Spell casting times

[Deleted]

I have been playing D&D using the original rules lately and a question came up that I haven't found the answer for. Do the original rules state how long it takes to cast a spell?

[kenmeister]

In the initiative rules in Eldritch Wizardry that I've admittedly only barely looked at, each spell level increases the casting time, so the higher level the spell the later in the round it will go off. In the initiative rules in the Ready Ref Sheets that I'm more familiar with, they are grouped as follows: level 1-3, level 4-6, and levels 7-9 but otherwise with the same effect.

[coffee]

Cure Light Wounds may take an entire round to cast, but that's a matter of interpretation.

As to other spells, they really don't dwell on it much until the aforementioned Eldritch Wizardry. I think Swords and Spells has something on it, but can't say for certain. (And since it's a wargame, it might not help.)

[Random]

No.* It would be rather silly for a game that doesn't even include an initiative system to state exactly how long spells take to cast.

A good assumption would be one spell per round, taking effect whenever it's the magic-users "turn."

*Not to my knowledge at least, but keep in mind I've only DMed OD&D proper just for one adventure. I hope it didn't simply escape me. (Yeah, yeah, sue me. I'm an AD&D player mostly.)

[delve]

I think they added the casting time into the AD&D version of the game, All they have listed in the OD&D book for magic spell structure is a Range, Duration, Turns and Effect of the spell. It's possible they balanced out the Magic-User having it easy to hit them and low Hit Points but they could fire out powerful spells instantly. In the AD&D it made it harder to cast spells, if you got hit you lost your concentration and had to start all over again till you casted the spell within the time limit undisturbed. ** did anyone ever use the components rule?, what M-U is going to carry around a wall-marts worth of spell components during an adventure anyhow?

[tavis]

In my OD&D game I don't expect PCs to use material components, but I have NPCs do so as often as I can. Sometimes my more AD&D-steeped players can use this to guess what spell is being cast without even checking the PHB, and sometimes it just adds a weird and evocative flavor. In Borshak's Lair there's doors with an orc face on 'em, on which magic mouth has been cast. The party suspected a trap, so as they searched I told them they found residue of honey on the lips - that being the material component of magic mouth. Nobody remembered that particular obscure detail, but someone had a jar of honey on their equipment list (!) so they started feeding the door honey to see what would happen: a classic bit of weirdness that I never would have come up with on my own without material component lists.

[coffee]

Mar 1, 2010 11:32:55 GMT -6 delve said:

** did anyone ever use the components rule?, what M-U is going to carry around a wall-marts worth of spell components during an adventure anyhow?

The DM in my current AD&D game enforces the material components rule. It tends to cause a more careful selection of spells (preferring ones without material components) rather that making us carry a wal-mart.

Of course, we're all 1st level, so it's not that big of a deal. But it will be someday.

[Random]

It should be easy to carry components when you're not burdened by your heavy spell books. Really no magic-user in his right mind would take a spell book into a dungeon. One watery pit and *poof* your spells are erased and you have to pay to re-pen them.

[coffee]

You're assuming the Magic-User has a good, safe home to keep the book in. It doesn't always work that way. (It should do, but it doesn't.)

[Random]

I suppose he could simply hide it somewhere. I'd be paranoid were I the player of the magic-user.

(Btw, Holmes Basic strictly forbids the carrying of spell books into dungeons.)

[coffee]

Yeah, I know. But Holmes also assumes that the PC's will start from a home base and go into the dungeon.

This guy has the World of Greyhawk setting and uses it. We signed on as caravan guards, but are now investigating a haunted inn halfway to the next city. In short, we're carrying everything we own on our backs (well, first level, not like we own a lot...)


Anyway, I think I've derailed this thread enough for now!

[Random]

It's not a total derail. Not having your spell book handy would certain slow down the casting time of spells!

[Finarvyn]

Well, if you go back to Chainmail they assume that a spell takes one turn to cast but there is a die roll to see if it happens right away or is delayed by one turn. It's kind of a neat system and my players seem to enjoy it.

NOTE: I've never bothered to remember an AD&D "round" versus "turn" or "segment" so try not to nit-pick this stuff. My interpretation is "okay, it's your turn" as opposed to some rulebook defined "turn".

[coffee]

Mar 2, 2010 10:38:34 GMT -6 Finarvyn said:

NOTE: I've never bothered to remember an AD&D "round" versus "turn" or "segment" so try not to nit-pick this stuff. My interpretation is "okay, it's your turn" as opposed to some rulebook defined "turn".

I wish my DM had that attitude! He lets the fighters do their thing on their "turn", but if you want to cast a spell like Cure Light Wounds (5 segments in AD&D), it might not go off until the next round. And you might not get your next turn because of it!

(That's why my new cleric is a fighting cleric -- CLW can happen once the bad guys stop twitching.)

[codeman123]

In ad&d i use the proper combat sequence and casting times. OD&D i usually go to when i don't feel like having a headache so i just always assume if it's your turn you cast the bloody spell.

[kenmeister]

Mar 5, 2010 14:34:11 GMT -6 codeman123 said:

In ad&d i use the proper combat sequence and casting times. OD&D i usually go to when i don't feel like having a headache so i just always assume if it's your turn you cast the bloody spell.

... that's a good one. ;D