Arcane blast that gets more powerful as mage gets hit by magic attacks

[bluesguy]

Here is the way I want this spell to work. I am open to suggestions on how to construct this power.

 

A mage with this spell will cast it before a battle. As the mage is attacked by magic, the spell 'absorbs' the magic and builds up very large amount of arcane energy. When the mage wants she can release the arcane energy as blast of energy. The mage can cause the arcane energy to take the form of many energy forms (fire, lightning, air, etc - variable SFX) and can adjust the effects so that it can impact a single individual, an area, go past objects (i.e. variable advantage), etc.

 

One approach I was thinking about was basically a set of linked effects. Starting with a 4d6EB, 1 charge only recharges under special circumstances (mage hit by so much body of damage), trigger. And then allow the mage to buy more d6EB with the same approach.

 

Any other ideas?

[Hyper-Man]

Since any such effect will typically have a maximum point of absorption (the spell can't get any more powerful that X) you might as well build that maximum and add a custom Limitation to represent the fuzzy amount of functionality based on how much magical energy is absorbed before it is redirected. Setting the correct value of that Limitation is the real trick.

[Christougher]

Did 6E remove the Absorption power? It seems to be the perfect way to build this effect. 5E: Absorption 6d6 ED Cap +24 to Energy Blast VSFX, 42 points. Plus EB 4d6 VSFX(+1/4) 25 points. If you want to limit the blast until it's had some Absorption added to it, a -1/2 value for that limitation seems right

[Christopher]

I think we need some clarification: Does absorbing hits make a power he already has (and can always use) more powerfull, or does he has a powerfull attack he can only use after being hit often enough?

It sounds like the later (but the otehrs seem to asume the first). And it might be in an area that is to granular for the rules to cover in all the detail you want.

 

Absoprtion would be ideal for the first, but not that suiteable for the second.

For 2 I too would go the way of a limited attack too. Not certain about recoverable charges: By RAW recoverable charges should not be recoverable more then once a Day, but many still use it for throwable special weapons (the 1 Recoverable Charges+Lockout combination) like Hawkgirls Mace or Capain. America's Shield.

 

A custom limitation could thus be the way to go. How much the value is depends on how likely he is hit by magic, if there is any way to safely charge it (being repeatedly hit by 1D6 magical attacks from an ally) and just how much damage (or DC split over however many attacks) he has to take.

Also keep in mind that this Limtiation provides no protection from magic. In a heroic game he might be literally fried taking hits before he can ever fire it off, so maybe add a Protection Spell.

 

Let's try (I picked a random number, not certain how powerfull you want that to be):

Super Chargeup Blast: 12D6 Energy Blast, Variable Special Effect (+1/4, all magical effects) 75 AP; Can only use 1 DC for each DC he was hit with since Activation/Casting(-X), Other Limitations as fitting for the Magic System (-X).

 

He still has to pay normal end and it will still be a single Fire shoot (as all other Attack spells are als single Fireshoot in most heroic systems), not reuseable.

 

Be warned: Absobing powers even in Superheroic settings can be a thing that works well in Fiction, but not in RPG. And this is for a heroic setting so chances are high that this is a case where it works a lot better in Fiction (including your imagination) then an actuall gamesessio. See Rule/Idea 1.

[bluesguy]

I think we need some clarification: does he has a powerful attack he can only use after being hit often enough?

 

This is the approach I am taking.

 

 

For 2 I too would go the way of a limited attack too. Not certain about recoverable charges:

 

Well I was thinking that the spell has a 'charge' and the only way it recharges is if the caster is hit by a magical attack equal to the active points to be used as an attack.

 

if there is any way to safely charge it (being repeatedly hit by 1D6 magical attacks from an ally)

 

I want to figure out a way to avoid this...

 

Super Chargeup Blast: 12D6 Energy Blast, Variable Special Effect (+1/4, all magical effects) 75 AP; Can only use 1 DC for each DC he was hit with since Activation/Casting(-X), Other Limitations as fitting for the Magic System (-X).

 

This is pretty close (most AP than I was planning on having).

 

 

Be warned: Absorbing powers even in Superheroic settings can be a thing that works well in Fiction' date=' but not in RPG. And this is for a heroic setting so chances are high that this is a case where it works a lot better in Fiction (including your imagination) then an actual game session. See Rule/Idea 1.

 

I have a player whose Champions character has Absorption. The character is based on electricity so I made him limit the absorption so it only worked against electrical attacks. The character hasn't been attacked by anyone with an electrical attack - although one time the character did grab to downed electrical lines to build up on heck of a charge :-)

[Christopher]

Well I was thinking that the spell has a 'charge' and the only way it recharges is if the caster is hit by a magical attack equal to the active points to be used as an attack.

The game mechanic of a Charge is not nessesarily the best way to simulate the Special Effect of a Charge.

Sometimes a vehicles fueltank is best simualted as a Fuel Charge. Sometimes as a Endurance Reserve.

 

I want to figure out a way to avoid this...

You don't really have too. If he tries that the value of the limitation goes down, so he has to retroactively pay more for the spell. You could also just say the attack mus have a realistic chance to deal body damage to count.

And of course the magic system itself might limit it, there migh be no easily recastable spell or DoT's in that low damage class around.

 

I have a player whose Champions character has Absorption. The character is based on electricity so I made him limit the absorption so it only worked against electrical attacks. The character hasn't been attacked by anyone with an electrical attack - although one time the character did grab to downed electrical lines to build up on heck of a charge :-)

If Electric attacks are that rare, you should consider increasing the Limitation value. The player should not have to pay much for a ability he cannot use, that is the "What not to spend points on" Rule.

 

Magic is propably more abundant in a Fantasy setting with mages, but the other problem is the mages own durability. Superheroes have the durability to "take a Shock" without getting killed. Mages in a Heroic game propably don't.

[Lucius]

By RAW recoverable charges should not be recoverable more then once a Day,

 

Can you tell me exactly where you're reading this? Because I'm not finding it.

 

edit: Okay I think I see what you're seeing.

Generally a character

shouldn’t be allowed to use Recoverable Charges

to simulate Charges that return to him on a

quicker than once-per-day basis

That means don't use this for Charges that recover every hour, or at noon and midnight, or on some other cycle shorter than one day (although that does rather leave open the question of how one WOULD simulate such - we have Increased Recovery Time for Charges that take, say, a week to recover, but no Decreased Recovery Time.) It's not saying that the thrown knife, for example, can somehow only be thrown twice in a day (once using the Charge, once using the Recovered Charge, which is what I understand you to be saying is the case.)

 

but many still use it for throwable special weapons (the 1 Recoverable Charges+Lockout combination) like Hawkgirls Mace or Capain. America's Shield.

 

"Throwing knife" is a specific example given in the 6th edition rulebook of Recoverable Charges on page 344, and bow and arrows is used on p 370.

 

However, I do agree that Recoverable Charges is wrong for what the original poster is trying to do.

 

 

Here's my take on it

 

Arcane Retribution: (Total: 96 Active Cost, 25 Real Cost)

Blast 4d6, Personal Immunity (+1/4), Variable Special Effects (Any SFX; +1/2), Variable Advantage (+1 Advantages; +2) (75 Active Points); Increased Endurance Cost (x8 END; -3 1/2), Gestures (-1/4), Incantations (-1/4), Variable Limitations (requires -1/2 worth of Limitations; -1/4) (Real Cost: 14) END cost 56

plus

Endurance Reserve (1 END, 0 REC) Reserve: Restricted Use: Arcane Retribution draws only from this END, this END is only for Arcane Retribution (-1/4) (Real Cost: 1)

plus

Absorption 8 BODY (Magical, END Reserve), Delayed Return Rate (points return at the rate of 5 per 20 Minutes; +1 1/2) (20 Active Points); Limited Power Ignores first 4 BOD (-1) (Real Cost: 10)

 

 

Note, the END reserve with no REC: The only way it gets points is via Absorption. I'm assuming it's acceptable to use "magic" in place of either Physical or Energy, since otherwise it's necessary to buy both and then Limit both.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

Absorb Palindromedary

 

[bluesguy]

By RAW recoverable charges should not be recoverable more then once a Day,

 

Can you tell me exactly where you're reading this? Because I'm not finding it.

 

edit: Okay I think I see what you're seeing.

Generally a character

shouldn’t be allowed to use Recoverable Charges

to simulate Charges that return to him on a

quicker than once-per-day basis

That means don't use this for Charges that recover every hour, or at noon and midnight, or on some other cycle shorter than one day (although that does rather leave open the question of how one WOULD simulate such - we have Increased Recovery Time for Charges that take, say, a week to recover, but no Decreased Recovery Time.) It's not saying that the thrown knife, for example, can somehow only be thrown twice in a day (once using the Charge, once using the Recovered Charge, which is what I understand you to be saying is the case.)

 

but many still use it for throwable special weapons (the 1 Recoverable Charges+Lockout combination) like Hawkgirls Mace or Capain. America's Shield.

 

"Throwing knife" is a specific example given in the 6th edition rulebook of Recoverable Charges on page 344, and bow and arrows is used on p 370.

 

However, I do agree that Recoverable Charges is wrong for what the original poster is trying to do.

 

 

Here's my take on it

 

Arcane Retribution: (Total: 96 Active Cost, 25 Real Cost)

Blast 4d6, Personal Immunity (+1/4), Variable Special Effects (Any SFX; +1/2), Variable Advantage (+1 Advantages; +2) (75 Active Points); Increased Endurance Cost (x8 END; -3 1/2), Gestures (-1/4), Incantations (-1/4), Variable Limitations (requires -1/2 worth of Limitations; -1/4) (Real Cost: 14) END cost 56

plus

Endurance Reserve (1 END, 0 REC) Reserve: Restricted Use: Arcane Retribution draws only from this END, this END is only for Arcane Retribution (-1/4) (Real Cost: 1)

plus

Absorption 8 BODY (Magical, END Reserve), Delayed Return Rate (points return at the rate of 5 per 20 Minutes; +1 1/2) (20 Active Points); Limited Power Ignores first 4 BOD (-1) (Real Cost: 10)

 

 

Note, the END reserve with no REC: The only way it gets points is via Absorption. I'm assuming it's acceptable to use "magic" in place of either Physical or Energy, since otherwise it's necessary to buy both and then Limit both.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

Absorb Palindromedary

This is almost exactly what I was looking for. Except I would like to see how to make so that maybe they start out a 4d6 EB for a base level and then more and more until some maximum level. Got any ideas?

[Lucius]

Arcane Retribution: (Total: 81 Active Cost, 53 Real Cost)

Blast 4d6, Personal Immunity (+1/4), Variable Special Effects (Limited Group of SFX (spells the mage has been hit with today); +1/4), Variable Advantage (+1 Advantages; Limited Group of Advantages (spells the mage has been hit with today, or Reduced END); +1 3/4) (65 Active Points); Gestures (-1/4), Incantations (-1/4), Variable Limitations (requires -1/2 worth of Limitations; -1/4) (Real Cost: 37)

plus

Absorption 5 BODY (Magical, Blast), Increased Maximum (x8 points) (+3/4), Delayed Return Rate (points return at the rate of 5 per 20 Minutes; +1 1/2) (16 Active Points) (Real Cost: 16)

 

Lucius Alexander

 

The palindromedary says another alternative is to use the END Reserve and an Absorption that feeds both the Reserve AND the Blast.