Ok, this should be a no-brainer, but I haven't run sorcery in TROS before, really. Here's the setup:

- A sorcerer is casting a spell with CTN 2.
- A fighter's attacking him.

During the first exchange, what happens? Can the sorcerer dodge? If so, does he maintain his spell that he's casting? If he's hit, what happens to the spell?

During the second exchange, what happens? Does the spell go off before the fighter's attack?

Basically, how screwed is this guy?

It depends on what type of spell is being casted. I assume a spell of one, therefore the casting time in seconds is equal to the TN. 2 seconds is one round.. so if the sorceror dodges, his spell would go off in the next one. So I would imagine the sorceror doing a full evasion with his entire combat pool to gain initiative and to make sure he was not hit. If he is hit however, all shock/pain/BL should be applied. If he is not hit but fails to gain initiative, have him either go second.. or roll reflex for both to see which event happens first.

Hope this helps a bit.
-Ingenious

Yeah, it's definitely a Spell of One. I get the casting times and all that. Basically, my question is "can a sorcerer dodge and cast at the same time?" If the answer is yes, all my questions about initiative are solved, and fall into the "do things as normal" pile.

Ah, I failed to include that during my first reply. Are there gestures involved? If so, that might add to the complexity of trying to dodge.(higher DTN or something) If it is only a spoken spell, you should be able to talk and dodge at the same time. One would hope anyways.

Of course, this is only my suggestion. I am not basing my ideas off of any of the rules, as I am too busy to go retreive the book from my vehicle.
But your question is one I have asked myself and others before, due to my sorceror having a few spells with a range of 'touch' and are designed as last minute melee spells of one. Those however, have a much higher CTN.. so mine would take about a full exchange to pull off. Thank God I have access to the acrobatics skill to give me more dice.

-Ingenious

I don't see why he couldn't dodge, sure. Spells of One by definition are pretty raw and fast spells, so I don't see them as something you need to be concentrating on to the exclusion of all else. However, if the sorcerer was doing gestures I wouldn't let him move at all (that changes the gestures) so no dodges in that case (that's my 2c, not anything official though).

Brian.

I'd have him make a roll to see if he was interrupted when he dodged. Rules for this can be found on page 113-114, revised. If successful on this roll, then he's good as gold. If not, the effects are as noted. If he's successful on the interruption roll, but fails to dodge (as was the case when Jaga attacked the sorcerer in my "omg what a session" post) then apply shock and pain as noted.

But it would be either a bob & weave or a partial evasion at best. Have you ever tried talking uninterupted or even thinking a complex thought when you are trying to dive back five feet ? Not too easy. Even with the partial evasion I would have the player make a Wil roll opposed to the opponent's Ref to keep the spell powered up. It sounds a bit extreme, but just try having an intelectual conversaton with your opponent the next time you spar or play wrestle or what not... If you can, then I take it back.

I can talk some pretty serious trash while in a boxing match or a street fight... so if it's a vocal spell... I'd say it goes through unless he's hit.. then modifiers to the SP happen as stated by all of us.
If it's gestures.. it depends on what kind of gesturing and bodily movements we're talking 'bout here. Arm movements and hands and such? Feet/legs? If it's arms only, then the character might get by.. or might get hit in the arm where his arm previously wasn't if the opponent misses where he aimed but happens to hit where the arm was moved to.
The movement of the legs is the real issue with the dodging of attacks. I'd say that's pretty damned impossible. Maybe if you're an advocate of letting someone try something, make a contested roll of Form/dance, Form/Symbol drawing, form/dancing or form/whatever to see if the gestures are done correctly first(Page 113 as Wolfen said).. and possibly roll the sorceror's AG vs the opponents PER(or AG) to see if the gesturing was done fast enough to avoid a hit in the case of the opponent missing but htting where the arm/whatever appendage moved to. You should narrate the last part though after the attack missed but then hit the recently moved appendage... and explain that the character really missed his initial target(i.e. an overhand diagonal swing to zone whatver.. and the sorceror turned while he was dodging but his arm was still in the path of the swing, or was moved there).

-Ingenious

My thoughts:

I would use the rule of thumb that I have come up with for trying to fight whilst throwing something with the off-hand (yes, I know that there's Toss but, well, there are problems with Toss.) The rule is quite simple:

Any action during combat deducts from all presently functioning pools (combat, skill, spell and missile).

So, essentially, the sorcerer would have to deduct all dice from casting (both concentration and casting, yup) from his combat pool, then use the rest to dodge.

This also allows archers to dodge a swing, then shoot with associated penalties, which I like, and it allows the rapier fighter to toss his off-hand dagger with the penalty of being distracted from the fight at hand, which I like a great deal.

yrs--
--Ben

Ben,

I like that idea. but how would the dice division work in such a scenario? Is there a rule you are quoting from the book?

Thanks,

Alan