10-11-2007, 05:36 PM | #1 |
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Lyon, France
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Panic Spell and area spells
I've become confused by the Panic Spell in Gurps Magic P.134.
I've got a player who wants to move the area around with his character frightening off anyone he approaches. Does the area persist for the duration of the spell or just the Panic in the subjects who fail their resistance check? Can you move an area spell? the Panic Spell seems to allow the caster to move around possibly herding the subjects if the spell.
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"wars and storms are best to be read of, but peace and calms are better to endure" Jeremy Bentham |
10-11-2007, 05:41 PM | #2 |
Join Date: Jul 2007
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Re: Panic Spell and area spells
I am the guy who is using the panic spell, Azintus is trying to rule on it.
what I am attempting to do, is cast the panic spell and charge a mob, so they break, and or allow me to run though them. (assuming of course they fail there save) Is this how the spell works, or have I ran into something I shouldn't have.. Last edited by lovej; 10-11-2007 at 05:58 PM. |
10-11-2007, 06:05 PM | #3 |
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
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Re: Panic Spell and area spells
No, you cannot move an Area spell, any more than you can change the subject of a Regular spell halfway through it's duration. It is cast on a (static) area, not on a person, so it does not move with that person.
The spell persists for the duration, affecting any new subjects that may move into the area. |
10-11-2007, 06:51 PM | #4 |
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Washington state
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Re: Panic Spell and area spells
Although a spell that could do that would be cool. Like a dread gaze spell. or some such.
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Role-players are the only people I know that get away with bragging about the things they pretend they did. |
10-11-2007, 06:57 PM | #5 | |
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Orange County, VA
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Re: Panic Spell and area spells
Quote:
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10-12-2007, 08:09 AM | #6 | |
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Lyon, France
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Re: Panic Spell and area spells
Thanks for your help.
Quote:
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"wars and storms are best to be read of, but peace and calms are better to endure" Jeremy Bentham |
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10-12-2007, 08:38 AM | #7 |
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Fayetteville, Arkansas
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Re: Panic Spell and area spells
it would be interesting to have that effect on a magic item so that you could move the area with you...
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10-12-2007, 10:33 AM | #8 |
GURPS Line Editor
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Montréal, Québec
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Re: Panic Spell and area spells
Area spells generally produce an instantaneous flash of magic that works on everyone in the area right now, and then leaves them affected for the duration no matter where they go . . . while new arrivals in the area aren't affected, because the flash of magic is done. Only spells that explicitly state that they cause some persistent effect in the area for the entire duration actually do.
Thus, when you cast Panic, only the people in the area when the spell goes off are affected. After that, those people remain affected for the duration no matter where they run to, even if it's out of the area . . . which is why the caster can walk around and have them flee. However, there's no "magical area" ongoing for the duration, so no new victims can be affected. In short, most Area spells are like casting a Regular spell on each individual in the area. They aren't generally persistent effects that imbue the patch of ground itself unless they say so (like, say, Create Fire).
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Sean "Dr. Kromm" Punch <kromm@sjgames.com> GURPS Line Editor, Steve Jackson Games My DreamWidth [Just GURPS News] |
10-12-2007, 11:49 AM | #9 | |
Join Date: Aug 2004
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Re: Panic Spell and area spells
Quote:
Bravery is not an exception, and only produces an instant effect as described. |
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10-12-2007, 11:53 AM | #10 |
GURPS Line Editor
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Montréal, Québec
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Re: Panic Spell and area spells
Maintenance has nothing to do with it. You're maintaining the spell on all those original victims -- like a Regular spell -- and not on the area. As a general rule, Area spells are simply a way to mass-cast Regular spells on lots of people. Very few Area spells create a persistent zone of magic, and those that do usually say so.
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Sean "Dr. Kromm" Punch <kromm@sjgames.com> GURPS Line Editor, Steve Jackson Games My DreamWidth [Just GURPS News] |
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