E. SPELLS

The Spells phase of the combat round is used to resolve spells with casting times. The Game Master will typically wait to resolve such spells because what others do during the round (while the spell is being cast) has a great effect on the final outcome of the spell. 

SPELLS

There are two types of spell casting: 

Incantations. A character class with access to spells (a spell caster) must "incant" their spells using special rituals (called spell components). These spell components include at least one of—verbal intonations, somatic gesturing, and/or material objects to power the spell. The incantation period, called casting time, requires deep concentration and can be (easily) disrupted which causes the magic to fail (and the spell is treated as being used).

> Spells Prepared. (CL [Caster Level] <#>) <spells per spell level>; <spell level>—<spells>

See also Casting Spells.

Invocations. Most magic items grant innate abilities to the possessor. However, some grant spells using the magic item as the focus for invoking the spell. The item description will clearly note whether the ability is innate or whether the ability is invoked as a spell. If the item grants an innate ability, you will use the ability as per Actions By Group, 1st—Innate Abilities. If the magic is an invocation, it follows the initiative rules documented in this section, E. Spells. Spell invocations cannot be disrupted unless the item focus is written magic (e.g. a scroll).

> Item Name. (Charges <current charges>; CL [Caster Level] <#>); <charges used>—<spells> 

CONSIDERATIONS

There are three critical elements to understand when casting spells (and this covers both types of spells, incantations and invocations):

Declaration. In order to cast a spell, you must first declare the spell. You only need to declare the name of the spell and note the casting time. You do not need to announce the target until your group initiative during the innate abilities action.

Casting Time. This is how long in segments the spell takes to cast. All spell casting must begin on segment 1, otherwise the spell fails. The spell takes effect at the end of the casting time. Thus, a spell with a casting time of 3 segments will take effect at the end of segment 3 of the round. See also Casting Spells.

Disrupting a Spell. Incantations require deep concentration during the casting time. This means the spell caster is immobile (see Conditions) while casting an incantation. If the spell caster is damaged, physically jostled, or misses any saving throw during the casting time, the incantation being cast is disrupted, the magic fails, and the spell is lost as if cast. If the caster is on a mount, the mount cannot be moving and if on a ship, the ship must be on calm water. Most invocations cannot be disrupted unless they involve written magic (e.g. scrolls). In this case, the invocation is disrupted, but the magic is not lost and the invocation can be attempted again in a future round. Of course, if a magic item is fragile and the medium is destroyed (vials, scrolls, wands, etc.), the magic is gone and the item is useless.

Many spells take a relatively long time to cast relative to other actions. Given the number of variables involved (and the fact that those variables are not in the spell caster's control), spell resolution—that is the determination of the final effect of a spell—is held until all group actions have resolved. While this could create some "going back in time" scenarios, its the best way to handle such timed activities without giving the opponents perfect knowledge regarding the spell to be cast.

Concentration. See Declare Actions, Action Types, Concentration. Spells requiring concentration to maintain will be noted: (concentration) or in the spell's Duration statistic, the duration will be noted with a "(C)".

NOTICING SPELL CASTING

Any combatant with a good view of the battlefield will notice a spell caster casting an incantation with somatic components and a casting time longer than 1 segment. The GM will announce this after initiative is rolled. 

• Incantations with a verbal component can be heard clearly within 30 feet (allowing opponents to pinpoint the location of the spell caster if otherwise unknown)—although whether the caster is speaking in an unknown language or spell casting is not clear unless somatic components are being employed. See also Hear Noise.

• Invoking spells using magic items will only be obvious if the use of the item is observable (unfurling a scroll, opening a potion, pointing a wand, etc.). In these cases, if the invocation casting time is 2 segments or more, the GM will announce this as a spell. The use of a held staff to invoke a spell is not considered obvious.

TOUCH SPELLS IN COMBAT

A "touch spell" is a spell (or other magic ability similar to a spell) that has a range of "Touch". For use in combat, keep the following rules in mind:

• • The hand delivering or holding the touch effect must be free (nothing held) when the spell is cast (or innate ability used).

  • Once a touch spell is cast, the magic stays "on the hand" (an active touch spell) of the caster for up to 10 rounds before dissipating if not used.

  • A caster with a touch spell "on the hand" cannot cast another spell (even if verbal only), use another touch ability (of any kind), or use the hand for anything other than gesturing—otherwise the spell is lost (Exception: certain abilities allow touch spells to operate through weapons, see the ability description). Innate or spell-like abilities can be used but not magic items unless used with the other hand.

  • All touch spells will operate from the caster's primary hand unless the caster announces, during targeting, that the spell is being generated on their off-hand. Attacking using a secondary hand (but not attacking with two-weapons) may suffer penalties depending on the caster's Dexterity score. Of course, attacking with two-weapons incurs the standard penalties.

  • A caster can cast a touch spell and touch a willing target within 10-ft. in the same round (this includes willing targets within a melee that includes the caster).

  • A caster can cast a touch spell and touch an unwilling target as a contact attack in the same round—if they are in melee with the target when the spell was cast (this includes targets that used a charge or similar action to enter melee in the round the spell was cast). If the caster has the ability to cast the spell through a weapon, the caster can instead attack with the weapon. If using an incantation (a major action), this attack is considered a free attack (one primary weapon attack, no special adjustments due to the free attack).

  • A caster with an active touch spell (after the round the touch spell was cast) can move up to their speed and touch a willing target in the same round if that target is not in melee.

  • A caster with an active touch spell (after the round the touch spell was cast) must enter melee to cast a touch spell on an unwilling target (or willing target if that target is in melee) if not in melee with the target. The caster can use a charge attack against a willing (automatic hit) or unwilling target to save time. A caster can also ignore the melee participants and, without charging, move and touch a willing (or helpless) target (only) in a melee in the same round, but this action will draw free attacks by all in that melee before the touch spell can be used.

  • If a touch spell allows multiple willing creatures to be touched, the caster can touch up to 6 such creatures per round if they are all within 10-ft.

  • Missing a Contact Attack. If the caster misses the target of a contact attack, the touch spell does not dissipate, and the caster can try again, if the spell is within the time limit of 10 rounds from the spell being cast. This also extends to touch attacks delivered through weapons.

SPELL INITIATIVE

Use the Spell Initiative Chart to determine whether a spell is cast before other actions. It is important to remember that the chart does not change when the caster's spell is started or when it completes. Spells always begin on segment 1 and always complete at the end of the casting time. The chart also does not change the time required to complete an action. What the chart does is to tell you when the spell caster's opponent's action happens and how to deal with ties. If an action takes more segments to complete than the casting time, the spell will always be cast first!

Spell vs. Flee or Charge. Declared movement always happens during the casting time. If the movement is part of a charge, and the charge terminates before the spell is cast, the charge attack happens first. If completing in the same segment, the spell is cast first.

Spell vs. Innate Ability. If the caster's group initiative roll is higher or tied with the opponent's group initiative, compare the spell's casting time with the caster's group initiative die roll (the d6) and, if the casting time is equal to or lower than the value, the spell is cast before the innate ability is used. Otherwise, the innate ability is used first.

Spell vs. Missile. If the caster's group initiative roll is higher or tied with the opponent's initiative, compare the spell's casting time with the caster's group initiative die roll (the d6) and, if the casting time is equal to or lower than the value, the spell is cast before the missile weapon is used. Remember to use the missile weapon wielder's individual initiative if they have a Dexterity Reaction adjustment and declared the use of the missile weapon (in addition to meeting the other requirements). While a missile weapon wielder cannot "ready a shot against someone casting a spell",  they can certainly target a spell caster they see casting a spell when firing their weapon.

Spell vs. Melee. If casting a spell while in melee, and the caster's group initiative is higher than the opponent's group initiative, compare the casting time to each opponent's adjusted speed: Take the weapon speed factor and subtract it from the attacker's group initiative die roll. For example, if the attacker's group initiative was a 4 and the attacker is using a long sword, the result is 1 (5-4=1). If the spell caster was casting a spell with a casting time longer than 1 segment, the long sword will strike first. A number under 1 means the weapon strikes first. If the group initiative is tied, compare casting time to the opponent's melee weapon speed factor. If the casting time is equal to or lower than the weapon's speed, the spell is cast first.

Spell vs. Movement. Unless there is some delay, declared movement is always considered to happen while the spell caster is casting the spell. If movement is not declared, the opponent will announce movement during group initiative as normal, but the GM will resolve when the movement begins. If declaring a trigger ("I run away if he casts a spell"), the one declaring it will be delayed, which makes such a declaration rather ineffective. While this may seem to be something of a penalty to those not declaring movement, it manages the "scatter" tactic somewhat (where everyone moves the moment they see spell casting occur).

Spell vs. Other Actions. Unless the casting time is 1 round or longer, complex actions always happen after spell casting. If the complex action and spell are both 1 round, use the Spell Initiative Chart (treating the action as simple with regards to the chart). Delaying actions come before spells with a 1 round casting time (or more) but after spells cast faster than that. Otherwise, if the caster's group initiative roll is higher or tied with the opponent's group initiative, compare the spell's casting time with the caster's group initiative die roll (the d6) and, if the casting time is equal to or lower than the value, the spell is cast before the simple action is used.

Simple Actions and Moving. If the movement is declared, it will happen during casting time. If the destination is reached before the casting time end and the opponent wants to take a simple action, use the Spell Initiative Chart to resolve initiative for the simple action. If moving after the simple action, treat the movement as undeclared movement (see Spell vs. Movement) if the casting time is over 1 segment.

Spell vs. Spell. In every case, the spell with the lowest casting time always wins initiative (i.e. is cast first). If both spells have the same casting time, the caster with the highest initiative casts first, and if initiative is also tied, the spells are cast simultaneously.