Meta spell: strengthen spell

[logan9a]

Destabilize Spell
Casting time: 1 action OR as part of casting another spell (free action), see below
Range: 100m OR Self
Duration: Instant
MP cost: 2
As part of casting another spell, the target spell automatically deals maximum damage, but decrease its range by half.
OR
Cast at someone else's magic, that spells ends or on a crit possibly backfires (GM discretion). Note, to foil an "instant" duration spell, you need to ready your action.

Not liking this.

We could divide it up into two different spells:

Stronger damage adder

Casting time: 1 round in addition to the damage spell you are casting
Range: Self
Duration: Special
MP cost: Same as the damage spell (for a total of double the MP)

When casting a purely damage spell, this spell may be cast stretching out the casting time by one round and doubling the MP expenditure. When the damage is being rolled, the caster may have a free reroll but if they take it, they are stuck with the second result even if it is lower than the first.

Again, spells should be expensive and not fucking wonderful. Low power. Low power.



As to the other spell you were making, I'm not sure what you were going for at all with that one.

[Scott]

Jun 1, 2018 11:38:07 GMT logan9a said:

Stronger damage adder

Casting time: 1 round in addition to the damage spell you are casting
Range: Self
Duration: Special
MP cost: Same as the damage spell (for a total of double the MP)

When casting a purely damage spell, this spell may be cast stretching out the casting time by one round and doubling the MP expenditure. When the damage is being rolled, the caster may have a free reroll but if they take it, they are stuck with the second result even if it is lower than the first.

Again, spells should be expensive and not fucking wonderful. Low power. Low power.

It seems like that would be always worse than just casting the damage spell twice.

Jun 1, 2018 11:38:07 GMT logan9a said:

As to the other spell you were making, I'm not sure what you were going for at all with that one.

Some sorta counterspell thingy. I was working off of your suggestions here:

Spell destabilization: When used on their own spells, they can increase its destructiveness in exchange for accuracy, duration, or range to be reduced. When used on others' spells, users can cause them to fail or backfire.

What were you going for with "When used on others' spells, users can cause them to fail or backfire."?

[logan9a]

It seems like that would be always worse than just casting the damage spell twice.

>>>Depends on the CT and MP cost of the initial spell.


What were you going for with "When used on others' spells, users can cause them to fail or backfire."?

>>>Not sure. Maybe something for spells that are either long long cast (like ritual magic) or messing with already running spells by throwing a sabot into the machine?

[Scott]

First off, are there any pure damage spells?

Depends on the CT and MP cost of the initial spell.

It's strictly for combat spells, so it's usually going to be 2 rounds, which is generally a bad idea. If it full out doubled the damage of a 2 round spell, you'd come out ahead, but it's super-risky casting for 3 full rounds.

The more important point to make here is that an optional reroll is not very helpful. A lot of spells, that is going to add less than one damage on average. Example: a d6 damage spell with an optional reroll averages to .75 more damage than a straight d6.

This isn't a bad mechanic, but if you want to use it, it should be pretty cheap IMO. Double MP cost and +1 round casting is lolnope.

Not sure. Maybe something for spells that are either long long cast (like ritual magic) or messing with already running spells by throwing a sabot into the machine?

I'm reading this as the same as what I was going for, but leaving ambiguous the possibility of readying to nix an instantaneous spell.

[logan9a]

How about for stronger spell, +1 on damage track for +2MP, instant cast?

[Scott]

Jun 9, 2018 11:56:03 GMT logan9a said:

How about for stronger spell, +1 on damage track for +2MP, instant cast?

One bump on the damage track is the same as +1 damage (on average). So that would be usable, but not exciting.

I actually liked the reroll idea, you just had it costing way too much.

We could have a "roll twice, keep the one you like" and it would be about the same average damage increase on a d6 as +1 bump on the damage track, but much more fun.

Strengthen Spell
Casting time: part of casting another spell (free action)
Range: Self
Duration: Instant
MP cost: 2
Roll the target spell's damage twice and pick the one you want to keep.

Not sure. Maybe something for spells that are either long long cast (like ritual magic) or messing with already running spells by throwing a sabot into the machine?

Destabilize Spell
Casting time: 1 action
Range: 30m
MP cost: 2mp
You try to ruin someone else's magic. Target spell that is being cast or already in place fizzles/ends unless the caster beats you on an opposed ESS roll. If the caster is not present, no roll is required. Has no effect on permanent magic objects or spells that have ESS invested in them.

[logan9a]

I'd rather have the less exciting version that does a bump of extra damage, less rolls and it fits in well with everything else. Don't forget, we need low level spells as well. As to the other spell, please start a new thread for each new spell, otherwise, fuckery ensues.

[Scott]

Jun 9, 2018 19:10:33 GMT logan9a said:

I'd rather have the less exciting version that does a bump of extra damage, less rolls and it fits in well with everything else. Don't forget, we need low level spells as well. As to the other spell, please start a new thread for each new spell, otherwise, fuckery ensues.

Yeah, looks good for a low level spell. Now are there actual damage spells to use it on or do we need to make those too?

...

Are you able to rename this thread to "strengthen spell" so I can start a different "destabilize spell" thread?

[logan9a]

I do not seem to have the power to rename threads.

[Scott]

If you edit your original post, there should be a "subject" line that you can change.

[logan9a]

AH!

[logan9a]

Strengthen Spell (credit: Scott)

Casting time: part of casting another spell (free action)
Range: Self
Duration: Instant
MP cost: 2
Damaging spells are bumped up one place on the damage track.

(Note - this is meant to be a low level spell)



I cleaned this up a bit and am posting up what - unless someone else has any input - will be the final version.

[Fantômas]

Nothing leaping out at me as being wrong with it. Pretty much equivalent to making a martial arts roll but for combat damage spells.

In some realms I could see verbal shouting eg “HADOUKEN!” While doing flashy hand movements giving a casting bonus.

[logan9a]

Damaging Spell (credit: Scott)

Casting time: part of casting another spell (free action)
Range: Self
Duration: Instant
MP cost: 2
Damaging spells are bumped up one place on the damage track.



I found 'strengthen' too vague so changed to damaging so it hints at what the spell actually does.