How do you do a beam?

[lwcamp]

Originally Posted by Kax

Nothing wrong with a dragon pursing its lips and doing a 1 yd wide cone--and that actually matches the descriptions and depictions of a dragon point target breath.

That's what the dragons in GURPS Dungeon Fantasy Monsters 4: Dragons do - their cones are 1 yard wide. Although they have the option of using an all-out attack to spread the cone out, dividing the damage by the cone's width.

Luke

[Kax]

Originally Posted by lwcamp

That's what the dragons in GURPS Dungeon Fantasy Monsters 4: Dragons do - their cones are 1 yard wide. Although they have the option of using an all-out attack to spread the cone out, dividing the damage by the cone's width.

Ayup. The opposite of what many RPG-depicted dragons do, if they even vary their attack shape at all.

[Anthony]

I've considered modeling dragon breath as autofire explosive (it's a narrow jet that splashes when it hits something), but that tends to either be unable to hurt anything or instantly lethal.

[Kax]

Originally Posted by Anthony

I've considered modeling dragon breath as autofire explosive (it's a narrow jet that splashes when it hits something), but that tends to either be unable to hurt anything or instantly lethal.

Jet with 1 yd cone, or a ranged attack with a 1/2D extended to the max range and with 1 yd cone, does a better job.

Although a plasma dragon that spits and causes an explosion at the impact point is also valid. :P

[vicky_molokh]

Originally Posted by Kax

Jet with 1 yd cone

Not compatible.

[Fred Brackin]

Originally Posted by vicky_molokh

Not compatible.

Or at least technically not legal though I do not see a good reason why.

[Rupert]

Originally Posted by Anthony

I've considered modeling dragon breath as autofire explosive (it's a narrow jet that splashes when it hits something), but that tends to either be unable to hurt anything or instantly lethal.

Blast damage has that unfortunate effect.

I treat damage taken when knocked back into solid objects as being like falls (treat all armour as flexible) and being generous with double knockback, though this probably doesn't help flaming breath much.

[Lohengrin]

Flamethrowers in high-tech can spread their damage up to 3 yards as All-out Attack, and they have Jet modifier. So there should be some modifier which allows it for Innate Attacks. I would argue that it's a 0 points feature since drawbacks of all-out attack combined with the fact that you would do less total damage against enemy with any kind of DR is bad enough already.

[oneofmanynameless]

This thread is making me wonder why Cone 1 (which is basically a line) is incompatible with RoF. I get it from a power balance perspective. But is there another reason?

[Kax]

Originally Posted by vicky_molokh

Not compatible.

Tru. Fergot that bit.