Steve Jackson Games - Site Navigation
Home General Info Follow Us Search Illuminator Store Forums What's New Other Games Ogre GURPS Munchkin Our Games: Home

Go Back   Steve Jackson Games Forums > Roleplaying > The Fantasy Trip

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 05-07-2019, 07:03 AM   #1
Bestial Warlust
 
Join Date: Jul 2018
Default Explosive gem spell

This seems to be easily abused. There's nothing stopping a wizard from making dozens of grenades in between adventures. Besides not allowing this spell has anyone had to deal with this spell in game? How have you handled this spell?
Bestial Warlust is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-07-2019, 08:39 AM   #2
larsdangly
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Default Re: Explosive gem spell

Explosive gem is a pretty good one (mitigated by the fact that its serious damage applies only to one hex). As is Hammertouch. And a few others. Non magical characters have a few similarly effective one-shot kills. A petard. A well aimed arquebus shot. A lance charge. You can rein these in with house rules, but there are so many of them that I prefer to just accept it's part of the game that some very dangerous things find their way onto the playing field. Just note that many of them also have clear defenses. The first time your wizard throws a 6d Explosive Gem at someone protected by reverse missiles, he or she will experience a frisson of regret just before getting jellied.

The best control on abuse of most other magic item creation rules is a carefully maintained calendar and strict enforcement of the rules governing material components and ST expenditures.
larsdangly is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-07-2019, 01:38 PM   #3
hcobb
 
hcobb's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Pacheco, California
Default Re: Explosive gem spell

Hire an IQ 14 wizard and seven apprentices for a week to make 25 eight-die gems. That's $1250 in material costs and $500 in labor costs which totals $1750 or $70 each.

I suggest hitting the halfling armed with a sling and 25 explosive gems with a lightning bolt. (ITL 167)
__________________
-HJC
hcobb is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-07-2019, 01:53 PM   #4
larsdangly
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Default Re: Explosive gem spell

The most egregiously 'gameable' element of the magic item creation rules is the price list. I just shut that down completely in my campaign: If I'm in the captain's chair there just isn't an option of tossing a few hundred gold pieces at the local wizard's guild in exchange for whatever item you would like. My default rule is the same one good parents apply to children who want a boost onto a tree branch: 'You can do it if you can do it'. Want a flaming sword or teleportation ring or whatever it is you covet? Fine. Learn the relevant spells, build the lab, accumulate the supplies, find and hire (and keep happy) the apprentices and/or assistants, and invest the time. Of course I also have the occasional magic item scattered through the world, but there is no ordering for same-day deliver off of the Wizard pages of amazon.com.
larsdangly is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-07-2019, 02:21 PM   #5
FireHorse
 
FireHorse's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Dayton, Ohio
Default Re: Explosive gem spell

Quote:
Originally Posted by larsdangly View Post
…there is no ordering for same-day deliver off of the Wizard pages of amazon.com.
Drat. There go my plans for the invasion, and I guess my would-be World Conqueror's highly overpriced Prime Membership was a complete waste. :D

I'm not yet thoroughly versed in the system's math, or its implications; are the prices much too low? (Or conversely, is Gold too easily acquired?)
FireHorse is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-07-2019, 04:12 PM   #6
tomc
 
tomc's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Carrboro, NC
Default Re: Explosive gem spell

Quote:
Originally Posted by larsdangly View Post
Tbut there is no ordering for same-day deliver off of the Wizard pages of amazon.com.
You can play in a world of high magic item availability, but if should cut both ways. The halfling with the sling and bag of explosive gems is going to cross paths with reverse missile rings, teleporting kung-fu shadow monks, and flying gargoyle assassins dropping casks of oil and shooting flaming crossbow bolts.

As if the game isn't deadly enough... :)
__________________
OgreMap2

Freedom of Speech is not Freedom of Podium
tomc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-07-2019, 05:32 PM   #7
hcobb
 
hcobb's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Pacheco, California
Default Re: Explosive gem spell

Quote:
Originally Posted by tomc View Post
You can play in a world of high magic item availability, but if should cut both ways. The halfling with the sling and bag of explosive gems is going to cross paths with reverse missile rings,
What exactly is the modifier to target the ground in the wizard's hex?
__________________
-HJC
hcobb is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-07-2019, 05:45 PM   #8
Anaraxes
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Default Re: Explosive gem spell

Quote:
Originally Posted by hcobb View Post
What exactly is the modifier to target the ground in the wizard's hex?
In GURPS, +4. But this isn't GURPS.

In TFT, it's +0. (Miss the DX roll with a molotail, it lands in a different hex; there's no chance of landing in the same hex, hence no little margin where you can miss the figure but hit the hex. Grenades get no bonus to hit. Using the rules for hitting multihex creatures, hitting a 1-hex target is +0.)
Anaraxes is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-07-2019, 06:29 PM   #9
Skarg
 
Join Date: May 2015
Default Re: Explosive gem spell

I have increased the gem value required, the difficulty to make, and also made them harder to aim than a rock, not easy to quickly find in a pouch during combat, and volatile (don't pack them together with each other, or other hard objects).
Skarg is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-07-2019, 06:39 PM   #10
larsdangly
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Default Re: Explosive gem spell

I don't think the magic item costs could be called too high or too low because that totally depends on the magic level you are going for in your campaign. But, basically, they are too low. Or, at least some surprisingly impactful things are surprisingly cheap. It's just something you have to keep your eye on as a GM.
larsdangly is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Fnords are Off
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 03:04 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.