Doc Democracy Posted August 27, 2006 Report Share Posted August 27, 2006 I am writing a crib sheet for custom character sheets and I got to spreading an attack. It set me wondering, can you spread an area effect attack? What would be the results? Personally I would be inclined to allow it - that'll teach those snotty martial artists that a 7" dive for cover isn't always enough, but what would be the effects of it? Any ideas? Doc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edsel Posted August 27, 2006 Report Share Posted August 27, 2006 Re: Spreading According to page 380 of 5ER you can't spread an AE attack. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh Neilson Posted August 27, 2006 Report Share Posted August 27, 2006 Re: Spreading What about allowing the character to extend the AE by 1" in exchange for sacrificing 1d6 (1 DC before AoE is appied) damage? For an extra +1/4 advantage, the area wuld have been doubled, so -1d6 = +1" area (or +1" radius, +2" line, etc. depending on the various AoE formuli) seems reasonable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Democracy Posted August 29, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 29, 2006 Re: Spreading What about allowing the character to extend the AE by 1" in exchange for sacrificing 1d6 (1 DC before AoE is appied) damage? For an extra +1/4 advantage' date=' the area wuld have been doubled, so -1d6 = +1" area (or +1" radius, +2" line, etc. depending on the various AoE formuli) seems reasonable.[/quote'] That was how my thoughts went - though I considered making the blast area non-symmetrical for a radius - instead you could extend the radius in one direction and 'reach out' at the expense of reducing the damage within the blast area. Doc PS: Thanks Edsel for the reference - I'll have to admit I don't have 5ER yet - and I couldn't find any reference in FREd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Waters Posted August 29, 2006 Report Share Posted August 29, 2006 Re: Spreading Hello, Doctor. I know the rules might not allow it, but I have a bit of a downer on 'advantages' that in fact limit the base power. Spreading does two things, either makes the target easier to hit, at a +1 per DC lost basis - no problem doing that if you really needed to hit that target hex, especially if you had nasty range mods... The other thing it does is allows a non-AE attack to hit multiple targets....and that definitely undermines the utility of a spend on AoE, so I think AoE should be able to use spreading to increase the area effect. Maybe +1 hex (line), +1/2" (radius) per -1DC? (I am a little less generous than Hugh ) I like the asymmetrical spreading, although it might be slightly difficult to manage in practice. Perhaps you could (for a radius) apply the AE twice with two centres, 1/2" apart for each 1DC lost, on the proviso that no one target gets hit more than once? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Waters Posted August 29, 2006 Report Share Posted August 29, 2006 Re: Spreading One other thing: don't have my book with me, and I think I know the answer BUT, does an AoE HAVE to be targetted on a hex, or can you make the target a moving object - like a martial artist? (Obviously you would use normal OCV v DCV, as you are not targetting a hex, and if you miss, use the grenade/splash rules to determine where the centre of the AoE actually hits). Also, presumably, with the dive for cover manoeuvre, most martial artists, unless they know their opponent well, or have made the relevant INT/PER rolls int he current combat, won't know what radius the blaster can manage, so they have to GUESS how far they have to dive for cover. The increased target randomness is likely to make that job even harder, if the MA can't be sure where the centre of the AoE is going to land: they could be leaping TOWARD the centre Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Democracy Posted August 29, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 29, 2006 Re: Spreading One other thing: don't have my book with me' date=' and I think I know the answer BUT, does an AoE HAVE to be targetted on a hex, or can you make the target a moving object - like a martial artist? (Obviously you would use normal OCV v DCV, as you are not targetting a hex, and if you miss, use the grenade/splash rules to determine where the centre of the AoE actually hits).[/quote'] See, this is why I missed you Sean. You ask good questions, I never considered this at all. All the text in FREd talks about targetting a hex with no reference to targetting moving targets with subsequently more difficult to hit rolls. I think I would allow that.... I think that the two centres thing could work as well - though I still think that a radius with a cone effect out one side would also work fine... Doc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Democracy Posted August 29, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 29, 2006 Re: Spreading PS: Welcome back Sean. I tried to say this to an earlier post but my home PC is in the terminal stages of hard disk failure and I never get to finish posts from there before the blasted thing crashes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Waters Posted August 29, 2006 Report Share Posted August 29, 2006 Re: Spreading PS: Welcome back Sean. I tried to say this to an earlier post but my home PC is in the terminal stages of hard disk failure and I never get to finish posts from there before the blasted thing crashes. Thank you, Doc, and indeed, thanks for all the welcomes I've received. Just like coming home Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.