[RPM] Area Effect and External Damage

[Varyon]

Originally Posted by Nereidalbel

Target somebody's hex for +4 to hit, limiting them to Dodge and Drop instead of just Dodge, and it gets past those pesky anti-missile defensive spells.

If you don't want more than 2d+2 damage, Explosive will work there, yes. Otherwise, a 3-yard+ radius Area Effect will get you a better effect for equal (or less) energy. There is one use I forgot about for Explosive - you can get maximum damage for a contact explosion (which may or may not simply be "you hit the guy"), or triple damage for an internal explosion (potentially useful on an ammunition charm). Getting half again normal damage all the time, and even on a near-miss, is still typically a much better option (it's also better for the primary reason to use an area effect - to hit multiple foes in one shot).

Outside of RPM, the cost of Explosion 1 (+50%) is enough to get a 2-yard radius as an Area Effect, which is again typically a much better bet.