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Michael Thayne · 05-17-2021, 09:21 PM

Here's another build where I had to get creative with my use of Cosmic:

Chain Lightning
Keywords: Missile, Obvious.
Full Cost: 16.5 points/level*.
Casting Roll: None. Use Innate Attack (Beam) to hit.
Range: 100 yards.
Duration: Instantaneous.

You fire a bolt of electricity that can strike multiple targets by bouncing from one to another. Before making your attack roll, designate up to ten targets. You must be able to see each target, detect it using another targeting sense, or know for sure where it is. The GM should require a Sense roll if there’s any doubt as to whether you can see a given target, at -2 per camera, mirror, telepathic relay, or other "remove."

Specify the order in which they will be attacked. The total path of the attack cannot exceed 100 yards, and range penalties are based on the total path length. If spotting any target required a Sense roll at a penalty, that penalty applies to the attack roll, too. If Sense rolls were required for multiple targets, apply only the worst penalty. Reduced damage for exceeding the 1/2D range applies once the attack has travelled beyond that distance—for example, if the first target is 10 yards away from you, only that first target takes full damage, regardless of the distance between you and the other targets.

If your attack roll succeeds, you hit the first target, plus an additional target equal to half your margin of success (round down), attacked in the order you specified. Base damage is 1d burning surge damage per level. After the first target, each subsequent target takes a cumulative -1 to its active defenses, but also takes 10% less damage (for example, the third target is at -2 to active defenses but takes 20% less damage). If any target makes a successful active defense, the attack misses all subsequent targets.

Metallic armor counts as DR 1 against this attack, but nonmetallic armor protects normally. Targets stuck by this attack must make an HT roll, at -1 per 2 points of penetrating damage, or be physically stunned. On subsequent turns, they can roll HT to recover. Lightning behaves unpredictably around conductors; see Lightning (GURPS Magic, p. 196) for more details.

The rules for Chain Lightning replace the optional rules for ricocheting attacks (Powers, pp. 166-167). Thus, the ricochet rules cannot be used with Chain Lightning, even if the GM allows them to be used with other spells.

This is also a Weather spell.

Statistics: Burning Attack 1d (Cosmic, destructive ricochet, +100%; Nuisance Effect, Behaves erratically around conductors, -5%; Sorcery, -15%; Surge, Arcing, +100%; Side Effect, Stunning, +50%) [16.5/level]. Notes: This spell originally appeared in GURPS Magic: Artillery Spells, p. 29.
* Calculate the total cost and then round up.

05-17-2021, 09:21 PM	#9
Michael Thayne Join Date: May 2010	Re: [Sorcery] Michael's daily sorcerous spells thread Here's another build where I had to get creative with my use of Cosmic: Chain Lightning Keywords: Missile, Obvious. Full Cost: 16.5 points/level. Casting Roll:* None. Use Innate Attack (Beam) to hit. Range: 100 yards. Duration: Instantaneous. You fire a bolt of electricity that can strike multiple targets by bouncing from one to another. Before making your attack roll, designate up to ten targets. You must be able to see each target, detect it using another targeting sense, or know for sure where it is. The GM should require a Sense roll if there’s any doubt as to whether you can see a given target, at -2 per camera, mirror, telepathic relay, or other "remove." Specify the order in which they will be attacked. The total path of the attack cannot exceed 100 yards, and range penalties are based on the total path length. If spotting any target required a Sense roll at a penalty, that penalty applies to the attack roll, too. If Sense rolls were required for multiple targets, apply only the worst penalty. Reduced damage for exceeding the 1/2D range applies once the attack has travelled beyond that distance—for example, if the first target is 10 yards away from you, only that first target takes full damage, regardless of the distance between you and the other targets. If your attack roll succeeds, you hit the first target, plus an additional target equal to half your margin of success (round down), attacked in the order you specified. Base damage is 1d burning surge damage per level. After the first target, each subsequent target takes a cumulative -1 to its active defenses, but also takes 10% less damage (for example, the third target is at -2 to active defenses but takes 20% less damage). If any target makes a successful active defense, the attack misses all subsequent targets. Metallic armor counts as DR 1 against this attack, but nonmetallic armor protects normally. Targets stuck by this attack must make an HT roll, at -1 per 2 points of penetrating damage, or be physically stunned. On subsequent turns, they can roll HT to recover. Lightning behaves unpredictably around conductors; see Lightning (*GURPS Magic, p. 196) for more details. The rules for Chain Lightning replace the optional rules for ricocheting attacks (Powers, pp. 166-167). Thus, the ricochet rules cannot be used with Chain Lightning, even if the GM allows them to be used with other spells. This is also a Weather spell. Statistics:* Burning Attack 1d (Cosmic, destructive ricochet, +100%; Nuisance Effect, Behaves erratically around conductors, -5%; Sorcery, -15%; Surge, Arcing, +100%; Side Effect, Stunning, +50%) [16.5/level]. Notes: This spell originally appeared in *GURPS Magic: Artillery Spells, p. 29. Calculate the total cost and then round up.