What is an hex?

Orion Deckrect · 03-12-2009, 08:38 AM

Ok... Everybody knows that the hex is a bit of measure, that have one yard in dimeter (or one meter, for conversions sake). But what is its height? If i may shape one hex of earth and then petrify it to make a wall, how tall is this wall?

Turhan's Bey Company · 03-12-2009, 08:47 AM

IIRC, it's six feet high.

Orion Deckrect · 03-12-2009, 09:00 AM

Thank you. Can you remember where states it?

Kromm · 03-12-2009, 09:03 AM

The height of spell effects isn't consistent, unfortunately (and were I to rebuild the game from 1986, "hexes as units" is of those things that I'd get rid of, in favor of m, m², and m³). The most general rule – from p. B239 and Magic, p. 11 – is: "They are cast on a surface – floor, ground, etc. – and their effects extend four yards (12 feet) up from that surface." There are tons of exceptions, though. Fire spells "shoot six feet high"; Earth, Water, etc. magic works with volumes, from which you must back-calculate depths from areas; and many spells specify idiosyncratic heights, like the various Dome spells, which are actually spheres with a radius equal to the spell radius, and so have variable height depending on where you're standing.

Turhan's Bey Company · 03-12-2009, 09:06 AM

Ah, must have been the fire spells I was thinking of.

Orion Deckrect · 03-12-2009, 09:09 AM

Thank you, Kromm. Is always good to hear your knowledge. As i am brazilian i do also prefer to use meters. Of course its very important to know what an hex is and how much it could be bent, but i was trying to create a thumb rume here - as you can see, for the wall's case.

All this time i was working with the idea of two meter high: the almost maximum for a person. This information -that i just checked at magic book - brings me some concerns. So... the said wizard (in fact, they are priests) will rise a column 1m x 1m x 4m (for conversion sake). But it also means that a create fire spell will rise the fire up to 4m! Wow! LOL

Bruno · 03-12-2009, 09:10 AM

EDIT: Sniped by Kromm and everyone else!

It varies, I think as much as 12 feet in some places in Magic, 6 feet in others.

This is because a hex is a unit of area, not of volume.

Vertical movement (for flying or otherwise aerial characters) treats one hex of movement vertically as 1 yard, just as horizontal movement does. Movement at a 45 degree angle is simplified to 1.5 yards.

The Wall enhancement does not have a height specified.

Shape Earth does not work in Hexes, it works in Cubic Yards. Same with Earth to Stone. So your original example is invalid - you'd create a wall measured in cubic yards, at which point the height is fully under your control.

Wall of Wind, Wall of Light, Spell Wall, Wall of Force, Wall of Lightning are all 4 yards high (12 feet), height is not measured in hexes.

Wall of Silence does not have a height specified.

Shape Water can create a "wall" of water 2 yards high x 1 yard wide for 20 gallons (1 fp).

Dome spells are a dome of the radius of the area, so height at the center is equal to radius, but height further from the center goes down normally.

Create Door is measured in square feet, so is however high the mage wants it to be. Not measured in hexes.
Create Gate makes up to 3' x 6' gates. Not measured in hexes.

Sanctuary doesn't specify the size of the small room entered. Time Out is a normal Area spell, but does not specify the height of the area Timed Out.

Rive creates a 2' diameter hole.

Kromm · 03-12-2009, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bruno

The Wall enhancement does not have a height specified.

Actually, it does. See Range, Area, and Duration for Advantages (p. B101). Height is 12' there, too.

Orion Deckrect · 03-12-2009, 09:22 AM

Hmm... I guess that shape earth - that is my aim right now - works in hexes. But actually i always said to my players its ok to shape it thinner to make it longer, as you are shaping. It is, in use, measured by volume, but the casting is made over an area at first. Thats why was so important to me to know the hex's dimensions. So i could state a volume. : )

Orion Deckrect · 03-12-2009, 09:23 AM

Oh, yes! Movement! When i do shape earth may i, lets say, move it up? Not necessarelly fly, but flow up a collumn of something like it?

03-12-2009, 08:38 AM	#1
Orion Deckrect Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Rio de Janeiro, Brasil	What is an hex? Ok... Everybody knows that the hex is a bit of measure, that have one yard in dimeter (or one meter, for conversions sake). But what is its height? If i may shape one hex of earth and then petrify it to make a wall, how tall is this wall? __________________ "I am the Elf. I am the One who walks alone."

03-12-2009, 08:47 AM	#2
Turhan's Bey Company Aluminated Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: East of the moon, west of the stars, close to buses and shopping	Re: What is an hex? IIRC, it's six feet high. __________________ I've been making pointlessly shiny things, and I've got some gaming-related stuff as well as 3d printing designs. Buy my Warehouse 23 stuff, dammit!

03-12-2009, 09:00 AM	#3
Orion Deckrect Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Rio de Janeiro, Brasil	Re: What is an hex? Thank you. Can you remember where states it? __________________ "I am the Elf. I am the One who walks alone."

03-12-2009, 09:03 AM	#4
Kromm *GURPS* Line Editor Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Montréal, Québec	Re: What is an hex? The height of spell effects isn't consistent, unfortunately (and were I to rebuild the game from 1986, "hexes as units" is of those things that I'd get rid of, in favor of m, m², and m³). The most general rule – from p. B239 and Magic, p. 11 – is: "They are cast on a surface – floor, ground, etc. – and their effects extend four yards (12 feet) up from that surface." There are tons of exceptions, though. Fire spells "shoot six feet high"; Earth, Water, etc. magic works with volumes, from which you must back-calculate depths from areas; and many spells specify idiosyncratic heights, like the various Dome spells, which are actually spheres with a radius equal to the spell radius, and so have variable height depending on where you're standing. __________________ Sean "Dr. Kromm" Punch <kromm@sjgames.com> *GURPS* Line Editor, Steve Jackson Games My DreamWidth [Just *GURPS* News]

03-12-2009, 09:06 AM	#5
Turhan's Bey Company Aluminated Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: East of the moon, west of the stars, close to buses and shopping	Re: What is an hex? Ah, must have been the fire spells I was thinking of. __________________ I've been making pointlessly shiny things, and I've got some gaming-related stuff as well as 3d printing designs. Buy my Warehouse 23 stuff, dammit!

03-12-2009, 09:09 AM	#6
Orion Deckrect Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Rio de Janeiro, Brasil	Re: What is an hex? Thank you, Kromm. Is always good to hear your knowledge. As i am brazilian i do also prefer to use meters. Of course its very important to know what an hex is and how much it could be bent, but i was trying to create a thumb rume here - as you can see, for the wall's case. All this time i was working with the idea of two meter high: the almost maximum for a person. This information -that i just checked at magic book - brings me some concerns. So... the said wizard (in fact, they are priests) will rise a column 1m x 1m x 4m (for conversion sake). But it also means that a create fire spell will rise the fire up to 4m! Wow! LOL __________________ "I am the Elf. I am the One who walks alone."

03-12-2009, 09:10 AM	#7
Bruno Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Canada	Re: What is an hex? EDIT: Sniped by Kromm and everyone else! It varies, I think as much as 12 feet in some places in Magic, 6 feet in others. This is because a hex is a unit of area, not of volume. Vertical movement (for flying or otherwise aerial characters) treats one hex of movement vertically as 1 yard, just as horizontal movement does. Movement at a 45 degree angle is simplified to 1.5 yards. The Wall enhancement does not have a height specified. Shape Earth does not work in Hexes, it works in Cubic Yards. Same with Earth to Stone. So your original example is invalid - you'd create a wall measured in cubic yards, at which point the height is fully under your control. Wall of Wind, Wall of Light, Spell Wall, Wall of Force, Wall of Lightning are all 4 yards high (12 feet), height is not measured in hexes. Wall of Silence does not have a height specified. Shape Water can create a "wall" of water 2 yards high x 1 yard wide for 20 gallons (1 fp). Dome spells are a dome of the radius of the area, so height at the center is equal to radius, but height further from the center goes down normally. Create Door is measured in square feet, so is however high the mage wants it to be. Not measured in hexes. Create Gate makes up to 3' x 6' gates. Not measured in hexes. Sanctuary doesn't specify the size of the small room entered. Time Out is a normal Area spell, but does not specify the height of the area Timed Out. Rive creates a 2' diameter hole. __________________ All about Size Modifier; Unified Hit Location Table A Wiki for my F2F Group A neglected GURPS blog

03-12-2009, 09:22 AM	#9
Orion Deckrect Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Rio de Janeiro, Brasil	Re: What is an hex? Hmm... I guess that shape earth - that is my aim right now - works in hexes. But actually i always said to my players its ok to shape it thinner to make it longer, as you are shaping. It is, in use, measured by volume, but the casting is made over an area at first. Thats why was so important to me to know the hex's dimensions. So i could state a volume. : ) __________________ "I am the Elf. I am the One who walks alone."

03-12-2009, 09:23 AM	#10
Orion Deckrect Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Rio de Janeiro, Brasil	Re: What is an hex? Oh, yes! Movement! When i do shape earth may i, lets say, move it up? Not necessarelly fly, but flow up a collumn of something like it? __________________ "I am the Elf. I am the One who walks alone."