3.5 question about failing actions

[tim01300]

So quick question came up in my game last night. The parties wizard wanted to move to a ledge make jump check down 20 feet and cast a spell on the ground in his turn. All fine until he failed the jump check and landed prone. One of the other players thought that his turn should be over. Does your turn end when you fail a check like this? The group was split on this, so I said he could cast and I would find out the rule. (As I write this I realize I need to double check on if a jump check counts as a movement or action. If it is an action he wouldn't be able to move, jump, and cast all in a turn anyway)

Secondly when he cast the spell does he need to make a concentration check for the falling damage? I thought no but the mage himself said that he has to make a concentration for any damage taken on his turn. So in theory if he moved, set off a trap, kept moving and then cast a spell he needs to make a check on something that already happened?

As always you guys are a big help, and thank you!

[Jormengand]

Failing a check doesn't end your turn (Why would it?), and you don't have to take a concentration check unless you're damaged during the action.

Oh, and "A Jump check is included in your movement, so it is part of a move action." Therefore, the wizard still has his standard (and swift) action left to cast spells.

[SirFredgar]

If the wizard could move the entire distance (to the ledge, and to the ground) with less that their total movement, it can be done with a single action. I'm assuming a 30 foot move, but a character could walk 10 feet to a ledge, jump down 20 and land prone all in a single move action. It would be a little different if that same character moved 20 feet to the ledge, and then jumped 20 feet down... he/she doesn't have enough movement in a single action. The Jump skill addresses this by stating under these circumstances the character has to use their next action as a move action to complete the jump.

If he landed with a single move action, then he could cast a spell.... prone. Which doesn't really mean anything other than making him harder/easier to hit/be hit under certain circumstances. No Concentration check would be necessary unless he was taking damage WHILE he was casting. But in your example, the character took damage BEFORE casting.

edit: ninja'd... and way more concisely lol

[HighWater]

Jormengand got it. You don't lose your turn when you fail a check and jump is part of a move action, leaving the player with a standard and a swift. If he then stands up from prone he uses another move action and would be unable to cast, but if he just stays prone and starts casting (there are no rules penalising this (other than a -4 on your melee attack roll) that I know of), he could totally do that by RAW.

[SirFredgar]

Jormengand got it. You don't lose your turn when you fail a check and jump is part of a move action, leaving the player with a standard and a swift. If he then stands up from prone he uses another move action and would be unable to cast, but if he just stays prone and starts casting (there are no rules penalising this (other than a -4 on your melee attack roll) that I know of), he could totally do that by RAW.

Prone

The character is on the ground. An attacker who is prone has a -4 penalty on melee attack rolls and cannot use a ranged weapon (except for a crossbow). A defender who is prone gains a +4 bonus to Armor Class against ranged attacks, but takes a -4 penalty to AC against melee attacks.

Standing up is a move-equivalent action that provokes an attack of opportunity.

Prone just gives +/- modifiers to AC/Atk based on if you are attacking or being attacked by a person at range or melee. But it will not stop you from casting.

[Curmudgeon]

Prone just gives +/- modifiers to AC/Atk based on if you are attacking or being attacked by a person at range or melee. But it will not stop you from casting.

It will stop you from getting to cast a touch spell and deliver the charge in the same round. It's still an inconvenience to spellcasting, though not (as you said) a preventer.

[SirFredgar]

It will stop you from getting to cast a touch spell and deliver the charge in the same round. It's still an inconvenience to spellcasting, though not (as you said) a preventer.

You are technically correct. The best kind of correct. :) I hadn't even thought about it, but now that I do... he should be able to deliver said touch spell if he just so happen to fall prone next to a target. However, this would pose other challenges, as an attack of opportunity, or a concentration check (or both) would be imminent. Unless I'm missing a finer point of delivering touch spells.

[Curmudgeon]

I hadn't even thought about it, but now that I do... he should be able to deliver said touch spell if he just so happen to fall prone next to a target. However, this would pose other challenges, as an attack of opportunity, or a concentration (or both) would be imminent. Unless I'm missing a finer point of delivering touch spells.

The Concentration DCs to cast while prone don't change automatically, thought the DM is certainly within their rights to impose a circumstance penalty for prone spellcasting. So either make a successful Concentration check to cast defensively, or survive the AoO and make the Concentration check to keep from blowing the spell. If the spellcaster makes it that far, there is a -4 penalty to melee attacks while prone.

Yes, it's all possible; I just wouldn't want to be in the position where it became necessary to try.

[Bronk]

Although if the wizard's familiar were still with him/her and they were at least third level, the familiar could deliver the touch spell...