Out of Combat Arcane Spell Failure

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KeldonDonovans
Posts: 114
Joined: Sun Oct 25, 2020 12:03 am

Out of Combat Arcane Spell Failure

Post by KeldonDonovans » Sat Oct 31, 2020 9:35 pm

So this was suggested years ago, and deemed "A good idea in theory, but impossible to implement". Figured I'd see if it was would fly now that we got EE, and see if it was still a welcome idea.

So the concept is that Arcane Spell failure is not as big an issue outside the concept of combat. You aren't hurriedly trying to cast the spell while dodging incoming attacks. You are calmly casting Cat's Grace on your friend, Kevin. You can do that in your leather armor, easily. Just maybe not while getting shot at and leaping out of the way of that oncoming goblin blade.

How that is implemented (obviously, assuming you choose to) depends entirely on what y'all's concept of balance is, but the main three I remember seeing were:
Option 1: "If not in combat, no Arcane Spell Failure" This was considered the easiest to implement, but depending on the opinions of what is acceptable uses, could be considered abusable by, say, a sorcerer in full plate tossing fireball to start every fight, facing no chance of failure because the fight hadn't yet started.
Option 2: "If not in combat, no Arcane Spell Failure for these specific spells" This was in case this should only be used for buffing, as it is a little ridiculous to get naked and buff someone.
Option 3: "While not in combat, give a bonus to Arcane Spell Failure prevention that offsets some of the Arcane Spell Failure" So if your Armor gives you -40% Arcane Spell Failure, and you are out of combat, you might only have a 25% spell failure, depending on your decisions. This makes it so that you still can't 100% cast in full plate, for example, but it's a matter of what you think is best.

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