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Old 03-29-2020, 07:06 AM   #1
Dalin
 
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Default Song of Terror affecting allies

In a recent session, our new bard PC sang "Song of Terror." This affects "everyone within 16 yards who isn’t deaf." From a logical perspective, I get it that this would affect your allies as well as your enemies. From an actual play perspective, however, this seems to nerf the ability pretty severely. Does anything break if one just says that it doesn't affect allies? (I can come up with in-game explanations for why it works this way.)



How have other groups handled this one?
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Old 03-29-2020, 08:21 AM   #2
Kromm
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Default Re: Song of Terror affecting allies

It's horrendously overpowered without the "nerf," I'm afraid!

If you really want that, you can go back to GURPS and add Selective Area, +20% to Terror [30], for +6 points. That makes Song of Terror cost 27 points instead of 21.

But even that's lowballing the cost, because Terror gets its area effect "for free" . . .

I'd also add Active, +0% to limit it to one target precisely, and then Area Effect, 16 yards, +200% to widen it to everyone. That would give a fairer cost for tactical combat boardgame. So that's another +60 points. At 87 points, you're in the right ballpark for an ability that can stun essentially every low-IQ fodder monster on the field while leaving allies free to murder them.
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Old 03-30-2020, 05:02 AM   #3
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Default Re: Song of Terror affecting allies

A cheaper route (for the Bard) might be to have his fellow delvers pick up a refluffed version of Resistant to Evil, reskinned as Resistant to Bard-Song.

Granted, against Song of Terror getting the resistance above 14 isn't as useful, but it's also good against any enemy Bard-Songs of Command or Humiliation. Or any other Songs you come up with for those Orc Battle Singers... Song of Sickness, Song of Weakness, Song of Confusion, Song of Daftness...
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Old 03-30-2020, 05:54 AM   #4
Kromm
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Default Re: Song of Terror affecting allies

Quote:
Originally Posted by mburr0003 View Post

A cheaper route (for the Bard) might be to have his fellow delvers pick up a refluffed version of Resistant to Evil, reskinned as Resistant to Bard-Song.

Granted, against Song of Terror getting the resistance above 14 isn't as useful, but it's also good against any enemy Bard-Songs of Command or Humiliation. Or any other Songs you come up with for those Orc Battle Singers... Song of Sickness, Song of Weakness, Song of Confusion, Song of Daftness...
This is a great idea, and it encourages teamwork. You could very likely come up with similar traits to "help" other teammates, like an inverted form of Magic Resistance to help friendly spells work on you:
Magical Effectiveness
3 points/level
Each form of Magical Effectiveness gives +1 per level to all helpful spells cast on you by one particular kind of caster:

Faithful gives a bonus to beneficial clerical spells cast on you. 3 points/level.
Mage-Blooded gives a bonus to beneficial wizardly spells cast on you (including bardic magic). 3 points/level.
Nature's Ally gives a bonus to beneficial druidic spells cast on you. 3 points/level.

There is no bonus to spell-like effects such as potions and monster abilities – only to actual spells. You are no more or less susceptible to magical effects (any kind) that would harm you. You can have both this trait and Magic Resistance, effectively canceling out the downside of Magic Resistance against a specific kind of magic.
Or this for helping your friendly neighborhood knight:
Line-Holder
2 points/level
The knightly abilities Sacrificial Block, Sacrificial Parry, and Shield-Wall Training all allow a knight (or anyone else who possesses them) to defend for someone else. You're good at cooperating with this. Whenever someone else blocks or parries for you, or shoves you out of the path of an attack, they may add your level of this trait (maximum three) to their roll.
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Old 03-30-2020, 07:21 AM   #5
DouglasCole
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Default Re: Song of Terror affecting allies

Quote:
Originally Posted by mburr0003 View Post
A cheaper route (for the Bard) might be to have his fellow delvers pick up a refluffed version of Resistant to Evil, reskinned as Resistant to Bard-Song.

Granted, against Song of Terror getting the resistance above 14 isn't as useful, but it's also good against any enemy Bard-Songs of Command or Humiliation. Or any other Songs you come up with for those Orc Battle Singers... Song of Sickness, Song of Weakness, Song of Confusion, Song of Daftness...

"Dissonant Chord"

"Counterpoint"
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Old 03-30-2020, 11:34 AM   #6
Kromm
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Default Re: Song of Terror affecting allies

Quote:
Originally Posted by DouglasCole View Post

"Dissonant Chord"
"Counterpoint"
"Different Drummer"
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Old 03-30-2020, 12:58 PM   #7
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Default Re: Song of Terror affecting allies

Just be careful when multiple bards start doing it in acappella
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Old 03-30-2020, 03:59 PM   #8
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Default Re: Song of Terror affecting allies

A few levels of Line-holder on Kromm's impromptu Hoplite template and you've got a nasty phalanx!
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Old 04-24-2020, 01:58 PM   #9
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Default Re: Song of Terror affecting allies

Have your Wizard Strike the Party Deaf before the combat.
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Old 08-30-2020, 04:05 PM   #10
Dalin
 
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Default Re: Song of Terror affecting allies

Update: Our party's bard (the one that led me to create this thread) used Song of Terror at this afternoon's game to great effect. While exploring the Cavern of Blood in Merlin Avery's Forest's End, the party realized that a horde of Villifolk (wildmen) were about to burst through a doorway upon them. The bard started singing her song of terror. The enemies needed a 9 or better to succeed at their fright check and almost all of them failed. The other PCs were able to make their fright checks. They completely neutralized the threat within seconds. It was great to see this ability come into its own.
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