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Forums  > General  > General  > A Proper Introduction and Questions     Display using: Flat View Threaded View   Oldest to newest Newest to oldest Previous Thread :: Next Thread   Author  Thread: A Proper Introduction and Questions  Voriak Joined: 29 Nov 2003 Total Posts: 5 Send PM   A Proper Introduction and Questions Posted: 09 Dec 2003 10:12 AM Hello one and all, my character's name is Voriak. I think I'm just about hooked on Vives so I thought I'd post here.I've met a few of you in game. I'm just about level 4, and having a great time. You all are excellent role players and I hope to be part of the community for a long while. I have a few questions about the rules of NWN that I'm sure most of you know the answer to. I didn't play that much of the single player game, so I don't know this stuff. #1. Does Casting on the Defensive work the same as the pencil 'n paper rules? If I make my check, does it prevent anyone from getting an attack of opportunity against me? #2. How can I cast on the Defensive when I am currently attacking someone? If I want to just stop swinging my sword and cast on the defensive, it does not seem to let me. And if I put my sword away I will attack with fists! Not good. How is this done? #3. Does my Combat Casting add +4 to my skill checks to cast on the defensive, or +4 on concentration checks when I am interrupted, or both? #4. Do I get -4 shooting an arrow when I am in melee, or when I shoot into a melee, or both? Does the point blank shot feat remove one penalty, or both penalties? #5. At level 12 I get a stat and a feat. Can I raise my stat, and thus qualify for the feat at that level? (i.e., Raise dex to 13 and take dodge, all at level 12?) Thats it for now. Soloing is a hard business in Vives so I have to know the exact rules! Someone help me! :~) Thanks so much, Looking forward to talking to you IG, IRC, or on these forums. Voriak  Phoenix_Flamehart Joined: 13 Jun 2003 Total Posts: 482 Send PM   Re: A Proper Introduction and Questions Posted: 09 Dec 2003 10:23 AM Hey hey :] I'll try to answer your stuff as best I can... #1. I don't think NWN has 'Cast on the Defensive'. Pretty sure it doesn't. If it does, it's implemented as the Concentration check. #2. I've had that prob. It's a pain in the backside. Your only hope is to break off the melee and cast. #3. It takes away the penalty for casting near combat. And that penalty is -4 to your Concentration check :) #4. The -4 comes from shooting an arrow while you yourself are in Melee. Point Blank Shot gives you a+1 bonus to your attack if you shoot from within 30ft. (which is about 4-5inches away on your screen) #5. Sure can. - Who needs Epic Levels when you have Epic Eyebrows?  Fenarisk Joined: 14 Apr 2003 Total Posts: 823 Send PM   Re: A Proper Introduction and Questions Posted: 09 Dec 2003 10:46 AM Firstly, hail and well met! If you ever have any questions, feel free to ask, all the admins are quite open to chatting with you on what you need to know. Second, as much fun and rewarding as solo can be (And if you can pull it off, more power to you.), a lot of fun is in parties as well. Not sure what time you are usually on, but certain groups get together to adventure as well (Which increases the chances of being in one of the bigger, more involving quests, too). Just a tidbit is all. THen again, if you're Ranger or Druid, the solo makes good sense. ~Fenarisk  Alosynth Joined: 11 Apr 2003 Total Posts: 1324 Send PM   Re: A Proper Introduction and Questions Posted: 09 Dec 2003 01:03 PM Phoenix, Defensive Casting was added to NWN with the SoU expansion. How it works is another question entirely. I completely forgot it was there, and have never used it, but it must offer some bonus, I mean, its gotta be better than Parry Mode *Adds it to a quickslot for his mage PC for testing* Has anyone used this mode that can shed some light on these questions? ~Alosynth  Barnas Joined: 17 Aug 2003 Total Posts: 3322 Send PM   Re: A Proper Introduction and Questions Posted: 09 Dec 2003 01:55 PM Works like in PnP. Concentration check vs dc of 15+spell lvl. Made halfway through spellcasting action. If succesful, no AOOs. If failure, spell is lost- like arcane failure. Combat casting gives +4 bonus to that check (Though why you wouldn't take skill focus concentration instead is beyond me; save if you're taking both.) -Barnas  Alosynth Joined: 11 Apr 2003 Total Posts: 1324 Send PM   Re: A Proper Introduction and Questions Posted: 09 Dec 2003 02:09 PM Ahh.. cool. I'll definitly have to use this more ~Alosynth  Voriak Joined: 29 Nov 2003 Total Posts: 5 Send PM   Re: A Proper Introduction and Questions Posted: 09 Dec 2003 04:03 PM Thanks for the feed back. Grouping: Absolutely the fun is in the groups. Its just sometimes I wake up with a headache at three in the morning and only some Vives is going to make it go away! About Casting: Isn't 'Combat Casting' an original NWN feat? If so, and 'Casting on the Defensive' was introduced in SoU, then it would seem that what Barnas said about the Feat adding +4 to the ability can't be true, can it? Now I know the D&D III rules well, and I know thats how it works in pnp. But is that how it works here? While Fighting: And no matter how it works, it still dosen't explain how to do it in combat. Phoenix is right, its a pain in the backside. When you are fighting, there is no 'peace' button, to get you to stop fighting so you can hit 'Cast on the Defensive'. I can't break off combat, that invites an AoO that I am hoping to prevent with the Defensive Casting in the first place! :( Shooting: If I understand Phoenix, I get a -4 to casting when someone is in melee with me. Well heck, I already provoke an AoO when I do that! Most people stop shooting when someone is on them. In pnp you get a -4 to shooting your target if your *target* is in melee. Is that also in force here, and will Point Blank Shot cure this penalty (like it does in pnp)? Just want to be sure. You guys are great. Voriak  Alosynth Joined: 11 Apr 2003 Total Posts: 1324 Send PM   Re: A Proper Introduction and Questions Posted: 09 Dec 2003 04:44 PM While Fighting: And no matter how it works, it still dosen't explain how to do it in combat. Phoenix is right, its a pain in the backside. When you are fighting, there is no 'peace' button, to get you to stop fighting so you can hit 'Cast on the Defensive'. I can't break off combat, that invites an AoO that I am hoping to prevent with the Defensive Casting in the first place! *nods* it would be nice if there was a simple defensive stance button you could hit (without the bonuses dwarven defenders get) to avoid such things. Though I dont believe such a thing exists. Shooting: If I understand Phoenix, I get a -4 to casting when someone is in melee with me. Well heck, I already provoke an AoO when I do that! Most people stop shooting when someone is on them. In pnp you get a -4 to shooting your target if your *target* is in melee. Is that also in force here, and will Point Blank Shot cure this penalty (like it does in pnp)? Just want to be sure. I'm afraid I'm not quite that intimate with the mechanics, but I dont belive the same penalty applies as the one in pnp (which I believe is a penalty because the target would be behind the coverage of your ally) due to limitations in the engine. You also dont get the coverage penalty if your target is half hiding around a corner. About Casting: Isn't 'Combat Casting' an original NWN feat? If so, and 'Casting on the Defensive' was introduced in SoU, then it would seem that what Barnas said about the Feat adding +4 to the ability can't be true, can it? Now I know the D&D III rules well, and I know thats how it works in pnp. But is that how it works here? Again, I'm not that familiar with the actual mechanics, but my understanding of Combat casting in NWN is that you get a concentration bonus when casting a spell and being attacked (it could be +4, or I could be wrong entirely) All I know is that I take it with all my casters ~Alosynth  Pugs Joined: 14 Aug 2003 Total Posts: 276 Send PM   Re: A Proper Introduction and Questions Posted: 09 Dec 2003 07:45 PM Defensive casting works fine. It's just that it only activates at the beginning of a new round. Like power attack, or parry mode if you're more familiar with fighters. So in the middle of a fight you activate it and then you have to wait for the next round to begin when it will activate. THEN you can cast spells on the defensive. Normally you'd have to wait til the next round to cast a spell anyway, so you don't really lose anything with this method. Note: You have to cast the spell AFTER defensive casting activates. So you can't stack a spell command with activation of defensive casting. Cantor Matriel - "How much?"  Voriak Joined: 29 Nov 2003 Total Posts: 5 Send PM   Re: A Proper Introduction and Questions Posted: 10 Dec 2003 01:06 PM Pugs is absolutely correct on this. I tested it last night. Whats good is that it stays on, and you can cast multiple spells defensive. As long as you don't move or turn it off, it stays on. Tonight I'm going to find out if that +4 bonus is applied. I suspect its not, for reasons I stated above, but we'll see.  Voriak Joined: 29 Nov 2003 Total Posts: 5 Send PM   Re: A Proper Introduction and Questions Posted: 11 Dec 2003 10:18 AM Guess what? I was wrong and Barnas is right. Why? Because they changed the description / functionality of 'Combat Casting'. In the original NWN manual it just says it gives you a bonus to 'Concentration checks when casting next to a foe'. But I looked at the description on my character sheet, and was different, it said it added to 'Checks to cast on the defensive when next to a foe' So it does work as intended. And its helpfull, and I use it! Previous Thread :: Next Thread  Page 1 of 1   Forums  > General  > General  > A Proper Introduction and Questions