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I have a question regarding Celerity line of spells introduced in PHB2.

Let's say we have 2 wizards, A and B. Wizard A has higher initiative roll than wizard B; neither is flat-footed; it's A's turn; wizards have lines of sight and effect to each other.

Wizard A starts to cast his Apocalypse From The Sky. Wizard B (seeing where that goes with a successful spellcraft check) casts Celerity followed by, say, %metamagic cheesiness% reach combust. Wizard A (seeing where it goes and not immune to combust effects) casts Celerity (remember, he's in the middle of the casting process already) and follows up with a counterspell.

1) Am I right assuming that several immediate actions resolve in stack (as interrupt stack in MtG) - that is, the last to announce immediate action resolves it first?

2) If yes, won't it be a problem that the counterspell goes off earlier then the spell it is aimed at? Should the wizard A break line of effect or kill his opponent instead?

3) Suppose wizard A times his celerity so he gets an action just after the B's spell is cast, I don't seem to find the right quote anywhere.

4) After the immediate actions are resolved, does wizard A get to continue his casting process, assuming he's alive and spellcasting-capable by then? If 'dazed until the end of your next turn' part of celerity is a problem here, let's assume A is immune to daze.

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2 Answers 2

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Immediate actions are defined as follows:

Immediate Action: Much like a swift action, an immediate action consumes a very small amount of time, but represents a larger expenditure of effort and energy than a free action. However, unlike a swift action, an immediate action can be performed at any time—even if it’s not your turn. Using an immediate action on your turn is the same as using a swift action, and counts as your swift action for that turn. You cannot use another immediate action or a swift action until after your next turn if you have used an immediate action when it is not currently your turn. You also cannot use an immediate action if you are currently flat-footed.

Immediate Actions start in the order they are announced. In your example Wizard A starts casting Apocalypse from the Sky, Wizard B cast Celerity and then combust, then Wizard A casts Celerity and counterspell.

This would then resolve as the counterspell countering the combust, and then the Apocalypse coming.

So in answering your numbered questions:

1) Yes

2) Once Wizard B announces his immediate action it has started and would complete except for the counterspell of Wizard A. Wizard A's counterspell starts a tiny bit later than Wizard B's combust. So no issue there.

3) See 2 above

4) Celerity would cause Wizard A to be dazed (unless he was immune as you have suggested). If not immune I would allow him to complete his Apocalypse spell but I think the RAW answer would be that he could do nothing after the action he gained from the Celerity.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ 4) Even if you cast celerity on your own turn, you're still dazed. But that isn't something to worry about, you can be immune. The problem is, you cast celerity while casting some other spell - is the other spell interrupted as a result? \$\endgroup\$
    – Jeor Mattan
    Jul 14, 2011 at 9:39
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    \$\begingroup\$ Immediate Actions start in the order they are announced. - is there a quote for that? \$\endgroup\$
    – Jeor Mattan
    Jul 14, 2011 at 9:48
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    \$\begingroup\$ @Jeor There needn't be a quote: actions happen when they are taken is the default. Immediate Action rules don't change that, only when you are allowed to use declare and use the action. If the order was as per old MTG interrupts, that would have to be explicitly noted as a feature of Immediate Actions, and that's not the case. \$\endgroup\$
    – SevenSidedDie
    Jul 21, 2011 at 4:32
  • \$\begingroup\$ @SevenSidedDie thanks, that seems logical enough. \$\endgroup\$
    – Jeor Mattan
    Jul 21, 2011 at 16:31
  • \$\begingroup\$ I suggest you go to this question and check the answer I selected: rpg.stackexchange.com/questions/163420/… \$\endgroup\$
    – Maxpire
    Jan 23, 2020 at 8:48
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1) No... Celerity is a time bubble, meaning that Wiz B's action takes no time in the world of Wiz A. Therefore times effectivly stands still while in his celerity bubble. Wiz A cannot cast because the actions taken by B while in celerity takes no time.

2) Counterspelling is actually while the casting is happening. If the spell is off then you cant counterspell.

3) Cant happen. See 1)

4) No... you cant break and restart casting.

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    \$\begingroup\$ This could be a good answer, but the reasoning behind it needs some fleshing out. \$\endgroup\$
    – Miniman
    Oct 9, 2014 at 23:14
  • \$\begingroup\$ If 1 worked, 2 would be "wait, I want to use a standard action to ready a counterspell" \$\endgroup\$
    – Zachiel
    Oct 10, 2014 at 18:53
  • \$\begingroup\$ I'd like to agree with this, but no mention of time bubbles anywhere in raw right? I always thought you could interrupt a celerity with another celerity. \$\endgroup\$
    – Maxpire
    Jan 22, 2020 at 8:34
  • \$\begingroup\$ You don't need time to take actions... you just need actions. Lacking text that prevents activity (such as is found in time stop) is there any reason to think the lack of time matters in the least? \$\endgroup\$
    – Please stop being evil
    Jan 22, 2020 at 18:10

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