08-31-2017, 11:26 AM | #11 | |
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Lancashire, UK
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Re: [Spells] Why is Command a blocking spell, and how does it work?
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If you see an archer nock and prepare to loose an arrow why not disrupt them if they are within range of hearing? You aren't disrupting the arrow, you're disrupting the shot. Your command doesn't stop the sword in melee, for that matter, it stops the person using it (and a sword has momentum, too, just like an arrow...) Command costs twice as much as Iron Arm or Deflect Arrow. I would allow it to impact both. Last edited by dbm; 08-31-2017 at 11:27 AM. Reason: Edited for clarity |
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08-31-2017, 11:30 AM | #12 | |
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Tokyo, Japan
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Re: [Spells] Why is Command a blocking spell, and how does it work?
I checked my copy of Magic, and noticed that the description was exactly the same. I thought the examples were added for DFRPG, so I asked in this forum, but I was wrong.
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For "Wait!", I guess the subject can choose whatever conditions on what he wants to wait for. "I must wait, for something. I guess I will wait for *** as its most advantages thing to wait for". Thinking up weird conditions for your Wait maneuver might actually be funny. I think I will go with the attitude that it's a somewhat funny spell, and an occasion for humorous interpretation of the commands. |
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08-31-2017, 11:41 AM | #13 | |
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Tokyo, Japan
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Re: [Spells] Why is Command a blocking spell, and how does it work?
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The NPC did go down on his knees, but went on a ferociously attack against the mage right after that. It was fun. |
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08-31-2017, 04:25 PM | #14 | |
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Canada
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Re: [Spells] Why is Command a blocking spell, and how does it work?
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09-01-2017, 12:47 AM | #15 |
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Lancashire, UK
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Re: [Spells] Why is Command a blocking spell, and how does it work?
You could simply go with 'prostrate yourself'.
Let's hope they hear the first word correctly (unless you favour the more comedic variant of Dungeon Fantasy, of course). |
02-13-2018, 01:34 PM | #16 |
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Jacksonville FL
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Re: [Spells] Why is Command a blocking spell, and how does it work?
This was brought up in another thread some time back and the point of Commanding someone to "Kowtow" or "Prostrate" is an interesting one. If you command someone to do one of these and they don't understand the vocabulary, what then?
The consensus was that if the recipient failed the resistance roll and did not understand the vocabulary (or the language for that matter) then they would stand there confused for a turn.
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02-13-2018, 02:13 PM | #17 | |
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Phoenix, Arizona, USA, Earth, Sol, Milky Way, Infinity.
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Re: [Spells] Why is Command a blocking spell, and how does it work?
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02-13-2018, 09:45 PM | #18 | |
Wielder of Smart Pants
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Ventura CA
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Re: [Spells] Why is Command a blocking spell, and how does it work?
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"Suicide!" or "Fratricide!" seem to me to be the most potentially unbalancing commands though. |
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02-14-2018, 10:46 AM | #19 |
GCA Prime
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Portland, OR
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Re: [Spells] Why is Command a blocking spell, and how does it work?
I don't think those are a problem, since IMO those don't work as commands. Without including 'commit' first, they're just confusing nouns shouted out at people.
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02-14-2018, 11:43 AM | #20 |
GURPS Line Editor
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Montréal, Québec
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Re: [Spells] Why is Command a blocking spell, and how does it work?
The intended effect is to buy a lull for one "beat" in combat. The enemy about to attack you converts that action into a waste of time: diving flat, turning around, running away, doing a little dance, etc. If you can figure out an unambiguous way to express that waste of time as a verb that can be acted on completely in the space of one turn, it should be okay . . . If any of the boldfaced parts are missing, the GM may allow the spell to work but have the result be, "He stops his attack and gives you a baffled stare for the rest of his turn." That's the spirit of the rules right there.
Thus, Command's value is not in the command itself – i.e., "charming" the subject to perform an action – but in the fact that it terminates not just the attack that triggered it but also the rest of the attacker's turn. That's considerably better than using Blink, Deflect Energy, Deflect Missile, or Iron Arm, as it can foil multiple attacks, keep someone from stepping away, etc.; it isn't more energy-intensive only because it's Resisted, which is a huge drawback. All of which means that the GM who feels harried doesn't have to care about how or whether the command is parsed. All the GM has to do is let it halt the enemy's turn. The spell's energy cost, difficulty, prereqs, etc. are balanced against that functionality – no more, no less.
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