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    Speeding up combat; War Spells

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    Download as pdf
    171 views12 pages

    Dragon Magazine - 309

    Uploaded by

    No Wai
    Speeding up combat; War Spells

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF or read online from Scribd
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    SHUT UP AND ROLL! Ways To 15: ‘ombat by Carla Harker Speed Up PLAYER |: “I cast magic missile at the orc.” PLAYER 2: “No, don’t do that! The fighters will take him out easily. Use one of your darts.” PLAYER !: “Ohyokay.\I’m, going to use a poison- tipped dart. Let me look up the damage this kind of poison does.” PLAYER 3: “Hey, I reloaded my crossbow at the end of my last turn.” PLAYER 4: “Yeah, and I wanted to take my 5- foot step.” DM: “So, whose turn is it anyway?” 34 July 2003, jombat is an important part of the Ge rules, but lets face i, even #h€ tnost experienced players and DMS can spend farstoo long resolving ‘the actions in a round. Such delays can lead to frustrating: game experiences because the characters can't achieve as much as they would if combat were ‘resolved more efficiently. {F the above exchange sounds famil- iar, try some of the suggestions pre~ sented below for speeding up combat in your game. Some are for players, some are for DMs, and some are for every one at the table. FOR PLAYERS Any player can use the following tech- niques to speed combat along. Try them and see how much more your charac- ters can get done during a game session. before it's your tur. Don't chat, nap, or stare off into space while waiting for your turn; pay attention to what others are doing, You shouldn't | Know what you're going to do have to ask, “OK, who's stil alive? Who's this guy? When did he run up to me? Make use of the time between turns by ‘analyzing the battlefield and coming up with a plan of attack. When you don’ pay attention, you force everyone else 40 wait while you catch up. Don’t offer suggestions to other players unless they request advice. Encouraging suggestions from others can turn every round of combat into a committee decision. Some players lke to suggest actions that might benefit their own characters more than they benefit the group. Others suggest only actions that fit in with their partic~ lar styles of play. But players should never feel pressured to play a certain ‘way; its the diversity of styles that adds spice to a gaming group. When someone asks for ideas, responses should be brief, and the DM should step in if the process is faking 100 long or it seems that the player is being pressured to make decisions according fo the standards of others. Write down the descriptions of your character's skill, feats, and spells, and attach those notes to your character sheet. Ever have an exchange like the following during a game? Player 1: “Tin going 10 cast veil.” DM: “Whats the duration, and does it have a saving throw?” Player 1: “Um, I don’t know. Let me ook it up.” ‘Some DMs might have every detail of every spell in the game memorized, but i's unreasonable to expect that. IF you attach the descriptions of your charac- ter’s skils, feats, and spels to the char= acter sheet, you won't have to make everyone wait while you page through the Player's Handbook in search of information about how they work. Some DMs might not want you to bring all your books to the gaming rable anyway. Don’t communicate in-game information if your character is Tot in the area, is unconscious, or otherwise would not be able 10 speak. Suppose the paladin visits her deity’s temple and therefore misses out when the rest of the party gets into a braw/ at the local tavern. Since she can't provide her last potion of cure light wounds to the now-unconscious monk, she shouldn't be able to suggest that the fighters drag the monk to safety either. In the same vein, the ‘monk should not ask someone fo rescue her while she's unconscious. IF a particular combat is going to last for a long time, the DM might wish to waive this rule so that players who are ‘out of the picture won' be bored. For the most part, however, if cireumstances exist in the game that would prevent a real person from speaking to comrades, the same limitation applies to your PC. 2,284 B.C: The Divine Edict Ding his Hating, Sargon conquers al oF ‘Mesopotamia and mos of is bordering nations, Fighing no Fewer than thiry-foer wars withoa! loss. After his ca, his chlsien take on the thant of din'y 2s part of ther rule power, Their claim of dine hertge allows the Sargonids to orgeniae and accomplish many great undertk- ings, bo domestically end miliary, However, “vine eis” also become noorious 09 excuses for fervent believes to commit increible atrock- tes intherrames of ther dees, 2,250 B.C The Composite Bow During the reign of Naram-Sin, the last great Tuler of the Sargorid Dynasty, the most probably your friend, and at least to some extent, a game is a social perfectly natural thing to do, But when tions while he's trying to run a combat, If your PC spent as much time deci course of action as many players do, your PC would be ai pile of goo in no time. the excessively demanding one or the fone whose turn it is. Not only is forcing such a choice discourteous to both the DM and the other players, it gets the DM off track. He is the one person who absolutely must pay attention dur- ing each combat round, so if he gets distracted, play invariably slows down. Don't overanalyze. Making plans while waiting for your turn is a good habit, but analyzing every last detail might not be productive. Player 1: “Well if I cast that spel, won't I provoke an attack of opportu- nity? Where is he? Can he reach me from there? It looks lie fm 3 feet away from him. How many hit points does he stil have? Does he-" Player 2: “For the love of Tempus, you're soth level and i's one Kobold! Just attack it” I's easy to waste time trying to think of every possibilty and completely ignore the obvious. What would you do if you really were the character in the above situation? Would you cast the spell? IF an ankheg were looming over you, having already killed your horse, how much time would you spend trying devasslng weapon yer is developed. Made of bone, wood, and animal sinew, the composite bow & 2 weapon of incredible power, capable ‘of launching arrays thr car punch ‘hrough an ‘enemys leather armor at 309 yards, The Sumerians use the compose bow 10 deedly cect, raising the lthary of mass combat by at easton order of magnitude, Their success ensures thatthe composite Low has a place n every major conc for the next two mlenni 2,193 BCE: The Fall of sumeria ‘The ast Sargonid ruler, Naran-Si’s son, is asssieled. Sumeria crumbles, 2nd the area Tein ina constant stare of war wth no real Unty forthe next mens, to decide whether you should roll avay from it, attack it, or cower and hope it thinks you're dead? If your PC spent as much time deciding on a course of action as many players do, he would be 2 pile of goo in no time. Pretend i's you in the situation described and react. Don't worry i it's not the statistically best thing you could have done-the game will be more realistic that way. Not ling ona C > fe only does overatiayzing slow down play, it also ruins the suspension of disbelief that’s so important in a game setting Ulimately, it's the DM who is responsible for maintaining the pacing of a game. The following suggestions can help keep the action moving. Don't allow a character to act out of turn. You're in charge of your game, s0 i's up to you to decide what the characters can and can't do. Players offen forget what they wanted to do or think of free actions their charac- rers should have taken after their turns are over=for example, the player of the party rogue might decide after her turn that she wanted to reload her crossbow. You might be tempted to go ahead and allow such afterthoughts as a courtesy to your players, but this sort of gen- erosity can quickly cause the situation to get out of hand. A constant stream of free actions and backup actions men- tioned out of turn disrupts the flow of combat and distracts everyone. Soon, no one can remember whose turn was next. Free actions are indeed free, bur they SUnEEnSEEIENEnnninmmmememmmnmemenemmememneneeeeee ‘The fall of Sumeria and the subsquent dis- pers ofits paople spreads Sumerian utr, ‘ustoms, and mary advancemen's far od ‘vides Al he ivizedresfons of the word gin {rom the knowledge of he fallen empire, 2,000 B.C: The Celtic Migrations The mary poser ro he Cla ban ingraing from eastern Europe and the Middle ‘East, probebly to avoid war in the Mesopotamian reglon, Trade allows many of these proto-Cele tribes fo sort Sumerian knowledge and ils, including she secrets of bronzesmifing, Slowly, the barborin 1nbes in Europe and Asta beg to ‘gion superior weapons and become forces 10 be reckonad wi, wwepaizo.comidragon 35 ‘must happen on the character's turn. Only ifthe rules say a particular action ‘can be initiated outside the character's turn should you allow itand there are precious few such actions. Demonstrate the action. Using miniatures and terrain provides you with an easy way fo show players how combat is unfolding. So act ut the battle scene for them. Explain fo the player exactly what her charac~ ter sees when the ankheg is looming over her prone body. The better play- cers understand what's going on, the faster they can make decisions about their characters’ actions Push for commitment. Sometimes players just have trouble with ‘commitment, especially when they have alot of options. Player 1: ‘Tm thinking of atacking the wraith with my dagger.” DM: “Roll fo see i you hit. Does the dagger have any magical properties?” Player 1 °No, wat! Maybe 1 should cast Melfs acid arrow instead" DM: “OK, roll your atrack.” Player 1: ‘No, no. Im just thinking about it. How about magic missile instead?” DM: “Which is it?” Some players make a habit of speak ing their ideas aloud without ever com- mitting fo one course of action. Sometimes they doit to feel you out—to see what your reaction isto their sug gestions. Other times, they doit because they’re really not sure what to do. her prone body. 1,994 BCE: The First Asian Empire Ate thousands of yeas of interment warfare ‘aneng smal seements the first dynasty of rulers emerges in Asia. But the Xia Dynasty's hold on tis fervtory tenuous a best, since constant vasions from barbarians tothe north gp is conta in constant ox Chinese martial innovations begin coming to igh obit 32 tme, Eventual te Asians! _adioncements are shared wth nations 10 the west. 1,900 BCE: The Discovery of ron. Tha development of ironworking by the Hires In Anatoli modern-day Turkey begin 052 ‘modest undertaking, Iron inthis eras worth 36 July 2003 Whatever the reason, if the habit gets cout of hand, you must be willing to stop it by saying, “OK, that’s what you did.” However, if you do decide to take this route, be sure to warn your players beforehand that you're going to con. sider whatever they first say to be what their characters are saying or doing. Alternatively, you can tell your play ers that not making a decision in a rea- sonable amount of time will result in that character spending his or her turn frozen in indecision. Having characters lose turns when their players can't Explain to the player exactly what her char- acter sees when the ankheg looming over decide on actions is a very harsh solu- tion, though, so consider how bad the problem is and whether your group might respond to a gentler tactic before you implement this one. Don't be afraid to wing it. Don't [Qesicesiess that your players have time 10 run to the loca pizza palace for the buf= fet. IF i's not an issue you can resolve quickly. make an on-the-spot decision and stick with it.I you later find out you were wrong, change the rule after the game, or at least after that combat. But don't go back and replay that battle or modify the outcome. Furthermore, don't let your players argue their rules points into the ground during combat. Such discussions only serve to slow down the game and frustrate those who want to get on with it, Make a house rule that everyone must save rules-lawyering for after the game. sore thn gold sat Used pamary for jeneley at fis Alhough onworkersaikcky {evel the alls to ke wespons, on sbaggers ae considered ile mare than precios arto. eanwh, na age between the na Mesopotamian eiy-sates of Babylon and Ashu, ‘ad he Hes aren the thick ff Bu despite the deadly pois ofthe uation an eit on vere spstns th His manage to pos ton thenatves as raers and bul ava car tne empire ha! sethes From Mesopeamia {> the Medteranan and ester Europe ‘iregh ther rade, thy srasd many o he advanced weapons ofthe Mesoptanian reson fo other parts a the Medteranaan. Traugh Get the players to help you look ] | up rules. If there's a disputed issue and you simply can't come up with an on-the-spot ruling that sounds fair, have all the players pull ut their Player's Handbooks and ‘Dunacon Masrer’s Guides and help you find the answer. Six heads are better than one, and i's likely that someone in your group remembers reading about a specific applicable rule or example at some time. Joint issue resolution is a _good way to get your players involved in the game, and it has the edded bene- fit of giving them more exposure to the rules. (Just don’t let them bicker if they find conflicting examples.) If you hold ‘enough joint rules searches, your group might not have to look up as many roles in the furure. The following suggestions apply to everyone at the gaming table, players, and DM alike. Come prepared. For a player, ] adequate preparation means having your character's com- bat statistics noted in a format that's easy for you to read, having your dice con the table, and having everything you need to play nearby. For the DM, proper advance prepa- ration means ensuring that all your monsters’ statistics are calculated and handy, that you've read the adventure completely, and that you have an approximate idea of what should hap- pen when. Experienced DMs realize that you can never be prepared ‘enough, but the less offen you have to hit the books, the more time you can spend grabbing the players’ attention with your exciting battles. ‘al they succeed in Keeping the ar of ron- Smihing secret, 1,800 BCE: The Bronze Age in Europe: Bronzesnthing now stars fo become common- lave in Europe. The weapons crested in this ptt ofthe weld ar substandard compared wh those ma nthe Mido Est, but the skill ofthe European bronzesmiths continues Tavolve, The impact of the Bronze Age's arrival in Europe i as profound ast was in the Mile Ess. The Use of bronze fer fools andl weapons ‘lows the tribes of Europe to organiza, grow ‘more civized, and become dealer opponents. pee Te ees coe Leena ee sn aa, sEreun ese pecs Cia tae Peuager es ie eens eee cee Soe ara damage had he only scored a hit. I 4°. the Golden Rule. Try 0 eliminate habits that distract ‘other players, such as compul- sive dice roling. Don't get up from the table right before your turn unless it's an emergency. Turn off your cell phone. In other words, treat your fellow players as you would like to be treated, I all else fails, use a timer. If Jong time to finish their turns, a timer can speed things along without forcing the DM to decide arbitrarily \when each player's time is up. If you haven't made a decision by the time the timer rings, your character stands around for that turn, uncertain what 10 do. The amount af time allotted to each player should be fair but not unduly long. It isnt necessary to limit every- one to 6 seconds just because thas the length of a round; the average player does need more time than that fo come up with a plan of action. Start with 30 seconds per player and add or subtract time as needed until everyone is comfortable with the system. Although it sounds eminently fai, tim- ing combat rounds should be a last resort. Whether you use a stopwatch 1,740 BCE: The Fall ofthe Middle Kingdom ‘The Egyptian Enpire’s najurl borders have ‘prevented invasions for more than a thousand ‘years, Wirh only minor uprisings inside is ‘awn borders to challenge its armies, Egypt as had ne reason fo upgrade its miltary prowess. The soldiers who make up is infanry year 0 ‘armor and are sil armed primary with sin- ple Baws, sfone maces, stone axes, and a pre- ‘lous Few bronze weapons. Peace hes ade Exypt ripe for conquest. ‘Sweeping down from Canaan in the Middle Ens, the Hyksos invade Lower Egypt from the horthe The invaders wear the best bronze and Teather armor of the era and wield penetrating axes and short bronze swords. Their tactics hidden behind the DM's sereen or an hourglass set out for everyone to see people always feel pressured when such a system isin place, Furthermore, most people make more mistakes when they know they're being timed than they ‘would otherwise. Discontinue any of these techniques that they end up decreasing the fun of the game. Ths final suggestion isthe most important one ofall None of these techniques are worth using if they make ‘everyone miserable. f the group truly enjoys commiitee-style combat, keep IF the players insist that they must be able to speak while their characters are Unconscious, then so be it, DEID is a ‘game, and as such the important issue is ‘whether everyone is having fun, And that means everyone-both the person who enjoys analyzing his character's every move and the one who doesn't like to wait 45 minutes for her next turn. The trick is to find a middle ground where everyone can enjoy the game, © Oa ica vaanrea ee UC ead ne role-play at the "Speed of Light" Voyager Gara, ne hae Creed ew thy deta ampion Sting when accoosod ‘ata tht he an book rod The slow (picker access ct ‘Momation na rate lol ay. Ralaed ploces of ‘ratio ean be Secesee gly, ely cou we eine ot lated data together Cur fle" elt (oma on cur ebsta www.voyagergames.com have been forged in the pressure cooker of Mesopotamia, Most important, they ride in Single-avle war chariots lined with quivers of arrows and use composite bows that can kil Egypilan infantry at three times the range of the antiquated Egyprian simple bow. The ‘maneaverobisty of the chariots on the flat battleleids of Egypt proves to be the downfall Of the Egyptian troops, who are unable fo engage or return fire against thelr attackers ‘The Middle Kingdom fall, and the face of Ezy i forever changed. 1,600 BCE: The Rise of the Mycenaeans (h th Greck peninsula, the Mycenacens bulls ‘vast commercial empire and an advanced ulin, Their miliary power is substandard compared to thal of thir Mesopotamian elghors, ut because of their central fea= tion, they manage to dominate the area, Using routes established in building thelr vast vrading empire they bagin to spread thelr cure, offen by force, thrauhout the northern Mediterranean region. Mycenaean soldiers are outfitted wih bronze armor and spears and carry large ound shields called hoplons. The soldiers themselves become knawn as hopes, ater these shields wwwpaizo.comidragon 37 by Sean K Reynolds - illustrated by Mike Vilardi egends abound of wiz ards single-handedly burning entire armies to J ash, sinking islands, carv- ing passes through mountains, or raising legions of the dead. Druids create volcanoes, evil priests infect entire cities with mummy rot, and holy champions of good banish fiends from every corner of the world. What few realize is that although magic of this scale normally requires a spell- caster of significant experience, meth= ods do exist for accomplishing such wonders with less power, albeit in a lim: ited Fashion. ‘While many spells in the Player's Handbook (such as fireball, lightning bo, cloudkil, and meteor swarm), are suitable for use in large battles, true scholars of the arcane recognize a small group of specialized spells cre- ated specifically for military use. These so-called war spels are dificult to cast and require expensive components, but they also affect many more creatures ‘and much greater areas than other spells of the same levels do. A war spel has the war descriptor and requires specialized knowledge to cast (see Casiing War Spells, below). Although “war” is not a school or subschool of magic, there are spellcasters who choose fo focus their arcane studies on war spells, just as there are those who prefer fire magic of all kinds and those who focus on spells that call upon evil powers or darkness. WHAT MAKES A SPELL ‘A. WAR SPELL? ‘A war spel is more complex than a conventional spell of the same spel level, and its effects are correspond- ingly greater in magnitude. While a typi- cal conventional spell affects an area no greater than about 1.200 square feer (a 2o-foot-radius spread at ground level, such as a fireball would produce), a war spell typically affects about 10,000 square feet (approximately a 60-Foot- radius spread at ground level, or a square 100 feet on a side) ‘While significant increases in scale can be accomplished via metamagic feats (such as Widen Spell which increases a spal's numeric measurements by 100% ai.a cost of +3 spel levels), even this, ‘technique cannot usually make a conven tional spell match a war spel in scab ‘example, a fireball i +3 levels), but its Falls well short of the"6o- i spread typical for a war’ Spe ‘War spells achiove their dramatic increases in scale through several means. Most require complex rituals that signficamly increase the casing times, a8 well as elaborate and expen- sive material components to harness the necessary magical energy Despite hav- ing a dramatically increased area and range, a war spell is usually close to the spell level of a similar conventional spell. For example, the war spall rling ref very similar to flaming sphere except on a larger scale and yet roting fire is only one level higher than its conven- tional counterpart. CASTING WAR SPELLS The acquisition and casting of a spell with the war descriptor requires spe- {,000 BCE: Slege Warfare and Cavalry ‘Assjia, now on of the doninant powers in ‘Mesopotamia, begins a campaign of conquest. lis struggle for supremacy ebbs und lows for te certuries, bur is mifary leaders make ‘enormous srdes i the development of rw strategies and technologies. (During tis pried. the Assyrians develop the first mechanical siege weapon-the whesled bat= {ering rar. They also introduce the use of cav- ‘ey in warfare, although the rst cavalry units -achieve only limited effectiveness because the leek of strups makes riders foo unsitle 10 use their weapons to best advantage, Ths, inaniry remains the dominast force on the bali 44 July 2003 859 BCE: Mounted Invantry Uncle the leadership of Ashunasipal I Assyria conquers northern Mesopotamia and ihe ofher lands between there and he Medierranean Sea, His rutlessness toward those who oppose bin becomes lagandary a he orders mass bshead- Ings, aying of enemies, and the enpaling of whole ies, The Assyrian miary now the peas in the word. Ashunasirpats troops use ron sickle ‘saords and bronze armen; and their chariot heels are prorecte wih brenze and copper Srmor But It sone of their simpler aivance= Iients-the closed-oe Boot-that proves integral fo thar sucess. Other armies ofthis era wear ‘open sandals, which ae prone to wea, lave the foo! open to damage in comb, end ae ussess in cough weather and harsh terrain, Te closed ‘ce boots of the Assyrian solders allow them to march in any conditions, bring war to thelr nema wher it least expected For the fist finein hisory, a truly integrated army takes the fll, The Assyrian miary includes a the elamenis of a modern erm: inganry, archers acing os ranged suppor, war chariots acing as moble essa ptierms and anspor for heavy infanry, and cavalry units acting as mabe slrmishers A superb logsnica Cofps, complete with weaponsmihs and mele paie eas for chaos, backs the miltary dic Sons o erate the mest fearsome force to date. fe cialized knowledge if he form Of the War Magic Study feat. A spelleasier with this feat may acquire war spells 25, if they were normal spells of the same spell levels (that i, a wizard may choose war spells as the two free spells she ‘gains at each level, or she may research them or acquire them from scrolls; bards and sorcerers use their normal slots for spells known; clerics acquire them by prayer, and so forth), A caster with the War Magic Study feat can use 783 BCE: The Founding of Rome “he at of Rome founded by te egondary Rous. lan cytes he region adopt 2 Gracinspire culture from Greek clones that are areaty place on the ae pina, Sears to care the Roman ery model act er ha fhe Gress. 730 B.CE: The Assyrians’ Siege Warfare [Acsyri’s seasoned warriors bagi fo expand is borders through eecive use of sege warfare. ‘Singers and archers provide combined cover fire fo protect siege ear while they bul tarthen romps un tothe als oftheir enemes, Teams of erowbar-wleling solders perched on wooden siege rowers and scaling ladders pull 2 Wat spel Ike anfothen'Spel. A wer Spell uses a nofial spl Sot of its level for the punpose of, A: known, spell preparation, and/Spellcasting. A war spell may be algmented by metamagic feats ust ike a normal spell. War spell do not appear on any class spell st for characters without the War Magic Study fear. Casting a war spell requires more preparation than casting a normal spel. The caster must have surveyed the foose rocks directly from the walls fh conjunc tion with 3 powerful battering tam, which is. protected from bowfire by leather hides, sap~ pers destroy walls from their foundations. ‘Assyria feared by nations and independent Ciiyesaies ale: Under King Tiglth-Plese is orces conquer Damascus, Syra rael and ‘eventually the Independent state of Babylon, ‘Assyta contals is muticural feudal empire by dlplocing native peoples and forcing them io sete in newty conquered resfons. Ths forced mixing of cultures keeps organited Fesisance down, faciates establishing and ‘maintaining sat insitions (bath seca end miliary), and provides easy labor for massive pubic works projects area to be targeted for atleast 1 minute within the past 24 hours to gain familiar~ ity with the lay of the land and the subtle influence of magic there. The use of spas such as clairvoyance and scrying are sufficient for this purpose. This requirement effectively limits the use of war spells to areas with which the caster is very famiiar (such as the terrain around her castle) or to battlegrounds that she has had time to examine in advance (such as a spot where she plans 700 B.CE: The Resurgence of Greece Phoenician raders relgnite the cultural spark of the Greeks. The first lage city-states emerge from stagraton through thar strength a5 mar- Hime traders, Athens and Sparia nse to preemé rence among them. Alnough the wo ciystares ane uniform in both reign and language, hey ier consider- bly n poliical Geology. Aggressivly focused ‘on is combi prowess; Sparta bocemes arising nilfery power hough Airs fends o avoid allforms of armed con, t becomes en immensely powerful ring community, everni= ally dominating the sacs through th Shier force ots weath, Athens extends is holdings Throughout the Mediterranean and becomes a ‘wwwpalzo.comidragon 45 ‘WAR MAGIC STUDY To cas spls withthe war descriptor, a spelkaster must have the War Magic Study fea. WAR MAGIC STUDY [GENERAL] You have studied war magic and can per- form the complex rituals necessary to lize # Prerequisites: Great Fortitude, iron ‘Wil, spelleester level rd Benefit: You may acquire and cast spel with the war descriptor. Normal: War magic spels do not appear on any class spell Ist fr a char- acter without this feat. Such 2 character cannot acquire or cast spells with the war descriptor bur stil can aid another per: son whois casting such a spell bush or the site of an spells cannot familiar be used in casually ) eterrain, such as dungeons or remote wiklemess areas. Casting Time The casting time for a war spell is con- siderably longer than that for 2 normal spell-even the simplest war spell has 2 ‘esting time of 1 minute, Drawing the power for such a spell takes time, and the process leaves the caster vulnerable to attack, ust as casting any other spel does. Fortunately, war spells usually have long ranges, so the caster can normally Position himself well away from the fight= ing-perhaps in a spot near an office's tent that offers a clear line of sight to the target. Only the most brave, fol- hardy, or well-protected spelcasters use war spells while standing in the midst of a battlefield; tis Far 100 easy to lose the spell complerely because of an enemy's blow. War spells cannot be quickened, Most war spells have ranges in the long category (400 fi, + 4o fi,/levell-a fact that allows the caster to keep well out of harm's way. The Few that have shorter ranges’are designed to be used ‘on friendly troops before the start of battle. Aiming Aiming a war spell works exactly the same 5 ciming a normal spell. A line of effzct f0 the target is required. Given the long ranges often involved in cast- "ing, precise calculations of spell bound aries are very difficult. Therefore, hostile spells should be cast far from Friendly troops i at all possible; other- wise friendly-fire casualties are likely. War spells use the same categories (effect, area, target, and so on) that normal spells do. Saving Throw ‘Alwar spell might or might not offer a saving throw, depending upon its pre- cise effect and the normal spell it resembles. For example, the morning ‘mists spel allows no saving throw because the spel it resembles (obscur- ing mist) does not allow one. But rolling fire, lke its counterpart flaming sphere, does allow a saving throw. Spell resis ance is similarly dependant upon the effect and the conventional counterpart of the war spel Duration Most war spell effects are short-lived, dissipating either before the end of a battle or shortly afterward. This quick decay results from the fact that war spells are inherently unstable, being essentially normal spells siretched to unreasonable limits, Concentration The unusual fragility of war spells is also reflected in the concentration nec essary fo cast them, The DC for any Concentration check made to continue casting or to maintain a war spell (in response to a successful attack, for example) is 10 higher than normal Failure means the casting is ruined. Fortunately, the caster provokes an attack of opportunity only during the round when the casting star's, not each round that it continues. In addi- tion, the caster’s concentration can be aided by assistants (see Cooperative Casting, below). Material Components ‘A war spell’ expensive material compo- nents help the spellcaster harness, ‘channel, and shape the magical energy needed for the effect. Because the com- ponents are so expensive, many casters cannot afford to use war spells very often. Those who can are usually in the employ of warlords, nobles, and other wealthy folk who are willing to absorb the costs. Use in Items ‘The DM must carefully adjudicate the situation when a PC wishes to place a war spel into a magic item, since several of the balancing factors for these spells (required feats, surveying the area, and increased casting time) might no longer be relevant when the item is used. In such cases, the item's market price must be adjusted upward accordingly Cooperative Casting Other spelicasters can aid a character casting a war spell normally by repeat ing portions of the verbal or somatic. components or by helping the caster ‘manipulate the material components So SS SS Sit SSS

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