Registered Member #216
Joined: 4:06:25 am GMT 08/22/04
Posts: 75
Defensive casting mode negates those incredibly annoying attacks of opportunity. Especially when fighting more annoying assassins of various types with their death attacks. Ouch!
Registered Member #153
Joined: 4:47:39 pm GMT 06/21/04
Posts: 210
Usually, when casting a spell, you get an attack of opportunity against you.
If you fight a fighter, that means another incoming attack. Yawn. But if you fight a rogue, attack of opportunity means a free sneak attack...
Anyone playing rogues should nod approvingly now. Whenever a monster uses a potion, casts a spell or uses some ability, we smile bigtime.
Because as long as we survived it, the response is a in-your-face 8D10 sneak attack.
Defensive casting mode negates that pain. Any caster in defensive casting mode does not generate attacks of opportunities against him if he casts a spell. Think of it as the wizard knowing what's coming to him, and trying his best not to stand there like another galleon figure with a tarhet painted on him.
Downside, you say? Sure.
There is a DC 15 concentration skill check every time you cast a spell in defensive mode. If you fail the DC, the spell fails. That could be disastrous. So, most spellcasters should go for a ton of skillpoints in this. If you can beat a DC 15 every time, you're pretty much a mean lean fireball machine that doesn't have to worry too much about facing rogues in battle.
Combat casting helps in this department. But as you see, you really do not want to cast a spell in regular mode. Unless you're way in the back as a true caster should be [ Edited 11:40:05 PM 07/04/05 ]
Hundbert Registered Member #293
Joined: 1:22:43 am GMT 10/06/04
Posts: 3123
Indeed, but defensive casting mode is currently broken on all radial type spells. Protection from good/evil, the various shadow conjurations, etc. Have to be careful with these spells.
Registered Member #5
Joined: 6:48:49 pm GMT 02/16/04
Posts: 4184
Danner wrote ... If you fight a fighter, that means another incoming attack. Yawn. But if you fight a rogue, attack of opportunity means a free sneak attack...
And this is possibly the only decent advantage of spring attack (or some similar feat, I can't remember which one) although it was designed to allow you to move in combat without give AoOs (so you could literally leap in, attack and leap out more or less), I think it also stops you from giving AoOs when drinking potions etc.
Registered Member #153
Joined: 4:47:39 pm GMT 06/21/04
Posts: 210
There are two ways of avoiding attacks of opportunity that I know of. Spring attack is one of them. A character with spring attack will not generate attacks of opportunity while moving in and out of range of an enemy. This feat does not prevent attacks of opportunity when drinking potions, casting spells or other abilities, but it does allow a great freedom of movement in battle, and should be an ovbious choice for anyone wanting to play it safe. With this feat, you can actually escape battles! Run away, live another day and all that.
The better option would be tumble, though. Tumble is, however,only availvable to rogues and bards, but it's far superior - yet also more expensive. Whenever an attack of opportunity is caused (unless prevented by spring attack or concentration checks or whatnot), the character with tumble can make a DC 15 roll vs tumble. If he makes it, the attack of opportunity is negated. Regardless of what caused it. A skill roll does never fail on 1; meaning 15 ranks in tumble effectively negates any attacks of opportunity. And for every 5 base skill ranks, you get an additional +1 natural ac
Having both spring attack and tumble is redundant, however spring attack is available much sooner than 15 ranks in tumble is, and available to all classes. Spring attack is also a prerequisite for many cool feats. So having both isn't really a total waste.
One of these choices is a must for classes determined to stay in the fray while still moving about a lot. A rogue is all about moving in and out of the combat zone, helping his friends by taking out strategically important enemies with sneak attacks and still avoiding being in the front lines himself. A caster with tumble could potentially do this rogue strategy - with spells - it would be intresting, Especially for an evil cleric with reversed healing spells.
[ Edited 10:21:32 AM 07/05/05 ]
Registered Member #153
Joined: 4:47:39 pm GMT 06/21/04
Posts: 210
It does, I'm afraid. But 15 points of tumble will save you from that.
Of course, it won't save you from being flocked by a horde of angry goblin ninjas, each with sneak attack. If you do find yourself surrounded by those and low on health and doing the mistake on clicking the potion hotkey....
Without 15 tumble:
1. 8 goblins do attack of opportunity with sneak attack.
You die. No, seriously.
2. Then you drink your potion.
3. Then they have their regular turn. 1 goblin do a normal attack, seven goblins do a sneak attack.
4. An yes, you die.
With 15 tumble:
As above, without step 1.
Fear the goblin ninjas!
A better course of action would be to use a goblin blasting powder bag. You'll still blow up, but at least they'll go with you [ Edited 11:06:41 AM 07/05/05 ]
Registered Member #84
Joined: 6:55:49 pm GMT 03/28/04
Posts: 673
Tumble is also avaliable to Monks, Assassins and Shadowdancers.
It is not entirely redundant, however. A character with spring attack still sometimes evokes a Tumble check, for reasons beyond me. And besides the reasons stated earlier, Tumble also gives an AC bonus (+1 for every 5 base ranks) that stacks.
[ Edited 11:08:50 AM 07/05/05 ]
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