Do Immediate Actions Interrupt?

[Tyger]

Does the ability to cast Immediate Action spells (or use other Immediate Action abilities) grant you the ability to interrupt an already declared action?

WotC's D&D Glossary says you can take an Immediate Action "at any time -- even if it's not your turn."

This would seem to imply that Immediate Actions, de facto, can be taken in response to some external event, such as a fall (a la Feather Fall) or someone doing something you wish to interrupt (a warrior charging you, a spellcaster targeting you with a spell, etc.).

However, the Initiate of the Seven Fold Gouda's 4th level ability, Reactive Warding, notes that you can raise a veil as an Immediate Action "after an opponent begins an action but before it is completed." Which seems to imply that this interruption ability is unique to the Reactive Warding ability.

This is relevant as we are about to play a one-shot 20th level, extremely high powered game, and of course, the Celerity line of spells and the IoSFV ability are in play.

The scenario I am envisioning goes something like this:

Enemy Mage: I cast an Empowered, Split, Twinned, Maximized Enervating Ray.

IoSFV: Sorry, I raise my Indigo Veil as an Immediate Action, your spell is blocked.

Enemy Mage: Sorry, I cast Greater Celerity, and cast an Empowered, Split, Twinned, Maximized Enervating Ray before your veil goes up. I roll a 30 to hit, take 900 negative levels.

IoSFV: D'oh! Why didn't I cast Death Ward earlier!!?!?? Why? Oh, right, I'm not a cleric and while cheesy, not cheesy enough to get that spell on my list.

Is that how it works? And what about competing Celerity castings? And what about the initial spell that was being cast and was the first thing interrupted, is it still spent?

Does it work like MtG where the last one played counts first, so one should always wait to see if the other caster is casting Celerity before casting it one's self?

I can see that this issue is going to be a big one. :)

While we're on the topic of high level cheese, has anyone found a definitive answer to when the Dazed effect from Celerity happens, if you use your Celerity time to cast Time Stop? Does it happen inside the Time Stop, or does it kick in after the Time Stop?

There is a reason people like to play barbarians... I hit it with my axe again is sounding more and more fun!

NB: Please don't make any answer that says "Ask your DM" as I am the DM and this one has me stumped.

[Z3ro]

Does the obvious answer that you should rule it however you feel it should work help?

[AstralFire]

I would say an immediate action can interrupt any full-round, standard or move action, and swift or immediate actions which are specifically called out to be able to interrupt. Otherwise, it cannot interrupt a swift or immediate.

I would also say the daze happens during the time stop.

[Tyger]

Does the obvious answer that you should rule it however you feel it should work help?

If that was the case, would I a) have asked for help and b) have admitted in the OP that this had me stumped?

So no.

[Defiant]

The IoSFV then uses his abrupt jaunt to immediately jump out of the way of the ray.

If he had another immediate action. Which he doesn't. Just do greater celerity back.

Again, he can't. I'm just going to go in the corner and be quiet now.

[Tyger]

The IoSFV then uses his abrupt jaunt to immediately jump out of the way of the ray.

If he had another immediate action. Which he doesn't. Just do greater celerity back.

Again, he can't. I'm just going to go in the corner and be quiet now.

:) Yeah, we were thinking about that one too, until I remembered the single action per turn. Then that went away as a concern, or it could get really, really ugly.

[Fishy]

There is a reason people like to play barbarians... I hit it with my axe again is sounding more and more fun!

Ironically, the reason I like to play Barbarians is because of the Instantaneous Rage + Intimidating Rage + Imperious Command combo.

[tundrawalker1]

I would say an immediate action can interrupt any full-round, standard or move action, and swift or immediate actions which are specifically called out to be able to interrupt. Otherwise, it cannot interrupt a swift or immediate.

I would also say the daze happens during the time stop.

Hmmm, interesting. So would you then suggest that a quickened spell cannot be interrupted by the celerity line of spells? I think you are but I didn't want to put words in your mouth.

And I agree with the daze happening during the time stop.

[AstralFire]

Hmmm, interesting. So would you then suggest that a quickened spell cannot be interrupted by the celerity line of spells? I think you are but I didn't want to put words in your mouth.

And I agree with the daze happening during the time stop.

Yes. The swift and the immediate action are the same thing except for when it may be taken, so I think the same protection should go to both.

[tundrawalker1]

Yes. The swift and the immediate action are the same thing except for when it may be taken, so I think the same protection should go to both.

I see your logic there. I just wanted to point out that the wording of Celerity is that you can take a standard action as if you had readied an action. I believe you can ready an action that would allow you to act when someone casts or is about to cast a quickened spell or uses a swift action. By that logic, I would assume that the celerity line of spells would take effect before the other spell is quickened or the swift action is performed, thereby allowing you to act before the results of the primary spell is cast. You do not agree? Thanks and cheers!

[AstralFire]

I see your logic there. I just wanted to point out that the wording of Celerity is that you can take a standard action as if you had readied an action. I believe you can ready an action that would allow you to act when someone casts or is about to cast a quickened spell or uses a swift action. By that logic, I would assume that the celerity line of spells would take effect before the other spell is quickened or the swift action is performed, thereby allowing you to act before the results of the primary spell is cast. You do not agree? Thanks and cheers!

I can't double check right now whether or not you can ready to act against someone's swift action, but I'm pretty sure you can. Your line of logic is accurate. But my statement is made less out of any rules basis and more out of the standpoint that I think allowing Celerity to trump even defensive immediate actions breaks the point of them and puts even more strength on the worst-conceived spell ever.

[Pechvarry]

In general, it seems Immediate Actions are often handled on an individual basis. Many abilities will say something like "you may take an immediate action to reroll your attack, but before you know the results of the attack" while others will allow the reroll after you know the results. Because of stipulations on individual abilities, the answer is often but not always yes.

Incidentally, a simple house rule to make Abrupt Jaunt and Io7fv not at all overpowered is to implement similar restrictions. e.g. If you're going to throw up a barrier that will disintegrate an attacker, then it doesn't make much sense to also not be affected by the attack. Either the attack goes through and they're subject to the veil's effects, or you use the veil to negate the effect because they're deciding not to swing the rest of the way the moment a big green curtain appears between you.

[FMArthur]

I wouldn't blame any writer for clarifying when you can use an immediate action ability even if it falls under ordinary timing of an immediate action because it is a little vague as-is default and is subject to some debate. Don't take that as a sign that normal immediate actions are restricted from what some abilities specify as the usage of their immediate action.

[Ormur]

Stay the Hand in PHII specifically works after someone has declared that he's attacking you and forces him to attack someone else or take a penalty on the attack roll whether it's a spell or a mundane attack. So I'd say any immediate action declared at the right time that could disrupt a spell would do so meaning the spell would be considered spent. The attacker could add another immediate or swift action that round of course but he would have lost his initial spell.

[Zeful]

Does the ability itself say it can; like readied actions? Then yes.

If else; then no.

[Endarire]

Here's my view:

Immediate actions can interrupt anything. You usually only get 1 per turn, however.

[Tyger]

Does the ability itself say it can; like readied actions? Then yes.

If else; then no.

This is my interpretation as well. Seems the world is pretty split on what it means though.

[Zeful]

This is my interpretation as well. Seems the world is pretty split on what it means though.

What? I feel you misunderstand me.

Readied actions actually specify that the action goes before the action that triggered it, so does Contingency for that matter. Immediate Actions don't, so by default they interrupt nothing. So unless the ability itself specifies that it interrupts, then it doesn't; by default. There's nothing to interpret.

[Tyger]

What? I feel you misunderstand me.

Readied actions actually specify that the action goes before the action that triggered it, so does Contingency for that matter. Immediate Actions don't, so by default they interrupt nothing. So unless the ability itself specifies that it interrupts, then it doesn't; by default. There's nothing to interpret.

No, I agree with everything you just wrote, and that you wrote previously.

But, as you can see from the differing views above, not everyone does.

[Foryn Gilnith]

Enemy Mage: I begin casting an Empowered, Split, Twinned, Maximized Enervating Ray.
IoFSV: In response, I begin raising an Indigo Veil.
Enemy Mage: In response, I begin casting Greater Celerity.
Universe: The original Empowered, Split, Twinned, Maximized Enervating Ray is lost, as Enemy Mage is incapable of concentrating on two spells simultaneously.

Then I'm not sure what happens. Scenario 1 I'm contemplating:
Universe: Enemy Mage finishes casting Greater Celerity while Indigo Veil is being raised.
Enemy Mage: I begin casting an Empowered, Split, Twinned, Maximized Enervating Ray.
Universe: Enemy Mage finishes casting an Empowered, Split, Twinned, Maximized Enervating Ray. Enemy mage must roll to hit against AC 22.
Enemy Mage: I roll a 30 to hit, take 900 negative levels.
Universe: IotFSV has negative levels in excess of his actual levels, and thus dies. Indigo Veil fizzles before being raised.

Scenario 2a:
Universe: Conflict between Greater Celerity and Indigo Veil. Roll initiative checks to determine which action completes first.
Enemy Mage: 23.
IotFSV: Gods damn it, 22.
Universe: Enemy Mage finishes casting Greater Celerity while Indigo Veil is being raised.
Enemy Mage: I begin casting an Empowered, Split, Twinned, Maximized Enervating Ray.
Universe: Enemy Mage finishes casting an Empowered, Split, Twinned, Maximized Enervating Ray. Enemy mage must roll to hit against AC 22.
Enemy Mage: I roll a 30 to hit, take 900 negative levels.
Universe: IotFSV has negative levels in excess of his actual levels, and thus dies. Indigo Veil fizzles before being raised.

Scenario 2b:
Universe: Conflict between Greater Celerity and Indigo Veil. Roll initiative checks to determine which action completes first.
Enemy Mage: 11.
IotFSV: 22.
Universe: IotFSV finishes raising Indigo Veil while Greater Celerity is being cast. Enemy Mage finishes casting Greater Celerity.
Enemy Mage: I begin casting Greater Teleport.
Universe: Enemy Mage finishes casting Greater Teleport.