[DF19]: Mystic Mist as an Incantation

[Diomedes]

I’m trying to build an Incantation version of Mystic Mist, and it seems to have a couple of things not foreseen in the rules.

The mist part is pretty straightforward, if expensive:

Destroy Protection (+5)
Bestows a -10 penalty on Vision rolls (+64)
Bestows a -4 penalty on attack rolls (+40)

I’m assuming that “attack rolls” counts as a broad category, like defense rolls.

The Fright Check starts out simply enough; Control Mesmerism (+5) is explicitly called out as allowing one to cause a Fright Check, but how to account for the cyclical/persistent nature of the effect, since it keeps happening for the entire duration of the spell?

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by Diomedes

I’m trying to build an Incantation version of Mystic Mist, and it seems to have a couple of things not foreseen in the rules.

Couldn't shoehorn everything in. :-)

Originally Posted by Diomedes

The mist part is pretty straightforward, if expensive:

Destroy Protection (+5)
Bestows a -10 penalty on Vision rolls (+64)
Bestows a -4 penalty on attack rolls (+40)

Looks about right.

Originally Posted by Diomedes

I’m assuming that “attack rolls” counts as a broad category, like defense rolls.

Yes.

Originally Posted by Diomedes

The Fright Check starts out simply enough; Control Mesmerism (+5) is explicitly called out as allowing one to cause a Fright Check, but how to account for the cyclical/persistent nature of the effect, since it keeps happening for the entire duration of the spell?

This is a bit more advanced than DF19 - you'll need to use my rules for Repercussive Rituals from Pyramid #3/66. Basically, add Duration for however long you want for the spell, let's say an hour, then use the rules from Pyramid 66 to add "Cosmic, Persistent Effect" (+50%), Persistent (+40%), and Takes Recharge, 15 seconds (-20%) to the entirety of the spell. That gets you to a Fright Check every 15 seconds for the Duration. That's about as close as you'll get without some heavy duty modding.

[Diomedes]

Originally Posted by Christopher R. Rice

This is a bit more advanced than DF19 - you'll need to use my rules for Repercussive Rituals from Pyramid #3/66. Basically, add Duration for however long you want for the spell, let's say an hour, then use the rules from Pyramid 66 to add "Cosmic, Persistent Effect" (+50%), Persistent (+40%), and Takes Recharge, 15 seconds (-20%) to the entirety of the spell. That gets you to a Fright Check every 15 seconds for the Duration. That's about as close as you'll get without some heavy duty modding.

So if I’m reading you right, a “fear-field spell” would look something like this:

Control Mesmerism (+5)
Duration: 1 hour (+7)
Area: 4 yards (+40)

For a total of 52 spell points. Adding those modifiers would multiply the total by 170%, for a total of 85 points.

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by Diomedes

So if I’m reading you right, a “fear-field spell” would look something like this:

Control Mesmerism (+5)
Duration: 1 hour (+7)
Area: 4 yards (+40)

For a total of 52 spell points. Adding those modifiers would multiply the total by 170%, for a total of 85 points.

That's how I'd do it most cases. If you're not the GM, get with them because this is going a bit far a field for Incantation Magic.

[Diomedes]

Originally Posted by Christopher R. Rice

That's how I'd do it most cases. If you're not the GM, get with them because this is going a bit far a field for Incantation Magic.

Well, I probably will be the GM next time our group does a fantasy game, so it’s a question of how far afield I wan to go.

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by Diomedes

Well, I probably will be the GM next time our group does a fantasy game, so it’s a question of how far afield I wan to go.

In that case, this is probably your best bet unless you just want to fiat something.

[Diomedes]

Originally Posted by Christopher R. Rice

In that case, this is probably your best bet unless you just want to fiat something.

I think I’ll want to modify it to something a bit simpler to adjust in-game, but at least I’m now pointed in the right direction.

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by Diomedes

I think I’ll want to modify it to something a bit simpler to adjust in-game, but at least I’m now pointed in the right direction.

Excellent. Glad I could help.

[Diomedes]

Ultimately, I decided I was overthinking things. The spell now looks like this:

Destroy Protection (+5)
Control Mesmerism(+5)
Bestows a -9 penalty on Vision rolls (+56)
Altered Traits, Phobia (the fog, CR 6) (+9)
Range, 15 yards (+5)
Up to 12 hours (+7)
Area Effect 8 yards (+80)

The range parameter is to let the Phobia affect beings outside of the fog itself, but I probably want to replace that with a vision-based trigger.