constant spell

[steph]

i am a little confused ......a spell with continuous +1 ex RKA 1d6 continuous + 1 ......... i have to make a attack roll each time or just paid the end for do it (after my attack roll) and i can use it each segment or just at my action phase

hope i am clear

english not my first language

stef the french canadian

[Fitz]

Re: constant spell

 

HSR p 257, Duration Advantages - Continuous: "This +1 Advantage allows a character to use an Attack Power (or other Instant Power) on a continuing basis without having to make a new Attack Roll every Phase against the same target."

 

So no, you don't have to make an attack roll each time, and it takes effect on each of your Phases; I would assume that it keeps going as long as you keep paying END or until its cancellation conditions are met.

[Lord Liaden]

Re: constant spell

 

Agreed. You would not need to make another Attack Roll after the first successful one, but you would have to pay END for the Power on each of your Phases (not every Segment).

[Curufea]

Re: constant spell

 

Which leads me to ponder Thia's metamagic idea - what if you bought limited speed "only applicable for continuous spells" -1, to represent better-than-average spell mastery.

[Thia Halmades]

Re: constant spell

 

Now you're talkin'. AID SPD, Only For Use With Spells (-1), The caster's mastery of magic means that their spells take a greater toll on their opponent than usual; instead of dealing damage every phase the caster acts, the speed of the spell is resolved as though it were acting a step faster than the caster, dealing an extra phase worth of damage. This still incurs the usual END cost of the spell.

 

Killer Shrike has cited building NPAs on VPPs as patently illegal, but it's a rule I may break, because I'm struggling to find a reason why not. You have a spell, simple, clear. It happens to exist in a VPP, although spells are slotted, etc., and are effectively (note: effectively) singular constructs acting out of a framework. I'm going to use an NPA on this spell that happens to be a construct (one of many pegs) in my VPP (in various square holes).

 

This may make casters too powerful, but I (personally) see very little difference between doing it that way, or doing it as an AID to the spell itself (see FH).

[Killer Shrike]

Re: constant spell

 

Limited SPD is a mistake; IME it is always more trouble than its worth. To create effects that work on their own timescale rather than the characters, it is generally better to design them using SUMMON instead. I've demonstrated this technique previously; a board search would likely turn it up.

[Killer Shrike]

Re: constant spell

 

http://www.herogames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=19749&highlight=Summon

 

A similar idea is here:

http://www.herogames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=37543&highlight=Summon

[Thia Halmades]

Re: constant spell

 

I love Killer Shrike. You hit him with a stick and wisdom comes out. He's like a rules pinata. I don't recall, however, you chiming in on:

 

[threadjack]

 

TIME STOP. Bwa ha ha. Check the listing in the SRD and then let me know how you'd build this. You're the only person on the board other than Mr. Long who I'd be curious to see how you handle it. Noting in the prior post that you loathe EDM as Alter Reality (which is effectively what a Time Stop is) how would you do? Points aren't a problem, just ... build it.

 

With minimal handwaves. Rules:

 

- Must Stop Time for the character, generally argued as the character is now moving so fast that the world slows down.

 

- Must be able to affect anything in the environment except another character.

 

- Can cast spells, summon, steal anything not nailed down.

 

Go.

 

[/threadjack]

 

Yep. I'm all about some threadjacking today.

[John Desmarais]

Re: constant spell

 

TIME STOP.

Time Stop

This spell seems to make time cease to flow for everyone but you. In fact, you speed up so greatly that all other creatures seem frozen, though they are actually still moving at their normal speeds. You are free to act for 1d4+1 rounds of apparent time. Normal and magical fire, cold, gas, and the like can still harm you. While the

time stop

is in effect, other creatures are invulnerable to your attacks and spells; you cannot target such creatures with any attack or spell. A spell that affects an area and has a duration longer than the remaining duration of the

time stop

have their normal effects on other creatures once the

time stop

ends. Most spellcasters use the additional time to improve their defenses, summon allies, or flee from combat.

 

You cannot move or harm items held, carried, or worn by a creature stuck in normal time, but you can affect any item that is not in another creature’s possession.

 

You are undetectable while

time stop

lasts. You cannot enter an area protected by an

antimagic field

while under the effect of

time stop.

Reading the description initially seems to indicate that you are temporarily moving very quickly. Further reading though seems to point to the PC no longer really being part reality (you can't affect anything or be affected by anything).

 

Extra-Dimensional Movement, "to the Time Stop dimension" linked to +4 SPD to be treated as held phases. A kind GM may simply declare that in the Time Stop demension time flows differently and just give you a few phases to do with as you wish.

[Thia Halmades]

Re: constant spell

 

AH, but Killer Shrike hates him some EDM, you've come to the same general conclusion I have John, which is, simply, EDM + Handwavium 984 = Time Stop. That's why I was curious what KS's interpretation would be, because he's the only person I know on the boards who literally "thinks" in HERO terms the way I think in terms of structure & plot mechanics and grammar. It's in his lingo, so getting a well worded response from him would likely be worth transcribing into Paintshop and turning it into wallpaper.

[John Desmarais]

Re: constant spell

 

AH' date=' but [b']Killer Shrike [/b]hates him some EDM, you've come to the same general conclusion I have John, which is, simply, EDM + Handwavium 984 = Time Stop. That's why I was curious what KS's interpretation would be, because he's the only person I know on the boards who literally "thinks" in HERO terms the way I think in terms of structure & plot mechanics and grammar. It's in his lingo, so getting a well worded response from him would likely be worth transcribing into Paintshop and turning it into wallpaper.

 

Another option (albiet an expensive one) is a huge, area affect SPD Supress (using the "standard effect" option and large enough to guarentee that everyone in the area is brought to 0 SPD). Attach a few character limitations to the effect (to limit what the PC can/can't do while the spell is active).

 

I dislike this (personally) because I hate anyhting that impacts the SPD chart - but a Supress is slightly less objectionable than a Drain/Transfer/Aid would be.

[Killer Shrike]

Re: constant spell

 

Well, not to beg off, but Steve already solved this one in a Digital HERO Hero Glyphs article. I don't recall which issue, but it was comprehensive. The point cost was astronomical of course.

 

If someone else doesnt beat me to the reference, Ill look it up when I get home.

 

 

For a more localized Time Stop (not a true universal Time Stop), Ive used a variety of methods ranging from DRAIN vs SPD, DRAIN vs INT (if you can get people's INT low enough not only can they not take action, but they don't NOTICE anything either), Suppress vs SPD, Mind Control, and Mental Illusions.

[Thia Halmades]

Re: constant spell

 

I haven't been able to get to the HEROGlyphs, but note made. He mentioned in a thread he published a solution, I didn't know if you had the same solution (which I can't seem to get too) or a different solution (hence my curiosity). I will attempt once more to crack the great power of the HEROGlyph.

 

Rawr.

[Killer Shrike]

Re: constant spell

 

Also remembered, in my Project: PREDATOR adventure for Digital HERO one of the antagonists, called STASIS, has a large MP with several slots that work to slow people down in different ways. I can't print the details, but if you download that issue of DH you'll get that character and all the other content besides

[Basil]

Re: constant spell

 

{snip}

Reading the description initially seems to indicate that you are temporarily moving very quickly. Further reading though seems to point to the PC no longer really being part reality (you can't affect anything or be affected by anything).

 

Extra-Dimensional Movement, "to the Time Stop dimension" linked to +4 SPD to be treated as held phases. A kind GM may simply declare that in the Time Stop demension time flows differently and just give you a few phases to do with as you wish.

If one is will to consider "so fast no-one can perceive you" as effectively the same as "infinitely fast," there's a simple way to do this in Hero terms:

 

Time Stopper: Extra-Dimensional Movement (base XDM + through time) through time constantly* at 1,000,000 times normal speed (this is the "single location" the character can go to) (Active Cost 40 points); Only Into The Future (-1/2), 8 Continuing Charges of 1 Turn each (-0) total cost 27 points.

Adjust to taste. Particularly, if one wants the "can't touch objects which are ____" bit, one can add a Limitation to that effect (or link an oddball form of Desolid).

 

*Although XDM is usually depicted as a "hop" from one reality to another, there is no reason to require this, as it is merely a special effect, just as faster than light movement can either "jump" or "go direct" (as used in Traveller and Star Trek respectively). If we eliminate Megascaled Teleport from consideration, and buy faster than light movement with the Power FTL, these two broad categories would be considered SFX. I see no reason to treat "hop" XDM and "location morphing" XDM as other than SFX; thus, whether one "hops" forward or "constantly moves" forward through time should be, IMO, a matter of SFX and require neither an Advantage nor a Limitation.

 

However, if you feel the above needs the Continuous Advantage, be my guest.