Jump to content

A Baleful Aura


g3taso

Recommended Posts

I am looking to recreate a staple of Dungeons and Dragons monsters, undead with a life-sapping or enervating aura.  I'm having trouble establishing how to reasonably assemble the power. In essence it's an AoE of a single hex (or out to a 2' range) always centered on the caster. In this case, the undead's "life force" is this deathly energy which makes it persistent (and/or Inherent) as well.

 

Drain 1d6, Inherent (+1/4), BODY & END simultaneously (+1/2), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Persistent (+1/2), Area Of Effect (One Hex; +1/2), Damage Shield (Offensive; +3/4) (40 Active Points)

 

This seems way, way over the top. Perhaps I am building the special effect rather than the Power of a lifeforce that is now powered by (evil power), weakening or even killing those who come to close?  Please provide suggestions for a better way than I have come up to for making this!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When I did this I used the following:

 

Striking Appearance: Pure Evil +3/+3d6, only versus Good or Evil Aligned beings - 6 points

 

AND

 

Evil Aura: Distinctive Features, Not Concealable (Always Noticed) - 5 Character Points.

 

This is combined with the fact that some characters and other beings have a susceptibility to Evil and take damage in it's presence.

 

To your original construct... drain is a really poor mechanism for doing body damage. The most the power you defined would do is 3 Character points of Body and End, because they are defensive characteristics and the effect is halved. And it would all come back in a turn or so after they left the beings presence. If you want something that damages someone and uses Power Defense, just buy an RKA AVAD. But what you are asking for generally, the power to do automatic damage to everything that comes within 3 feet of you, would and should be quite pricey.

 

- E

Edited by eepjr24
Added "Character Points"
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, eepjr24 said:

 

 

To your original construct... drain is a really poor mechanism for doing body damage. The most the power you defined would do is 3 Body and 3 End, because they are defensive characteristics and the effect is halved. ...

 

- E

 

I know, that is why I was throwing it out there for fresh eyes on the problem. It was just my first take on what one might call "negative energy" or "anti life" instead of good or normal regular life force.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, dsatow said:

1d6 of END/BODY drain would max out at 3 Body (6*(1/2)) and 15 END (6*(5/2)) on a single roll. 

 

Instead of Drain, you could probably get away with blast and state that instead of stun, it does end damage instead.

 

 

Correct. Sorry, I left out Character Points. Edited.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, eepjr24 said:

I think he was balking at how expensive one die was. And that was without buying up the drain return. Maybe I read it wrong though.

 

- E

I just noticed his build still needs Constant (+1/2 in 6e).  Personally, I would just make it 2m radius and remove the damage shield offensive unless he needs it for stretching.  This way the target will always be in the area of effect if they are in hth range.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is a 5E construction.  One thing to note is that Damage Shield doesn't affect me if I stand right next to you and don't attack you, or you attack me.  

 

I might add, very, very few D&D critters have a drain-life kind of aura that I can recall, and anything that does, is VERY high level.  Fear aura, more common.  Ghasts have the stink.  But an aura of negative levels would be a major, major problem.  So I really don't have a problem if this comes out to 75-100 active even if the dice involved felt rather low.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Good question. In D&D the aura is sometimes a drain but often a short-term impediment that could be suppress (DRR of 5 per minute).  My original concept was a slow suppress in that you would take 1pt of CON or BODY damage every phase you were in range, but would stop taking damage when you left his aura. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...