Underwater Electricity, (Fun) things (not) to do under water. Options

[Rotbart van Dain...]

Arsenal tells us a bit about using elemental spells (the stuff that causes real fire/electricity/whatever to appear):

Various Manipulation spells and Combat spells with elemental effects may not function or may work differently underwater.
Fire-based spells do not work underwater, as the water extinguishes any flames almost instantaneously, though Firewater/Napalm spells function normally. Blast effect spells take advantage of the concussive effects of explosions underwater (increase the DV by 1.5, round down) but they tend to create massive amounts of large bubbles, disrupting visibility. Acid-based spells are immediately diluted: targets receive a +2 dice pool bonus on their Spell Resistance Tests. Electricity-based spells are affected by the greater electrical conductivity of water. Normal lightning spells become area-effect spells, whereas area lightning spells double their radius of effect. Water spells work normally.

Would you abstract those rules into general rules for elemental damage under water? (It certainly matches the underwater explosion rules already)

It's especially interesting concerning electrical attacks like tasers or stun batons:
Basically those would get an area effect with their Base DV as radius... so trying to club somebody with a shock hand or a stun baton under water isn't a good idea, while using the Shock-Orthoskin would make you a true copy of an electric eel.

Thoughts?

[Dumori]

The touch spell is also a problem. but shock protecting armor would made thing so much more deadly.

[jago668]

The electricity thing wouldn't work so well in a giant vat of distilled/deionized water though.

[Tarantula]

I'd say no, just because then you're replicating force 6-8 spells with a few hundred nuyen. I might go for range of half power.

[Dumori]

The electricity thing wouldn't work so well in a giant vat of distilled/deionized water though.

Yeah but most underwater runs are in the sea or fresh water I don't think you'll be fighting in deionized water water often and even then but being in it will get ionized to some extent.

[jago668]

You mean everyone doesn't fight in huge wharehouses filled with huge vats of distilled water?

[Dumori]

even then why would they be in said vats?

[jago668]

Wet lined coat contest?

[Rotbart van Dain...]

I'd say no, just because then you're replicating force 6-8 spells with a few hundred nuyen.

..you mean like replicating a Blast 10 Spell when throwing a HE grenade? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[Johnny Jacks]

You mean everyone doesn't fight in huge wharehouses filled with huge vats of distilled water?

Hmmm... I'm running my first 4th Edition game next week (played plenty, but this is my first time running this edition). I'll have to arrange for this to happen.

[Tarantula]

..you mean like replicating a Blast 10 Spell when throwing a HE grenade? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

You don't cause the grenade gets worse the farther out you are, the spell nukes the whole 10 meters for the damage.

[WearzManySkins]

You don't cause the grenade gets worse the farther out you are, the spell nukes the whole 10 meters for the damage.

Only issue I see the drain on that spell ie Blast Ball is (F/2)+5, casting it at force 6 is a guaranteed 3 box stun wound for my character that has it. At force 10.....lots of centering from initiations..

I thought that the area spells were based off the Magic rating of the caster in meters not the force of the spell in meters?

Also Screech(sound) spells would work well underwater ie Screech Bolt and Screech Ball.

WMS

[Tarantula]

Its force of spell.

I think SR3 was based on magic.