EM Spells that do no direct damage, Thoughts please. |
EM Spells that do no direct damage, Thoughts please. |
Oct 27 2004, 05:57 PM
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#1
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Shooting Target Group: Members Posts: 1,754 Joined: 9-July 04 From: Modesto, CA Member No.: 6,465 |
What about EM spells that only do indirect damage by producing the EM effect?
So... A fireball that would do no direct damage but force flamable things to see if they combust? A stunblast that would force people to make knockdown checks? Lightining that would possible short out computers, etc.? The staged-up Damage Level of the spell would only be used for determining how strong the EM effects would be. Any thoughts? |
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Oct 27 2004, 06:23 PM
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#2
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Senior GM Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 1,406 Joined: 12-April 03 From: Redmond, WA Member No.: 4,442 |
I think that the secondary affects are too powerful, if people are asking for spells that just do the secondary affects.
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Oct 27 2004, 06:28 PM
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#3
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Immortal Elf Group: Validating Posts: 7,999 Joined: 26-February 02 Member No.: 1,890 |
Note that secondary effects are determined based upon the damage the effect has. So if you have a spell that only causes secondary effects but no damage, then, well, it's not going to do anything since even Light damage results in no secondary effect.
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Oct 27 2004, 06:38 PM
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#4
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Shooting Target Group: Members Posts: 1,754 Joined: 9-July 04 From: Modesto, CA Member No.: 6,465 |
I was trying to think of a spell that would just knock folks down without wounding them (semi-clout if you will). Got me thinking if it would be possible to create spells that just did EM effects but no direct damage.
I suppose you could think of it like Fire heats a surface until it combusts, Water would cause condensation of moisture, Air would be, well gusts of air, Electricity would be generating static charge, Stun would be knocking things down, etc. |
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Oct 27 2004, 06:43 PM
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#5
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Immortal Elf Group: Validating Posts: 7,999 Joined: 26-February 02 Member No.: 1,890 |
Well, that's covered by the normal Elemental Manipulations. The primary damage done *is* caused by the elemental effect. Secondary effects are precisely that; the secondary effects beyond the raw damage.
Stun variations (complete with the lowered Stun Spell modifier) are perfectly viable for several elemental effects, though most of them detail this in their description (like Water for instance). You could also argue that it could be applied to a few others, like a Snowball spell that's a Stun variant of an Ice elemental manipulation. |
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Oct 27 2004, 07:53 PM
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#6
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 639 Joined: 22-April 02 Member No.: 2,638 |
I thought the only requirement for secondary effects to come into play is that the spell had to be cast at M damage or greater. E.g., a force 1(D) Fireball, while fairly easy to stage down to L or less, would still potentially cook ammo on the target. Meanwhile, a force 6(L) Fireball wouldn't produce any secondary effects at all, regardless of whether or not the target took damage.
Unfortunately, I don't have my books here at work, so I could be talking out of my ass again (wouldn't be the first time;)). |
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Oct 27 2004, 08:18 PM
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#7
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Immortal Elf Group: Members Posts: 11,410 Joined: 1-October 03 From: Pittsburgh Member No.: 5,670 |
this seems like a pretty cool concept, so i'd probably allow it. i would apply the following modifiers:
Power - Physical Spell, Restricted Target (non-living), Symptoms Only (normally for Health spells, but i think it's appropriate) Level: Area Spell, Elemental effect |
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Oct 27 2004, 09:01 PM
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#8
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Shooting Target Group: Members Posts: 1,754 Joined: 9-July 04 From: Modesto, CA Member No.: 6,465 |
So running with my idea, you'd cast the spell just like any other EM spell, stage up the damage, but you'd only use that to determine "how hard" the effects hit. As it was mentioned, you need to do M, S or D or have the effects be useful, and for things like knockdown, the Wound Level would be necessary.
What spurred me to Dumpshock this, was how to calculate drain? I figured it would be a staged down version of the regular damaging counterparts, but there was no modifier for just secondary elemental effects without doing primary damage. |
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Oct 28 2004, 12:20 AM
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#9
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Beetle Eater Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 4,797 Joined: 3-June 02 From: Oblivion City Member No.: 2,826 |
So this is just a limited affect, area effect form of Magic Fingers? I'd go with telekinetic manipulaiton on this one. Easier to cast, hit, and light drain.
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Oct 28 2004, 12:40 AM
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#10
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 482 Joined: 26-February 02 From: Austin, TX Member No.: 90 |
In case you haven't seen it yet, Grinder. Look up the spells Thunderbolt and Thunderclap in MitS, it sounds a lot like what you might be looking for.
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Oct 28 2004, 04:36 AM
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#11
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Target Group: Members Posts: 56 Joined: 24-July 04 Member No.: 6,512 |
I did something like this for an "EMP" spell, but my GM sure didn't let me stage down any drain modifiers (I don't have my notes with me, but total drain modifiers were +3/+1) and getting past material resistance is a royal pain. But when it works, it's magic...
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Oct 28 2004, 06:23 PM
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#12
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Shooting Target Group: Members Posts: 1,754 Joined: 9-July 04 From: Modesto, CA Member No.: 6,465 |
That's where i got the idea, except those do damage, I am looking to design something that would do the EM effect only, in that case, knock down the target. Think of it like the Jedi Force Push or whatever it's called. Comparing a regular fireball EM-effect to something like combust, it's interesting to see the differences there. |
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Oct 28 2004, 06:35 PM
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#13
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Runner Group: Members Posts: 3,066 Joined: 5-February 03 Member No.: 4,017 |
Restricted variant of Magic Fingers: "Shove"
Same drain as "use (skill)" provides knockdown as if hit by (successes up to force) strength melee at Moderate damage. Successes can be switched from increasing the strength of the shove to scale up the severity of the shove. Successes past the force of the spell are assumed to increase the severity. |
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