I am curious where it says it takes two standard actions to cast the spell.
On page 170 in the rulebook: “The basic effect of a spell does not include the actual use of that spell. Instead, the spell creates an effect that the sorcerer can attempt to use, but actually using that effect requires other actions and other skills. In combat, this may require using Fortune or Momentum spends to take extra actions quickly, or casting the spell on one turn and using its effects in the next.”
I don’t even know what it’s talking about. What’s the “basic effect of a spell” if it isn’t the “actual use of that spell”? Does it mean visual effect etc i.e. the spell is being created and people can so it’s being done, but it has no effect yet?
In the previous paragraph it says: “Some spells require a secondary action.”
Honestly, I have no idea. I’ve never seen anything so ambiguous in an RPG before.
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If magic works that way I think it’s good, because then casting spells becomes harder to perform and cost a lot. And as I interpret the rules of using magic in the game the rules should be a little loose so you can make room for cool scenes. But I’m still not really sure how it is applied in combat technically.
Yeah there’s definitely flexibility. I really do want an official view somehow on the ‘two standard actions’ thing, but I think it’s right. Just looking at the numbers, it seems to make spells like Dismember really weak considering the time, effort and risk involved.Unless I’m misunderstand and that you can cast it every action once you’ve wasted the first action to sort of ‘bring the spell into your hands’. I’m still really lost.
I’m having an incredibly confusing chat about it over on the Conan games forum. The chap seems 100% sure Dismember only takes one action to cast, but I can’t work it out: https://www.facebook.com/groups/416593401791353/2444072292376777/?comment_id=2444466899003983&reply_comment_id=2445551922228814¬if_id=1568645235903355¬if_t=group_comment_mention
I’ve created a new thread in this forum to see if I can get a definitive answer. Thanks for having tried here. My new thread is at: How many standard actions does it take to fully cast a spell?
I need to get this right, as I’ve only GM’d Conan 2D20 once and a big baddie is a sorcerer - so if I mess up the spellcaster, it might really mess up the balance of the game (which I’m just getting used to).
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I got my reply on the other thread I created here. Sorted:
Modiphius-SteveHModiphius Moderator
From Benn, our Conan rules guru:
“suggesting that the one standard action won’t be enough. It says that “the spell creates an effect that the sorcerer can attempt to use, but actually using that effect requires other actions and other skills” and talks about using fortune or momentum (presumably 2 momentum i.e. full Swift Action) if you want to the spell to “use its effects” in the same turn you cast it via a second standard action.” This is leeway for the GM to determine, if in thier opinion a spells use would not be immediate, or a spell might require additional actions to lead to the result the caster seeks. Dismember is immediate. It has to be or its just a worse form of Crossbow.
“For example, if I cast Haunt The Mind to create a swarm of stinging illusory bees for a few turns, in which standard action does my adversary see and potentially believe the bees? And in which standard action can I try to do damage with them?” This would be instanteous. A better example would be If i cast fury of the elements to destroy a bridge and I cast the spell and the GM says cool, but you need another action to make a Craft D2 test to recognise where to focus the spell for that effect. And yes, you could do the craft then the spell and thats just fine.
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