Inspirational Magic

[Crimson-Hawk]

I want to build a multipower that gives the hero a selection of "inspirational" totemic magic, enhancing a particular group of skills for all allies within a certain radius of him.

 

Since I'm assuming Adjustment powers like Aid are not meant to work with skills, I've opted to try to build the powers as Skill Levels, Usable By Others, AoE Radius, Costs Endurance.

 

I wanted to tap into the collective opinions of all of you, see if this multipower would be considered "rules-legal" or not.

 

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13 Enhancing Shamanism Spells: Multipower, 27-point reserve, all slots Requires A Totemic Shamanism Roll (-½), Incantations (-¼), Only In Heroic Identity (-¼)

• 1u 1) +2 with Agility Skills, Usable By Other (+¼), Area Of Effect (4" Radius; +1 ½); Costs Endurance (-½) 3
  
• 1u 2) +2 with DCV, Usable By Other (+¼), Area Of Effect (4" Radius; +1 ½); Costs Endurance (-½) 3
  
• 1u 3) +2 with HTH Combat, Usable By Other (+¼), Area Of Effect (4" Radius; +1 ½); Costs Endurance (-½) 3
  
• 1u 4) +2 with Intellect Skills, Usable By Other (+¼), Area Of Effect (4" Radius; +1 ½); Costs Endurance (-½) 3
  
• 1u 5) +2 with Interaction Skills, Usable By Other (+¼), Area Of Effect (4" Radius; +1 ½); Costs Endurance (-½) 3
  
• 1u 6) +2 with Ranged Combat, Usable By Other (+¼), Area Of Effect (4" Radius; +1 ½); Costs Endurance (-½) 3
  

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Thanks in advance for all of your help!

[Erkenfresh]

Re: Inspirational Magic

 

I think the advantages and limitations on each slot should go on the entire multipower pool. Also, Usable By Other needs to be bought up to cover more than one person. I think it goes up by +1/4 per doubling of people.

 

Looks like a neat idea.

[Crimson-Hawk]

Re: Inspirational Magic

 

Thanks, Erkenfresh! That was the sort of advice for which I was hoping.

 

Here is a version I made with your suggestions:

 

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14 Enhancing Shamanism Spells: Multipower, 10-point reserve, all slots Usable Simultaneously (up to 8 people at once; +1), Area Of Effect (4" Radius; +1 ¼), Selective (+¼); all slots Requires A Totemic Shamanism Roll (-½), Costs Endurance (-½), Incantations (-¼), Only In Heroic Identity (-¼)

• 1u 1) Aura of the Swallow: +2 with Agility Skills
  
• 1u 2) Aura of the Falcon: +2 with DCV
  
• 1u 3) Aura of the Eagle: +2 with HTH Combat
  
• 1u 4) Aura of the Owl: +2 with Intellect Skills
  
• 1u 5) Aura of the Dove: +2 with Interaction Skills
  
• 1u 6) Aura of the Hawk: +2 with Ranged Combat
  

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Another question that enters my mind... Since Skill Levels are No Range (they normally just affect the character who bought the levels), do these "auras" move with the caster since they are "stuck" to him? Or are they stuck in place where they were cast?

 

Any other suggestions are definately welcome! Thank you again.

[Lucius]

Re: Inspirational Magic

 

Two notes:

 

Once you pay for one level of Usable By/Against Others I don't think you need more to effect everyone in an Area Effect. After all, an attack power like Energy Blast, which is inherently Usable Against at least One Other, doesn't need a special advantage to hit as many people as are in an Area Effect.

 

I don't have the book with me, but I think "Mobile" is for an Area Effect that can be moved around independently of the caster or power user. Otherwise, I think you have an option of it either being "in place" or automatically following you around.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

The palindromedary follows me around, but I don't think it's Area Effect

[Sean Waters]

Re: Inspirational Magic

 

I might be inclined to do this as aids to the charcteristic governing the skill, only for using skills, but that is probably a lot messier. On the plus side everyone affected could then wander off outside the AoE and retain the bonus for some time thereafter.

 

Also a bit converned about that 'all slots useable simultanously' thing - where is that from and what is it supposed to do?

[Sean Waters]

Re: Inspirational Magic

 

Oh - got it - you are doing the 'useable by others' thing - not necessary with an AoE.

 

Prety sure I'm confusing myself. I'll have a think and come back to this later

[Crimson-Hawk]

Re: Inspirational Magic

 

Yeah, Sean, you're right. The Usable Simultaneously is one of the "Usable By Others" advantages, and is supposed to allow up to eight allies to benefit from whatever slot is active at the moment, not allow all the slots to be active at once.

 

I see the argument that Lucius has made. I'd assumed that I'd have to buy the Simultaneously advantage for all of the people intended to benefit from the power while the AoE advantage governed where those people needed to be. But he makes a fine point with the Energy Blast example.

 

Hmmmm....

[ghost-angel]

Re: Inspirational Magic

 

AoE is not needed if you have UOO;Simultaneously. You simply decide which people get it and as long as they are in LOS they receive the benefit. Unless you want anyone (or Selective) to receive the benefit when in a certain area of you, in which case use AoE instead of UOO. Basically - one or the other, not both, are used.

 

Nor is it needed to place the Advantages on the MP itself, just the slots.

I think, and I'd have to double check my books on this, if you do put the Advantage on the MP it doesn't go on the Powers in the Slots.

[Crimson-Hawk]

Re: Inspirational Magic

 

Okay, that explains why I didn't see any Endurance costs with the slots on the second version. It helps to understand the rules, which is why I'm glad you guys are helping me out so much.

 

I'll put up a revised version of the framework later.

[Erkenfresh]

Re: Inspirational Magic

 

Does it need Continuous/Uncontrolled to last a while or perhaps Continuing Charges? You might also consider "Physical Manifestation" if the totem can be destroyed and ruin ther bonus.

[PhilFleischmann]

Re: Inspirational Magic

 

Re: AoE vs. UBO

 

AoE by itself is probably *not* what you want. It would mean that *everyone* within the area gets the benefit of the aura - including enemies. Add "Selective Target" so that only those within the area that you select gain the benefit. Since the base power doesn't require a to hit roll, I would say the Selective Target doesn't either. (It's not the same as an AE attack power that you use to take down enemies while not hurting friends and innocents mingled among them.)

 

UBO allows a specific number of people that you select to benefit from the power. By default, you'd have to touch them all, one at a time, or simultaneously, space permitting. AoE in this case would allow you to grant it to anyone within the area. Ranged would allow you to grant it at Range (duh).

 

AoE Selective means any nunber of people can benefit, but only while their in the Area Effected. (You might consider Increased Area, if necessary.)

UBO AoE means only a specific number of people (default = 1, additional advantage for each doubling) can benefit, and they can be granted the power from anywhere within the area, and they can leave the area and still benefit.

I suppose some level of UBO, with AoE and Selective would allow for the most flexibility: Grant the power to whomever you want, anywhere in the area, and they can leave the area and retain the benefit.

 

In all forms of UBO, the power is lost if you lose Line of Sight the the grantee, unless you also add on Persistant.

 

From your initial post, it seems what you really want is AoE Selective.

 

And BTW, I think you could use Aid on skills, but in this case I wouldn't bother. Remember that if you grant +2 on say, Agility Skills, it won't help anyone who doesn't have any (except possibly for Everyman Skills).

[Crimson-Hawk]

Re: Inspirational Magic

 

Okay, here we go.

 

I did some reading up on Advantages on MP reserves. It's rules-legal, though the GM should ALWAYS review such things to head off abuses.

 

GhostAngel and Phil's discussions on AoE vs UBO seems valid. I did notice that HERO Designer v3 would not let me apply AoE to the MP unless I gave it the most basic form of UBO first.

 

Phil is right. I want an AoE buff, centered on the caster, hitting allies only, that continues for as long as the caster burns END for it.

 

Here is the next draft of the MP:

 

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12 Enhancing Shamanism Spells: Multipower, 10-point reserve, all slots Usable By Other (+¼), Area Of Effect (4" Radius; +1 ½), Selective (+¼); all slots Requires A Totemic Shamanism Roll (-½), Costs Endurance (-½), Incantations (-¼), Only In Heroic Identity (-¼)

• 1u 1) Aura of the Swallow: +2 with Agility Skills [1]
  
• 1u 2) Aura of the Falcon: +2 with DCV [1]
  
• 1u 3) Aura of the Eagle: +2 with HTH Combat [1]
  
• 1u 4) Aura of the Owl: +2 with Intellect Skills [1]
  
• 1u 5) Aura of the Dove: +2 with Interaction Skills [1]
  
• 1u 6) Aura of the Hawk: +2 with Ranged Combat [1]
  

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[TheRavenIs]

Re: Inspirational Magic

 

You know this is a great idea. I wonder what else the C you're doing could do with this idea?

[TaxiMan]

Re: Inspirational Magic

 

Just had a thought (please, no gasps of surprise!) concerning Line of Sight. If the MP aids people via sound (like a bard's music), can we define "Sight" as "Sound"? Seems like it'd be a 1:1 exchange, just define the SFX as audible instead of visual...?

[TheRavenIs]

Re: Inspirational Magic

 

That would work, seeing that having incatations would be logical.

[Erkenfresh]

Re: Inspirational Magic

 

Just had a thought (please' date=' no gasps of surprise!) concerning Line of Sight. If the MP aids people via sound (like a bard's music), can we define "Sight" as "Sound"? Seems like it'd be a 1:1 exchange, just define the SFX as audible instead of visual...?[/quote']

 

Fantasy HERO talks about this some, but I don't have the book to find the page. Something about substituting AoE with "within speaking range".

[Crimson-Hawk]

Re: Inspirational Magic

 

Just had a thought (please' date=' no gasps of surprise!) concerning Line of Sight. If the MP aids people via sound (like a bard's music), can we define "Sight" as "Sound"? Seems like it'd be a 1:1 exchange, just define the SFX as audible instead of visual...?[/quote']

 

It's definately an idea, but in this case the Incantations represents the fact that the character must openly declare and activate his power... it's a weakness of his throughout most of his powers.

 

The actual "inspiration" comes from the aspect of the particular totem spirit in question being channeled to all allies within the deliberately limited AoE, centered on the caster.

 

However, I can see these, bought seperately instead of as slots in an MP, as Fantasy HERO spells. They would probably be more bardic in nature at that point, and the Incantations would probably be Throughout (-½ instead of -¼) to represent the bard's inspiring words or song. And no OIHI. So cost of the spells would be the same.

[Lucius]

Re: Inspirational Magic

 

"Inspiration" literally means "Spirit Within."

 

Lucius Alexander

 

The palindromedary points out that it also literally means "Breathing in" but that's because "spirit" and "breath" were the same word in Latin. Which makes sense: when you stop breathing, your spirit presumably departs the body.

[Crimson-Hawk]

Re: Inspirational Magic

 

"Inspiration" literally means "Spirit Within."

 

Lucius Alexander

 

The palindromedary points out that it also literally means "Breathing in" but that's because "spirit" and "breath" were the same word in Latin. Which makes sense: when you stop breathing, your spirit presumably departs the body.

 

Ladies and gentlemen, we now have our deliciously ironic trivia of the day.

 

The history and ancestory of language is such a beautiful thing sometimes.

[Robyn]

Re: Inspirational Magic

 

The history and ancestory of language is such a beautiful thing sometimes.

 

No no: always.

[TheRavenIs]

Re: Inspirational Magic

 

What Robyn said.

[PhilFleischmann]

Re: Inspirational Magic

 

Actually "spirit" and "breath" are the same word in many lanuages. Hebrew, Sanskrit, Latin, (IIRC Japanese?), and many others, and pretty much every language that derives from these. The main reason why this isn't the case in English is because we've borrowed so many words from other languages that we don't need to use the same word for two different things.

 

You've heard the word "mahatma" before, as in "Mahatma Gandhi".

 

mahatma = "great soul"

maha = "great" as in "maharaja" = "great king"

maha = mega- in Greek, magna- or maxi- in Latin

atma = "soul" or "breath" or "wind", used in English in "atmosphere"

 

I love etymology!