Hesitation and spellcasting

[Kaare Berg]

Me again.

Just remembered another little problem that popped up in our last session:

The mage in my party was about to cast the Sense in a sensible fashion (no pun intended, cast carefully and patiently). While moving up to the point he was to cast this spell, he was ambushed by some wood-trolls. Roll steel and hesitate.
I couldn't find how to deal with this.
I chose to compare the length of hesitation to the characters will eksponent, like the rules for coup de magie, infect letting him hold the built up spell for the as long as he had will. Thus if his hesitation ran over this he would have to roll for tax as with interrupt, but if not it would let him continue on the spell.
The mage was not hurt by the troll arrows (+7ob TAB), as this would work differently.

[Thomas Thomas]

Sorry, your post is unclear was your mage about to cast sense, or casting sence? Also he rolled his steel check? Did he fail it or not?
I assume he was casting it and did fail his steel check. There are rules on page 129 of the burning wheel on how to deal with spell interrupt. I'm not sure if your method is appropriate because the coup de magie requires the full will of the sorcerer. Something which he doesn't have at the moment because he was surprised.

[Kaare Berg]

Granted I am at work and do not have the book with me.

Clarification is in order.

My mage PC was casting a spell of some hundred syllabels. Halfway, three trolls enter the scene suprisingly. Everyone spring into action, but my mage already well protected wants to keep casting the same spell (read: dares not face a tax test and loose the +7 ob TAB spell).

He was however not interrupted. The steel test was for suprise, he was suprised. This relates to when he will begin to react, but he was already chanting well protected by his spell, thus the Stand and drool reaction, or any of the others were innappropiate. Beside hesitation was more important for the others who drew swords.

My question is: Can he hold a spell halfway through the chanting, kinda like a draw of breath, just deeper.

Will check the book when I get home though.

[luke]

Hi Kaare,

I hate to say it, but if you didn't think it was appropriate it for your mage to hesitate under the circumstances, then you shouldn't have had him make a Steel test. As it was, he quite clearly suffered Spell Interrupt. Those trolls appeared and he lost his nerve and hiccuped in the middle of that spell.

He was obligated to roll tax for the amount of spell completed (probably Ob 1 if he was casting the sense). Then he was obligated to throw the DOF to determine the results of the failed casting.

It's not a big deal -- i wouldn't go back and revise anything you played out -- but in the future you've got to remind your mage player that he's playing a dangerous game!

btw, how about posting stats for your trolls? they sound soooo cool!

-L

[Kublai]

Yeah, this clearly is a case of Spell Interrupt and therefore your mage will suffer its full and devastating effect! :(

As a player, getting enemy mages to hesitate in the middle of casting spells is a crucial tactic, actually. Sure, the spell can go haywire and possibly have terrible side effects, but it's usually better than letting them complete it! :twisted:

[Lxndr]

Unless they get a garbled transmission and create a permanent countrywide magical storm... right? ;)

[Kaare Berg]

Like the thief I am my trolls are stolen from many sources. I'll post them as soon as I have worked them out. They take some doing.

So far I have used the smart Troll for Kaldbane, and black goblin for Woodtrolls. Will work on it and you may find them here soon.

[eruditus]

Hi Kaare,

I hate to say it, but if you didn't think it was appropriate it for your mage to hesitate under the circumstances, then you shouldn't have had him make a Steel test. As it was, he quite clearly suffered Spell Interrupt. Those trolls appeared and he lost his nerve and hiccuped in the middle of that spell.

He was obligated to roll tax for the amount of spell completed (probably Ob 1 if he was casting the sense). Then he was obligated to throw the DOF to determine the results of the failed casting.

It's not a big deal -- i wouldn't go back and revise anything you played out -- but in the future you've got to remind your mage player that he's playing a dangerous game!

btw, how about posting stats for your trolls? they sound soooo cool!

-L

ooooo! I didn't think about Spell Interuption! I have to use that against the party MAGE :)

Whom, BTW... just gained gray Sorcery and Abstraction.

[Drozdal]

Whom, BTW... just gained gray Sorcery and Abstraction.
Dude you are just too good for them :wink:
Dro