9 réponses à ce sujet

[berelinde]

I"m inclined to say no, that it's a minor action.

 

Every class is more or less balanced.

 

Warriors don't need to prepare to make their attacks, but they do need to move, often over considerable distances. If they get knocked prone, their round is wasted unless there's an enemy within 6 yards. They may use ranged weapons, but those ranged weapons all come with a prepare step (load a launcher or ready a throwing axe or spear), so that's absolutely no better.

 

Dual-wielding rogues suffer the same penalties as warriors, so their minor action is almost invariably movement. Also, if they're using stealth, entering stealth mode is a major action, so they lose their attack.

 

Archers don't need to move, but they do need to load their weapons. Loading a crossbow is a major action, so archers with crossbows literally halve their rate of fire. If they get knocked prone, they lose their turn completely, and possibly their next as well, because they won't be able to load their bow or crossbow if they're on their butts, and if they have a loaded crossbow when they go down, it won't still be loaded when they drop. 

 

Mages don't need to move to cast most spells, and Arcane Lance is a ranged weapon. I have a hard time imagining how directing mana can be done without mustering it first. Plus, if mages are knocked prone, they already have a weapon they can use in combination with getting up: Arcane Lance. Allowing them to cast from their more lethal arsenal without a minor action preparation seems a tad over-powered. At higher levels, mages can be a kind of "I Win" button anyway, so I don't want to tip the scales too much in favor of an already very powerful class.

 

So I'm going to cast an emphatic vote that spell preparation is a minor action.

 

How do the rest of you vote?

[berelinde]

Oh, and I forgot to mention this. I'm going to close the poll at the end of the current round of combat. Only votes cast before then get counted, so get your votes in, one way or another. Players of rogues and warriors get to vote, too, since game balance affects them just as much as it does mages.

 

(sigh) Yet another instance where the rule book fails to address a key gameplay element.

[berelinde]

I should also point out that spells where the movement part is implicit, Heroic Offense and Heal among others, would be unaffected by this ruling. They aren't ranged spells, they're touch spells. That implies that the caster will need to move to get to the target as part of the very spell description.

[BFace]

I should also point out that spells where the movement part is implicit, Heroic Offense and Heal among others, would be unaffected by this ruling. They aren't ranged spells, they're touch spells. That implies that the caster will need to move to get to the target as part of the very spell description.

With that bit of clarification, I'll toss my 2cp in now.

 

Before this morning, I was pretty adamantly for spell prep being a free action like talking.  In berelinde's first post, she brings up points that I hadn't thought about though, and while I am ALL for *our* mages to be overpowered (heh!), I am less excited about the enemy mages having the same advantage.

 

My only hesitation had been regarding spells like Heroic Offense and Heal. Both are spells I benefit from greatly, and would hate to have their usefulness cut in half basically.

 

As I understand the issue (and by all means, correct me if I'm missing something), making spell prep ("Laurelin gathers mana into her hand" or some such action, yes?) can be done in the same round as the spell being cast ("then she hurls a bolt of lightning at RandomEnemy_01", yes?) as long as they don't also move.

 

But for spells that require the caster to touch the recipient, that would not be the case.

 

If my understanding is correct, then I'm for making spell prep a minor action (As much, if not more, because I DO NOT want the enemy mages to be more yucky than they are.).  If I'm misunderstanding something, I reserve the right (until combat's over) to change my mind, if necessary. (I don't think I will, though.)

[berelinde]

To offer further clarification, I'm not trying to nerf casters. You'll still be able to prepare and cast a ranged spell in the same round, and you'll still be able to move and cast a touch spell in the same round. You just won't be able to do either of those *and* juggle fishbowls at the same time. Not that I expect melee combatants or archers to juggle fishbowls either (although I could see Mercuriel trying it...), but you get the idea.

 

The only two instances where this has been an issue is where the caster moved *more* than half their Speed as a minor action and then cast a ranged spell and where a caster got up from being knocked prone and then cast a ranged spell. To my mind, that's pushing the bounds of "minor action" a little beyond what I'd consider fair.

 

There are always going to be limits to what a character can accomplish in a single round, and there are always stunts to allow what might not otherwise be possible. Fast Casting will allow a mage to fire off two spells in a round just like the Rapid Reload/Lightning attack combo lets archers get off two attacks in a round, and the point cost is identical. Setting spell prep as a minor action brings spell casting in line with other forms of ranged combat, to potentially more devastating effect.

[Mahumia]

Sounds fair enough to let it be a minor action, as one can do either 1 minor, 1 major or 2 minor actions in one round anyway. It just prevents casters from jumping around like a happy bunny, whilst throwing fireballs around. I'd guess one has to concentrate when casting a spell, hence stand still. I do agree with making an exception for touch spells.

[mysteriouspast]

I completely agree with Mahumia, but my character doesn't cast spells. I'd like to hear from someone with a caster character, though...

[TreeHuggerHannah]

My only hesitation had been regarding spells like Heroic Offense and Heal. Both are spells I benefit from greatly, and would hate to have their usefulness cut in half basically.

 

I'd initially been strongly on the no side for exactly this reason, since it would affect the party as a whole rather than just the caster if there were more barriers to healing, and because these spells already required one minor action with the movement.

 

With the clarification that you're just talking about ranged spells, though, I have no problem with preparation being a minor action.

[berelinde]

Combat is almost over, but I'm going to leave this poll open until the mages have a chance to weigh in on it. Yes, it affects the whole party, but I'd like to hear from the mages, too.

 

And for goodness sake, don't be afraid to disagree. If you think it's a load of horse apples, say so! If you've got a good case for it, others might decide to change their votes.

[Lorien19]

I don't really mind either option to be honest.But I will agree that spell preparation would require some concentration from the spellcaster,so it fits better Rp wise if it's considered a minor action.