How to Model DnD Spell Trap the Soul in 6E

[PamelaIsley]

I was trying to create a 6E spellcaster and looking through my DnD books for example spells , when I came across one I had nearly forgotten: Trap the Soul.  Basically, the spell causes someone's body to disappear and their soul to be stuck in a gem, until the gem is broken.

 

Here is info:

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/trapTheSoul.htm

 

I'm guessing this is a pretty straightforward Transform power in Hero, built almost exactly like a Petrification transform.  So it might look like:

 

Transformation (Severe Transform 4d6 (Human Into Gem, Application of Similar Power) (60 Active Points); Limited Target ([Limited]; Humans; -1/2)); 40 point cost.

[Doc Democracy]

There is a case to be made for using extra-dimensional movement, usableon others....

[L. Marcus]

Simple and elegant, just like DD himself.

[Christopher]

This is a "I wish you into the Cornfield" effect.

 

EDM, Useable as attack is the direct choice. But I loathe applying UAA on any movement power. Much less on Extra Dimensional Movement.

 

Personally I think what might be more balanced would be Severe Transform. This is a effect wich is just shy of death (in how debilitating it is). Severe Transform covers a effect that is "just shy of death":
"Turning a person into a stone statue or an animal"
Trap the Soul turns the target into a gem, rather then a stone statue. Healing by breaking the gem.

[PamelaIsley]

I think I agree with Christopher.

[Doc Democracy]

1 hour ago, PamelaIsley said:

I think I agree with Christopher.

 

I am devastated!!  ?

[Doc Democracy]

2 hours ago, L. Marcus said:

Simple and elegant, just like DD himself.

 

But this more than makes up for it!!! ?

[Doc Democracy]

1 hour ago, Christopher said:

Personally I think what might be more balanced would be Severe Transform. This is a effect wich is just shy of death (in how debilitating it is).

 

Thinking purely in point terms, I agree. Actually putting the soul into the gem as a matter of transport leaves the victim open to communication, to being visited and possibly to being busted out. The roleplaying opportunities of it being a destination rather than a physical state are HUGE!!

[Ninja-Bear]

Question, is the player still able to adventure and needs his soul out of the gem? Or is he trapped in the gem?

[Christopher]

8 hours ago, Ninja-Bear said:

Question, is the player still able to adventure and needs his soul out of the gem? Or is he trapped in the gem? 

If this spell somehow traps the players soul, something went Jumanjii there.

 

I think you need to write it out a bit more.

[PamelaIsley]

In DnD, the body disappears and the person is trapped in the gem.

 

Functionally, in both Hero and DnD really, I think it basically means the person is transformed into a gem.

[Ninja-Bear]

Then it seems Transform would be the power to use.

[Mister E]

I would use XDM. 

 

I have an old Ravenloft adventure module "The Forgotten Terror" (2e) that basically answers the question of what happens when someone's soul is trapped in an object.

 

The setting for the adventure is a tiny pocket domain of dread build like a horror funhouse that exists w/in the jewel of a soul stealing dagger.

 

Each facet of the jewel is its own sub domain or room of the horror funhouse & represents a different aspect of the trapped soul's life & personality [possibly based on Complications in HERO terms]. 

 

~Mister E

[PamelaIsley]

I'm not sure the other players (or the GM) will appreciate an entire side adventure built around one person running around a gem. 

 

For the purpose that I envision, I think Transformation works best.

 

Using extradimensional movement does remind me of Nebula (a villain in the 6E Volume 3 book, as well as some 5E stuff) and her ability to transport people to a sort of hellish prison dimension for eternity.

[Killer Shrike]

I would say that your approach is correct...if pocket dimension side adventures stemming from Trap the Soul as EDM sound fun then that's a good approach, and if it does not then Transform is pragmatically more direct.

 

There are other similar spells (Imprisonment comes to mind) that effectively remove a target from play one way or another. You might want to knock out other similar spells in that general category all at once and decide if you want a unified approach, or if you prefer to deliberately use different mechanics for each to inject more differentiation between them, or whatever.