Question.

[NarijikaOdasako]

I've always had this question, but I kept on forgetting to get an answer for it and I've been thinking about it quite a lot lately: Would spells have an In Character cast time, like the ones that would have an OOC one as well, such as like Frostbolt and Holy Light etc? Because there could be very easy ways to god mode that sort of thing but have many people accept it. I would just like that kinda cleared up, with little explanations from the higher ups of do's and don't's if that is possible.

[Shivali]

I am pretty sure that they have to say some sort of incantations or magic words. Maybe skilled mages or magic users can use the spells without words but normally they should "mutter some words in an unknown language." That shouldn't take more than a few IC seconds though.

[Grakor456]

How I've always done it is this, when it comes to casting times in RP:

If a spell or ability has a casting time, it does indeed retain that. It can still be done in a single emote, but the question on if it even fires may be asked (so, again, "So-and-so attempts to throw a fireball at shamannoob.")

If a spell or ability is instant, then and only then can it be used as a realistic counter or while the character is concentrating on something else (so, "Shamannoob sees the attempt, and throws an earth shock to disrupt the fireball.")

How exactly these can work out will depend on what combat system you are using, obviously.

Just keep in mind casting times, and the fact your character cannot move or otherwise act while trying to use an ability with one. One cannot cast a fireball in the same turn you give complicated orders, run around, smack something with an over-sized stick, eat a pie, sing Star-Spangled Banner, roundhouse kick, dance the Electric Slide, or flirt with that hottie in the corner.

[Qaza]

I generally try to give prior warning if the spell the character is casting isn't an instant-cast. Actually, even if it is an instant cast, so that people have the chance to interrupt it if they feel the need to. For instant casts, I usually give one line of warning.

For instance, Earth Shock:

Volgan grabs a fistful of dirt and grumbles a quick chant, eyes locked on the ground under Tom.

(If no one does anything to stop him...)

Volgan finishes calling on the earth spirits, causing the groud to rock violently under Tom's feet.


Usually, the more powerful the spell, the more warning I tend to give, and IC'ly, the longer it takes to cast. For instance, Lightning Bolt:

Volgan spots the quillboar and raises his hands to the sky, beginning to chant.

(Give others a chance to post.)

Volgan's chant begins to pick up in speed and intensity, sparks dancing on his fingertips.

(Give others another chance to post.)

Volgan finally finishes letting the charge build and barks a word of command, lightning arcing from his fingers to the quillboar.



Also, Grak, you made me grin with the mental image of an orc shaman trying to eat a pie and cast at the same time.

[NarijikaOdasako]

Okay, that helped out a lot, I was just saying since in the game mechanics area, say a Mage would be trying to cast like Pyroblast or something, a warrior or something has multiple times to hit it if unprevented, just wanted to clear that up ICly also.

[Vrahn]

I'd reckon certain spells with casting times over five seconds would be impossible to cast in combat unless your target was immobile. Seeing as any time longer than this and a good warrior would walk up and hack off your head unopposed. Generally any spell over three seconds I split into two emotes, one casting, and one completing it.

[waffenbaum]

Can I add a question about magic which has been bugging me? Rather than make a new thread for almost the same purpose.

And please bear with me if this gets very long, there's no easy way to explain it.

But say a warrior and a caster fights. The fighter will likely be in good shape, but each attack he makes will drain him a little of power. Every swing of his sword takes stamina, as well as deflecting things with his shield. He has to keep moving to avoid being harmed, and he has to put his entire body and mind in the fight. Even the best of warriors would (realistically speaking) begin to tire after a short span of continuous fighting without breaks.

I have fought in armor, real medieval steel armor. It was horribly heavy, restrictive and really made everything you did a chore. And I wore that armor every day for a month working at a medieval center, so after a while I knew how to move, and had an easier time moving in it, but what didn't change was that fighting in the armor was excruciatingly harsh on my stamina. Now, playing a fighter, I would probably want to transfer that to their way of fighting. (This might end up seeming like my character is weak, but I think that the more armor you wear, the harder you would have at keeping up in combat because of weight and restrictiveness) That's what I would RP though, had I said armor on a character.

Now here comes the part that I can't understand: Casters, how much strength, concentration, effort or otherwise goes into casting spells? Because most I have RP'd with has just waved a hand and thrown a fireball, looking as if it didn't bother them at all. So, if this is true, they could potentially keep it up all day without even breaking a sweat. Compared to the above example, it seems like the "no effort" fighting of casters would give them a rather gross advantage over the poor sod jogging around in layers of steel.

Casters might be relatively unarmed and "soft", but they have an impressive array of ranged attacks, something a fighter would likely not have. So no matter how I turn this in my mind, it seems like the caster comes out on top in any fight. That is, unless the warrior is some sort of superhero who can ignore the weight of his armor and gear and simply fly through the air like Al Jordan with a brand new pair of sneakers. (And I know people argue that would argue that the longer you wear things like that, the less of a burden it becomes. But that simply isn't true, you just learn to ignore the discomfort, but you still go down from exhaustion eventually)

What I was wondering was: if casters, having this supposed advantage, would ever play their use of magic as something that took a great deal of concentration and made them fatigued? I understand that they draw their powers from either the darkness/twisting nether/nature/mana/the light. So I assume that all this has to be channelled -through- the caster to be transformed into something offensive. That sounds extremely fatiguing, considering the relative amount of damage they can do compared to a sword chop or mace swing (eradicating whole divisions of soldiers, for one) - I don't know if I'm just rambling, and I know we're not playing for realism. But it would be funny if people considered all these things when RP'ing, since it might lead to more convincing fights or scenarios. Either that or we just go on bashing at each others when the need arises, and throw dice at one another *Snicker* But I wouldn't mind playing a caster who actually needs to gain back his breath after using a powerful spell. It would give my enemy more time to react too, and not make me appear like some sort of duracell battery throwing endless bolts of death.

Edit*(It just dawned on me that the mana bar would be a good indicator of how much "energy" a caster would have left. But that would just mean that at zero mana, they faint. Or at least come to a point where they can't possibly fight on using spells. It just recharges so fast, it's like an unending fountain of pure power)

[Mikain]

I can't speak for everyone but when I play a caster I do have them start feeling the effects. Especially someone like a blood elf caster who would have had both his spells taking his mana and his addiction sapping him. I tend to use maybe five or six spells before the person is out of energy.

[Walrus]

I like casters. No, no. I REALLY like casters. I am in love with the old wrinkled man and/or woman in robes and a wide brimmed hat tossing around the power of the cosmos like no tomorrow. Having said this, my answer to your question might be biased, Waffenbaum, but it's how I see it.

The mana bar is not a casters 'energy' per say. It's the amount of power one can pool inside their being from the (insert power source here). As such when a Caster tosses around his spells he would probably feel the energy he had stored draining away, however his physical energy would not be effected. If this were not true I don't think that the Blink and portal spells would be so widely used by magi. None the less, spells have cool-downs and casting times in which a caster might mentally prepare for or summon up more energy to cast their chosen spell. Such things should always be taken into account. So no caster should run around tossing fireball after fireball in quick order. Not only is that un-realistic it is a bit unfair to the melee and less spell oriented classes who would have a bit of time to react to spells in between.

Another note, Armor is worn for a reason. Warriors don't go trudging into combat with it just for the B.A. looks. A strong fireball may heat the armor and perhaps scorch the person inside, but otherwise would protect the warrior from having his chest turned into a plate of spare ribs. This is not to say armor will protect you from every magical attack, some may just be too strong and some may not rely on hitting you (such as curses).

I hope that helped.

And, I agree with Mikian a blood elf will probably feel the loss of that energy with more pain and thus would be a bit crippled because of it, however I think Belfs might be able to store a larger amount of energy than other races, due also to their addiction and contact with the Sunwell's vast power.

A question just popped into my mind about my own Warlock, Valyr.

I hope no one will mind if I ask it here. :?

Exactly what are the effects on a Warlock when they control their demon? Is their an energy drain and do they feel when their demon is hurt? Extending that, how would a Soul Link effect that?

[Painty]

What I was wondering was: if casters, having this supposed advantage, would ever play their use of magic as something that took a great deal of concentration and made them fatigued?

They do, and have, and will probably continue doing so. In general I wouldn't consider it physically tiring, though. All forces of magic rely on the mind, as either a force of will, a recollection of memory, or most often both. It seems more like something that would cause stress, headaches, etc., eventually to the point where it muddles up your concentration and you can't cast anymore.

I know we're not playing for realism

I can't speak for everyone, but sure, a lot of people want to play in the most realistic imagination of Azeroth as possible.

Well, warriors are trained, or at very least used to wearing plate/chain. I know where you're coming from, with personal experience, but if you're anything like me... you're not the kind of guy who would have any desire or need to run around in a suit of metal. It's quite the opposite in Azeroth, and soldiers absolutely -would- be trained to move around with platemail. Wearing it is a part of life for quite a few characters. Especially the bigger, tougher, more combat-oriented races. They wouldn't live very long if they couldn't. Mages, warlocks and some of the more powerful priests on the other hand can manipulate the mind and pretty much rend the fabric of reality. Magic is powerful, dangerous, and addictive for a reason. Your average Joe militiaman has no reason whatsoever to be able to stand up to an at very least moderately trained mage without some -very- clever fighting. That's not to say spellcasters are outright better than normal people. Mages are fairly rare, becoming one is pretty hard, and starting off as a master archmage is prohibited, if not highly discouraged.

[waffenbaum]

I see your point Walluce, and I agree. My main beef is that not many of the people on the server wears enchanted armor. And normal steel or iron armor wouldn't do a thing against a fireball several thousand degrees warm (And let's not even talk about leather and chain). I mean, think of the poor man who has nothing magical about him, best he can hope for is to dodge the casters attacks.

[NarijikaOdasako]

This is exactly why I asked about casting times because a Mage or Warlock would shred a Warrior, Death Knight or Paladin in RP fighting like this, well maybe not Death Knights because they don't tire but that's another story. But when a Mage is trying to do his/her uber casting, all the warrior or whatever melee class really needs to do, is get up close to do affective harm.

[Brutalskars]

Well to take something from D&D
Spellcasters, if swung at or hit in melee must make a concentration check, equal to 10 + (some other stuff)

So in game, make the minium like 20 + 10(If attack misses) 20 if attack hits and +60 if the hit does enough damage to knock prone, break bones etc.

[waffenbaum]

This is exactly why I asked about casting times because a Mage or Warlock would shred a Warrior, Death Knight or Paladin in RP fighting like this, well maybe not Death Knights because they don't tire but that's another story. But when a Mage is trying to do his/her uber casting, all the warrior or whatever melee class really needs to do, is get up close to do affective harm.

Well most attacks are about three seconds. That's not a lot of time to act. And a caster attacking someone who is unaware or unprepared might result in an instant kill. Casters are highly volatile and dangerous, but they're a bit of a glas jaw. Which is why I suspect they would favour dirty fighting like that. Or just running. You can always outrun a guy in plate *bangs his gauntlet on the metal chestpiece*

[Qaza]

I remember in one of the WoW books that Jaina Proudmoore talked about being incredibly hungry and thirsty after casting. I wonder if I could find that again...

Edit: Well, here's this, at least.