08-18-2018, 12:21 AM | #1 |
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Everywhere and Nowhere
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Magic, delay questions.
Hello hivemind.
I have come once again with a problem that I am having trouble understanding. The delay spell, I understand well enough cost wise and duration etc. What I don't udders tandem however is the how the "deathtouch doorknob" works. And what it would be used for. Given the -5 to the linked spell to cast, and the "+6 to notice them" Even something as simple as the "it goes off next turn" seems to me that a doorknob would have issues hurting someone. I don't know. |
08-18-2018, 03:00 AM | #2 | ||
Banned
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: 100 hurricane swamp
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Re: Magic, delay questions.
Quote:
The second way is to cast it on on object (a doorknob) and then later it will cast the delayed spell upon a preset trigger (someone touching the doorknob). I what you don't understand is how Deathtouch works. Deathtouch is a damage spell that ignores armor but that requires the victim be touched (or in this case that the victim touches the trapped item). Quote:
And even if they do succeed, the doorknob is now too dangerous to touch. Or maybe the entire door. They won't know. All they'll know is that a spell went off on the door and, well, that tends to be a bad thing. |
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08-18-2018, 12:31 PM | #3 |
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Everywhere and Nowhere
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Re: Magic, delay questions.
I understand death touch.
But if it takes a second to open the door, and then the spell gets case the turn after its opened, there's nobody touching the door anymore.how does a touch spell go off if no one is touching the door? As for the info roll, rarely have I seen pics without combat reflexes. Making them roll at around a 16. Which is like what, a 98% chance of sucess? |
08-18-2018, 01:55 PM | #4 | |||
Banned
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: 100 hurricane swamp
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Re: Magic, delay questions.
Quote:
Regardless, if you disagree that having a 1 second delay on a trap makes it useless, then, well, it's useless. Quote:
Quote:
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08-18-2018, 02:44 PM | #5 | |
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Everywhere and Nowhere
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Re: Magic, delay questions.
Quote:
That means that the door is already opened by the time the spell goes off though. What kind of "trap" activates after the trap is sprung and when its safe. Pc or Npc, if they know how magic works, then they would know that the door will be fine to open. You just couldnt close it. |
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08-19-2018, 12:36 AM | #6 |
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Everywhere and Nowhere
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Re: Magic, delay questions.
It seems to me like setting a mousetrap, and then somone pressing the trigger. And then it snappping shut after theyve safely moved thier hand away.
And then, even if for some reason they hung around touching it, they would still have a 50/50 of them just deciding that, maybe, they should move thier hand. Seems pretty ineffective for a trap to me. Maybe im reading it wrong though. |
08-19-2018, 12:54 AM | #7 |
Join Date: Apr 2010
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Re: Magic, delay questions.
I'd probably just ignore most of the stuff in Delay about specific timing. If someone is spending the time and effort to create a killer doorknob, then it's going to be effectual. Touch the door knob? Pass the check or get a zap.
Taking one second to open a door is in the combat rules section. That implies a sense of urgency and a certain lack of carefulness. In most situations where your typical trap will come into play, that probably won't be the case. I have no problem with the idea that someone's hand lingers on the doorknob long enough to get zapped. To me, this is one of those things where trying to follow the exact rules as written is just not a good idea. |
08-19-2018, 05:49 AM | #8 |
Join Date: Sep 2007
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Re: Magic, delay questions.
The "takes effect next turn" bit is also one of those holdovers from 3e. 4e spells do take effect on the turn that they're cast.
Not that I find it hard to believe someone still has there hand on a doorknob after one second, even if they're in a hurry in combat time. |
08-19-2018, 12:03 PM | #9 |
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Yukon, OK
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Re: Magic, delay questions.
I just say a Delay Trap goes off right away,though someone has a chance to dodge or otherwise react if they can sense it.
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08-19-2018, 04:46 PM | #10 |
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Everywhere and Nowhere
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Re: Magic, delay questions.
Fair enough.
I figured itd be somenthing along the lines of "ehh, *shrug*, it just works" Im just used to cardgames and the like that have very defined timing structure which limits what things can, and can not be done etc. I have a pc that has hangspell and delay and he wants to use it since he bought it. But he is not familiar with gurps magic super well, and neither am i coming from a Sci-fi background. And the wording on those particular spells seems a little vague. A couple examples would have done wonders. |
Tags |
delay, magic |
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