My @!@#! Player abusing Feather Fall

[two]

Ok. This is really really ticking me off. GRRR!!!

Player X, known as Player X so that I won't use a thousand punctuation marks, wanted to research a cantrip. I said -- sure. I wanted to look at the final cantrip of course, to make sure it was ok.

My Player, Player X, came up with the "Screw U" spell. It creates a glowing middle finger, which waggles as an opponent. That's it. It lasts one second. Player X wanted the spell to be a "free action" to cast, like Feather Fall.

I thought: ok. Has no mechanical effect if he casts it. It's obviously less powerful than Feather Fall, which is a 1st level spell. OK. Immature, but so was the PC in question. Sounds fun. Go for it.

A level passes...all is well... they are now 8th or 9th (all in the party).

Then....


ARRRGGGG!!!

I make heavy use of "readied" actions, as I'm a tactical-type GM. I don't let spellcasters get away with casting spells vs. intelligent opponents without them trying to stop it (if possible). Grapples, readied actions, etc. are common.

So, one merry combat, Player X sees two archers aiming at him. They have not shot; they seem to be "readying" their shot. So Player X says --

You guessed it --

"I cast my finger cantrip."

"Ok," says I, "you give them an illusionary finger."
"So -- " says he, smiling, and I'm not sure I like it when he smiles, "do their readied actions go off, if they have any?"

KLONK.

Of course they WERE readying arrow shots. One of them hit. They readied action was the typical "spell interrupt" action. As it turns out the finger cantrip was interrupted and failed. So cares. Player X then went ahead and cast his normal spell perfectly safe from attack.

!!

He's done this on many occasions, just to be sure no readied actions are out there (when contronted by enemies who have not yet attacked). Sometimes he even delays until the end of the round to see who hasn't attacked; if there is anyone left, he does this trick. If there is not, he's safe.

I've stripped away the cantrip in irritation, and he's taken to using "Feather Fall" out of turn to have the same effect. Any "readied spellcaster interrupt" actions are triggered by the "Feather Fall" spell and does nothing to hinder his other casting.

He says he's playing an Int=20 Wizard; it's just common sense.

I'm pulling my hair out.

What should I do? Just let him have his fun, and instead grapple him to death?

Arrrgh.

 

[Lasher Dragon]

Not sure, but I don't see how - even with featherfall being a free action - the player can cast 2 spells in one round.

 

[drunkmoogle]

Heh... cute idea.
/Adds to my book of tricks

Characters always have the right to retain their readied actions if they wish. If the same situation comes up before their turn, they can take their action.

An NPC who has studied the tactics of the party or has fallen for this once (fool me once...) will likely not fall for it. Nor will anyone who Identifies the spell.

 

[MerakSpielman]

Actually I think that's pretty clever on his part.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Of course, if you want to ready against a PC casting "A spell other than that damn finger thing," you'll need Spellcraft ranks to determine when the player *is* casting some other spell.

Most NPC fighter-types aren't going to have too many ranks in Spellcraft, methinks.

 

[diaglo]

I've stripped away the cantrip in irritation, and he's taken to using "Feather Fall" out of turn to have the same effect. Any "readied spellcaster interrupt" actions are triggered by the "Feather Fall" spell and does nothing to hinder his other casting.

from the SRD: Feather fall works only upon free-falling objects. It does not affect a sword blow or a charging or flying creature.

in this regard something has to be targeted and falling for him to use his free action.


although, i like the cantrip idea. i would allow it. it is what an int 20 guy should be able to do.

 

[Targos]

Honestly, I think his tactic is legit. However, it sounds like it's getting abused. As far as the cantrip goes I probably would have made the casting time a standard action, but it's a moot point since he has feather fall. Take note that feather fall counts towards the limit of one quickened spell per round. He can cast two spells a round if one is quickened or otherwise a free action like feather fall. A quickened spell doesn't provoke AOO so he tactic fails in that situation, but the ready actions still go off. I'd recommend a change in tactics. You say your intelligent NPCs/monsters make every effort to disrupt spell casters. If they have ranks in spell craft base the readied action off of what spell he casts. (e.i. Ready to attack when he casts an offensive spell.) If they don't have spellcraft, have them coordinate when they realize he can cast two spells at a time. Archer 1 readies for the 1st spell and Archer 2 readies for the second spell. There are times in my games when my players discover legitimate loopholes in the game mechanics. A quick house rule comes into play sometimes. The other possibility is have the villians use the same tactic. What goes around comes around.

 

[KarinsDad]

Not sure, but I don't see how - even with featherfall being a free action - the player can cast 2 spells in one round.

This is incorrect.

Quickened spells (and hence Feather Fall by definition) can be cast in addition to a normal spell in a round.


The way to get around this problem, however, is to rule that Quickened spells cannot be stopped by a ready action. They are too quick.

In the example of Feather Fall, it is the utterance of a single word. I don't care how fast someone is, they are not going to be able to shoot an arrow before a word is spoken and the game should not allow for it.

Plus, it is so fast that the readying character will often not think that it is even spellcasting and hence, it could be ruled that without a Listen check (or some such), he doesn't mistake it for conversation or total nonsense (which would not trigger the readied action).

Course, this would be a house rule. But, it is a very reasonable house rule.


Without a house rule like this, this Screw U spell isn't even needed. A caster could pretend to cast as a move or free action, get hit by an arrow, and then cast anyway.

The way to stop these type of metagaming actions is to prevent them from occurring in the game mechanics of your house rules.

 

[Lasher Dragon]

How does the "spell interruption" action work?

 

[Mistwell]

Not sure, but I don't see how - even with featherfall being a free action - the player can cast 2 spells in one round.

Yeah, this was my question as well. Can you cast a free action spell in the same round as a standard action spell, or is there a rule about 1 spell per round period, contained in all that new "swift action" stuff?

In addition, since you DO have to target feather fall on a falling object...what is he targeting it on? A rock he drops? If so, picking up the rock and dropping it is, itself, an action.