Shaman power question

[kuoshu]

Heroic Fantasy Game -

 

The game has been a long time in coming two session of character build, one of story telling/background setup and then last nights game. This was the first time he got a chance to use a chant, in particular a suppress strength.

 

The concept is a shamanistic/witchdoctor type character. His rituals require dancing, singing and playing his rattles to work, of course he must continue to do so to keep them working. Most of the rituals are drains or suppresses, aiming for everyone in a given range being effected, thus we added AoE.

 

 

We wrote this up as

 

1d6 Suppress strength, AoE 3" radius, Selective, BoE + various spell-like disads, OAF (rattle), restrainable (dance), restrainable (chanting can be gagged). (there are a few more disads that I am not remembering)

 

I want it centered on him and to move with him if he moves. Just not sure what we need to add if anything to get that. Any suggestions?

 

Thanks

KuoShu

[Vestnik]

Re: Shaman power question

 

Two Restrainables? I would do Gestures and Incantations throughout Use of Constant Power.

[Doc Samson]

Re: Shaman power question

 

I believe under Area Effect there is an option to center AEs with No Range (-1/2) on yourself, and have them move with you. I agree on the Incantations and Gestures.

 

[edit] 5ER pg. 250 (Under Mobile Adder)

[MorpheousXO]

Re: Shaman power question

 

Yup, no range is the way to go, and incantations and gestures instead.

[feralucce]

Re: Shaman power question

 

I am curious... is it technically rules "legal" to have two restrainables? I am not being snarky... just confused...

[Hyper-Man]

Re: Shaman power question

 

How's this?

 

20 Music That Makes You Weak/Songs That Sap Your Strength: Suppress STR 3d6+1 (standard effect: 10 points), Affects Desolidified Any form of Desolidification (+1/2), Invisible to Sight Group (+1/2), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Based On EGO Combat Value (Mental Defense applies; +1), Area Of Effect (12" Radius; +1 1/4), Selective (+1/4) (85 Active Points); OAF (Rattle and other noisemakers; -1), Requires Multiple Foci or functions at reduced effectiveness (+1/4), Incantations (Requires Incantations throughout; -1/2), No Range (-1/2), Concentration, Must Concentrate throughout use of Constant Power (1/2 DCV; -1/2), Gestures, Requires Gestures throughout (-1/2), Limited Power Only affects targets that can hear the caster (-1/4), Requires A (Magic) Skill Roll (Active Point penalty to Skill Roll is -1 per 20 Active Points; -1/4) - END=0

[Thia Halmades]

Re: Shaman power question

 

Songs you Know by Heart and Wish you Didn't. "I'm a ... SHAMANIST IN PARADISE!" *cough* Sorry. Where were we? Oh yes. Songs to Die By. Here's another stab at it:

 

10 Songs to Die By: Suppress STR & DEX 3d6, DEX and STR simultaneously (+1/2), Area Of Effect (8" Radius; +1 1/2), Selective (+1/4) (49 Active Points); OAF (Beaded Rattle; -1), Gestures, Requires Gestures throughout (Complex; Dance; -1), Incantations (Requires Incantations throughout; Complex; Ancient, Complex Prayer; -1), Concentration, Must Concentrate throughout use of Constant Power (1/2 DCV; -1/2), Requires A Dance Roll (-1/2)

 

This version is inherently more difficult to pull off, but then that's generally "Shamanism" in game. You can modify the lims easily enough if you want to make it easier/harder. You don't want restrainable as was mentioned; I used Gestures, Incantations, and Focus (Beaded Rattled). Enjoy.

[Doc Samson]

Re: Shaman power question

 

I am curious... is it technically rules "legal" to have two restrainables? I am not being snarky... just confused...

 

I hate to quote the old fallback, but if it's not limiting in any way...

 

Let me put it this way, is there any situation (Entangle, Grab, ect?) that would effect one Restrainable but not the other? I think the answer is no. Anything that stops you from moving would trigger both, therefore you are awarding a double limitation with no increase in risk. I also would consider disallowing Gestures and Restrainable together for the same reason.

[feralucce]

Re: Shaman power question

 

yeah... that was my thought on it...

[kuoshu]

Re: Shaman power question

 

Thank you all so much!

 

Some good things to review and think about.

 

Just some thoughts to that I had regarding allowing two restrainables in this particular case...

 

A zone of silence, or a mystic gag, even a simple desease, perhaps some types of poison? All of these would affect chanting only.

 

An entagle, having your hands tied, being on a horse, having a thug hold your arm/s, being knocked down... These would prevent the dance part.

 

These two lists affect one without affecting the other, thus added risk, but truly this should be incantations and gestures restrictions rather than restrainable.

 

I REALLY appreciate ALL of the responses though, definitely helping me with game mechanics and general HERO thinking.

 

 

Hyper-man, that is almost perfect, though the way I see the power working it will cost endurance. One thing I saw that confused me a touch... Should that have read Requires Multiple Foci or functions at reduced effectiveness (-1/4) instead of +1/4?

 

Kuoshu

[Hyper-Man]

Re: Shaman power question

 

...

Hyper-man, that is almost perfect, though the way I see the power working it will cost endurance. One thing I saw that confused me a touch... Should that have read Requires Multiple Foci or functions at reduced effectiveness (-1/4) instead of +1/4?

 

Kuoshu

 

If 1/2 END is used instead it ends up costing 4 END /phase which might be a little exausting in a heroic game to say the least. A more functional way to reflect the tiring effect of using the spell might be to include a mandatory minor Side Effect of END Drain that only occurs when the spell is ended.

 

The multiple foci (+1/4) is really a subtraction to the OAF (-1) Limitation and is not being counted as an Advantage as its removal does not change the active cost of the ability in Hero Designer. Just a display quirk of the program. I originally wrote a description under that limitation that did not get added to the display:

Rattle and other noisemakers.

 

The basic idea is that the shaman has multiple musical instruments but can still use the spell at reduced (1/2?) if missing some of them. Normaly, a power built with focus is totally unusable when the focus is not available.

[kuoshu]

Re: Shaman power question

 

If 1/2 END is used instead it ends up costing 4 END /phase which might be a little exausting in a heroic game to say the least. A more functional way to reflect the tiring effect of using the spell might be to include a mandatory minor Side Effect of END Drain that only occurs when the spell is ended.

 

The multiple foci (+1/4) is really a subtraction to the OAF (-1) Limitation and is not being counted as an Advantage as its removal does not change the active cost of the ability in Hero Designer. Just a display quirk of the program. I originally wrote a description under that limitation that did not get added to the display:

Rattle and other noisemakers.

 

The basic idea is that the shaman has multiple musical instruments but can still use the spell at reduced (1/2?) if missing some of them. Normaly, a power built with focus is totally unusable when the focus is not available.

 

 

 

Thanks Hyper-man.

That makes total sense now +1/4. And I like the idea alot. The reason that I still want this to cost end is that in my minds eye I see him using this to exhaustion and kind of wheezing and huffing and puffing slowly to a halt, sweat running down his face, holding that stitch in his side. Of course, I would let him buy this off as his character grows in power, as well as start buying an "end battery" that he could drain off first. I want him to feel like he grew into his power, and I don't want that 3d6+1 strength drain to overshadow the non-power using sword wielding mercenary.

 

Thanks again, like I said, that is nearly perfect.

 

Kuoshu