[review] Earth Magic

[JmOz]

Okay, most of you will be happy to know that I have finished the Styles of magic for my world, this will probably be the last one posted (I might do a thread for Alchemy still, but I digress)

 

Here is Earth Magic, review, etc...

 

Earth Spells: Multipower, 15-point reserve, (15 Active Points); Variable Limitations (requires -1/2 worth of Limitations; -1/4); all slots Requires A Skill Roll (-1/2), Incantations (-1/4)

 

Hurdle Rock: RKA 1d6 (vs. PD) (15 Active Points); OIF (-1/2), Incantations (-1/4)

 

Rock Armor: FF (5 PD/2 ED), Costs END Only To Activate (+1/4), Hardened (+1/4), Uncontrolled (+1/2) (14 Active Points)

 

See through the Earth: N-Ray Perception (Sight Group), Uncontrolled (+1/2) (15 Active Points); Only through stone, rock, dirt, metals, etc... (-1/2), OIF Expendable (Easy to obtain new Focus; -1/2), Costs END (Only Costs END to Activate; -1/4), Gestures (-1/4)

 

Move Dirt: Tunneling 1" through 4 DEF material (14 Active Points); OIF Expendable (Easy to obtain new Focus; -1/2), Gestures (-1/4), Extra Time (Full Phase, Only to Activate, -1/4), Concentration (1/2 DCV; -1/4)

 

Shape Stone: Minor Transform 1d6, Improved Target Group (+1/4) (12 Active Points); Extra Time (1 Turn (Post-Segment 12), -1 1/4), Limited Target (Stone/earth/rock/etc; -1/2), Concentration (1/2 DCV; -1/4), Gestures (-1/4)

 

Shape Earth: TK (10 STR) (15 Active Points); Concentration, Must Concentrate throughout use of Constant Power (1/2 DCV; -1/2), OIF Expendable (Easy to obtain new Focus; -1/2), Incantations (-1/4)

Just noticed this should have a -1/2 lim of just rocks/dirt/etc...

 

 

Earthen Cage: Entangle 1d6, 2 DEF (15 Active Points); OIF Expendable (Easy to obtain new Focus; -1/2), Gestures (-1/4)

 

Stone Fists: HKA 1 point (d6+1 / 1/2d6 w/STR) (vs. PD), No manipulation while spell is in effect (No gestures) (+0), Remains in effect (+1/4), Costs End only to activate (+1/4), +1 Increased STUN Multiplier (+1/4), Penetrating (+1/2), Lingering up to 1 Minute (+3/4) (15 Active Points); OIF Expendable (Easy to obtain new Focus; -1/2), Gestures (-1/4)

 

Create Shelter: Summon 35-point Base, Slavishly Devoted (+1) (14 Active Points); Extra Time (20 Minutes, Only to Activate, -1 1/4), OIF Expendable (Easy to obtain new Focus; -1/2), Concentration (1/2 DCV; -1/4), Gestures (-1/4)

I'll post shelter on request

 

Stone Form: (Total: 15 Active Cost, 5 Real Cost) DI (200 kg mass, +5 STR, +1 PD/ED, -1" KB), Costs END Only To Activate (+1/4), Uncontrolled (+1/2) (9 Active Points); OIF (-1/2), Gestures (-1/4), Visible (-1/4) (Real Cost: 3) plus Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) for up to 5 Active Points of Strength (From DI) (2 Active Points); Shared Limitations (-1), Linked (DI; -1/2) (Real Cost: 1) plus Armor (1 PD/1 ED), Uncontrolled (+1/2) (4 Active Points); Shared Limitations (-1), Linked (DI; -1/2) (Real Cost: 1)

[DEFCON Clown]

Re: [review] Earth Magic

 

Create Shelter: Summon 35-point Base, Slavishly Devoted (+1) (14 Active Points); Extra Time (20 Minutes, Only to Activate, -1 1/4), OIF Expendable (Easy to obtain new Focus; -1/2), Concentration (1/2 DCV; -1/4), Gestures (-1/4)

Is it rules legal to summon Bases?

[Frenchman]

Re: [review] Earth Magic

 

I didn't go back to check, but the first thing that hit me is that I believe this style of magic has both the 'best' attack and the 'best' defense. 1d6 straight RKA is pretty nasty compared to 1/2d6 sometimes penetrating or the other stuff you've got. Maybe a 2d6 EB penetrating? Not lots of raw damage at this low level, but it will get someones attention. I think the FF is at an appropriate level, it only seems unbalanced when earth mages have the highest amount of raw damage, too

A really nasty character combo can be made pretty simply by buying just this first circle of earth and making a fighter/marital artist...Activate Rock Armor and Stone Form, then start using Offensive Strikes with Stone Fists...ouch

And all for just the cost of a martial artist +20 points or so. Watch out for it. Otherwise, I like 'em, as usual.

 

PS - What's the base? A cave? Seems like a somewhat strange spell for an earth mage

[Curufea]

Re: [review] Earth Magic

 

Hurdle Rock: RKA 1d6 (vs. PD) (15 Active Points); OIF (-1/2), Incantations (-1/4)

Possibly this should be "Hurl Rock"? I thought it was a transport spell to move you over mountains/boulders otherwise

Earthen Cage: Entangle 1d6, 2 DEF (15 Active Points); OIF Expendable (Easy to obtain new Focus; -1/2), Gestures (-1/4)

Seems a very weak entangle - used for trapping small animals or something?

[Frenchman]

Re: [review] Earth Magic

 

Seems a very weak entangle - used for trapping small animals or something?

Put that on an 8 str wizard and watch them freak out. In a heroic level fantasy game, more than 2 DEF on an entangle can spell doom for most characters.

[Curufea]

Re: [review] Earth Magic

 

Are you not allowing pushing strength? Even +5 STR for an extra 1D6 is useful

[JmOz]

Re: [review] Earth Magic

 

Are you not allowing pushing strength? Even +5 STR for an extra 1D6 is useful

 

I only allow pushing for the characters & Major NPC's, the nameless orcs or the local innkeeper or what have you do not get to push...

[JmOz]

Re: [review] Earth Magic

 

Possibly this should be "Hurl Rock"? I thought it was a transport spell to move you over mountains/boulders otherwise

 

Seems a very weak entangle - used for trapping small animals or something?

 

Yes it should be hurl rock

 

With a defence 2 it has a fair to good chance of holding a normal NPC for a good length of time, and delaying a fighting NPC for a phase or 2

[JmOz]

Re: [review] Earth Magic

 

Is it rules legal to summon Bases?

 

With GM approval yes, but you need to buy it slavishly loyal (I question the mentality on this one, take this shelter, it does not care who uses it, if a group of orks chased the players off they could use the shelter, but at the same time there is a balancing issue, My gut says it should require the +1/2 version...might house rule that...but I digress)

[JmOz]

Re: [review] Earth Magic

 

I didn't go back to check, but the first thing that hit me is that I believe this style of magic has both the 'best' attack and the 'best' defense. 1d6 straight RKA is pretty nasty compared to 1/2d6 sometimes penetrating or the other stuff you've got. Maybe a 2d6 EB penetrating? Not lots of raw damage at this low level, but it will get someones attention. I think the FF is at an appropriate level, it only seems unbalanced when earth mages have the highest amount of raw damage, too

A really nasty character combo can be made pretty simply by buying just this first circle of earth and making a fighter/marital artist...Activate Rock Armor and Stone Form, then start using Offensive Strikes with Stone Fists...ouch

And all for just the cost of a martial artist +20 points or so. Watch out for it. Otherwise, I like 'em, as usual.

 

PS - What's the base? A cave? Seems like a somewhat strange spell for an earth mage

 

The Rock Spell is the second most powerful strait damage, Firebolt another 1d6 RKA is the most powerful (PD being more common than ED). It does provide the most defence

 

Earth & Fire are probably the 2 most Combat orientated school. One of the key elements of the system however is that anyone can learn anything (Specialists take a limited bonus to there spellcasting for there specilisation), so one school being too strong is not a major concern for me.

 

The summon well essentialy the spell is cast, a small dwelling is formed from the local enviroment, normaly a little hut like dwelling, inside is a spread of food, enough for 8 people, again from the local enviroment, normal it will be raw, if it is meat it has already been skinned, cut, etc...just needs cooking. The magic of the spell keeps the hut in a comfortable temperture range

[Curufea]

Re: [review] Earth Magic

 

With GM approval yes' date=' but you need to buy it slavishly loyal (I question the mentality on this one, take this shelter, it does not care who uses it, if a group of orks chased the players off they could use the shelter, but at the same time there is a balancing issue, My gut says it should require the +1/2 version...might house rule that...but I digress)[/quote']

 

Couldn't you buy it as a vehicle instead? I keep thinking of Mr Incredible's car that he summoned with a whistle - or horses for heroes in cowboy movies. If you bought the shelter as a teleporting vehicle (and no other form of movement) with a trigger (and detect: location of owner), that would work too. You could even make the teleport EDM as the cave waits in an alternate dimension.

[Cantriped]

Re: [review] Earth Magic

 

Why? isn't that kinda over complicated when summon does the job in the most thematically simple way. your summoning a "base" so why wouldn't "Summon: Base" be an appropiate construct for this kind of power. the whole point of Hero is that there is a minimal amount of Band-aiding required to get whatever concept you could ever want.