Fog of Apathy

[Urlord]

I am looking for assistance on creating a "Fog of Apathy" spell. 

 

The caster creates the fog which drifts according with the wind (if there is any) for a period of time. Creatures caught in the fog (non-selective) are filled with an overwhelming feeling of apathy that lasts for 1 hour.

[Steve Long]

I'm not going to stat the whole thing out, but I'd do it something like this:

 

Change Environment (create overwhelming apathy, I have no idea what Combat Modifier to attach to that), Area Of Effect, Mobile (mobility depends on the wind, so let's say +1/2 instead of the usual +1), Continuing Charges or Time Limit to get the cloud to last as long as you want, Time Limit to get the effect to last for 1 Hour.

 

There might be more to it, that's just off the top of my head.

[Steve]

Hmmm.... This raises a build question I've never considered. How would you create a moving fog cloud that would eventually dissipate? I'm reminded of the Stinking Cloud spell from D&D.

[massey]

I'm thinking it sounds like a Speed Drain.  People don't care enough to do anything.  Theoretically they can still react (run, punch, kick).  But it's really hard for them to work up enough motivation to care, to do anything quickly.

 

 

Hmmm.... This raises a build question I've never considered. How would you create a moving fog cloud that would eventually dissipate? I'm reminded of the Stinking Cloud spell from D&D.

 

Cheapest way would probably be to buy up the Area of Effect with a lot of doublings, and then put a limitation on it that it is actually a smaller cloud that moves around within the larger area.

[eepjr24]

I'd probably add conforming and link some mind control with a single command "Do nothing" to it.

 

- E

[eepjr24]

And I would think for the combat effect that a minus to EGO roll is probably best.

 

- E

[Surrealone]

And I would think for the combat effect that a minus to EGO roll is probably best.

 

- E

Agreed that EGO seems to be the right stat.  That said, if the OP wants strong apathy instead of mild apathy, an AoE Drain to EGO might be a better path than a Change Environment with EGO roll penalties.

[Balabanto]

Come to my game table when I ask "So what do you guys want to play tonight?"

 

This spell will be cast on you whether you want it or not.

[Hugh Neilson]

I'm not going to stat the whole thing out, but I'd do it something like this:

 

Change Environment (create overwhelming apathy, I have no idea what Combat Modifier to attach to that), Area Of Effect, Mobile (mobility depends on the wind, so let's say +1/2 instead of the usual +1), Continuing Charges or Time Limit to get the cloud to last as long as you want, Time Limit to get the effect to last for 1 Hour.

 

There might be more to it, that's just off the top of my head.

I like adding Conforming. I don't think Mind Control is needed. CE to ice the ground with a -X DEX roll penalty means everyone makes a penalized DEX roll or falls over. Here, I'd say a -X Ego roll or do nothing.

[eepjr24]

I like adding Conforming. I don't think Mind Control is needed. CE to ice the ground with a -X DEX roll penalty means everyone makes a penalized DEX roll or falls over. Here, I'd say a -X Ego roll or do nothing.

I'd go with that, for a phase. I guess it depends on how long you want it to last. And they would get bonus if damaged or the like.

[Amorkca]

I'd go with that, for a phase. I guess it depends on how long you want it to last. And they would get bonus if damaged or the like.

 

OP says he wants it to last for an hour...

[Urlord]

This is kind of like an AE Sleep spell, but instead of sleeping, they just lay around and say "Nah, I really don't feel like it right now." For the AE, I thought about making it mobile with a limitation that the caster dies not having control of where it moves, it moves with the wind.

 

Does this help at all?

 

I don't have the book in front of me, so can some one explain Conforming?

[Surrealone]

Make it based on CON -- and define its SFX as a cloud of smoke that smells like marijuana, perhaps?  Conforming would work well for a power built out like that...

[eepjr24]

I don't have the book in front of me, so can some one explain Conforming?

It is a 5e advantage, it means the AE conforms to the area it is in. So say it is a 3" Radius AE and you cast it in a 2" wide passageway. Instead of just filling 6" of the passage way, it would fill 14" of the passageway. You calculate the area of the circle (A = πr²) and then re-figure for the conforming area type.

 

- E

[Hugh Neilson]

I'd go with that, for a phase. I guess it depends on how long you want it to last. And they would get bonus if damaged or the like.

An icy surface would knock you down until you try to get back up again. An apathy effect would last until you try to take some meaningful action. In both cases, you get another roll, with whatever moifiers apply.

 

OP says he wants it to last for an hour...

That's fine. As long as you are in the AoE, you have to keep rolling your EGO roll. Now, to have a character who breathes the fog in Phase 3, after which it either moves on or dissipates, still be affected for the following hour, I would use the Long Lasting modifier. One hour costs 8 points. Now you have to make that EGO roll every time you want to take action, for an hour.

 

The description sounds like a D&Dism, specifically an absolute effect. If you want that apathy to basically prevent any action for an hour, talk to the GM about how big the penalty to EGO rolls has to be for this to be considered an absolute effect. -15 to all Ego rolls would mean that even someone with a 50 EGO needs to roll a 3 to succeed. That seems like it's enough to be an absolute effect.

[Scott Baker]

It is a 5e advantage, it means the AE conforms to the area it is in. So say it is a 3" Radius AE and you cast it in a 2" wide passageway. Instead of just filling 6" of the passage way, it would fill 14" of the passageway. You calculate the area of the circle (A = πr²) and then re-figure for the conforming area type.

 

- E

Technically it says the GM determines how far and in what direction(s) the effect goes. You've provided one option a GM could use.

[dmjalund]

there are 2 ways of doing dispersal

 

 

1] lose 1DC per time unit - e.g. per 5 minutes

 

2] lose 1 DC per level on the time chart

 

e.g. -1DC after a minute, the 2nd DC after 5 minutes, 3rd DC after 1/2 an hour etc

[eepjr24]

I just read up on EGO rolls in 6e, this section is probably of interest to you. 6e1, p44

 

 

At EGO 0, a character must succeed with an EGO Roll to act each Phase. The character follows all orders given to him from any source unless he succeeds with an EGO Roll. A character who fails the EGO Roll may initiate no Actions of his own.

[Surrealone]

eepjr24,

The effects of 0 EGO are precisely why I suggested the following:

 

Agreed that EGO seems to be the right stat.  That said, if the OP wants strong apathy instead of mild apathy, an AoE Drain to EGO might be a better path than a Change Environment with EGO roll penalties.