In DF Felltower, we use modified GURPS Magic.
First, all missile spells except Winged Dagger/Poltergeist/Sunbolt have explosive versions.
Second, all missile spells are either case normally or as explosive; you don't learn a second spell.
Explosive spells have the following features:
- a 5-yard diameter area of effect
- inflicts around 1d damage per level of casting
- has some kind of special enhancement
- gets a per-turn discount to casting cost
You can see this all discussed in detail here:
Revised GURPS Magic: Explosive Spells
I want to discuss damage a bit more today.
Damage is 1d plus a special enhancement. If the enhancement is very good, damage is -1 per die. If there is no other special benefit, damage is +1 per die.
Explosive Fireball - 1d per level; potentially starts fires.
Explosive Stone Missile - 1d+1 per level; the special enhancement is +1 damage per die.
Explosive Lightning - 1d-1 per level; the special enhancements are stunning and surge effect, with an armor divisor of (5), hence -1 per die to damage.
Concussion - 1d per level; deafness and possible stunning effect.
Explosive Ice Dagger - 1d-1 per level; special effect is impaling damage.
Explosive Ice Sphere - 1d per level; the special enhancement is a secondary Create Water effect.
I'm not sure why they all have different ranges - it's probably better to just make the whole lot of them range 40/80, Acc 2. I'm inclined to do so but players of casters might complain.
I also think Ice Dagger is a bit weak, because the damage isn't much for penetrating DR. Perhaps higher accuracy (4? 5?) might help, or just giving it a (2) armor divisor.
I like the concept of giving Ice Dagger an Armor Divisor. I think it could see more use that way. For whatever reason, I never thought about using it explosively, but that would be cool.
ReplyDeleteI also think it would be interesting to have a slightly more potent version ("Big Boom Explosive") that costs 3 energy per 1d, and it has a larger explosive radius with the damage falloff a little different...full at 0 to 1 yards away, 2/3 at 2 to 3 yards away, and 1/3 at 4 to 5 yards away. There could be a lot of downsides to that, but it could be a secret spell that needs to be found/learned. Or maybe it's a 5 point advantage that lets casters "beef up" their explosive spells for the increased energy cost. Just thoughts, nothing fully formed yet.
The "vanilla" DFRPG and GURPS Magic explosive spells are pretty weak, and they cover a potentially huge area as you add dice of damage. The current Felltower house-rule is much better, but I can see a basis for having a more powerful version. Of course, that can be used against delvers as well.
I'm loathe to create another decision fork by having a third variation to a spell.
DeleteI agree Exp Ice Dagger getting a divisor 2 feels right.
ReplyDeleteBut now I'm wondering what would happen if the Wizard targeted a foe's eye with Exp Ice Dagger...
Nothing exciting, by the way I run explosive spells. It would just act like a normal Ice Dagger to the target, and have an area effect around it normally. It doesn't explode inside the target or anything like that. If you toss an explosive spell into the maw of a giant monster, you just bypass external DR but don't cause any other exciting effects.
DeleteBoring, I know, but it vastly simplifies the running of the spell, takes out endless hypothetical plans that won't come to fruition, and doesn't create complex rulings that depend heavily on target-to-caster orientation. It's just a missile spell that affects everyone within a 5 yard diameter, with specific damage falloff.