Basic Fantasy RPG Forums

For the record, can you move and cast in BF? In other systems, spell casters are not able to move and cast the same turn. BF says "can move and attack", doesn't mention cast, but also says in spell section "In combat, casting a spell usually takes the same time as making an attack." Wondering if it's one of those SRD 3.5 things (move and cast) or if I'm mis-interpreting it. Thanks.

EDIT: I know it need not be a hard rule, but just wondering the original intention or how others play it.

I've always allowed my casters to move and cast, just like any other attack. But curious what others are doing.

The way I play, caster cannot move more than 1/2 pace (about 1 yard) and they can dodge at a -4 penalty. After all, they're suppose to be concentrating on the spell.

I'm also in the move and cast camp. It never occurred to me to do otherwise - as per the original post it seems to be what the rules as written imply.

JoeCarr28 wrote:I'm also in the move and cast camp. It never occurred to me to do otherwise - as per the original post it seems to be what the rules as written imply.

same here.

That's how I've been playing it also. It's just, being B/X themed, I wondered if I had overlooked something. I like the idea of giving spell casters a chance to move when their turn finally comes around. It also seems more natural too from a tabletop standpoint; everyone else gets to move and try anything, why not the caster? It's especially natural for those coming from SRD 3.x background. I would argue that casters are still at risk of disruption by simply being attacked (as the "official" ruling would have it, as discussed in previous threads, not attacked and hit.) Thanks.

I've always played it that casting a spell takes total concentration; eyes closed, hands moving, lips moving as the words are spoken. They are in their own world. If someone or something attacks them and misses, they'll have never known; but if hit, that's when that total concentration breaks.

Anyone with the minimum amount of training can hit a target the size of their hand every time. If the caster doesn't move, they die.

Interesting view Shawn.

I read recently about how a spell caster prepares their spells in the morning, up to but not including the final trigger. This allowed the spell to be cast fairly quickly, with the utterance of one final word. While not an AD&D expert in the slightest, they seem to take things one step further by requiring an additional material aspect. For example in the 1e description of the Cleric's Spiritual Hammer, they are to actually throw a physical war hammer at their target, utter their trigger word, and then the spiritual smiting occurs.

Not to advocate adding the material mechanic, which I don't, I just think that moving and casting seems doable with the "prepared up to the trigger word and/or material item" mentality.

One idea I had but never used, inspired by the way D&D4e handles magic items, is that there's a sort of quintessence contained in both magic items and gold that can be used as a universal material component-- essentially turning magic and alchemy into facets of each other.