Sending: WHY ten minutes?

[Avianmosquito]

WHY does sending take ten minutes to cast? That's annoyed me since the first time my DM pointed it out in like 2005. WHY? It's already a super limited spell with a super high caster level for what it does, WHY does it also have to take an obnoxiously long time to cast?

[Silva Stormrage]

WHY does sending take ten minutes to cast? That's annoyed me since the first time my DM pointed it out in like 2005. WHY? It's already a super limited spell with a super high caster level for what it does, WHY does it also have to take an obnoxiously long time to cast?

Correspond has it as well. Super annoying. As for why? No idea, maybe they didn't want it to be used for instant scouting? It still seems pretty ridiculous though.

Houserule it if you want or carry scrolls/wands of it to bypass that cast time.

[Zanos]

Sending lets you send a small message to anyone on an plane. And there's 0 failure chance for the same plane. It's only level 4 for clerics. Not really that high considering everyone else is communicating by carrier pigeon or mounted couriers.

It takes 10 minutes so you can stop the underboss from conducting a sending informing the big bad that you're breaking his stuff.

Houserule it if you want or carry scrolls/wands of it to bypass that cast time.

RC says that wands and scrolls use the same casting time as the stored spell. Which is why wands of nerveskitter work.

[Nifft]

Sending is the telegram service of the gods.

The 10 minutes are for finding a free agent and connecting the switchboards.

In Ravenloft, the telegram service has been privatized, and sending requires an expensive material component.

[AlanBruce]

Magic Item Compendium has Sending Stones, which take a standard action to activate and work just like the spell.

The problem is that they come only in pairs, so its communication is limited to only two people, with each having one stone. The item works 1/day, but it is a faster alternative, if a lot more costly at 1400 gold for a pair according to MiC, page 184.

[Dimers]

It's already a super limited spell with a super high caster level for what it does, WHY does it also have to take an obnoxiously long time to cast?

Any extremely fast and accurate movement or communication will drastically change the gameworld if it's easily accessible. Ten minutes is "extremely fast" compared with anything nonmagical over long distances, and most other magics and abilities are more limited.

Consider it a noncombat spell. It takes longer to compose your 25 words than it does to RP the casting time.

[ryu]

Just use uncanny forethought to reduce it to a full round action. You also never EVER have to prepare it again.

[Elkad]

Sending lets you send a small message to anyone on an plane. And there's 0 failure chance for the same plane. It's only level 4 for clerics. Not really that high considering everyone else is communicating by carrier pigeon or mounted couriers.

It takes 10 minutes so you can stop the underboss from conducting a sending informing the big bad that you're breaking his stuff.

Not that high? At the same level I can summon a Lantern Archon who can teleport back and forth with written/memorized messages. Sure, it's limited to the same plane and 9,800 miles (CL7) (or 4,200 if I want a reply), but it can carry a whole box of books, not 25 words. And if my target is closer, we might even manage more than one exchange.

[Nifft]

Not that high? At the same level I can summon a Lantern Archon who can teleport back and forth with written/memorized messages. Sure, it's limited to the same plane and 9,800 miles (CL7) (or 4,200 if I want a reply), but it can carry a whole box of books, not 25 words. And if my target is closer, we might even manage more than one exchange.

Summoned as in summon monster III, right?

If so, doesn't the little lightbuddy lose his teleportation access, due to that summoning subschool restriction?

[Sagetim]

Summoned as in summon monster III, right?

If so, doesn't the little lightbuddy lose his teleportation access, due to that summoning subschool restriction?

No, Teleport has it's own subschool of magic under Conjuration. So anything with the ability to teleport, dimension door, blink, etc can still do so as a summoned creature. But, for example, you can't summon a succubus and have her summon more stuff off of her innate summoning ability.

[Gruftzwerg]

on a side-note:
There is an epic warlock feat, Morpheme Savant, which reduces the casting time to 1 minute and even adds a "Suggestion" for free on top.
But I guess, that won't help the thread author..^^

[ryu]

on a side-note:
There is an epic warlock feat, Morpheme Savant, which reduces the casting time to 1 minute and even adds a "Suggestion" for free on top.
But I guess, that won't help the thread author..^^

Like I said earlier. Uncanny Forethought.

[Nifft]

No, Teleport has it's own subschool of magic under Conjuration. So anything with the ability to teleport, dimension door, blink, etc can still do so as a summoned creature. But, for example, you can't summon a succubus and have her summon more stuff off of her innate summoning ability.

Huh!

So uh... can a Bar-Lgura demon be summon monster'd?

One of those can easily just teleport you where you want, or teleport elsewhere and abduct your conversation target.


This is the dreadful social wizard tactic known as Scry-and-"Hi!".

[Sagetim]

Huh!

So uh... can a Bar-Lgura demon be summon monster'd?

One of those can easily just teleport you where you want, or teleport elsewhere and abduct your conversation target.


This is the dreadful social wizard tactic known as Scry-and-"Hi!".

I didn't see them listed on this thread. I'll have to say 'no, they aren't on the summon list'. That said, there's quite a lot of options that Are on the list, but by the time you get to significant caster levels on summons (whereby they might get their own teleporting separately), you would already have access to other spells directly.

[ksbsnowowl]

Not that high? At the same level I can summon a Lantern Archon who can teleport back and forth with written/memorized messages. Sure, it's limited to the same plane and 9,800 miles (CL7) (or 4,200 if I want a reply), but it can carry a whole box of books, not 25 words. And if my target is closer, we might even manage more than one exchange.

No, Teleport has it's own subschool of magic under Conjuration. So anything with the ability to teleport, dimension door, blink, etc can still do so as a summoned creature. But, for example, you can't summon a succubus and have her summon more stuff off of her innate summoning ability.

All incorrect, assuming you mean summoning a Lantern Archon via Summon Monster IV.

Summon Monster I
Conjuration (Summoning) [see text]
Level: Brd 1, Clr 1, Sor/Wiz 1
Components: V, S, F/DF
Casting Time: 1 round
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Effect: One summoned creature
Duration: 1 round/level (D)
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
This spell summons an extraplanar creature (typically an outsider, elemental, or magical beast native to another plane). It appears where you designate and acts immediately, on your turn. It attacks your opponents to the best of its ability. If you can communicate with the creature, you can direct it not to attack, to attack particular enemies, or to perform other actions.

The spell conjures one of the creatures from the 1st-level list on the accompanying Summon Monster table. You choose which kind of creature to summon, and you can change that choice each time you cast the spell.

A summoned monster cannot summon or otherwise conjure another creature, nor can it use any teleportation or planar travel abilities. Creatures cannot be summoned into an environment that cannot support them.

When you use a summoning spell to summon an air, chaotic, earth, evil, fire, good, lawful, or water creature, it is a spell of that type.

Now, if there is some other ability that you are using to summon a Lantern Archon, other than a SM or SNA spell, then such spell or ability might not have that restriction. But since you were talking about "at the same [4th spell] level I can summon a Lantern Archon," I'm assuming SM4 what you meant.

[Calthropstu]

Not that high? At the same level I can summon a Lantern Archon who can teleport back and forth with written/memorized messages. Sure, it's limited to the same plane and 9,800 miles (CL7) (or 4,200 if I want a reply), but it can carry a whole box of books, not 25 words. And if my target is closer, we might even manage more than one exchange.

Except you can't. You need planar binding for that. Summoned monsters lose access to teleport.
Which ksbsnowowl has already pointed out.

[Aharon]

Except you can't. You need planar binding for that. Summoned monsters lose access to teleport.
Which ksbsnowowl has already pointed out.

In Champions of Valor, there's the 3rd level spell "Create Lantern Archon". It has 1d2 constitution drain and an even longer casting time (1 hour), but Uncanny Forethought should work.
It's sanctified, though - so depending on the morals of your character, it might not be feasible.