Warmage avoiding Aoo for casting

[aza9999]

The DM has asked me to make up a party NPC and wants a fighter/wizard type (we're at level 2). Looking at warmage it looks like a simple class to achieve this without too much book-keeping or overshadowing the PC's (although if anyone else has suggestions for appropriate classes im open to ideas).

As a party NPC she'll mostly be helping out at low levels and supporting the party a little so we're not looking to make her a juggernaut optimised powerhouse.

I know that the warmage is more suited to being an archer but this one is meant to be a melee fighter, as such i'm looking at ways to avoid attacks of opportunity for casting. The only reliable way i've found is the 5-foot step. Is there any other feats or tricks to help avoid AoO when casting in combat?

[GeekGirl]

Cast Defensively.


Casting Defensively
If you want to cast a spell without provoking any attacks of opportunity, you must make a Concentration check (DC 15 + the level of the spell you’re casting) to succeed. You lose the spell if you fail.

On a separate note, I like Hexblade for an NPC fighter/caster better then Warmage. Downside they don't get spells till later.

[aza9999]

Doh! Hate when you forget the simplest options...you can tell i don't play casters often lol.

Thanks for reminding me of that one :)

[KillingAScarab]

Looking at the warmage spell list (pages 90, 91 of Complete Arcane), there are only two spells you should be using (not casting) while already in melee. Chill touch and shocking grasp are both touch spells. Your DM's PC can cast a touch spell before going into melee, hold it, and then make the touch attack to use it later. Fist of stone should be used, but it has a 1 minute duration. Better off casting and then moving into melee range. It is unlikely you're using true strike at 2nd level. Everything else is used at range.

[aza9999]

Holding touch spells is a good idea, I'm thinking of going with a longspear/spiked gauntlet combo. Cast the touch spell, attack of opportunity the enemy with the longspear as they approach and then if they get through that, touch attack on next turn.

The character background is she's a caravan guard, and the twin sister to my male half-elf Bard. He's the lover, she's the fighter :)

[Kuulvheysoon]

If you're not set on Warmage, might I suggest Duskblade (PHB2)? It does pretty much exactly what you're looking for.

[aza9999]

Looking at duskblade it does indeed look like a better choice, and gets combat casting for free at level 2, thanks!

[Kuulvheysoon]

Looking at duskblade it does indeed look like a better choice, and gets combat casting for free at level 2, thanks!

What can I say? We deliver.

[Spuddles]

Holding touch spells is a good idea, I'm thinking of going with a longspear/spiked gauntlet combo. Cast the touch spell, attack of opportunity the enemy with the longspear as they approach and then if they get through that, touch attack on next turn.

The character background is she's a caravan guard, and the twin sister to my male half-elf Bard. He's the lover, she's the fighter :)

If you were to cast a touch spell and hold the charge, using a long spear to make an AoO would discharge your held spell harmlessly on the spear. :/

[aza9999]

I just re-read holding the charge and noticed that touching anything will discharge the attack, good point :smallfrown:

On the plus side it doesn't matter once you reach level 3 and the duskblade gains arcane channeling which gives the ability to cast touch spells through her weapon, so she can AoO the enemy with her spear and then on her turn cast a touch spell through the spiked gauntlets.

[TuggyNE]

If you were to cast a touch spell and hold the charge, using a long spear to make an AoO would discharge your held spell harmlessly on the spear. :/

Oh? Any particular reason for that, and not, say, discharging a held spell into your gauntlet, or headband, or boots, or whatever else?

If you're already holding or wearing something, I don't see why you'd be actively touching it, in the spell discharge sense. If you draw it or pick it up after casting, sure, but otherwise no.

[aza9999]

If you touch anything or anyone while holding a charge, even unintentionally, the spell discharges.

I would argue that since most touch spells would have a somatic component, you have to let go of the spear with your "casting" hand to charge it, when you grab the spear again to use with both hands it discharges. As to why it doesn't discharge into your gauntlet, i guess gauntlets are basically considered part of your hand when casting, either that or "because: magic"

[Spuddles]

Oh? Any particular reason for that

Because the rules say so?


It's mostly a moot point with duskblade, but other casters have to be a little careful about spells held and what their hands are doing.

[TuggyNE]

I would argue that since most touch spells would have a somatic component, you have to let go of the spear with your "casting" hand to charge it, when you grab the spear again to use with both hands it discharges.

Hmm. I can buy the two-handing thing with somatic components, I guess; for some reason, I was thinking either one-handed or no somatic, or kind of ignoring that.


Because the rules say so?

Where do they say so? If you can find a consistent and sensible interpretation, supported by rules text, that forces this then be my guest.

[Spuddles]

Hmm. I can buy the two-handing thing with somatic components, I guess; for some reason, I was thinking either one-handed or no somatic, or kind of ignoring that.



Where do they say so? If you can find a consistent and sensible interpretation, supported by rules text, that forces this then be my guest.

"Holding the Charge
If you don’t discharge the spell in the round when you cast the spell, you can hold the discharge of the spell (hold the charge) indefinitely. You can continue to make touch attacks round after round. You can touch one friend as a standard action or up to six friends as a full-round action. If you touch anything or anyone while holding a charge, even unintentionally, the spell discharges. If you cast another spell, the touch spell dissipates. Alternatively, you may make a normal unarmed attack (or an attack with a natural weapon) while holding a charge. In this case, you aren’t considered armed and you provoke attacks of opportunity as normal for the attack. (If your unarmed attack or natural weapon attack doesn’t provoke attacks of opportunity, neither does this attack.) If the attack hits, you deal normal damage for your unarmed attack or natural weapon and the spell discharges. If the attack misses, you are still holding the charge."

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/actionsInCombat.htm