How To: Arcane Channeling

[CrosshairCollie]

The Duskblade D&D class has an ability called 'Arcane Channeling', which basically enables the character to cast a touch spell, then deliver it through a melee weapon attack.

 

Since certain events of my last game are giving me a DIRE urge to violate a previous statement and do a D&D-to-HERO conversion, and we have a Duskblade in the group, I need to figure out how this works.

 

So, far, it looks like some variant of a Trigger, but I could also see it as a Linked, or is this just a Multiple Power Attack?

[Killer Shrike]

Re: How To: Arcane Channeling

 

Assuming that the Spell can be cast and used as a 1/2 Phase action, or is Lingering, its just a Multiple Power Attack.

 

Oh, and....D&D 3e Conversion

[CrosshairCollie]

Re: How To: Arcane Channeling

 

Assuming that the Spell can be cast and used as a 1/2 Phase action, or is Lingering, its just a Multiple Power Attack.

 

Oh, and....D&D 3e Conversion

 

 

Yeah, I know, I've already been using that for the basics of it. I'm doing the spells more loosely, though, using the FHGrimoire spells rather than converting D&D spells, for example.

[Thia Halmades]

Re: How To: Arcane Channeling

 

So the Duskblade can, at a moments notice, deliver his Range: Touch spell to a target via his weapon? Hrm. I don't know that MPA really covers it, although that's a good way to do it, it lets everyone do it that way without the significance of having a mechanic. At the same time, this is a d20 Handwave power; you can Handwave it back:

 

Talent: Duskblade Special, the Duskblade is able to deliver Touch Attacks through their weapon; standard MPA rules apply (5 pts).

[CrosshairCollie]

Re: How To: Arcane Channeling

 

So the Duskblade can, at a moments notice, deliver his Range: Touch spell to a target via his weapon? Hrm. I don't know that MPA really covers it, although that's a good way to do it, it lets everyone do it that way without the significance of having a mechanic. At the same time, this is a d20 Handwave power; you can Handwave it back:

 

Talent: Duskblade Special, the Duskblade is able to deliver Touch Attacks through their weapon; standard MPA rules apply (5 pts).

 

Basically, yeah. The upside is, he gets his weapon damage added to the spell damage/effect, the downside is he has to strike the full AC rather than the touch AC.

[Killer Shrike]

Re: How To: Arcane Channeling

 

And of course, there is no such thing as "touch AC" in the HERO System. Its just an MPA.

[CrosshairCollie]

Re: How To: Arcane Channeling

 

And of course' date=' there is no such thing as "touch AC" in the HERO System. Its just an MPA.[/quote']

 

Yeah, but I just remembered something. If I recall correctly, the 'Spell' limitation (which nearly all offensive spells in FH have) prohibits, amongst other things, using them in Multiple-Power Attacks. However, since 'Cannot Be Used In Multiple-Power Attacks' is a -1/4 (sayeth my Hero Designer), I think it'd be fair to make a 'Can Be Used In Multiple-Power Attacks' +1/4 advantage and apply it Nekkidly, with 'Only when combined with a weapon attack', perhaps?

[Killer Shrike]

Re: How To: Arcane Channeling

 

Yeah' date=' but I just remembered something. If I recall correctly, the 'Spell' limitation (which nearly all offensive spells in FH have) prohibits, amongst other things, using them in Multiple-Power Attacks. However, since 'Cannot Be Used In Multiple-Power Attacks' is a -1/4 (sayeth my Hero Designer), I think it'd be fair to make a 'Can Be Used In Multiple-Power Attacks' +1/4 advantage and apply it Nekkidly, with 'Only when combined with a weapon attack', perhaps?[/quote']

 

 

Well, the arbitrary Combat Modifiers and Manuevers restrictions have a lot of bundled assumptions that I personally don't agree with, which is why I don't use them.

 

And by the way, the Spell Limitation is only intended to be taken in campaigns where the arbitrary Combat Modifiers and Manuevers are NOT in effect by default. When they are in effect by default, its not worth a limitation.

 

All of this is discussed on page 246 of Fantasy HERO.

 

 

If the build of a "Spell" doesnt prevent it from being used as part of an MPA due to initialization Lims, I don't see any reason to forbid it out of hand "just because".

[CrosshairCollie]

Re: How To: Arcane Channeling

 

Well, the arbitrary Combat Modifiers and Manuevers restrictions have a lot of bundled assumptions that I personally don't agree with, which is why I don't use them.

 

And by the way, the Spell Limitation is only intended to be taken in campaigns where the arbitrary Combat Modifiers and Manuevers are NOT in effect by default. When they are in effect by default, its not worth a limitation.

 

All of this is discussed on page 246 of Fantasy HERO.

 

 

If the build of a "Spell" doesnt prevent it from being used as part of an MPA due to initialization Lims, I don't see any reason to forbid it out of hand "just because".

 

Without trying to sound overly snarky, could you rephrase this without quite so much jargon?

 

'Arbitrary Combat Modifiers and Maneuvers' means, what? The standard stuff like Sweep and Rapid Fire? If these are in effect, and you can't use them with spells, how is that not a limitation?

 

What's an 'initialization lim'?

[Killer Shrike]

Re: How To: Arcane Channeling

 

Without trying to sound overly snarky' date=' could you rephrase this without quite so much jargon?[/quote']

 

Im a former jarhead; we live for jargon. Its almost as good as acronyms.

'Arbitrary Combat Modifiers and Maneuvers' means, what? The standard stuff like Sweep and Rapid Fire? If these are in effect, and you can't use them with spells, how is that not a limitation?

Combat Modifiers and Maneuvers is the header name of the relevant section on page 246. I call them Arbitrary because they are IMO arbitrary. Meaning there isnt much need or logical reason for them.

 

What's an 'initialization lim'?

 

A Limitation that affects how a power is turned on...ie initialized. Extra Time, Incantations, Gestures, etc. As opposed to other Lims that affect how a power is used or costs related to those powers such as Charges, Increased END, Side Effects, etc.

 

In other words, unless a Spell has one or more Limitations that would prevent a character from turning on the Spell and then using it immediately as part of a 1/2 Phase Attack, I see no reason to arbitrarily say it can't be used as an MPA.

[Cantriped]

Re: How To: Arcane Channeling

 

However, if the campaign your in does use the 'Spell' Limitation, then yes, the Naked Advantage sounds like a good idea.

[Markdoc]

Re: How To: Arcane Channeling

 

So' date=' far, it looks like some variant of a Trigger, but I could also see it as a Linked, or is this just a Multiple Power Attack?[/quote']

 

I'd go for trigger. I'm not familar with the duskblade, but if it works anything like the Spellword you can't just cast the spell instantly at the same time as you attack - you either stack the spell in the sword letting you discharge it later (trigger) or you cast the spell and discharge it through your weapon (special effect).

 

cheers, Mark

[CrosshairCollie]

Re: How To: Arcane Channeling

 

I'd go for trigger. I'm not familar with the duskblade, but if it works anything like the Spellword you can't just cast the spell instantly at the same time as you attack - you either stack the spell in the sword letting you discharge it later (trigger) or you cast the spell and discharge it through your weapon (special effect).

 

cheers, Mark

 

The Duskblade ability does actually let you combine a touch spell and a weapon attack as a single action.

 

And the aforementioned page in FH does say 'If the GM thinks it's appropriate, he can lump all this into the Spell limitation', which sounds good to me. Most of the special maneuvers listed as inappropriate do strike me as odd things to try with Fantasy spells, and I do think that warrants a limitation.

 

Although the more I think about it, this is may all well be a fool's errand. The players who have come so desperately close to annoying me into forcing the conversion probably won't fare any better in HERO system. I should probably just sell all my gaming stuff and give up on it.

[Thia Halmades]

Re: How To: Arcane Channeling

 

Ah, but you don't want it to be a limitation, you want it to be an Advantage. I would agree in theory, almost, that "Spell can be stacked through weapon, (+1/2)" is the easiest way to build it. At the end of the day, though, I think an NPA (+1/4, spells up to X power) is probably easiest, the trick there is determining what final value you want to use.