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I have searched over the forums and can not find an acceptable answer to my question so I thought I would post here. If someone knows of another link that speaks of this then please let me know.
I used the spell in a campaign and it worked but the mechanics were a bit confusing. If my character survives, I am wondering if the spell is worth taking in the future.
The GM ruled correctly by stating that any spell cast in combat, while you have taken damage, requires a concentration check. My confusion is what should the DC be? The spell can not be cast unless you have taken damage so there is no circumstance where this spell will not require a Concentration check. I find that a bit odd but it is how it is stated. I don't think any other spell is written that way, that there is now way to avoid such a check. According to the rules, we know this:
If you take damage while trying to cast a spell, you must make a concentration check with a DC equal to 10 + the damage taken + the level of the spell you're casting. If you fail the check, you lose the spell without effect. The interrupting event strikes during spellcasting if it comes between the time you started and the time you complete a spell
More than likely the paladin will be taking a hefty amount of damage to reduce them to this state, but not always.
The spell states that it is not triggered until the Paladin is reduced to 0 or fewer HP. The instant before you drop below 0 the spell is triggered.
My question is what is considered the amount of damage taken? Is it the entire amount of damage or just the damage after the spell is triggered?
Let us say the Paladin has 10 hp left. He takes a hit for 15. As he is taking damage, the spell is not triggered until just before 0. When the spell is cast, technically, the last 5 hp of damage are then applied. Should the concentration check be 10 + level of spell + 5 for a toal of 16 or should it be 10 + level of spell +15 for a concentration check of 26?
In my opinion the paladin is not casting the spell until after a certain amount of damage is taken, not during. This spell does not work like other spells so should we consider an adjustment to the rules to allow for this? The bold ruling above clearly states: The interrupting event strikes during spellcasting if it comes between the time you started and the time you complete a spell If the the time between start and finish of the spell damage taken was only 5 hp then I think only 5 points should be added to the check.
I at first argued that the damage of the strike technically came before the spell was cast because the die was rolled and damage was applied to determine if the spell would even trigger. I could see where the DC should only be an 11 according to the wording of when you make a concentration check. Any thoughts would be helpful.
Hero's Defiance
activating the spell isn't an action or immediate/swift at worst, so it doesn't provoke
Making a concentration check when taking damage while casting a spell is not the same as 'you must make a concentration check whenever you take damage in a round you cast a spell'.
That rule is there for spells that take a while to cast, like one round or longer casting times. Standard action, immediate action and swift action spells can only be interrupted like that if your enemy has readied an action to hit you during your casting attempt and has successfully hit you.
In the case of Hero's Defiance, which is an immediate action casting time spell meaning you can even use it outside your round, the spell is going to be cast after you have taken the damage, not during, so it should not require a concentration check to do normally.
HWalsh is right. Just for completeness though ongoing damage would also trigger a concentration check, such as from melf's acid arrow. 10+spelllevel+half the damage dealt by the ongoing effect IIRC.
HWalsh and dragonhunterq are correct.
1) Hero's Defiance is an immediate action, it doesn't provoke an AoO (unless someone has an ability which changes that).
2) If you take continuous damage then you need to make a concentration check. Acid Arrow is an example of continuous damage.
3) If you take damage before casting the spell it does not count as 'during casting the spell'.
Summary: The damage that would otherwise result in you dropping below 0 hps (and thus casting Hero's Defiance) does not require you to make a concentration check.