The process or method of casting spells or using magic. This covers game mechanics for spellcasting as well as the in-fiction process.
16
votes
5answers
919 views
My DM's ruled that all spells cast in armor are subject to Arcane Spell Failure. Can you change his mind?
My Fighter wants to multiclass into Bard, and continue wearing heavy armor; I'd just avoid spells with somatic components, since only spells with somatic Components worry about an armor's Arcane Spell ...
15
votes
5answers
664 views
Covertly casting a spell
This question about Charm Person got me musing about a problem with the spell. Obviously, you can't cast Charm Person in the middle of a forum to sway an interlocutor to your side without the other 20 ...
13
votes
6answers
4k views
Rules for creating new spells?
Is there a good source for allowing players to create new (non-epic-level) spells, or combining spells?
For example, how can a Wizard research and create a new spell? What if a sorcerer improvises ...
13
votes
1answer
286 views
How to balance conviction with discipline?
I'm playing a caster in a setting hack of the Dresden files. I find that it's very easy to get in an unbalance of my Conviction and Discipline skills. If Conviction is too high then I fail my ...
11
votes
6answers
815 views
Which options are available for casting spells instantaneously or concurrently?
I am playing a cleric in 3.5e. To be effective in combat, I rely on my spells. However, before I join combat, I'd prefer to cast two spells on myself — preferably a third. Obviously, three rounds ...
11
votes
1answer
678 views
Can a Warlock use his Eldritch blast when paralyzed?
A warlock's eldritch blast is a spell-like ability:
Eldritch Blast (Sp): The first ability a warlock learns is
eldritch blast. A warlock attacks his foes with eldritch power,
using baleful ...
10
votes
2answers
526 views
Question regarding spellcraft: Learn a spell
Browsing the PHB, I noticed the 3rd entry of the spellcraft skill's usages:
15 + spell level: Learn a spell from a spellbook or scroll (wizard
only). No retry for that spell until you gain at ...
9
votes
2answers
254 views
What body parts can I use to deliver a spell whose range is “touch”?
Within a pure Pathfinder game ...
When delivering a melee touch spell can I use any body part? (hand, elbow, foot, head), any body part I could attack with or must I use my hand?
If I am a witch ...
9
votes
2answers
394 views
How does off-hand spellcasting with two implements work?
With the Dual Implement Spellcaster feat, you can add the off-hand implement's enhancement bonus to damage rolls.
1) What if you cast a spell with the off-hand implement? Do you get nothing from the ...
8
votes
4answers
362 views
How to fix sorcerors getting shafted by spell point variants?
Using the spell point variant, sorcerors lose a lot of their strength in comparison to wizards (and druids and clerics, but let's stick to arcane for now). They are left with 249 points at 20th level ...
8
votes
2answers
245 views
How does stress for magical effects work outside of a conflict in the Dresden Files?
In The Dresden Files RPG, mental stress is accrued for casting spells. As you cast spells, you become more mentally fatigued. The mental stress track is cleared at the end of the conflict- so if you ...
8
votes
3answers
205 views
What happens when a spell fails?
I was running a campaign the other evening, and I ran into a problem. One of the players wanted to cast 'color spray' on a creature. The player did not know that the creature was undead, but suspected ...
8
votes
3answers
210 views
How much does the Sponsor help someone using Sponsored Magic in Dresden?
So, the party is in a fight with one of the Knights of the Faerie Courts (Winter, in this case) and a couple of wildfae mercenaries. During the fight, the Knight
started casting some unseelie ...
8
votes
1answer
216 views
Does the ability Sudden Raystrike work on rays cast from a Wand?
One of the abilities that the Spellwarp Sniper gains at 2nd level is Sudden Raystrike (p64 of Complete Scoundrel). The description says:
If you can catch an opponent
when he is unable to ...
7
votes
3answers
926 views
Does casting a spell require a check to succeed?
If my character is a spell caster, and he is not wearing any armor, is there any chance to fail casting the spell? I'm wondering specifically about normal circumstances: There is nobody who can attack ...
7
votes
3answers
561 views
It is commonly said that epic spellcasting in D&D 3.5e is broken. What are some examples of broken epic spellcasters?
It is commonly said that epic spellcasting in D&D 3.5e is broken. What are some examples of broken epic spellcasters?
Available options I've read about include things like chain-gating solars to ...
7
votes
1answer
209 views
Do sustained spells need constant line-of-sight, or just for the casting?
When I cast Stealth or Invisibility on a teammate, do I need to keep him in sight (following him everywhere) to maintain the spell, or is LOS required only for the initial casting?
7
votes
1answer
219 views
Are the Initiate of the Sevenfold Veil Class abilities vulnerable to Dispel Magic as well?
I was Looking at the class abilities for Initiate of the Sevenfold Veil and I Saw how specific spells got through them much like a Prismatic Wall needing 7 different spells to get rid of it. I was ...
6
votes
3answers
857 views
What is a radius on a square grid?
So last night, my D&D group ran into an interesting question. The spell Entangle says "Area: plants in a 40-ft radius spread." We (like a lot of people, I think) play D&D on a square grid, ...
6
votes
3answers
871 views
How can I get more spell slots for my caster without resorting to the Extra Slot feat?
Im planning on building a wizard/Warmage/Ultimate Magus. By level 15 I will have caster level 11 in both classes, this leaves me with 5 levels left. I was planning on taking Dragon Disciple to ...
6
votes
3answers
267 views
Creating a Wizard at high levels: How many Spells should he know?
I have looked all over this site & Google but I can't seem to get a good answer to this.
When creating a Wizard over level 1, how many spells should he have in his spellbook? I'm speaking in ...
6
votes
1answer
185 views
Order of actions in combat
Is there a specific order in which move / move-equivalent actions and standard actions should occur during a combat round? I know you can take the 5-foot step at the beginning or the end of the turn, ...
5
votes
5answers
1k views
How do you make a wizard who doesn't need a spellbook?
I know what you're thinking: "Dude, just play a Sorcerer". Well, I ask this question because of two main reasons. Wizards get some extra spells for specializing, and my DM says sorcerers are rare.
I ...
5
votes
4answers
457 views
Why do spells need to be “prepared”? [closed]
I'm not asking about the rules or concepts of spell preparation, as they are well described and reasoned, but I'm wondering why it's even necessary, from a logical (well, however logical you can be in ...
5
votes
3answers
146 views
How to handle spell components in AD&D 1st edition
In the AD&D players handbook a lot of spells require spell components but no where can I find rules, costs, or anything else regarding spell components. So I assume this is one of the do it ...
5
votes
4answers
77 views
What systems contain Multiple Caster or Combined Casting rules? [closed]
In the process of creating a homebrew system, I have run into the problem of my players wanting to be able to combine their spellcasting prowess in a show of superiority and might ( and perhaps a bit ...
5
votes
3answers
212 views
How useful would a house ruled immediate Counterspell ability in Pathfinder be?
I have been GMing for 10 years, and we are currently are using Pathfinder with little to no house rules. The only character that has ever used counterspell is when we made a prestige class up that ...
5
votes
3answers
100 views
Does ASF Apply to the Initiate of the Sevenfold Veil Class Abilities?
I was recently looking at the Initiate of the Sevenfold Veil class and was looking at its class abilities and started to wonder, if they are equivalent to Xth Level spells.(X being a different number ...
5
votes
1answer
642 views
Regarding resting and spell meditation for casters
My group recently started a game in D&D 3.5. Even though we are all rather familiar with the ruleset, there are certain details that we have trouble discerning from the official documentation, ...
5
votes
2answers
153 views
Alignment restrictions and Trap the Soul
Saw it mentioned in a thread (How do you make a vampire cleric stay dead?) and now I'm curious... Does binding a creature's soul into a gem in itself constitute an evil act?
Trap the soul says ...
5
votes
3answers
145 views
Draconic Lineage feats vs Reserve Feats
Dragon Magic presented draconic Lineage feats, which let you convert spell slots into various attacks/abilities that varied in power by the slot spent. Complete Mage gave us Reserve Feats, which gave ...
4
votes
1answer
165 views
Is there a way to advance both Wizard and Assassin casting?
I'm creating a character for a challenge ("How would you help this village defend against an orcish army?") and in the interests of doing something wacky I decided to try and mix Wizard and Assassin ...
3
votes
1answer
72 views
Can a sorcerer cast other spells while in the shape of an Air Elemental?
I have a character who is a sorcerer with the Elemental(Air) bloodline. She's now 9th level and can thus cast Elemental Body (it's a bonus spell at that level). It hasn't come up, yet, but I foresee ...
3
votes
2answers
207 views
Methods of adding more touch spells to a Duskblade's spell list?
I want to play a duskblade, because their ability to channel touch range spells presents a way to use spells in melee combat. but their short list of spells(Coupled with very few touch range damage ...
3
votes
1answer
87 views
How many spellpoints would a duskblade have under Ernir's Psionic mechanics, Arcane flavor variant rule?
I am in the middle of helping answer a question about helping a player create a Duskblade. I would be using @Ernir’s Psionic mechanics, Arcane flavor variant. I was wondering how different ...
3
votes
1answer
81 views
Does hitting a shugenja while casting disrupt the spell?
In L5R 2nd ed, if a shugenja has successfully cast a spell with a casting time greater than one turn, does she have to roll some kind of "concentration check" if she is hit during a casting turn?
2
votes
1answer
367 views
Do all spellcasting classes get unlimited cantrips?
I at least know that Wizards get to use level-0 spells an unlimited number of times a day, but is this a class feature, or are all cantrips unlimited use? I ask this because some spontaneous ...
2
votes
2answers
339 views
Questions about an Arcane/Divine combo build
I had an idea for a character that was multiclass Wizard/Archivist(Heroes of Horror) with Prestige levels in Mystic Theurge. However, upon further examination of the Mystic Theurge class, I noticed a ...
2
votes
1answer
89 views
How many spellpoints would a duskblade have under the Spell Points variant rule?
I am in the middle of helping a player create a Duskblade. I have been using a small variant on the Spell Point system found in Unearthed Arcana (the point amounts are the same, though). I was ...
0
votes
1answer
423 views
What feat gives the ability to use Int instead of Cha? [closed]
Is there a feat in Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 which gives a spell caster the ability to use Intelligence instead of Charisma to determine spell DC?
