Talk:Alternative (3.5e Spell)

Duration, and other things

There are a few things about this spell that are weird:

• The duration. Personally, I'd just cast it the night before, go to sleep, then the next morning have the effect on my bardic music for free.
• The "last stand". There's nothing about this that makes this a last stand. I'd just want to cast this all the time, all day, every day.

I modified the template a bit to make it look more standardized. I was hoping I could get the author's thoughts on these two issues. Surgo 16:50, 10 January 2011 (UTC)

The first point is perfectly acceptable in my eyes, not just with this spell but the entire series I'm creating. It is adjusting your instrument magically to enable new and awesome music.

The second point is just fluff I put into the flavor text section, based entirely on my view on alternative music and how it makes me feel. In the end it is flavor text, and can be used or ignored as you see fit. --Change=Chaos. Period. SC 22:51, 10 January 2011 (UTC)

The flavor text is completely out of line with how the spell would actually be used then, which in this case is just a huge Bard power-up. I don't know if you realized it when writing, but as written the Bard can designate themselves to cast the spell as an immediate action. Surgo 00:33, 11 January 2011 (UTC)

Yeah, if the bard in question wanted to double cast this spell, which is ineffective, or use it to cast another spell. I intended this spell to be useful in a variety of groups, like the others in the series. For example, a bard can cast this spell, and then cast Techno (3.5e Spell), and then cast yet another spell, maintain his bardic music, and take two move actions. Thus, this spell works very well for both solo, party, and specialized play. --Change=Chaos. Period. SC 03:20, 11 January 2011 (UTC)

So...why not make the flavor text a little more like how the spell is actually going to end up being used, which is as a constant Bard power-up? Surgo 05:10, 11 January 2011 (UTC)

Why is the flavor text so important? I have already explained why it is what it is, and it is not worth a game to change my feelings toward a type of music I enjoy.--Change=Chaos. Period. SC 18:17, 11 January 2011 (UTC)

Flavor text is important because it defines how the world is supposed to interact with the spell. (Not to mention, I've listened to plenty of alternative music, and most of it didn't involve giving it one last push before you died.) Surgo 20:19, 11 January 2011 (UTC)

Quick thing here. Before reading the comment page here, I had no idea that the name was supposed to be a riff on a genre of music. Also, to be blunt, if the flavor text doesn't match the mechanics, it makes the reader suspect that the author doesn't know what he's doing. --Ganteka Future 19:19, 12 January 2011 (UTC)

Ratings

	Undead Knave opposes this article and rated it 0 of 4.
	The extra standard action is ridiculously more powerful than 2.

	Aarnott dislikes this article and rated it 1 of 4.
	The extra standard action casting every round is over the top. Extremely over the top.