Help understanding Spell Failure Chance

[Rizilliant]

I need an explanation, before I smash my computer.. I have now replayed this fight with Minagho, FOUR times, in turn based mode.. I have just gotten to the Abyss, and am playing a Lich Sorcerer.. I have rank 1 of abyssal corruption, as Ive not been able to rest in safety, for such a long time. I have a 15% chance for an arcane spell failure, but it seems to be acting more like a dice roll.. I dont know how its possible, but in four attempts through this fight, I have not gotten off a single spell successfully, and its driving me insane! I had saved it after defeating her through brute force, and am replaying it over and over, just out of curiosity, and I am stunned at the failure rate, that an alleged 15% chance creates. I already have my suspicions over the extreme front loading of skill checks to the player, vs the reverse for enemy (player regularly rolls 1-3, computer 17-20) but Im not getting into that here.. I have failed (during the 4 combat encounters, replayed) nearly 20 consecutive spell casts! Buffing seems to be about 50/50, outside of combat


TLDR: Can someone explain if I am misunderstanding Spell Failure chance, from Abyssal Curruption. My most recent failure read as follows
Check: 14
Arcane Failure Chance: 15
Result: Failure

Is it 15% out of 100%? Or is it d20, and that I need to roll 16-20???

[TaKo]

15% is out fo 100 yes, game rolls for that chance to determine if your cast comes out at all, just imagine that for rolls like that the game is rolling a virtual d100 amd you keep rolling 15 or below causing your spells to fail

sometimes you just get a bad luck streak

[Rizilliant]

Originally posted by TaKo:

15% is out fo 100 yes, game rolls for that chance to determine if your cast comes out at all, just imagine that for rolls like that the game is rolling a virtual d100 amd you keep rolling 15 or below causing your spells to fail

sometimes you just get a bad luck streak

Alright.. that is what I thought.. But, the consistent spell failures had me dumbfounded! Absolutely infuriating "luck"

Thanks for the help

[DeathStroke]

Example: wizard is wearing a chain shirt and has a normal buckler strapped to his arm. Chain Shirt has a 20% spell fail and a buckler has a 5% spell failure. Added together that's 25%. Every time he casts a spell that has a somatic component, he rolls 1d100. If he rolls 25 or less, he loses the spell, with no actual magic happening. Personally, I would divide by 5% and roll a d20 instead. Then, I lose the spell on a 5 or less.Keep in mind that ASF ONLY affects arcane spells with somatic components

[pete3great]

Originally posted by DeathStroke:

Example: wizard is wearing a chain shirt and has a normal buckler strapped to his arm. Chain Shirt has a 20% spell fail and a buckler has a 5% spell failure. Added together that's 25%. Every time he casts a spell that has a somatic component, he rolls 1d100. If he rolls 25 or less, he loses the spell, with no actual magic happening. Personally, I would divide by 5% and roll a d20 instead. Then, I lose the spell on a 5 or less.Keep in mind that ASF ONLY affects arcane spells with somatic components

At a 25% chance, I think the best option is just a one on a 1d4, if you don't have % dice/d10 that is.

[Dinonoms]

Some Arcane Spell caster get a bonus for this whole thing... I believe for example a Magus doesn't incure a spell failure from wearing light armour.

Additional you want to consider taking the Arcane Armour feat and it's upgraded version to reduce the failure by up to 20 % if you really want to wear armour.