Scott's Defensive Blast rules, feedback appreciated

[sbarrie]

I replaced the rules for defensive blasts a while ago in my campaign, instead opting for school-specific blasts. I felt they better reflected the Hyboria I grew up reading. I tested them for a bit, then lost the rules (lost my portable hard drive, and can't find any hard copies). I've redone them today from scratch.

Sorcerers gain the ability to use the blast associated with each of their domains. They lose the fiery blast from main book. Each blast requires the sorcerer have a minimum number of power points to activate.
All of a sorcerer's power points are expended in any Defensive Blast.

(PP = # of Power points expended)

Cosmic – Catatonia and Madness
As you speak, you direct maddening cosmic truths directly into your targets' minds.
20' radius. Will save vs DC 15+PP. If failed, targets become Fascinated for as long as the sorcerer concentrates. Each round they remain Fascinated, the target loses 1d6 points of Wisdom. If the Will save is successful, no effect.
Minimum PP: 8

Curses – Word of Ruin
A short, exhausting curse which hopefully plagues your attacker until their death.
5' range. Will save vs DC 15+PP or suffer -1 per PP to all attack and skill rolls. New save every day to shake effects. This may be readied as a move action instead of a standard action.
Minimum PP: 3

Divinations – Vision of Death
Images of your opponents' fates are sent directly into their minds.
10' radius. Will save vs DC 15+PP. If the save is failed, the target is Frightened for 1d6 rounds, and then Shaken for 1 day per PP and may not spend Fate Points to be left for dead during this time. If successful, Shaken for 1d6 rounds.
Minimum PP: 5

Hypnotism – Utterance of Lethe (Utterance of Oblivion?)
Your will completely pushes your target's aside, leaving them characterless.
5' range, single target makes Will save vs 15+PP or becomes Confused for 1d20 rounds. After that time they may make a second save at +1, or they become amnesiac for 1d20 days. Another save is allows every d20 days with a cumulative +1 to roll. This may be readied as a move action instead of a standard action.
Minimum PP: 8

Immortality – Unleash the Beast
After battling your corruption for decades or longer, you purposely succumb to it.
For one hour, the sorcerer gains 1 Str, 1 Con and 1 Dex per PP, and morphs into an inhuman monster. In addition, gain a natural attack which inflicts 1d8 damage. If more than 10 PP are expended, the sorcerer may choose a specials ability, such as increasing to Large size. The sorcerer also permanently gains one corruption per two PP.
Minimum PP: 5

Nature Magic – Lycanthropy
You inflict those around you with a horrible curse.
10' radius. Will save vs DC 15+PP. If failed, victims are permanently inflicted with lycanthropy
Minimum PP: 8

Necromancy – Billowing Blight.
A dark cloud centered on you leaves others weak and sick.
10' radius cloud. Victims lose 1 Str/PP immediately and makes Fortitude save vs DC 15+PP or lose 1 Con/PP and becomes Nauseated for 1d6 rounds .
Minimum PP: 5

Prestidigitation – Explosive Expulsion
A flick of the hand sends your foes flying.
5' radius. All targets are thrown 10' per PP and suffer 1d6 damage per PP, plus Stunned for 1 round. If a fortitude save vs DC 15+PP is successful, target only falls prone and takes no damage. Large targets ignore first 4 PP, Huge ignore first 8 PP. This may be readied as a move action instead of a standard action.
Minimum PP: 5

Sea Witch – Drown
You fill your target's lungs with salt water.
10' range, single target makes a Fortitude save vs DC 15+PP or lose 1 Con/PP. A successful save leaves the target Staggered for one round.
Minimum PP: 5

Summoning – Cast into Hell
You open a rift into another realm, which draws all living things within a 10' radius into it unless they make a Fortitude save vs 15+PP. If failed, the target is lost to this world. The sorcerer must make a Will save vs. the save DC or also be drawn in.
Minimum PP: 10

Wards – Arcane Riposte
You can attempt to weaken another sorcerer's power.
5' range, Will save vs 15+PP+Magic Attack Bonus, or target sorcerer loses PP equal to your PP.
Minimum PP: 1

Weather Witching – Heaven's Wrath
A lightning bolt from the sky inflicts 1d6/PP in a 10' radius centered around yourself. Those in the area may make a Reflex save vs DC 15+PP to take ½ damage and be Deafened for 1d6 rounds. Otherwise they are Deafened and Blinded for 1d6 rounds. The sorcerer must make a Will save vs DC 10+PP or suffer the same effect as their victims.
Minimum PP: 5

 

[Sutek]

Would it work as 10' radius for each one? Why the different sizes and strengths? I really like the effects though - very nice.

 

[sbarrie]

Would it work as 10' radius for each one? Why the different sizes and strengths? I really like the effects though - very nice.

Each has its own radius or range listed. If a range is listed, I intended it to affect only one target.

The different PP requirements was me eyeballing the power levels. I don't want a 1 PP "Cast into Hell", for instance. It's a big effect, it should take more.

 

[Sutek]

Each has its own radius or range listed. If a range is listed, I intended it to affect only one target.

The different PP requirements was me eyeballing the power levels. I don't want a 1 PP "Cast into Hell", for instance. It's a big effect, it should take more.

lol

I know they have different each have a differnt radius. What I meant was why did you choose to vary that factor?

While I agree in principle about the minimums, ther doesn't seem to be much drawback to this system over the basic one. Just playing devil's advocate here, so bear with me a sec. SOme seem far more powerful, so I'd simply say to scale those back. Additionally, I'd say that any ammount of PP can be used, but that it's an automatic Runaway Magic effect with +1 per PP spent to the Runaway Magic roll. DEpending on the school, a Corruption save would need to be made by the caster (Necromancy and Summoning seem to be prime candidates). DC of this save is the normal DC +1 per PP burnt.

Also, come right out and say "No opportunistic sacrifices", whichis the real broken area of defensive blasts as it is.

8)

 

[argo]

Interesting, flavorful idea. I like the concept, but I worry about the balance. While a few of those "blasts" are weaker than the core DB most are more powerful. And the saving throws seem way to high, 15+PP ?

Oh, and the summoning "blast" ought to be a Reflex save to avoid.

I'll have to mull this over. Later.

 

[René]

With all the good ideas (the one in this thread included) about a remodeled DB I wonder if Mongoose will somtime in the future adress this part of the rules - maybe in a S&P article. The authors would be easy to find on this forum...

 

[Trodax]

I like the idea of having different types of "Defensive Blast" for different schools, very nice! Also, the effects are very cool and setting-appropriate (my favorites are Unleash the Beast and Cast into Hell :twisted: ).

I agree with the other posters that some of the effects might be a bit to powerful, and I'd scale them down a bit (I also think the canon version is too powerful).

Also, come right out and say "No opportunistic sacrifices", which is the real broken area of defensive blasts as it is.

Good idea!

Additionally, I'd say that any ammount of PP can be used, but that it's an automatic Runaway Magic effect with +1 per PP spent to the Runaway Magic roll. Depending on the school, a Corruption save would need to be made by the caster (Necromancy and Summoning seem to be prime candidates).

Also good ideas. I'd like for there to be some sort drawback for using Defensive Blast (other than losing all your PP, which is severe in its own right :wink: ). I think Corruption could work for all schools, not just Necromancy/Summoning.

This may be readied as a move action instead of a standard action.

So are you having Defensive Blast normally count as a standard action? Isn't the canon version a free action?

 

[sbarrie]

a) Why different ranges and radii? Variety, variety, variety. And the higher PP minimums keeps the flashier ones out of the hands of apprentices.

b) Are they really more powerful than the fiery blast? ~12d6 damage is going to force a lot of high massive damage saves.

c) Is DC 15+PP too high? I know the DC is something I tweaked while testing it, but I don't remember what I tweaked it to. Maybe most of them should be DC 10+PP.

d) Normally "Readying an Action" is a standard action, even if the action readied is a free action. For Word of Ruin, Utterance of Oblivion and Explosive Explusion, a sorcerer can perform a standard action and still ready a defense for when the Barbarian comes charging through his minions ranks. I only gave that ability to defenses with a 5' range or radius.

e) I like the idea of corruption saves. I'll mull that over.

f) What if a sorcerer couldn't regain PP at all for a day after a defensive blast?

 

[Trodax]

d) Normally "Readying an Action" is a standard action, even if the action readied is a free action.

OK, got it.

f) What if a sorcerer couldn't regain PP at all for a day after a defensive blast?

I like it. This, or Corruption, or both, would help to ensure that Defensive Blast isn't used for anything but as a last resort defense.

 

[Sutek]

When I think of this blast thing, I think of the animated movie Fire and Ice[/i], with Frazzetta's Jaguar God and all that. The Sorcer in that fights well with a sword, but there's point where he's losing and he "blasts", knocking the hero back. There's no fire, just force, and afterward the socerer slumps back momentarily, drained of strength.

Perhaps, depending on school, the sorcerer also takes a point of ability damage per PP burt through the blast. The stat affected depends on what school he's blasting with. Characters with more than one school have to randomize what effect and feedback they incur. (!)