Moving around the field clockwise, starting from the group being attacked by the goblin slingers; Helmut the NPC cleric (attached to Lord Karl) has healed his compatriots and they are getting ready to get out of range of the goblin slingers.
The hippogriff (named Hathor) continues to defend its held master, Falyn the ranger, against a 7th level hobgoblin fighter. Meanwhile, the glaivers still try to break through the breach and pass the drow elf Prince holding it closed. He is just now being met by Ty, Lord Karl's hench, a 6th level npc fighter. Ty will try to overbear in the next few rounds and push the much smaller drow elf from the breach.
You may also notice two small figures at the upper left, to the left of the combat just mentioned - these are marked as B1 and B2. They are a pair of brownies, lately conjured by the 9th level druid with the spell, conjure woodland beings.
You may also notice that the 6th level thief, Ivan, is on the Northwest Tower. As a matter of fact he is inside it, fighting a hobgoblin and a 4th level goblin fighter. They can be seen because, by convention, it is easier to pretend they are one floor lower than to create another tower layout for them to fight upon.
You may also notice two small figures at the upper left, to the left of the combat just mentioned - these are marked as B1 and B2. They are a pair of brownies, lately conjured by the 9th level druid with the spell, conjure woodland beings.
You may also notice that the 6th level thief, Ivan, is on the Northwest Tower. As a matter of fact he is inside it, fighting a hobgoblin and a 4th level goblin fighter. They can be seen because, by convention, it is easier to pretend they are one floor lower than to create another tower layout for them to fight upon.
The battle royale at the north gate, the top of the map, gets more and more harried as the goblins and hobgoblins are clearly outflanking the left end of the human defendors. It looks horrifically bad, and has the party up at this part of the map pretty much beside themselves. The only thing really keeping them going at this point is Lyrial the bard, who is singing like hell and creating the equivalent to a prayer spell to all within 60'.
I noticed that you said the queen was casting in the last post, and here you said she had used a wand of fireballs.
ReplyDeleteI'm not here to quibble - what I want to know is, does using the wand take the same time as using a spell?
My guess would be yes, with the advantage to the wand being you don't have to spend a spell.
Maxwell, I don't see it as quibbling in the least.
ReplyDeleteRemember that for my spells to function, the character must first 'cast' the spell, which means to gather the energy and control it within; during this time, if spellcasters are jarred or have their concentration broken (by a weapon, attack, another spell, etcetera), then the spell is RUINED and cannot be cast again that day.
Once the spell is cast and ready (and with high level spells, this can take two to five rounds), it must be 'discharged,' which means sent out from the spellcaster's body at the thing to be influenced. Thus, the full procedure of using spells is loading the gun/firing the gun.
A wand is point-and-click. The 'casting' has been caught in mid-process and then transfused into the wand, so that the user needs only to discharge the power of the wand by literally pointing it.
So wands are much, much faster. But they run out of charges, so they don't last forever. Until they do, however, they can be used once per round as long as the charges hold out.
Oops, forgot the detail about which you were right, Maxwell.
ReplyDeleteI did make a mistake there with the Queen casting. I remind you, Maxwell, this was five years ago for me. I'm remembering things in slightly the wrong order. I have to take that line out.