I figured the casting time for a spell remained the same unless you want to augment your caster level... which would mean you take a full round action to gather energy and then, on the next round, cast your spell. Is that it?
The Fast raze feat would allow you to cast the spell in the same round. Is this it? Do I get it???
But then, can you augment your level while preserving?
And if I get it, wouldn't a preserver usually have a harder time gathering energy, which would mean a longer casting time for them?
Maybe I missed part of the info, maybe it's not clear or maybe I'm just dumb.
So I confess, I've kept this in the dark from you guys all this time. I am ashamed.
I don't understand.Can anyone clear this up for me.
I MUST UNDERSTAND! Thanks!
PB
It works like this:
A wizard who defiles has what is called a defiling radius of five foot per spell slot level expended. Anyone within this radius (apart from the defiler) suffers a -1 penalty to all attack rolls, skill checks and saves for one round. Plant creatures suffer 2 hp damage per spell slot level.
A wizard who defiles can also spend more time gathering energy in order to gain a +1 bonus to caster level. This extends the casting time of the spell to one round (or adds a round to the casting time of spells with cast time already greater than one round). This also increases the defiling radius by five feet.
A wizard who defiles is immediately tainted and, if he defiles too much will eventually fail that Will save and become a defiler.
A defiler can take the various Raze feats and the various defiler prestige classes, which augment the basic benefits of defiling in various ways (such as increasing the penalty suffered for being in the defiling radius, or dealing more damage to plants). The Fast Raze feat allows you to reduce the time spent gathering extra energy - instead of extending the casting time of the spell to a full round, you only extend it to a full-round action (and are thus still able to take a 5' step, for example).
All arcane spellcasters reliant upon plant energy to cast spells will also enjoy or suffer bonuses or penalties to their spell save DCs and spellcaster level checks, dependent upon their terrain and irrespective of whether they are a defiler or a preserver.
The preserver was set to be the same as the PHB wizard, with all permutations coming from that point. So a preserver functions like a PHB wizard, along with the terrain modifiers. Terrain modifiers are generally the only way a preserver can boost his spells without defiling (feats notwithstanding).
A wizard who defiles has what is called a defiling radius of five foot per spell slot level expended. Anyone within this radius (apart from the defiler) suffers a -1 penalty to all attack rolls, skill checks and saves for one round. Plant creatures suffer 2 hp damage per spell slot level.
Yeah... Now that this subject come back, here is something I dont like and never will.
In my mind, Defiling magic (by peoples that arent dragon) suck the energy PLANT. And dragon magic can suck both plant and LIFE FORM energy.
I dont understand the -1 to att.roll., skill check and saves. This shouldnt be there, defiling magic casted by a non-dragon SHOULDNT affect the peoples.
I always said, at least, that if you have 2 or 3 defilers or let's say only one cast spells it become a DM nightmare of malus -1 -1 -1 everywhere.
I just hope that in the new conversion, some small changes will be done on this point. Thanks.
I imagine most athasians would be thinking "well if it can do that to a plant, can it affect me too?" And wouldnt want to hang around the 'blast radius'.
Also I just thought, Avangions would use life energy for their spells as well - just be more careful with it. But what happens if one of them defiles too much? Does he become a defiler and unable to advance as an avangion? does he travel down the opposite path to Oronis and become a Dragon? Can he redeem himself or is he tainted forever?
Yeah... Now that this subject come back, here is something I dont like and never will.
In my mind, Defiling magic (by peoples that arent dragon) suck the energy PLANT. And dragon magic can suck both plant and LIFE FORM energy.
I dont understand the -1 to att.roll., skill check and saves. This shouldnt be there, defiling magic casted by a non-dragon SHOULDNT affect the peoples.
I always said, at least, that if you have 2 or 3 defilers or let's say only one cast spells it become a DM nightmare of malus -1 -1 -1 everywhere.
I just hope that in the new conversion, some small changes will be done on this point. Thanks.
Although defiling had even in 2nd ed. an effect on living creatures, I must agree that a -1 penalty on attack rolls, skill checks and saves too much. I'd like to see a reintroduction of the penalty on initiative as it has been in 2nd ed.....but that's just me...and I can change this anyway.
AFAIK the penalty on attack, skill and save had been introduce to give defiling a benefit or an incentive (hope that's the right word) to defile. IIRC Jon himself once declared that this bonus doesn't show as the bonus as it had been thought, as it also effects the defiler's company. There had been a thread from him about this, but I can't remember what the result was...
Although defiling had even in 2nd ed. an effect on living creatures, I must agree that a -1 penalty on attack rolls, skill checks and saves too much. I'd like to see a reintroduction of the penalty on initiative as it has been in 2nd ed.....but that's just me...and I can change this anyway.
How would you impose that? Lowering someone's initiative after combat has started?
AFAIK the penalty on attack, skill and save had been introduce to give defiling a benefit or an incentive (hope that's the right word) to defile. IIRC Jon himself once declared that this bonus doesn't show as the bonus as it had been thought, as it also effects the defiler's company. There had been a thread from him about this, but I can't remember what the result was...
The defiling radius is both a curse and a blessing depending on where your enemies and allies are positioned. Therefore we added the option of extending the casting time of a spell to one full round to get +1 caster level. By the way, the Fast Raze feat will probably be changed to reduce this to a move action.
The defiling radius is both a curse and a blessing depending on where your enemies and allies are positioned. Therefore we added the option of extending the casting time of a spell to one full round to get +1 caster level. By the way, the Fast Raze feat will probably be changed to reduce this to a move action.
Do you mean that, with the feat, you will now cast the spell as quickly as normal and only need to expend a move action in order to get the +1 caster level boost instead of extending it to a full-round action? If so, it is weaker than the old Fast Raze (which allowed you a 5' step while defiling). Or do I not understand what you are saying at all? :D
How would you impose that? Lowering someone's initiative after combat has started?
That was the plan...the pain creatures suffer while being within the defiling radius "distracts" them so they don't act as fast as they normally would. However the pain doesn't stop someone action, it just "delays" it. (btw. can an initiative count be lower then 1?)
I thought the precedence was set by Sadira while she was with her mentor under the city of Tyr. Being chased by Templars, she reached up towards the lichens and such above her and defiled. The lichens and such ashed and a desicated bat-like creature fell to the ground, apparently killed by Sadira's actions. She said to herself "Jeesh, I'm glad so-and-so didn't notice that!" (As you can see, I'm quoting directly...)
So the options, as I see them are:
A. The bat-like creature was already dead, possibly killed by carnivorous lichen.
B. The bat-like creature was some sort of mammalian/vegetation hybrid creature.
C. Sadira's act of Defiling killed the creature.
My opinions:
A. Possible and kind of cool. But, I seem to remember that Sadira was certain that her act of defiling killed the bat-thing. On the other hand, I don't remember if it was described in the author's voice or the character's voice. If it was the character's voice, I guess we could assume that the character was an idiot. Sadira just didn't know any better.
B. Kinda lame. It's a stretch.
C. I think this is what the author wanted to imply, which means that the act of defiling does have an affect on living, non vegetative beings. Perhaps the bat-like creature was already weakened, perhaps defiling kills tiny creatures and adversly affects medium sized creatures.
I'm not saying that the fit with the rules is perfect. I'm not saying that the rules are bad either. I'm not suggesting any changes....
I'm just running off at the fingers...
A. The bat-like creature was already dead, possibly killed by carnivorous lichen.
It is option A, although I only have a german translated version that states something of a skeleton of a long deceased creature, I guess it would be similiar in the english original one. Additionially they looked up and that's where Ktandeo saw that Sadira was defiling.
But this also makes me wonder why Agis and Ktandeo didn't notice it, as they also should be somehow in her defling radius and would suffer of her action
It is option A, although I only have a german translated version that states something of a skeleton of a long deceased creature, I guess it would be similiar in the english original one.
I have the english version and that was my impression as well. The bat was either eaten by the lichen, or it just came loose as the plants around it died (lack of roots causes erosion :D).
But this also makes me wonder why Agis and Ktandeo didn't notice it, as they also should be somehow in her defling radius and would suffer of her action
I'll have to look in my old books. I never though that defiling from plants ever affected other players who where near. Perhaps they felt revulsion for the act, but nothing really physical.
I always believed that the advantage of the defiler was simply that they advanced faster through the leves plus could empower their spells for stroger results. And that was it.
Do you mean that, with the feat, you will now cast the spell as quickly as normal and only need to expend a move action in order to get the +1 caster level boost instead of extending it to a full-round action? If so, it is weaker than the old Fast Raze (which allowed you a 5' step while defiling). Or do I not understand what you are saying at all?
Hmm. Didn't consider that the 5 foot step is lost. Good catch. I wanted to avoid the confusion related to the terms "full-round action" and "full round", but forgot that the 5 foot step could be lost. As you probably know, a full-round action is fully executed on your turn, while a full round is the time from the beginning of your turn to the beginning of your next turn. Hmm, the feat will probably remain unchanged.
Hmm. Didn't consider that the 5 foot step is lost. Good catch. I wanted to avoid the confusion related to the terms "full-round action" and "full round", but forgot that the 5 foot step could be lost. As you probably know, a full-round action is fully executed on your turn, while a full round is the time from the beginning of your turn to the beginning of your next turn. Hmm, the feat will probably remain unchanged.
I believe that if you never actually take an action in which you move your position, you can take a five-foot-step on your turn. So taking a standard action to cast a spell and then a move-equiv to make it more powerful should still give you a five-foot-step. At least, that's how I think it reads. Skip/the FAQ might have changed it, or I might not be remembering correctly.
Regardless, I think upping casting time to a full round is easier than adding a move-equiv action. As far as clarity is concerned, I think the PHB uses "full action" and "1-round action" to differentiate between the two types of actions.
Pneumatik
Let us pause a moment and bow in respect to the Kank That Cannot Die.... :D
It works like this:
Thanks for the much needed insight!!!
It seems it wasn't such a dumb question after all since it brought so many replies on the subject. I would suggest making the rules on defiling a little clearer in the new conversion, if it's possible.
Thanks again,
PB
I believe that if you never actually take an action in which you move your position, you can take a five-foot-step on your turn. So taking a standard action to cast a spell and then a move-equiv to make it more powerful should still give you a five-foot-step. At least, that's how I think it reads. Skip/the FAQ might have changed it, or I might not be remembering correctly.
Pneumatik has it - I also forgot that you are due a 5' step if you make no move at all :D
It seems it wasn't such a dumb question after all since it brought so many replies on the subject.
Not a dumb question at all (I asked something similar when the rules first came out) - just a frequent one
Yeah... Now that this subject come back, here is something I dont like and never will.
In my mind, Defiling magic (by peoples that arent dragon) suck the energy PLANT. And dragon magic can suck both plant and LIFE FORM energy.
I dont understand the -1 to att.roll., skill check and saves. This shouldnt be there, defiling magic casted by a non-dragon SHOULDNT affect the peoples.
Defiling has affected the peoples since the original Dark Sun boxed set. Which is to say, it has never not had an effect on characters caught in the defiling radius.
I agree with Jon that the initiative penalty used in 2E doesn't make much sense given the changes to initiative in 3E (also, it would be too much of a headache, as you'd have to keep track of everyone's original initiative number).
i all ways thout that the faster leveling was a big thing as is why give them more
There is no more "faster leveling" in 3E. Every class uses the same experience table.
Flip, where's that board FAQ? *kick in the gnads*
Ow! Okay, I'm working on it. And I'm also trying to figure out how to do the whole ... you know, 26 hour day thing. I'm already shooting up caffiene crystals, so there's not much sleep to sacrifice.