Goodman Games

Hi, I've scoured the rules and this site for a ruling about interrupting spellcasters and I must've missed it--my apologies. Can someone please clarify whether or not spellcasters can be interrupted if they're hit while casting their spell? If a wizard takes a round to cast a spell then does their spell go off at the end of that round, or 20 segments from the segment they casted it on the prior round? And if wizards are interrupted by taking damage, do they get an opportunity to make a Concentration check to not get interrupted, or is that not part of it?

Or can wizards simply not get interrupted?

Thanks in advance for answering my newbie question!

heyscot wrote:Hi, I've scoured the rules and this site for a ruling about interrupting spellcasters and I must've missed it--my apologies.

Like a lot of other areas this isn't clearly defined and is left for the Judge to make a call. So whatever I write from now on is mostly just my personal way of handling things.

heyscot wrote:Can someone please clarify whether or not spellcasters can be interrupted if they're hit while casting their spell?

...

And if wizards are interrupted by taking damage, do they get an opportunity to make a Concentration check to not get interrupted, or is that not part of it?

Or can wizards simply not get interrupted?

There are rules for concentration on page 106. They seems perfect for handling casting interruption.

heyscot wrote:If a wizard takes a round to cast a spell then does their spell go off at the end of that round, or 20 segments from the segment they casted it on the prior round?

DCC RPG doesn't break down turn into segments. Such small details would needlessly complicate things, wouldn't add anything to the game, and would introduce unnecessary bookkeeping. PC initiative is enough to handle battle order. As for spells with one round casting time: I consider them to be finished when the wizard's next round begins.

Generally, if it takes a round, that's the same as your action, as in "it uses up your whole round," you can do nothing else til next round.

A spell that takes one round, when it's the Wizard's turn, he casts, it happens, effects are applied, and we move on to the next person in the initiative.

But the game is made to bend to the GM, so if you want to introduce segments and greater spell-interruptability, go for it.

More thread necro!

I'd rule that if a wizard gets a better initiative than an opponent and casts a spell that only takes one action, that spell goes off before the opponent can react or try to interrupt.

But if a spell takes a round or longer to cast, any opponent, no matter what the initiative order is, should get a chance to interrupt the caster and cause them to make a Concentration check. Any interruption action should require an Action Die, and possibly aimed at causing damage, fall or trip, so - an attack roll.

Probably overly strict, but in my games I make everyone declare what they plan to do before initiative is rolled. If a Wizard is interrupted by an attack before his round, the spell is lost for the day.

What happens if a spellcaster is successfully interrupted (spellcaster fails the DC11 Concentration check)?

Is there a negative mod applied to the spell roll?

Automatic Misfire?

Bobjester wrote: ↑Tue Oct 05, 2021 5:44 am What happens if a spellcaster is successfully interrupted (spellcaster fails the DC11 Concentration check)?

Is there a negative mod applied to the spell roll?

Automatic Misfire?

In the situation I describe, I allow the Will check, but on failure, spell is lost for the day.

dustle wrote: ↑Tue Oct 05, 2021 6:08 am

Bobjester wrote: ↑Tue Oct 05, 2021 5:44 am What happens if a spellcaster is successfully interrupted (spellcaster fails the DC11 Concentration check)?

Is there a negative mod applied to the spell roll?

Automatic Misfire?

In the situation I describe, I allow the Will check, but on failure, spell is lost for the day.

That would be okay for a 5e game, but I want to incorporate the DCC rules presented; I want a spell check roll.
I want an increased chance of Misfire - ultimately a roll on the Misfire Table.

What kind of negative modifier applies to the spell check on a failed Concentration check? Equal to the amount of damage caused to the caster?

What if the caster is simply knocked over or tripped with no damage?

Bobjester wrote: ↑Tue Oct 05, 2021 7:26 am

dustle wrote: ↑Tue Oct 05, 2021 6:08 am

Bobjester wrote: ↑Tue Oct 05, 2021 5:44 am What happens if a spellcaster is successfully interrupted (spellcaster fails the DC11 Concentration check)?

Is there a negative mod applied to the spell roll?

Automatic Misfire?

In the situation I describe, I allow the Will check, but on failure, spell is lost for the day.

That would be okay for a 5e game, but I want to incorporate the DCC rules presented; I want a spell check roll.
I want an increased chance of Misfire - ultimately a roll on the Misfire Table.

What kind of negative modifier applies to the spell check on a failed Concentration check? Equal to the amount of damage caused to the caster?

What if the caster is simply knocked over or tripped with no damage?

Makes sense. I don't know 5e well, raised on BECMI and B/X with a little 1e and 2e thrown in. If I were to make the interruption more in the DCC spirit, I'd probably judge the extent of the interruption and adjust the dice chain for the spell check from there. A nudge? 1d16. A dagger in the gut? 1d10. Something like that.

Yes, a dice chain adjustment works too!