Here are some rulings that resulted from the most recent session of our DF campaign. Also, from afterward.
Return Missile
My hopefully unambiguous ruling is that missiles targeted at an area can't be subject to the spell. You can't return missiles that accidentally hit a target, or attempt to make yourself a target deliberately to return it. That way lies game-y silliness, in my opinion. It also means that the very existence of this relatively easy-to-get spell means missile fire against a group with a wizard, even against the ground near them, is extremely risky.
Epic Smash prereqs
Mo's player asked about Epic Smash, from DFD Barbarians. While this wasn't his question, I did note that the prereqs include Momentary Strength, which allows you to buy Power Blow, but doesn't explicitly mention buying Power Blow. As I intended it, you'd have at least a point in Power Blow before you could have Epic Smash.
While I don't disagree with the general thrust of your argument for return missile, it does really seem like a "Return Missile Dome" spell would be a worthwhile thing to have in the game.
ReplyDeleteIt would be worthwhile, but would it be balanced? It's already easy to make yourself basically a "Parry Monster" - if it's parry-able, you can parry it with ease. Missile attacks, especially explosive area missile attacks, are among the few attacks such characters are vulnerable to. It would also mean foes either have to engage you in melee where you excel, or suffer from their own attacks. At least with Return Missile and Reverse Missiles, there is an upward damage limit and it's not proof versus distance-based attacks that don't target you. A "dome" would include them.
DeleteI'm not saying it has to be affordable, or have a short prereq chain. But the general idea of an area effect that magically throws your ranged attacks back at you just seems too awesome to leave on the floor to balance parry-monsters.
DeleteI am very leery of reinforcing the strongest defense by broadly countering one of the only things that can avoid it.
DeleteThe last thing most DF parties need is more counters to distance attacks.