OK, so talking about crazy spells, I was looking at what has been proposed here and thought, "hey, what is the longest spell type attack combo that I could make, that might actually be kinda useful?" I thought I was wondering if I could make something that would take me out of the action for 16 ticks or so, with like another 12 ticks of recovery/strain. Not sure if I succeeded, but I came up with something ugly, and it raised some questions, so I thought I would post it and see how things shake out, and if I'm doing this whole thing right.

So I started with a generic speed 5, one handed weapon doing d8 damage plus an unassuming d8 might. Let's assume a short spear. I assumed I needed the other hand free to cast, to make this bad boy work. Let's further assume all stats are +3 passive and d8 die for simplicity.

Then did an advanced maneuver, combining guarded charge (+3/+1) and mighty swing (+1/+3) to make a speed/recovery of (+3/+4)

Then I added in an advanced spell that goes as part of the movement/attack - combining far strike (CTN 20, speed 2, strain 5) and Storm of Knives (CTN 18 speed 5, strain 3). I used the adaptations available in the Storm of knives spell to increase it to a 15' cone to match far strike before combining (+3 CTN, + 2 strain), and then used the adaptation to make it a sustained spell (+3 CTN,+2 speed, +4 strain) after combining it, for a total advanced spell of CTN 32, speed 7, strain 11. A sorcerer has access to both of these through creation and battle, so they can be combined.

Now let's just add in some extra fluff to give the attack some umph. Like a smite infidel and forward stance. These don't effect speed but it makes the attack more dangerous, and raises questions about what happens when you then sustain the spell.

So the final monster looks like
Speed = 5 (base weapon) + 3 (advanced maneuver) + 7 (advanced spell) = 15 ticks, but not interruptible, right?

Recovery = 4 strain 11, CTN 32

Damage = d8 [for weapon] + d8 [for might] + 7 [from maneuver] +d4(primary)[from spell] + d6 [tier II forward stance] +d4(Chr)[ for smite infidel talent] +1 for a rune as well. = d8+d8+7+d4+d8+d6+d4+d8+1 = on average 34.5, though you have 3 stat dice that could blow up, so odds are decent for a slightly higher number.

Does everything in the 15' cone take this damage if hit? (at only a +1 to hit, since the smite bonus to hit is largely cancelled out by the forward stance penalty, and using melee (primary) for attack). Does the sustained repeat of the spell go off 4 ticks later? or 15 ticks later? When it does, what does it include in the damage? I assume the smite shouldn't propagate up through the sustained version of the spell, but I could see the argument that it could. What about the forward stance? As long as I stay in it, it applies?

What a mess! I've stayed up way past my bedtime figuring this out enough to put into text, it took so long to build. It was great fun.

I'm pretty sure Smite Infidel would only apply to a single target of the original attack (it doesn't apply to all targets of a sweeping strike or other multi-target melee attack but might apply here (I'd have to reread Smite and the spell but it's past my bedtime tonight)). It would definitely not be included in the sustain effect.

The sustain effect would go off in 15 ticks (and then every 4 ticks). The casting is not interruptible (being part of a melee attack) but a sustain is always interruptible.

I'm not positive if you can combine both an advanced maneuver and advanced spell in a single melee attack.

I'm also not sure if the forward stance damage would apply on the sustain.

You have 3 stat dice so it's fairly likely that one will explode (but remember that only 1 can explode).

There are some spells (smite) that say specifically they can be combined with a maneuver, making them advanced, which limits the ability to do an advanced maneuver. This spell (far strike) has no such language, it just says, "This spell is cast in conjunction with a melee attack (which may utilize a two handed weapon, but not a spell)." but has no further discussions about what kind of attack, leaving it legal to use an advanced maneuver.

I could easily see saying that the text "Perform a Melee (Any) (Primary) attack roll against each
Target within range. If successful, you deal damage as if you had struck each one with your weapon." could be read to mean that you could apply a talent (and maybe even maneuver) to any one of those attacks individually, rather than all of them. Personally I think it is one attack multiplied out to all the individuals, so one smite would effect them all, but I don't think it would sustain.

My inclination would be to say that since the spell is part of an attack, it would then require a separate attack at each sustaining interval, so talents/maneuvers applied during the first attack would not apply in the second, and so forth. That would allow you to continue to cycle through maneuver and base attack normally for the duration of the spell. The problem with that is the sustain speed of 4, which is potentially faster than the weapon (especially if you use a maneuver). You definitely shouldn’t be able to magically speed up your melee attack speed that way.

I don't notice any errors off the top. But before I make a final judgement, I'd like to see you sit on your hands for 15 ticks at a BI.

Actually, you can magically speed up your weapon. If you look at Serpent's strike it allows a Freestrike at a flat push of 4. No limit on what kind of weapon you are using. So, if you take quick hands both the Pike and the Tralian Hammer is in play.

If you use Quick Hands, Wall of Steel, Punishing Repost, and Serpent Strike with Trailian Hammer you can make a sick free striking monkey.

ONE BIG MASSIVE ATTACK! now leave for lunch. I'll be back three ticks before I can act to catch up on the battle and find out if I'm still alive. The trick would be sustaining it, and keeping your opponents in the area of effect. About the only time I could see it as useful is when your trying to defend a fairly narrow hallway - and in that case you need to be in front and get wailed on the entire time you are sustaining.

I never said it was practical. I just thought it might be fun to see a 15 tick action with 5 ticks of recovery and 11 ticks of strain following it to go off - so your literally paying for the one attack for 31 ticks. It may even be necessary to keep track of ticks between scenes in some cases with that kind of cost.

Wow! I think that actually works (primarily due to Serpent Strike). The only questionable part is if Quick Hands will work for a Push action (can you add a Trivial onto a Push action?). If it does work, that's pretty sick.

Tick 1, Wall of Steel (I assume paired with a Delay - the speed on this has always seemed odd to me) - recovery 5 and get +3-4 to Avoidance
Tick 2..X Hope people attack you and miss
Tick X Serpent Strike for P5 to attack with a heavy weapon for +2 additional to hit and damage - gain Push 4 but it's mostly irrelevant as you can cast Serpent Strike again