From: jcarl@jabba.ess.harris.com (Joe Carl Jr.)
Subject: Re: spells in combat
Organization: Harris Corporation - ISD
Date: Thu, 5 Nov 1992 18:14:35 GMT

In <RANNOU.92Nov4050312@watson.info.polymtl.ca> Rannou@info.polymtl.ca (Patrick Rannou) writes:

>>   1) Why can't I fish for more spell components and go later in the round.

>BECAUSE "later" is THE NEXT ROUND. Gee, is this guy trying to find
>loopholes in plain sheets or what?

Next Round, Aw come on. I cast a magic missile.  A simple 1 segment spell
No spell components, just a point of the finger and verbal "ZAP" and the spell
is done.  Are you trying to tell me it takes a full minute to rethink that
spell.  Jeeze That sounds abit exessive to me.  


>>   2) Why can I draw a weapon and attack this round [If I'm in range of a
>>      dagger he's in range of a dart] and attack at my initiative. [drawing
>>      a weapon takes a negligible amount of time.]

>Gee, I'll reapeat myself: THIS round you were trying to cast a spell and
>got hit before managing to cast your spell and it fizzled. You *were* doing

Again if I'm not concentrating on a spell any more why can't I do something
else.
A fighter can move and attack all in the same round.  If I'm not casting
any more, I should be able to do something beside stand there and take it.
Hell, If I'm concentrating on something real hard and then someone sneaks
up behind me and yells "BOO".  Sure my concentration is blown but I'll
guarentee you the person who scare me jumped back as I swung around quickly
to fend off the surprise.


>3- INITIATIVE: Each player roll D10+ factors. This is the segments where
>the character ACTS. For mages, this is the segments where the spell goes
>off, but CONCENTRATION starts at segment 1. i.e. casting a magic missile
>SOES NOT take 1 segment to cast. It takes D10+1 segments. i.e. casting time
>is very variable when in a combat situation because the mage's action will
>determine how fast he can cast his spell.

Wrong!!  Magic Missle does only take 1 segment to cast.  the D10 tells you
when you best chance for attack occurs.  Your concentration may be blown
but why should it fizzle you have done anything yet!
And again why should your lack of concentration on a spell affect your
ability to throw a dart.
It's not like the mage is going to do tremendous damage with a dart.
He might get lucky and seriously hurt a Kobold.  Especially at higher
levels.  Like a dart is really going to hurt a troll.
What this really does is allow the player to do something beside flub up.
Even though he's not accomplishing much, He feels like he is!

>I use 10 to 20 seconds rounds (or whatever is appropriate to the
>roleplaying situation at hand).

Now this sounds like you didn't like the rules either and modified them
yourself!!
Which is it do you follow the rules as stated or do you make up your own.
If your making up your own rules, you shouldn't be flaming others who follow
the rules and are trying to figure out the mechanics.  A simple "We
didn't like that aspect either, so this is what we did about it" would
have sufficed



>--
>/---------------------------\
>| Patrick "Paradak" Rannou. |
>| Rannou@info.polymtl.ca    |
>\---------------------------/
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Joe Carl Jr.       jcarl@jabba.ess.harris.com
-- 
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Joe Carl Jr.       jcarl@jabba.ess.harris.com
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd