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Old 02-11-2019, 05:15 AM   #1
hcobb
 
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Default Staff in your corner

Staff III has no penalty to strike behind the wizard.

Does the staff have eyes? Can you use it to peek around a corner?
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Old 02-11-2019, 08:01 AM   #2
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Default Re: Staff in your corner

I've been visualizing the occult strike is more like a static discharge blast than a targeted bolt of arcane energy.
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Old 02-11-2019, 08:15 AM   #3
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Default Re: Staff in your corner

ITL148: "The wizard must be holding or wearing the staff for it to be useful."

Useful here is "used to zap" or just "used as a battery"?
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Old 02-11-2019, 08:20 AM   #4
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Default Re: Staff in your corner

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Originally Posted by hcobb View Post
Useful here is "used to zap" or just "used as a battery"?
I would think both, right?
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Old 02-11-2019, 08:44 AM   #5
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Default Re: Staff in your corner

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I would think both, right?
So you're happy to not see the target two yards behind you that you zap with the wand in your front pocket?
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Old 02-11-2019, 09:39 AM   #6
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Default Re: Staff in your corner

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Originally Posted by hcobb View Post
So you're happy to not see the target two yards behind you that you zap with the wand in your front pocket?
So first off, I would drop the "or wearing" language because that's just confusing. The wizard must be holding the staff/rod/wand in order to use any of its abilities.

Second, the wizard must be aware of anyone they want to target with the 'occult strike'. I would expect that the rules assume you can see a target in your rear hexes by quickly glancing over your shoulder, right? That simple action should be sufficient to then unleash an 'occult strike' against said opponent I think.
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Old 02-11-2019, 10:58 AM   #7
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Default Re: Staff in your corner

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Originally Posted by TippetsTX View Post
So first off, I would drop the "or wearing" language because that's just confusing. The wizard must be holding the staff/rod/wand in order to use any of its abilities.
That is the language in the source.

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Second, the wizard must be aware of anyone they want to target with the 'occult strike'. I would expect that the rules assume you can see a target in your rear hexes by quickly glancing over your shoulder, right? That simple action should be sufficient to then unleash an 'occult strike' against said opponent I think.
But not a thrown or missile spell, or a weapon attack, or any other use of a magic item other than a creation spell?
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Old 02-11-2019, 01:34 PM   #8
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Default Re: Staff in your corner

Quote:
Originally Posted by hcobb View Post
Staff III has no penalty to strike behind the wizard.

Does the staff have eyes? Can you use it to peek around a corner?
Quote:
Originally Posted by TippetsTX View Post
I've been visualizing the occult strike is more like a static discharge blast than a targeted bolt of arcane energy.
This sounds very good and looks like some of the pictures in TFT Legacy.

Quote:
Originally Posted by TippetsTX View Post
the wizard must be aware of anyone they want to target with the 'occult strike'. I would expect that the rules assume you can see a target in your rear hexes by quickly glancing over your shoulder, right? That simple action should be sufficient to then unleash an 'occult strike' against said opponent I think.
That seems good, but also, you can hear behind you. So if you're just using sound as a guide, I would give a DX penalty to it you would combat in darkness.
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Old 02-11-2019, 01:38 PM   #9
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Default Re: Staff in your corner

A spell can be cast into adjacent side or rear hexes.

Quote:
Originally Posted by ITL p.106
... may cast a spell into any adjacent hex ...
So since Staff III reads:
Quote:
its occult attack may strike a figure two hexes away in any direction from the wizard
This doesn't seem like a huge stretch to accept what the spell description says, without having to rationalize that the staff also becomes a viewing device.

I do think it's an unfortunate spell ability in that it is a bit peculiar and unclear what it implies for roleplaying situations - it does seem to require an ability to sense who is within 2 hexes of you in any direction, even if there were a wall or shadow or complete darkness or the caster is blind or something, which in an RPG wants more than a combat rule in terms of what that power is and whether you can use it to understand who is where around you for other purposes, or not, and in what circumstances it works or not, etc.

Personally, I would tend to want to reduce it to targets you could cast a spell on because you know they are there from your own senses, and to not let it zap through walls or other figures, etc.

But if it does intend a 2-hex sphere of awareness, then I'd want to flesh that out and maybe apply it to invisible and astral figures, etc. But as with most of the new staff powers, I'd tend to want those to be their own spells rather than bonus abilities you get just for having an already great-and-needed power the staff gives you (i.e. staff mana).

Last edited by Skarg; 02-11-2019 at 01:41 PM.
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Old 02-11-2019, 01:43 PM   #10
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Default Re: Staff in your corner

Quote:
Originally Posted by hcobb View Post
That is the language in the source.
Yes, but that doesn't make it right. How do you 'wear' a staff?


Quote:
Originally Posted by hcobb View Post
But not a thrown or missile spell, or a weapon attack, or any other use of a magic item other than a creation spell?
My impression is that the 'occult strike' works like none of those spell types (which is one my issues the the Staff spells as currently implemented TBH).
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