Magic parries

[Veknironth]

Well, I was wondering what the mechanics would be for parrying an incoming attack with a spell. Depending on the magic rules you use, a lot of spells can be cast in one action. That would imply to me that something like Energy Field would work the same as TK Forcefield or TK trying to parry. The same would work for a Warlock wall or other barrier spells.

If so, would there be any bonus to parry? TK Forcefield offers none, but TK offers a +4. Would that work for any attack? If someone is in melee combat could the caster erect a barrier as a parry? Would there be a difference for ranged attacks? An arrow moves too quickly to see, but something thrown seems like it would be a guarantee to parry if you put a wall of some sort between you and it. I guess the idea is you don't react quickly enough, but if that's the case would you actually lose the attack of casting the spell? Why would you continue to cast when there is no chance of it working?

-Vek
"Yes, it would move your attack up in the initiative order."

[drewkitty ~..~]

I don't know of any text covering this specific situation.

Looking at this as a GM I would (single APM spells only being stipulated) rule that, to start, only spells that can be dodged would be able to be parried, and then the same limitations on the dodge wouuld apply to doing a magical parry.

If I was feeling mean, I'd ether make the magic parry cost xx% more than normal, or the parry taking up the char's next two Turns (-2 APM) in the fight.

[Soldier of Od]

Well, I was wondering what the mechanics would be for parrying an incoming attack with a spell. Depending on the magic rules you use, a lot of spells can be cast in one action. That would imply to me that something like Energy Field would work the same as TK Forcefield or TK trying to parry. The same would work for a Warlock wall or other barrier spells.

If so, would there be any bonus to parry? TK Forcefield offers none, but TK offers a +4. Would that work for any attack? If someone is in melee combat could the caster erect a barrier as a parry? Would there be a difference for ranged attacks? An arrow moves too quickly to see, but something thrown seems like it would be a guarantee to parry if you put a wall of some sort between you and it. I guess the idea is you don't react quickly enough, but if that's the case would you actually lose the attack of casting the spell? Why would you continue to cast when there is no chance of it working?

-Vek
"Yes, it would move your attack up in the initiative order."

I am feeling mean, so I would not allow somebody to cast a spell, psionic power or similar ability as a defensive action unless the description specifically says it can be, such as with telekinetic forcefield. If it were allowed, it would follow that you could also cast a spell as a simultaneous attack, which I don't believe is the intent, and as a whole, could be abused just to enable you to cast any spell you like "as a defensive action" just to bypass the initiative order.

If you did allow this sort of thing as a house rule, just use the rules outlined under telekinetic forcefield - roll a parry. No bonus. Whether a particular spell would be possible/practical would be a judgement call on the GM's part depending on each individual situation. Regardless of whether you succeed or fail to defend, you have still completed the casting of the spell - you can't choose to stop in the middle of a dodge or parry because you failed your roll! If the die is cast, the spell is cast

[Prysus]

Greetings and Salutations. So a few things ...

1: I would not allow a magic spell (in most cases) to be activated as a defensive action, but I would allow a psionic (such as Telekinetic Force Field). Why? Because psionics are done at the speed of thought, while invocations require spoken words. Or, to put it differently, you can think faster thank you can actually speak. Consider the scenario of someone throwing a punch at your face. Do you think you'll have time to see it and think "Oh crap!" or wish you had some way to defend yourself? Whether or not you're fast enough to actually defend is irrelevant. On the other hand, do you think you can say "Klaatu barada nikto" or "Abracadabra" before the first already coming at your face hits you? Yes, a low level spell might only take 2 or 3 seconds to cast, but do you think it takes less time or more time for that fist to hit your face? I'm of the mind that the punch already coming at you is faster than 2 or 3 seconds. Do you think you can say those words faster than an arrow or a thrown knife already coming at you? I'm still thinking no. Because spell casting requires spoken words, it's just too slow to work as a reflexive action to something already coming at you.

2: In the case of a defensive action, such as Telekinetic Force Field (or maybe a situation where an enchanted object can cast a spell with a thought), this can be done in place of a parry, but it is not a free action. More accurately, it takes place of the defensive action such as Dodge or Entangle, or a Parry without hand to hand training. This means it costs 1 action (your next action) to use.

3: If you tried to cast a spell as a defense regardless of the above, and you get hit before finishing casting the spell, then the spellcaster has been effectively interrupted. Without looking at my books directly, I believe you lose no P.P.E. However, you'd still have lost the action in the attempt to defend. I'd have to double check the rules to be sure, but from memory alone that's how it would work.

Hope some of that helps. Farewell and safe journeys.