Help design this spell...

[Super Squirrel]

This spell may not be possible to design under Fifth Edition but I'll at least put it out to the Herodom to see what can be done.

 

The idea is that this spell turns a 4" Radius area into a chaotic zone of destruction. The spell generates up to 5 bolts of lightning (3d6 RKA) that come from above (Indirect) striking one of the many hexes in the area at random. The spell is also Uncontrolled.

 

I was thinking for the number of bolts each phase being based on Autofire (x5 Shots) each with a Luck based activation roll. The power includes a plus 4d6 Luck for that.

 

The hardest part of this is determining which hex is hit with each bolt. Anyone have any ideas how to do that?

 

Also, what value would you give a luck based activation roll for each of the five autofire shots?

[Dr. Anomaly]

Re: Help design this spell...

 

Well, two possibilities come to mind.

 

1) Use some variant of the Scattering rules (a la grenades and other thrown weapons)

 

2) a 4" radius area covers 37 hexes. Since there are 36 possibilities for 2d6 (considered seperately, like co-ordinates and not added together) that would leave just one hex unaccounted for. Just number each hex, like this:

 

1, 1

1, 2

1, 3

1, 4

1, 5

1, 6

2, 1

2, 2

2, 3

 

...etc. until they're all numbered. To decide which hex gets hit, roll 2d6 and use one d6 as the first number and the other d6 as the second number.

 

That still leaves one hex unaccounted for; my inclination would be to make the center hex a "dead zone" where no bolt strikes.

 

As for which hex gets hit...sounds like a NCC (-1) situation to me (choose when the power activates, but not what the results are). In other words, the reason you roll randomly to determine which hex gets hit is because NCC at the -1 level means you get to choose when it goes off, but not what the results are -- and in this case, the "results" you "can't control" are which hexes in the area get hit.

[Killer Shrike]

Re: Help design this spell...

 

The Power isnt really an AoE.

 

Its an Indirect Autofire x5 Continuous Uncontrolled with NCC at the -1 "Random" level (user can initiate but not control).

 

As far as how to adjudicate that, I could recommend a few different mechanical methods, but the easiest might be to just drop 5 dice or something lightweight that wont break / chip minis onto the table from a height. Wherever they land, thats the hexes that gets hit.

 

Kind of like the old Magic the Gathering card that you dropped on to the table and it killed whatever it touched. Which was funny until some wiseass ripped one up and tossed it like confetti.

 

http://gatherer.wizards.com/gathererlookup.asp?set=Alpha&name=Chaos_Orb

[Bloodstone]

Re: Help design this spell...

 

Nice. I don't think I would have ever thought of the co-ordinates thing.

 

BAH!

 

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to Dr. Anomaly again.

[Killer Shrike]

Re: Help design this spell...

 

Well, two possibilities come to mind.

 

1) Use some variant of the Scattering rules (a la grenades and other thrown weapons)

 

2) a 4" radius area covers 37 hexes. Since there are 36 possibilities for 2d6 (considered seperately, like co-ordinates and not added together) that would leave just one hex unaccounted for. Just number each hex, like this:

 

1, 1

1, 2

1, 3

1, 4

1, 5

1, 6

2, 1

2, 2

2, 3

 

...etc. until they're all numbered. To decide which hex gets hit, roll 2d6 and use one d6 as the first number and the other d6 as the second number.

 

That still leaves one hex unaccounted for; my inclination would be to make the center hex a "dead zone" where no bolt strikes.

 

As for which hex gets hit...sounds like a NCC (-1) situation to me (choose when the power activates, but not what the results are). In other words, the reason you roll randomly to determine which hex gets hit is because NCC at the -1 level means you get to choose when it goes off, but not what the results are -- and in this case, the "results" you "can't control" are which hexes in the area get hit.

Thats what I get for walking away from the computer in midpost -- i get scooped.

[Dr. Anomaly]

Re: Help design this spell...

 

Here's an example of what I was talking about:

 

 

I used a spiral pattern to lay out the numbers, but you can use any system that pleases you...since each hex has an equal chance of getting hit, the order you put them in (and their location relative to their neighbors) doesn't matter.

 

And if you don't want the center hex to be a dead zone, then if you roll "doubles" when checking for coordinates, declare the last bolt strikes the center hex.

 

For example, if 4 bolts hit in the area, and you roll for coordinates of the hexes hit, and get this:

 

2, 3

1, 1

5, 4

 

...you wouldn't roll for the 4th bolt; since there's a pair of "doubles" in the coordinates, the last bolt hits the center hex.

[Erkenfresh]

Re: Help design this spell...

 

Isn't this just an AoE with the "Nonselective" adder and an activation roll? The activation roll would be handled slightly different in that it would be rolled for each hex and would be low enough that only a few hexes are hit. To simplify, you'd only roll for hexes containing people or monsters and any other bolts going off would just be for effect so you wouldn't have to roll them. It'd be this:

 

Bolts of the storm god: Energy Blast 6d6, Indirect (Down from the sky; +1/4), Area Of Effect Nonselective (4" Radius; +3/4) (60 Active Points); Activation Roll 8- (-2), Can't be used indoors (-1/2), Real Cost: 17 points

[Gary]

Re: Help design this spell...

 

Something like this was just made for the Rate of Fire Advantage.

 

http://herogames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=39488

[Super Squirrel]

Re: Help design this spell...

 

While the Rate of Fire Advantage sounds nice, I always try to build my spells as per the rules of Fifth Revised Edition and Fantasy Hero. Great custom Advantage though.

[Super Squirrel]

Re: Help design this spell...

 

Here's an example of what I was talking about:

 

 

I used a spiral pattern to lay out the numbers, but you can use any system that pleases you...since each hex has an equal chance of getting hit, the order you put them in (and their location relative to their neighbors) doesn't matter.

 

And if you don't want the center hex to be a dead zone, then if you roll "doubles" when checking for coordinates, declare the last bolt strikes the center hex.

 

For example, if 4 bolts hit in the area, and you roll for coordinates of the hexes hit, and get this:

 

2, 3

1, 1

5, 4

 

...you wouldn't roll for the 4th bolt; since there's a pair of "doubles" in the coordinates, the last bolt hits the center hex.

Beautiful. That is exactly what I needed. I'm sure you don't mind if I reuse that very same chart.

[Super Squirrel]

Re: Help design this spell...

 

The Power isnt really an AoE.

 

Its an Indirect Autofire x5 Continuous Uncontrolled with NCC at the -1 "Random" level (user can initiate but not control).

 

As far as how to adjudicate that, I could recommend a few different mechanical methods, but the easiest might be to just drop 5 dice or something lightweight that wont break / chip minis onto the table from a height. Wherever they land, thats the hexes that gets hit.

 

Kind of like the old Magic the Gathering card that you dropped on to the table and it killed whatever it touched. Which was funny until some wiseass ripped one up and tossed it like confetti.

 

http://gatherer.wizards.com/gathererlookup.asp?set=Alpha&name=Chaos_Orb

You are right on the AoE (other than the fact it hits the entire hex). I had thought of NCC but brushed it aside based on the direction I was going to go with it. You and Dr. Anomaly both showed me that NCC is necessary.

[Super Squirrel]

Re: Help design this spell...

 

You are right on the AoE (other than the fact it hits the entire hex). I had thought of NCC but brushed it aside based on the direction I was going to go with it. You and Dr. Anomaly both showed me that NCC is necessary.

This is what I'm looking at right now for the final spell write-up. The chart in question is the one provided above by Dr. Anomaly.

 

Lightning Storm

2d6 RKA, Indirect (Always comes from the sky; +1/4), Uncontrolled (+1/2), Autofire (up to 5 shots; +1/2), Area of Effect (1 hex; +1/4) (75 Active Points); No Conscious Control (Character can pick center of effect area but bolts land based on random roll from chart below; -1), Generates 1d6-1 Bolts of Lightning a Phase (-1/4), Gestures (Both Hands; -1/2), Incantations (-1/4), Extra Time (Full Phase; -1/2). Total Cost: 21 points.

[Gary]

Re: Help design this spell...

 

Autofire is an additional +1 Advantage when dealing with Area Effects.

[Super Squirrel]

Re: Help design this spell...

 

Ah bugger.

[Super Squirrel]

Re: Help design this spell...

 

2d6 RKA, Indirect (Always comes from the sky; +1/4), Uncontrolled (+1/2), Autofire (up to 5 shots; +1 1/2), Area of Effect (1 hex; +1/4) (105 Active Points); No Conscious Control (Character can pick center of effect area but bolts land based on random roll from chart below; -1), Generates 1d6-1 Bolts of Lightning a Phase (-1/4), Gestures (Both Hands; -1/2), Incantations (-1/4), Extra Time (Full Phase; -1/2). Total Cost: 30 points.

[Gary]

Re: Help design this spell...

 

Perhaps a big honking Change Environment? You can add 6 pts of RKA damage for 30 pts, and you can easily get a 4" Radius. It's also simple to add additional effects as well, and you can stick the No Conscious Control Limitation on it.

 

I don't have my book with me so I can't determine the cost, but it should be cheaper than 105 Active Points.

[Dr. Anomaly]

Re: Help design this spell...

 

Beautiful. That is exactly what I needed. I'm sure you don't mind if I reuse that very same chart.

Don't mind one bit. Happy to have helped.

[Dr. Anomaly]

Re: Help design this spell...

 

BAH!

 

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to Dr. Anomaly again.

Thanks anyway, Bloodstone; it's still nice to hear.

Thats what I get for walking away from the computer in midpost -- i get scooped.

Happens to all of us from time to time, KS; don't feel bad.

[Super Squirrel]

Re: Help design this spell...

 

Note this spell was used for my Spell of the Day for yesterday. Thanks again everyone that contributed.