[RPM] Post your rituals here

[AlexanderHowl]

I do not believe that their HP rounds up, nor does anything else. For example, an individual with HP 12 and Basic Move 6 would have HP 0.083 and Basic Move 0.041. Anyway, a SM-4 cat can trample you without difficulty (good luck dodging when their paws are larger than your move for the turn).

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl

I do not believe that their HP rounds up, nor does anything else. For example, an individual with HP 12 and Basic Move 6 would have HP 0.083 and Basic Move 0.041. Anyway, a SM-4 cat can trample you without difficulty (good luck dodging when their paws are larger than your move for the turn).

I'm not exactly sure what you're arguing for exactly... Also, in GURPS you almost always round to the nearest whole number. This should probably be rounded up since everything should have at least one HP. Is there even a RAW example of reducing Basic Move or HP to a fraction? I don't recall one. I'm not sure I'd advocate for one either. It's a game - stuff should have at least 1 HP to prevent exactly the case you presented - fractional attributes are weird. We literally only have one (Basic Speed) and that's likely one too many.

[AlexanderHowl]

No, characters always round up for point costs but usually round down otherwise unless an explicit exemption says otherwise (Basic, p. 9). Since Shrinking does not explicitly state an exemption, someone shrank by SM-13 would technically do 0 Damage and have 0 HP, 0 Reach, 0 Move, etc.

Personally, I prefer scaling in those cases. Therefore, a SM+0 human would have their Damage, HP, Reach, Move, etc. multiplied by 144x against a SM-13 victim. An average person with no combat training would stomp for 86d+1 crushing damage. Since their feet would cover a greater area than the Move of their target, I would count the attack as an automatic success because the target is effectively stationary. Of course, the SM+0 human would likely not even notice them.

Insects become a big problem for a SM-13 human. A 2" roach is the equivalent of an elephant to a SM-13 human, and it is carnivorous. It would bite for 4d crushing damage and move lightning fast compared to the SM-13 human. Even a tiny SM-13 ant would be an issue, as the 1 HP toxic attack would deal 36d of toxic damage to a SM-13 human.

[Christopher R. Rice]

This is the last post I'm going to make on this in this thread because while it's peripherally germane, the RAW doesn't make it explicit what is what. I think that within the rules as presented something with 0 HP ought to either not be possible or be called out specifically for what happens. I suppose something with 0 HP would mean even one point of damage destroys it - something like a bug. But the rules don't really seem to support it. Also, it's a *game* - HP is a gameable abstract, having something with 0 HP would make things weird. Finally, in this case the rounding issue should be up since HP has a point cost and you're modifying it. This isn't something going on in combat and/or is not a feat/contest - you're effectively modifying the template of the target.

And that's all I have to say on the matter.

[X the Unknown]

Thanks all for your responses. Once again we see the varied ways that RPM can be interpreted/used, which is why I keep asking questions. Thankfully I've gotten a lot of great advice here.

I just remembered that I had copied CRR's and PK's expanded response from this thread:

Originally Posted by momothefiddler

Altered Traits

Into my RPM Cheat Sheet (that's now 24 pages long) and had forgotten it. I think I'm going with CRR's version of the ritual as this is a fairly magic rich fantasy setting, but not quite DF, and the other ritual was just too costly. I am allowing the special enhancements for a price.

Shrink
Spell Effects: Greater Transform Body
Inherent Modifiers: None
Greater Effects: 1 (x3)

This ritual cause any living thing weighing 300 lbs. or less, within 2 yards, to shrink 13 Size Modifiers (SM). A normal human would shrink down to a ½”. It takes 13 seconds for this to occur, and when the ritual is over, it takes 13 seconds to return to its original size. See Shrinking (B p. 85) for additional effects. The cost modifiers for any of the Special Enhancements to Shrinking must be applied to the full ritual cost.

Typical Casting: Greater Transform Body [8]+ Subject Weight: 300 lbs. [3] + Duration: 1 hour [3]
Cost: 42 energy (14x3)

[AlexanderHowl]

It would be 42 energy (since it has one greater effect) and would allow a resistance roll.

[X the Unknown]

Yeah, it would. I was rushed at the end. Sorry.