Meta-Spells: Delay

[Nihimon]

I'm fairly new to GURPS, but I've spent the last couple of days building a Wizard from the Dungeon Fantasy books.

I have a question about the Delay spell.

Can I use Delay to cast Hawk Flight on myself, and then have it automatically take effect on my next turn after I snap my fingers?

The Reflex section talks about doing things like casting Missile Shield or Force Dome as a Reflex, but that doing so would be extravagant because Reflexed spells are Duration: Instantaneous. Can I cast spells like these as Delayed spells, and get their benefit (after the 1-second delay)?

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by Nihimon

Can I use Delay to cast Hawk Flight on myself, and then have it automatically take effect on my next turn after I snap my fingers?

Yes, though it's frequently not very useful to do so, since delay counts as a spell on and thus gives penalties to other spells.

[Nihimon]

Thanks for the reply.

Since Delay lasts 2 hours, and only costs 3 to maintain, and I get one point of Energy Reserve (Magical) back every 10 minutes, I was considering having it active at all times, so that I don't have to take 3 seconds to cast it at the beginning of combat, for example.

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by Nihimon

Thanks for the reply.

Since Delay lasts 2 hours, and only costs 3 to maintain, and I get one point of Energy Reserve (Magical) back every 10 minutes, I was considering having it active at all times, so that I don't have to take 3 seconds to cast it at the beginning of combat, for example.

Well, that will cost you 3 fatigue to cast delay, followed by 8 fatigue to cast hawk flight (both of which are probably reduced by high skill, so 9 fatigue total, taking 90 minutes to get back), and since you can't maintain spells in your sleep, you'll have to do that every day, and again after every combat if you want to be able to that more than once per day, and you'll be at -2 to cast any other spells until you activate the delayed spell. If you don't mind those penalties, go for it.

[Hemlock]

I always used Delay in conjunction with Major or Minor Healing ...

The next time I am injured, cast Major Healing on myself ...

The second time I am injured, cast Major Healing on myself ...

[Nihimon]

The Dungeon Fantasy book disallows Healing spells for Wizards.

[ErhnamDJ]

Originally Posted by Nihimon

The Dungeon Fantasy book disallows Healing spells for Wizards.

Nope. They can get them as prerequisites. The only one that can't get, I think, is Great Healing. But the Minor and Major ones are prerequisites for other spells, like Resurrection. It's still very costly, though.

And those aren't general rules. They only apply to Dungeon Fantasy. It's not errata for Magic (unfortunately).

[Snaps]

Using Delay to hang spells like this is my favorite tactic. It really allows a wizard to prepare for the worst.

The real limiting factor with Delay is that each Delayed spell gives you a -1 to all other spells you cast. If you have 5 spells delayed, then you are at -5 anytime you cast a spell.

There is a way around this however. Maintain Spell allows you to feed energy into a spell, making it independent and removing the -1 to your spell casting. The drawback is that the spell is no longer under your control.

[Nihimon]

Originally Posted by ErhnamDJ

Nope. They can get them as prerequisites.

My understanding is that you can only get them if they're the only prerequisites. Restoration has prereqs of:

Either Major Healing or any two of Relieve Paralysis and the varioius "Restore" spells. (M93)

[Sunrunners_Fire]

Originally Posted by Snaps

There is a way around this however. Maintain Spell allows you to feed energy into a spell, making it independent and removing the -1 to your spell casting. The drawback is that the spell is no longer under your control.

Or you purchase an appropriately limited CM in combination with Lend Spell, and enjoy your penalty free casting.