[MH] Ritual Path Magic - damage and subject weigth

[joelbf]

The "Subject Weight" modifier on p. 34 of Monster Hunters says: "If the spell will cause a physical change of any sort (including direct damage and healing), see the Ritual Effect Table (p. 35)."

I interpret this as you need to provide Energy for the amount of damage you do and for the size of the target you want to affect. IE the 3d++3 fireball from the example under the Ritual Effet Table would cost more if it should affect a 150 lbs target instead of 75 lib targe. Is this intended? If so, what is the rationale behind this?

[lachimba]

Originally Posted by joelbf

The "Subject Weight" modifier on p. 34 of Monster Hunters says: "If the spell will cause a physical change of any sort (including direct damage and healing), see the Ritual Effect Table (p. 35)."

I interpret this as you need to provide Energy for the amount of damage you do and for the size of the target you want to affect. IE the 3d++3 fireball from the example under the Ritual Effet Table would cost more if it should affect a 150 lbs target instead of 75 lib targe. Is this intended? If so, what is the rationale behind this?

A fireball is not direct damge. you cast it and then throw it.

[joelbf]

True. But if you want to do direct damage on a suject, say internal combustion, you have to pay for weight?

[Exxar]

I don't see why you'd need to pay for weight. Because if the target is very heavy, it should have a lot of HP, so the scaling method is pretty natural - just go for more raw damage.

[Langy]

Originally Posted by Exxar

I don't see why you'd need to pay for weight. Because if the target is very heavy, it should have a lot of HP, so the scaling method is pretty natural - just go for more raw damage.

I'm guessing it's so you can't easily do high damage to tanks, buildings, or any other large target. You may not be able to do lots of damage in one hit, but if you cast over and over again you could probably destroy a high-rise pretty easily if you didn't need to pay for its weight.

[Bruno]

Never mind tanks, it's so omnicidal evil witches don't melt the planet with a "simple" ritual (or ten, or three years of one or two simple rituals a day, weekends and holidays off... principle is still sound).

[PK]

Y'all are more or less nailing the target on the head here. Let me put it as simply as possible, though:

You know how, in the standard fantasy magic system, the cost of a spell doubles based on the SM of the target? This is the RPM equivalent of that rule. Larger subjects require more energy to affect.

Now, it's not nearly as dramatic a change in energy cost, being that this is only a flat add-on instead of a spell multiplier, but it's still there to preserve some sense of game balance for when (as Bruno points out) an insane witch decides to work a spell to make the entire Earth insubstantial.

(And it doesn't apply to "missile spells" or the equivalent. The caster is considered the subject for this purpose, and it's not causing any physical change to him, so there's no additional cost. This, and the increased damage, is balanced by the fact that such spells will always be Greater effects, have to get past DR, can be dodged, and make the caster really obvious.)

[vitruvian]

Originally Posted by Rev. Pee Kitty

Y'all are more or less nailing the target on the head here. Let me put it as simply as possible, though:

You know how, in the standard fantasy magic system, the cost of a spell doubles based on the SM of the target? This is the RPM equivalent of that rule. Larger subjects require more energy to affect.

Now, it's not nearly as dramatic a change in energy cost, being that this is only a flat add-on instead of a spell multiplier, but it's still there to preserve some sense of game balance for when (as Bruno points out) an insane witch decides to work a spell to make the entire Earth insubstantial.

(And it doesn't apply to "missile spells" or the equivalent. The caster is considered the subject for this purpose, and it's not causing any physical change to him, so there's no additional cost. This, and the increased damage, is balanced by the fact that such spells will always be Greater effects, have to get past DR, can be dodged, and make the caster really obvious.)

Always Greater Effects? I thought lightning bolts during thunderstorms weren't.

[PK]

Originally Posted by vitruvian

Always Greater Effects? I thought lightning bolts during thunderstorms weren't.

Sure, but I wouldn't call that a "missile spell". I was using that term in the way that GURPS normally does -- a wad of energy that appears in your hand, that you then hurl at a target using Innate Attack skill.

[vitruvian]

Originally Posted by Rev. Pee Kitty

Sure, but I wouldn't call that a "missile spell". I was using that term in the way that GURPS normally does -- a wad of energy that appears in your hand, that you then hurl at a target using Innate Attack skill.

Okay, but it needs to go through DR and such - would you charge for the weight of the target?