But these aren't ranged attacks (that's the whole point). For a 5' Radius attack spell, incurring free strikes is the end of the world as every possible target can hit you (even for 10' Radius, it means likely taking a fair amount of damage).

If the spell/attack is 0', Self, or Melee then there is no free strike granted. That's the crux of the argument - some people are claiming that "10' Radius" provokes but "0' (10' Radius)" and "Self (10' Radius)" don't even though all of them are 0' range.

I think (not positive) the "only" effect is taking damage. If you are Vanquished, I'm not sure if the spell still goes off or not.

what happens when you incur a free strike from spell casting:

if you get hit you take damage

IF your casting an interuptable spell, your clock is pushed for every 5 ticks of damage, or you lose your spell if you take a wound

So you still get the spell off then? Thanks Josh.

To be clear I am referring to standard spells not the interruptible kind.

For basic spell casting? Nothing besides he gets a Free Strike against you and could in theory knock you out before you get the spell off.

The real fun comes when you hit someone who is trying to perform an Inerruptable Action. If the target takes damage, they must succeed on a Resolve Roll, the TN being 10+damage taken. If fail, their clock is pushed 1 for every 5 damage. If wounded, action immediately ceases in addition to the previous effect.

Which is why I am not planning to do any interruptible spells if I can possibly help it. They're slow enough as it is without adding injury to insult.

I'm trying to take a step back and calmly understand the opposing view (until this conversation came up, I never even considered the possibility that anyone would think they provoke)...

If "0' (X' Radius)" and "Self (X' Radius)" both don't provoke, what is the logic for having "X' Radius" provoke? It is still no range and no other non-ranged spells/abilities provoke. Why should the ones I listed (which is the complete list unless I missed something)? I'm interested in both the logical and rules reasons (something beyond "because it doesn't explicitly say 0' or Self") why. As near as I can tell, the spells (and abilities) labeled "X' Radius" are no more powerful (and sometimes less powerful) than ones labeled "0' (X' Radius)" and "Self (X' Radius)".

dude your basically saying that "oh just because I use a ranged attack as a melee attack it shouldn't provoke"

the way that I play this game, and let me stress, that its the way I play the game (and run the game) is that combats should be fast and furious, and a lot of back and forth between players and enemies. and in my philosophy avoiding every single free strike is counter to the way the game was designed to be played.

lets take out a single spell in your "no" category that best illustrates my thoughts, Channeling, A spell that heals people around you and damages people around you also, your contention is that your casting it on your self and not the other people that it affects. and I think that idea is laughable.

I think its been said again and again that the argument of things being more or less powerful across different disciplines is not a valid argument as the game was intentionally designed to be imbalanced in many ways, so your cry of "(some spells) are no more powerful ... than (other spells)" falls on deaf ears.

Sorry but your argument doesn't make ANY sense (to me at least). These are NOT ranged spells. They are pbaoe - no different than any other pbaoe in the game. If they are different then please explain HOW they are different. If all of the other pbaoe abilities didn't already not provoke then I would agree with you (but since they don't, I find your arguments laughable).

Also, remember Channeling is likely to harm part of your own party.

As to power level of spells, I wasn't talking cross-discipline - I was talking comparing any of these spells to similar spells in the same discipline.