A Torch is a Torch?

[Mazeus Xenon]

Okay, I have been officially driving myself crazy thinking about this so, as always, I am posting something here to either club me back into my sanity or push me over the edge... :)

Anywho,

How does one define a torch? I have heard the following ideas:

Images, 1-Hex or 2-Hex (-4 PER to "offset" the darkness penalty)
Images, multiple hex, "explosion" limitation (to define how the light fades over distance)
Change Environment to off-set the PER Penalty to Darkness
(and the strangest to me) +to Sight PER; Only to offset Darkness Penalty, explosion effect


While the last one seems almost like a Rule Lawyer effect, I do follow it and it (techinically) is a viable option. However, how would most people do it? The biggest question is does "Images" fade over a distance? Meaning would a 1" Hex of light fade as normal? Of course all of this is up to me (I am GM and all) but I do like to hear what others think. I handle it now with the first point but still... what do you think?

[Killer Shrike]

Personally, in most campaigns I wouldnt bother to stat it (or most mundane whose primary purpose is not for combat). It doesnt cost points, and its effect is just the application of a little common sense when using the PER modifier chart. There are entries based on lighting and the nature of such for Sight PER rolls. The presence of lit torches has an effect on that. Problem solved, time freed up for the GM to worry about things that actually matter. ;)

[Mazeus Xenon]

Oh, I know I needn't worry about stupid things like this but I get latched onto an idea and need to talk it out to make myself feel better. Plus, I am just crazy enough to want to "stat" out everything (you may even remember me asking how to define a Backpack some time ago?). I do that primarily for a magical item idea now and then (the Smokeless Torch or something) so I always want to know the basic concept.

Thanks anyway - I am probably just beating a dead horse on this one (again) but no big deal... my quotient of dead horse beatings is down for the month!

[Killer Shrike]

Oh yeah, remembered this article on my site. It's got a lengthy discussion of flashlights in the middle of it, but its obviously translatable to torches: Flashlights (http://www.killershrike.com/GeneralHERO/HEROEquipmentDebunk.htm#THE%20FLASHLIGHT%20COMPLAI NT)

[Mazeus Xenon]

Yeah, that works. Again, I am just overthinking things... sigh...

[mayapuppies]

Oh, I know I needn't worry about stupid things like this but I get latched onto an idea and need to talk it out to make myself feel better. Plus, I am just crazy enough to want to "stat" out everything (you may even remember me asking how to define a Backpack some time ago?). I do that primarily for a magical item idea now and then (the Smokeless Torch or something) so I always want to know the basic concept.

Thanks anyway - I am probably just beating a dead horse on this one (again) but no big deal... my quotient of dead horse beatings is down for the month!

Now this is why I post things like this as well.

[Shaft]

A torch is a torch,
of course, of course,
And no one has points for a torch
of course
That is, of course, unless the torch
does damage to your ED.

Go right to the porch
and get the torch
It’ll give you a light source
with which you can scorch.
You bought it with sticky,
of course, of course.
So buy up your ED.

Gamers minimax
and munchkin-build
much to the GM's dismay
But the torch on your sheet
should really have
Images to display.


(with apologies to Mr Ed)

[Mazeus Xenon]

I am shocked it took someone this long to do that... here I was hoping it would be my first response but hey... :)

[Thia Halmades]

It would have been my first response, but I was beaten to it. Rep all around!

A torch is a torch, of course of course
And no one can see by a torch, of course
That is of course unless the torch is built with Images!

[MorpheousXO]

This thread is now officially made of 100% Pure Win, and is thus fully backed and supported by Make Mine Tuna, Ltd. a subsidiary of Pork Filled Sporks, LLC. Please make all checks payable to Joe's Diner and Casino.

["V"]

BRAVO to the Mr Ed contributory powers of Shaft!

Repped!

[Lucius]

I would buy it as a small attack (fire burns, you know) and make the luminous property a special effect.

A flashlight could be done the same way (but against PD, not ED.)

Lucius Alexander

And a glow in the dark palindromedary

[Blue Jogger]

I'm tempted just to make it a Power called Light.

Light starts out at 1 hex explosion. Each hex, it loses -2 PER until there is nothing left. This can be increased by +1/4 Advantage, Double Radius.

Moonlight - Removes up to -2 of night penalties in one hex - 5 Points

Candlelight - Fills a hex with bright light (no night penalties), next hex removes up to -2 of night penalties - 10 points

Torch - Fills a megahex with bright light (no night penalties), then the next two hexes out removes -2 of night penalties - 12 points

Campfire - Fills a 4" radius with bright light (no night penalties), then the next four hexes out removes -2 of night penalties - 15 points

[tancred]

And a glow in the dark palindromedary

On The Big Bang Theory the other night, one of the characters came up with glow-in-the-dark fish.
The last scene of the episode was him turning out the light in his bedroom and the little fish in the fishbowl glowing. That was funny.