Demon Summoning for Fun and Profit

[BlueCloud2k2]

Okay, working up a scenario involving a demon and the thralls that worship him. Thralls have been doing profane sacrifices leading up to the main summoning. Final summoning occurs, and when the Demon arrives unleashes a wave of profane power that does the following:

 

His followers are turned into demon spawn (something appropriately Cthuloid in nature as this guy is an OLD one).

His enemies are hit by a wave or terror and vertigo. Was thinking of the following:

 

Physical Manifestation - Elemental Control XX points, All Powers Only Trigger upon Manifestation (-???)

1) Gift of Madness - Major Transform Xd6, NND - Defense is defined as not being a faithful follower, does body (+2), AoE (XX Radius, +1 or more), 0 END Cost (+1/2)

2) Waves of Terror - Drain vs PRE Xd6, Drain applies mental defense not power defense (+0 - house rule), AoE (XX Radius, +1 or more), 0 END Cost (+1/2)

3) Waves of Nausea - Drain vs DEX Xd6, AoE (XX Radius, +1 or More), 0 END Cost (+1/2)

 

Any thoughts? This is mostly a plot device (turning his thralls into... uglier thralls), but the Waves of Terror and Waves of Nausea effects are actually important from the perspective of game play and mechanics.

 

BTW, I run 5e though I don't mind stealing Power Advantages and Limitations from 6e

[Grailknight]

As a plot device it's fine.

 

It's not legal by RAW because you can't use powers in the same Framework as part of a multiple power attack.

 

Link them all into 1 power or just buy them separately.

[Old Man]

It really seems like you could define the "only faithful followers" part of the Transform as a limitation, as opposed to an extremely expensive NND. I don't think you need the NND.

 

Also you could buy the whole thing with one charge instead of 0 END and Only Trigger.

[BlueCloud2k2]

Kooky. Thanks!

[Christopher]

Gift of Madness: A Transform with NND or Based on Ego Combat Values does not need "Does Body", but I think NND was out of the picture anyway.

This is actually the power that is most deeply into "plot device" territory. And generally using Transform to create followers is frowned upon (Transform is simply not balanced for creating extra characters under your control), you should use any of these approaches instead:

Pure Plot device without point cost. They are only there to make the Combat more challenging.

Summon, Extra Creatures, OIF (willing Cultist of Opportunity) Follower. Wherever he goes, he draws some of his deamons along. That the special effect of them arriving is "his Cultist transform into them" belongs into plot device territory

 

Wave of Terror:

In 6E AVLD has been made more general, with a proper table that allows switching from any defense to any other. Here Mental and Power defense are on the same "rarity level", so the switch is also a +0. Note that this can varry depending on how common either is effectively in the game. If Mental Defense is more common this could actually become a limitaiton.

Furthermore, why drain PRE when you could just give him Extra PRE? Afaik 6E Necron (or what he was called; Lord of the undead) has a huge amount of PRE (something around 150 I heard) only for Presence attacks. So +30 PRE, only those witnessing his arrival or having heard of him (-1/2), Only for Presence Attacks (-1/4)

 

Waves of Nausea:

Biggest issue (and only one I see) could be that draining DEX changes CV and possibly SPD. You might want to pre-roll this one (and/or use Standard Effect Rule). Having to make a math session recalcualting CV and SPD could take the emotion out of his arrival.

[Killer Shrike]

Since this is basically a voluntary effect vs an attack against any unwitting target...I would make the "transformation" part of the followers instead...buy their stuff w/ an equivalent of Only In Hero Id...Only In Cthuloid Form or something like that...and an Always Occurs Accidental Change into that form in the presence of the appropriate things, or even just "when dramatically appropriate".

 

Pushing pervasive open ended effects onto the recipient when you can manage it works out better for a lot of reasons in the HERO System.

[BlueCloud2k2]

Since this is basically a voluntary effect vs an attack against any unwitting target...I would make the "transformation" part of the followers instead...buy their stuff w/ an equivalent of Only In Hero Id...Only In Cthuloid Form or something like that...and an Always Occurs Accidental Change into that form in the presence of the appropriate things, or even just "when dramatically appropriate".

 

Pushing pervasive open ended effects onto the recipient when you can manage it works out better for a lot of reasons in the HERO System.

 

Heh, good point.

[NuSoardGraphite]

I would make the Gift of Madness be a Continuous and Always on attack.  That way any time any of his followers get within proximity of the Demon, they begin to transform.  Then I would make the Waves of Terror and Nausea a combined power and place them in the same slot.  This takes care of the "multiple power attack" angle since the 1st slot is always on and works at the same time as the Waves of Terror and Nausea without requiring the use of a MPA.