -1 penalty to those checks is roughly equivalent to losing at least one level and possibly two. The possession of powers, feats and other level adjustments isn't affected, nor are one's defenses, but the character is definitely diminished. And characters can level up after about 10 challenges, so losing the penalty after about 6 sort of emulates regaining a lost level.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Escantia Aug 07, 2013 0:23:14	I've gotten a lot of good responses from people on here so before anything, I thank all of you for your help and hopefully you can help me out again. If a spell is in progress, say a spell takes 5 minutes to cast. You make the roll required to cast it but during the 5 minutes something causes you to lose levels. Does the spell stop even though you made the roll?
#2 Xaspian Aug 07, 2013 6:24:40	What edition are you talking about? I only know 4e, which I presume you're not talking about, so can't help, but someone who knows your edition will likely be able to provide the answer.
#3 Centauri Aug 07, 2013 8:26:46	I've gotten a lot of good responses from people on here so before anything, I thank all of you for your help and hopefully you can help me out again. If a spell is in progress, say a spell takes 5 minutes to cast. You make the roll required to cast it but during the 5 minutes something causes you to lose levels. Does the spell stop even though you made the roll? The rules are silent on this. It's something one's table would have to decide. I think one could make a cool scene either way, but it's probably best for a DM to rule in favor of the players on this (unless the players think it's more interesting to be rules against). And there's nothing to say it has to work the same way every time. The attack itself might disrupt the spell, depending on the edition. But the level loss itself might or might not, as the table rules.
#4 Mad_Jack Aug 07, 2013 21:18:41	Like Centauri said, the rules don't really cover this particular situation, in any edition at least as far as I can remember. Losing a level in and of itself doesn't specifically state it causes spell disruption. So it doesn't inherently do so. An attack that caused level loss might disrupt the spell because of the attack itself, but there's only one real possibility I could see for losing a level causing the disruption of the spell without some kind of outside elements entering into play. Theoretically, if losing the level cost you the ability to cast the spell at all it might disrupt the spell if you were in the middle of casting it, but again, this is strictly outside the written rules and just a thought.
#5 Escantia Aug 08, 2013 16:22:37	Yea, The situation I am thinking of is if say the highest level spell I can cast is 2 and then I lose a level due to a spell of anything else that could do that. Technically at a level below, the highest spell would be level 1. So in the middle of the casting time I am suddenly unable to finish it because I suddenly no longer have access to it? It is a weird situation that I wish was addressed somewhere.
#6 Centauri Aug 08, 2013 17:07:06	Yea, The situation I am thinking of is if say the highest level spell I can cast is 2 and then I lose a level due to a spell of anything else that could do that. Technically at a level below, the highest spell would be level 1. So in the middle of the casting time I am suddenly unable to finish it because I suddenly no longer have access to it? It is a weird situation that I wish was addressed somewhere. The reason it's not, is because it's a weird situation. I've never seen it happen, but then I think level drain is a pretty lame mechanic. It's gone from 4th Edition and I say good riddance.
#7 MrRezister Aug 19, 2013 16:21:29	I'm pretty new to 4e, but I haven't noticed any level-drain effects, hopefully Centauri is right that they are gone. In 3rd or 3.5 it seems like if you were hit by an attack that drained levels and/or did any damage, then the spell would have been disrupted anyway. Fortunately now spells go off instantly, except for Rituals which I believe are not intended for use in combat.
#8 thespaceinvader Aug 20, 2013 7:07:48	They are. Level drain is horrible design, and not present in 4e. Spells do go off instantly, but some of them need maintaining via the Sustain mechanic, which does make it possible to disrupt them by removing the caster's actions, usually by Daze, Stun or Dominate.
#9 Centauri Aug 20, 2013 10:35:10	They are. Level drain is horrible design, and not present in 4e. Spells do go off instantly, but some of them need maintaining via the Sustain mechanic, which does make it possible to disrupt them by removing the caster's actions, usually by Daze, Stun or Dominate. I do like how level drain is still emulated in the Raise Dead ritual: you take a -1 penalty to every attack, skill check and ability check (also saving throws) until the character reaches three milestones, i.e. completes about 6 challenges. Since characters gain half their level to attacks and checks, a -1 penalty to those checks is roughly equivalent to losing at least one level and possibly two. The possession of powers, feats and other level adjustments isn't affected, nor are one's defenses, but the character is definitely diminished. And characters can level up after about 10 challenges, so losing the penalty after about 6 sort of emulates regaining a lost level.