Uses for Time Stop for martials

[ImperatorK]

What possible uses could Time Stop have for characters without spells, mostly martial types?

Secondary question - would it be okay for me to rule that anything that "leaves" the possession of the Time Stop'd character (a spell's effect, a shot arrow, a thrown dagger, etc.) reverts to normal speed, effectively stoping in time for the character until the Time Stop ends?

[ketaro]

Sure. Sounds completely fine. Non-mage ranged characters need that kind of help

[faeryn]

place traps everywhere around the enemy... if you have enough time or are fast enough you could possibly even dig a pit under their feet and laugh as they fall in when time resumes it's normal speed.

[altpersona]

can block line of sight / effect.

a couple rounds of free movement might seem 'expensive' but could be very useful.

also stuff like 'study your target for x rounds'

[Braininthejar]

Secondary question - would it be okay for me to rule that anything that "leaves" the possession of the Time Stop'd character (a spell's effect, a shot arrow, a thrown dagger, etc.) reverts to normal speed, effectively stoping in time for the character until the Time Stop ends?

So he can walk up to the enemy, shoot an arrow point blank into each eye and they will both hit at once when the time resumes?

[ImperatorK]

Considering that there's no real benefit (that I know of) for shooting at enemies point blank (it's even penalized), I'm not sure how that would translate into the arrows automatically hitting (if that's what you mean). The enemy's AC would apply normally, but other than that, yes, the arrows would both strike when the time resumes.

[TC X0 Lt 0X]

Time Stop is still great for Martial characters that have buff actives that take more then a free action to perform.

[Braininthejar]

Considering that there's no real benefit (that I know of) for shooting at enemies point blank (it's even penalized), I'm not sure how that would translate into the arrows automatically hitting (if that's what you mean). The enemy's AC would apply normally, but other than that, yes, the arrows would both strike when the time resumes.

Shooting point blank is penalized because you have to aim while about to be hit yourself. If your target is stopped in time, he is effectively helpless - if you get close enough that he won't be able to react to the projectile once the time resumes, his AC will not apply - it will effectively be coup de grace.

[ImperatorK]

Why would the enemy not be able to react? Generally enemies, when Time Stop starts, are actually in motion, which means that they immediately start moving when it ends so wherever you aimed at, the eye aint there anymore.
Also, it's fantasy, not real life. People can have extraordinary reflexes, especially people with ACs high enough that you can potentially not hit them, and especially people that just witnessed you disappear before their eyes. Either way, no, you don't get automatic hits or coupe de graces.
And before you'll say "But that doesn't make sense!" - this is D&D. It doesn't have to make sense and a lot of things don't. Like the fact that you can't just slit the throat of an enemy when you're in Time Stop. You should, but the rules of the spell don't allow it. Oh well.

[Braininthejar]

If it doesn't have to make sense, why do you ask what should happen?

[ImperatorK]

I'm not sure what one have to do with the other. I'm not asking what should happen. I know what should happen. It was just a "BTW" question. I was curious of other people's opinions. You asked a question about an issue you found. I answered it by saying it's not an issue and explaining why. I'm not unwilling to discuss that particular topic further (it's partially on-topic after all, although I don't see what else could be said there), but it doesn't include justifying why I raised it in the first place.

[Braininthejar]

I guess it's a matter of agreement over what should make sense and what doesn't have to (for example, we assume that all the issues of "how do we see with stopped light and breathe with stopped air" and "shouldn't everything else be at absolute zero from our perspective?" are taken care of by the spell, which is why it's level 9.) . A dragon can fly despite its mass because it's fantasy, but if it suddenly squeezes through tiny holes people would notice it makes no sense...

This rant was brought to you by writing at 2 AM. If it makes no sense, please feel free to ignore - I might be more capable of expressing myself tomorrow  (off topic. Why do we even have an emote showing a middle finger? )

[ImperatorK]

To me it makes sense. More than some of the other things you can see in the rules.

Why do we even have an emote showing a middle finger?

Cuz Minmaxboards are rood.

[ketaro]

I guess it's a matter of agreement over what should make sense and what doesn't have to (for example, we assume that all the issues of "how do we see with stopped light and breathe with stopped air" and "shouldn't everything else be at absolute zero from our perspective?" are taken care of by the spell, which is why it's level 9.) . A dragon can fly despite its mass because it's fantasy, but if it suddenly squeezes through tiny holes people would notice it makes no sense...

This rant was brought to you by writing at 2 AM. If it makes no sense, please feel free to ignore - I might be more capable of expressing myself tomorrow  (off topic. Why do we even have an emote showing a middle finger? )

Timestop isn't stopping time, it's GO FASTER. The spell explains that in the description despite the spell's name. Wizards wanted it to sound more powerful than SuperHaste tho.

[SorO_Lost]

Timestop isn't stopping time, it's GO FASTER. The spell explains that in the description despite the spell's name. Wizards wanted it to sound more powerful than SuperHaste tho.

It used to back in AD&D.

WotC revamped it for a more modernized understanding of time, and to balanced it. It's still pretty powerful through, as 9th level Spells should be...

[faeryn]

Timestop isn't stopping time, it's GO FASTER. The spell explains that in the description despite the spell's name. Wizards wanted it to sound more powerful than SuperHaste tho.

This makes you wonder... why is everything else treated as if in stasis while Stop Time is active when the spell doesn't actually "Stop Time" but merely makes the caster move so fast that the world appears frozen?

[ImperatorK]

Because otherwise it would be OP. More than it already is, that is.

[SolEiji]

Timestop isn't stopping time, it's GO FASTER. The spell explains that in the description despite the spell's name. Wizards wanted it to sound more powerful than SuperHaste tho.

This makes you wonder... why is everything else treated as if in stasis while Stop Time is active when the spell doesn't actually "Stop Time" but merely makes the caster move so fast that the world appears frozen?

I imagined that while you can pass through fluids (air, water), trying to go through solids give too much resistance.  At Mach 1000 in real life, running into the ocean may as well be running into solid rock.  While the magic handles fluids, I imagine solids are even more solid than before, effectively invulnerable and in stasis.

[ketaro]

Timestop isn't stopping time, it's GO FASTER. The spell explains that in the description despite the spell's name. Wizards wanted it to sound more powerful than SuperHaste tho.

This makes you wonder... why is everything else treated as if in stasis while Stop Time is active when the spell doesn't actually "Stop Time" but merely makes the caster move so fast that the world appears frozen?

I imagined that while you can pass through fluids (air, water), trying to go through solids give too much resistance.  At Mach 1000 in real life, running into the ocean may as well be running into solid rock.  While the magic handles fluids, I imagine solids are even more solid than before, effectively invulnerable and in stasis.

Ah, kind of like how heat and cold loosen and tighten molecular bonds so they are farther apart when warmer and more tightly packed with colder. Such a scientific spell, Timestop.

I remember an old Disney movie ('old' but sometime within the early 2000s). Live action thing, some kids found this super-tech watch that made them go so fast it seemed like the rest of the world was time-stopped. At one point around the climax, the watch is either borked or overloaded to make the kid go so fast, making his molecules move so fast that their bonds became loose enough to let him pass through a wall. Was not a fun experience that moment was. Edit: Ah, Clockstoppers. And actually by Nickolodean. Whatever

[Tonymitsu]

Strictly by the rules, no, you could not line up an arrow with each eye during Time Stop, because you can't target creatures with attacks or spells for the duration.

So as a non-spellcaster that has Time Stop (somehow), you can't go directly after enemies, anything on their person, or use any ability that contains any variation of the phrase "attack against".

What can you do then?
1.  Run  -- Nothing at all stops you from getting a 1d4+1 round head start.

2.  Use any supernatural or extraordinary ability that doesn't target an enemy.  -- This would be things like Lay on Hands (to heal yourself).  Swap martial stances, class abilities like Emerald Immolation (if you get lucky on the die rolls you could explode and be back un-dazed before Time Stop expires but you wouldn't damage anything), Mountain Fortress Stance, or maneuvers with an area of effect (uh...)
Oh, on the subject you can...

3.  Recover maneuvers  -- with whatever your mechanic may be.

4.  Hide -- You are undetectable for the duration of Time Stop.  Therefore if you break line of sight you have effectively teleported and vanished, at least from your enemies perspective.


Uses for Time Stop for martials?
Few.
Time Stop is made broken in exactly the same way every action economy abuser is:  dropping a twatload of spells on your enemies that they cannot react to.