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At 13:01 13/01/06, you wrote:
>So now we have had the holidays and stopped talking about the finer
>points of the weather table are we able to get back to fixing the broken
>spells of Necrosis, Hellfire, Whirlwind Vortex and (maybe but probably
>not) dragonflames?
I concur that the principle problem with these spells is their multiple
target nature, and suggested a compromise akin to the D&D spell "chain
lightning" wherein the primary target would resist for half, and secondary
targets take half damage, resist for none.... as follows, quoting directly
from the D20 SRDs:
"This spell creates an electrical discharge that begins as a single stroke
commencing from your fingertips. Unlike lightning bolt, chain lightning
strikes one object or creature initially, then arcs to other targets.
The bolt deals 1d6 points of electricity damage per caster level (maximum
20d6) to the primary target. After it strikes, lightning can arc to a
number of secondary targets equal to your caster level (maximum 20). The
secondary bolts each strike one target and deal half as much damage as the
primary one did (rounded down).
Each target can attempt a Reflex saving throw for half damage. You choose
secondary targets as you like, but they must all be within 30 feet of the
primary target, and no target can be struck more than once. You can choose
to affect fewer secondary targets than the maximum."
Change that into DQese, changing lighting to flames (or whirlwinds or...
whatever it is necros do) and reducing the number of secondary targets, and
I think you might well have a decent sort of write-up which maintains the
basic flavour of the existing spells while removing the worst of the
excesses. One advantage is that the need to select a primary target and
make sure other targets are in the area means that the player is not doing
the same thing round after round...
It's also worthwhile noting the numbers involved - a PC would not be facing
an NPC with chain lightning until around 11th or 12th level - by which
point an average PC would have say 70 to 80 hit points - and would be
unlucky to go down, even as the primary target of the spell, even assuming
they failed the saving throw, and had no elemental resistance spells up. DQ
characters normally just don't get that kind of endurance and fatigue, and
the only elemental resistance one can get is versus fire.
Part of the problem is applying critical successes to these spells and the
multiplication of damage that can result - while multiple damage is not
such a problem with the relatively low damage bolt spells, here I'd suggest
adding no more than an extra 1/rank on a double effect, and 2/rank on a
triple - significant, while not all out deadly.
However, I still maintain that the spells Agony and Windstorm are in many
ways at least as broken... or why are there so many PCs around with
specific anti-Agony effects? Hmm?
Jacqui
(who has given up on reading most of this thread since most of it seems to
be irrelevant to the subject - so please excuse me if my points have
already been covered)
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At 13:01 13/01/06, you wrote:<br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite="">So now we have had the holidays
and stopped talking about the finer<br>
points of the weather table are we able to get back to fixing the
broken<br>
spells of Necrosis, Hellfire, Whirlwind Vortex and (maybe but
probably<br>
not) dragonflames?</blockquote><br>
I concur that the principle problem with these spells is their multiple
target nature, and suggested a compromise akin to the D&D spell
"chain lightning" wherein the primary target would resist for
half, and secondary targets take half damage, resist for none.... as
follows, quoting directly from the D20 SRDs:<br><br>
"This spell creates an electrical discharge that begins as a single
stroke commencing from your fingertips. Unlike <i>lightning bolt</i>,
<i>chain lightning </i>strikes one object or creature initially, then
arcs to other targets.<br>
The bolt deals 1d6 points of electricity damage per caster level (maximum
20d6) to the primary target. After it strikes, lightning can arc to a
number of secondary targets equal to your caster level (maximum 20). The
secondary bolts each strike one target and deal half as much damage as
the primary one did (rounded down).<br>
Each target can attempt a Reflex saving throw for half damage. You choose
secondary targets as you like, but they must all be within 30 feet of the
primary target, and no target can be struck more than once. You can
choose to affect fewer secondary targets than the maximum."
<br><br>
Change that into DQese, changing lighting to flames (or whirlwinds or...
whatever it is necros do) and reducing the number of secondary targets,
and I think you might well have a decent sort of write-up which maintains
the basic flavour of the existing spells while removing the worst of the
excesses. One advantage is that the need to select a primary target and
make sure other targets are in the area means that the player is not
doing the same thing round after round... <br><br>
It's also worthwhile noting the numbers involved - a PC would not be
facing an NPC with chain lightning until around 11th or 12th level - by
which point an average PC would have say 70 to 80 hit points - and would
be unlucky to go down, even as the primary target of the spell, even
assuming they failed the saving throw, and had no elemental resistance
spells up. DQ characters normally just don't get that kind of endurance
and fatigue, and the only elemental resistance one can get is versus
fire.<br><br>
Part of the problem is applying critical successes to these spells and
the multiplication of damage that can result - while multiple damage is
not such a problem with the relatively low damage bolt spells, here I'd
suggest adding no more than an extra 1/rank on a double effect, and
2/rank on a triple - significant, while not all out deadly. <br><br>
However, I still maintain that the spells Agony and Windstorm are in many
ways at least as broken... or why are there so many PCs around with
specific anti-Agony effects? Hmm?<br><br>
Jacqui<br><br>
(who has given up on reading most of this thread since most of it seems
to be irrelevant to the subject - so please excuse me if my points have
already been covered)</body>
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