I don't like timestop, neither game-wise nor thematically. The idea that someone who can't even conjure forth a banana or teleport back to their favorite ale house can stop time for billions of creatures and planets is just ridiculous (at least I assume time stops for EVERYONE except the person casting TS and creatures immune to it). Would make more sense to make timestop into a "snap freeze" with an AoE so actually have to hit the persons to make them freeze in 'time' so you can attack them.
The more extraordinary you make magic, the more ridiculous it becomes. I mean, if I was a lich who could control time wouldn't it be much more effective to increase time a hundred times instead and watch my enemies age, wither and die before me while my lifeless body endures (except elves ofc)?
Posting in other threads etc it seems I am one of few who kinda dislikes super-powerful enemies and magics, so I think this fits well in this thread
And btw, when I am already ranting I might as well add that I don't like the mix of magic and alchemy. I mean, if magic is magic, then just keep it that way. Adding ingredients into the mix, like spending gold or crystals or whatever to cast spells just make it weird(er) than just saying "magic is magic".
I have this vague memory that Time stop doesn't actually stop time for everyone else, but is more like Improved Insane Ultra Haste for the caster. Some lore-wise person here who can confirm?
I personally like the magic/alchemy mix a lot thematically but couldn't really be bothered with it in actual gameplay. I mean, I like the idea of combining different kinds of knowledge to some awesome synergy. But having to carry around a sack of guano that my mage needs to brush her teeth with every time she wants to cast magic missile or something? Naaah, I got better things to do
If you have to relearn spells everyday after you have used them up, then how do you know what ingredients you need to carry around? Or is it that the amount of ingredients dictates how many spells you can cast?
But then, why would a higher level mage have more ingredients, a rich mage of whatever level would always have the advantage. A rich and strong mage would be able to carry tons of ingredients, they would win.
And why is it always guano?
It's all illogical. Only way I can get around the mechanics in game is to believe that spells are slippery because of their nature and the "weave" and a person simply can't keep too many straight and sorted out in their head. Hence high intelligence being the main factor.
Having hints like "oh look, I have some guano in my pocket, what's that for, oh yes it's to cast MM, bugger still can't remember the sequence/words/actions" is too much of a stretch for me.
I have this vague memory that Time stop doesn't actually stop time for everyone else, but is more like Improved Insane Ultra Haste for the caster. Some lore-wise person here who can confirm?
In PnP, Time Stop just makes the caster move so fast that it's virtually stopping time for the caster.
I have this vague memory that Time stop doesn't actually stop time for everyone else, but is more like Improved Insane Ultra Haste for the caster. Some lore-wise person here who can confirm?
In PnP, Time Stop just makes the caster move so fast that it's virtually stopping time for the caster.
I think that was added in 3e. Time Stop was literally stopping time before then.
1e and 2e Time Stop only stopped time in a 15’ radius sphere. 1e duration was .5 segment per level + 1d8 rounds (or maybe segments?). 2e duration was 1d3 rounds.
1e and 2e Time Stop only stopped time in a 15’ radius sphere. 1e duration was .5 segment per level + 1d8 rounds (or maybe segments?). 2e duration was 1d3 rounds.
How is that even possible? I know magic is magic, but how can time be stopped in just one small part of the world? It's start all sorts of philosophical questions on "what is time". The idea that all living beings 'freeze' or that the caster is so ridiculously fast that they seem to move while everyone else are stuck in timestop is much more believable (if that word can even be used in these kind of situations, hehe)
And btw, I'm not questioning you personally @bleusteel, it's more of a rhetorical question based on your insightful input.
1e and 2e Time Stop only stopped time in a 15’ radius sphere. 1e duration was .5 segment per level + 1d8 rounds (or maybe segments?). 2e duration was 1d3 rounds.
How is that even possible? I know magic is magic, but how can time be stopped in just one small part of the world? It's start all sorts of philosophical questions on "what is time".
It's possible because Faerun doesn't operate on natural laws brought into being by an uncaring universe but by God Magic, which aint gotta explain s***.
1e and 2e Time Stop only stopped time in a 15’ radius sphere. 1e duration was .5 segment per level + 1d8 rounds (or maybe segments?). 2e duration was 1d3 rounds.
How is that even possible? I know magic is magic, but how can time be stopped in just one small part of the world? It's start all sorts of philosophical questions on "what is time". The idea that all living beings 'freeze' or that the caster is so ridiculously fast that they seem to move while everyone else are stuck in timestop is much more believable (if that word can even be used in these kind of situations, hehe)
And btw, I'm not questioning you personally @bleusteel, it's more of a rhetorical question based on your insightful input.
If I had to come up with a real-world explanation, I would say time dilation.
1e and 2e Time Stop only stopped time in a 15’ radius sphere. 1e duration was .5 segment per level + 1d8 rounds (or maybe segments?). 2e duration was 1d3 rounds.
How is that even possible? I know magic is magic, but how can time be stopped in just one small part of the world? It's start all sorts of philosophical questions on "what is time". The idea that all living beings 'freeze' or that the caster is so ridiculously fast that they seem to move while everyone else are stuck in timestop is much more believable (if that word can even be used in these kind of situations, hehe)
And btw, I'm not questioning you personally @bleusteel, it's more of a rhetorical question based on your insightful input.
If I had to come up with a real-world explanation, I would say time dilation.
The caster invokes a mini-singularity from which they are protected (by magic!). The small scale of the singularity means it only affects a tiny area.
This is starting to sound like one of those explanations at XKCD's "What If?" blog. Specifically the ones that contain phrases like "expanding plasma cloud" and "sizable crater"
The Relativistic Baseball entry has this to say about moving so fast that everything else appears stationary:
Normally, air would flow around anything moving through it. But the air molecules in front of this ball don’t have time to be jostled out of the way. The ball smacks into them so hard that the atoms in the air molecules actually fuse with the atoms in the ball’s surface. Each collision releases a burst of gamma rays and scattered particles.
But in Faerun, aren't planets planets? Or is it something completely different? I've always assumed it's still a planet orbiting around a star since there's a day/night cycle with weather just as on Earth. This means that if you stop time in a small part of the world, how the hell do you metamagically and physically explain the fact that the interstellar object you are on (the planet) move in space while the small part of it that you stop in time does not?
Not even the "magic is magic, duh" works on that in my head.
I have this vague memory that Time stop doesn't actually stop time for everyone else, but is more like Improved Insane Ultra Haste for the caster. Some lore-wise person here who can confirm?
In PnP, Time Stop just makes the caster move so fast that it's virtually stopping time for the caster.
Reminds me of those Quicksilver scenes from the Marvel movies.
In general, BG2 doesn't follow PnP rules. In BG2, Time Stop stops time, and some critters are immune to it somehow. I don't think there's an answer to these questions.
In general, BG2 doesn't follow PnP rules. In BG2, Time Stop stops time, and some critters are immune to it somehow. I don't think there's an answer to these questions.
But in Faerun, aren't planets planets? Or is it something completely different? I've always assumed it's still a planet orbiting around a star since there's a day/night cycle with weather just as on Earth. This means that if you stop time in a small part of the world, how the hell do you metamagically and physically explain the fact that the interstellar object you are on (the planet) move in space while the small part of it that you stop in time does not?
Not even the "magic is magic, duh" works on that in my head.
This was weaponized in the Strontium Dog comics:
(Edit-Looking for a decent link)
Otherwise, I think an intense gravity field explains the effect best.
I miss sexual magic in BG and I can't believe is left apart. in table top, there was a Dragon Magazine article about this. How can there no be conversations and encounters about spells and potions used to modify time and space, polymorphing, charming (with prior consense), in sex?...
I miss sexual magic in BG and I can't believe is left apart. in table top, there was a Dragon Magazine article about this. How can there no be conversations and encounters about spells and potions used to modify time and space, polymorphing, charming (with prior consense), in sex?...
I miss sexual magic in BG and I can't believe is left apart. in table top, there was a Dragon Magazine article about this. How can there no be conversations and encounters about spells and potions used to modify time and space, polymorphing, charming (with prior consense), in sex?...
Be careful what you wish for. Without going into graphic detail, in my experience most "sexual encounters" in Pen and Paper involve enchantment spells and/or grapple checks. Some real sick people play D&D.
I miss sexual magic in BG and I can't believe is left apart. in table top, there was a Dragon Magazine article about this. How can there no be conversations and encounters about spells and potions used to modify time and space, polymorphing, charming (with prior consense), in sex?...
Be careful what you wish for. Without going into graphic detail, in my experience most "sexual encounters" in Pen and Paper involve enchantment spells and/or grapple checks. Some real sick people play D&D.
True. Healthy people use Diplomacy rolls and Use Rope checks.
I miss sexual magic in BG and I can't believe is left apart. in table top, there was a Dragon Magazine article about this. How can there no be conversations and encounters about spells and potions used to modify time and space, polymorphing, charming (with prior consense), in sex?...
Be careful what you wish for. Without going into graphic detail, in my experience most "sexual encounters" in Pen and Paper involve enchantment spells and/or grapple checks. Some real sick people play D&D.
True. Healthy people use Diplomacy rolls and Use Rope checks.
Well, as long as the Use Rope check is a result of successful Diplomacy check as opposed to a failed one, that sounds like a hell of a time.
I miss sexual magic in BG and I can't believe is left apart. in table top, there was a Dragon Magazine article about this. How can there no be conversations and encounters about spells and potions used to modify time and space, polymorphing, charming (with prior consense), in sex?...
Be careful what you wish for. Without going into graphic detail, in my experience most "sexual encounters" in Pen and Paper involve enchantment spells and/or grapple checks. Some real sick people play D&D.
In modding mayhaps, but I'm sure there is no sick people in Beamdog.
Comments
"...as for you, I said get your stinkin' hide out of my way!"
----> Cast Timestop, put a flasher master bruiser mate in Cohrvale's pants and walk away
The more extraordinary you make magic, the more ridiculous it becomes. I mean, if I was a lich who could control time wouldn't it be much more effective to increase time a hundred times instead and watch my enemies age, wither and die before me while my lifeless body endures (except elves ofc)?
Posting in other threads etc it seems I am one of few who kinda dislikes super-powerful enemies and magics, so I think this fits well in this thread
And btw, when I am already ranting I might as well add that I don't like the mix of magic and alchemy. I mean, if magic is magic, then just keep it that way. Adding ingredients into the mix, like spending gold or crystals or whatever to cast spells just make it weird(er) than just saying "magic is magic".
I personally like the magic/alchemy mix a lot thematically but couldn't really be bothered with it in actual gameplay. I mean, I like the idea of combining different kinds of knowledge to some awesome synergy. But having to carry around a sack of guano that my mage needs to brush her teeth with every time she wants to cast magic missile or something? Naaah, I got better things to do
Re magic and alchemy.
If you have to relearn spells everyday after you have used them up, then how do you know what ingredients you need to carry around?
Or is it that the amount of ingredients dictates how many spells you can cast?
But then, why would a higher level mage have more ingredients, a rich mage of whatever level would always have the advantage.
A rich and strong mage would be able to carry tons of ingredients, they would win.
And why is it always guano?
It's all illogical.
Only way I can get around the mechanics in game is to believe that spells are slippery because of their nature and the "weave" and a person simply can't keep too many straight and sorted out in their head.
Hence high intelligence being the main factor.
Having hints like "oh look, I have some guano in my pocket, what's that for, oh yes it's to cast MM, bugger still can't remember the sequence/words/actions" is too much of a stretch for me.
And btw, I'm not questioning you personally @bleusteel, it's more of a rhetorical question based on your insightful input.
[For the record, I grew up Catholic, ostensibly, so I know whereof I speak.]
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_dilation
The caster invokes a mini-singularity from which they are protected (by magic!). The small scale of the singularity means it only affects a tiny area.
The Relativistic Baseball entry has this to say about moving so fast that everything else appears stationary:
Not even the "magic is magic, duh" works on that in my head.
Does time really stop or is that just the name given to the spell because that's what it looks like?
What's wrong with everything being held in stasis for a bit, effect would be the same.
That would also explain why some things are immune.
(Edit-Looking for a decent link)
Otherwise, I think an intense gravity field explains the effect best.