Aura ability

[7thPanzer]

Hello guys,

thank you all for the explanations. Now I think the ability matches the original power's description. Here's how it ended:

Affliction 1 (Attribute Penalty, -1 to HT, IQ and DX, +25%; Aura, +80%; Based on Will, +20%; Area Effect, 3 yards, +75%*; Selective Area, +20%; Malediction, +100%; Melee Attack, -30%) [39/level].

You are surrounded by a 3-yard radius Aura of Despair. The first time someone enters this area, he must win a Quick Contest of Will or suffer an one point reduction in HT, IQ and DX. Your roll has a -1 per yard of distance to the target, who rolls against Will at -1 per level of Affliction. Skills based on affected attributes will also be reduced, as well as Will and Perception. Other secondary characteristics will not be affected, though. This effect lasts for a minute for each point by which the target lost the Quick Contest. You may choose to spare your allies from the Aura of Despair's effect.

[vicky_molokh]

Originally Posted by 7thPanzer

Hello guys,

thank you all for the explanations. Now I think the ability matches the original power's description. Here's how it ended:

Why does it only work when they enter the area? They're still in the aura's range-of-attack (3 yards in this case) after entering. It would only work once if the attack had Reflexive (so that it activates the moment someone enters the area) and Takes Recharge (to prevent it from working the next turn).

[7thPanzer]

Originally Posted by Molokh

Why does it only work when they enter the area? They're still in the aura's range-of-attack (3 yards in this case) after entering. It would only work once if the attack had Reflexive (so that it activates the moment someone enters the area) and Takes Recharge (to prevent it from working the next turn).

You'd say that a target would have to make a Quick Contest every turn it stays inside the area? If so, any suggestion on how to limit it in order to make it work like the description?

Anyway, with the existing modifiers (I'm thinking about Selective Area), the caster can choose not to attack the target every turn.

[transmetahuman]

Originally Posted by Kelly Pedersen

Unfortunately, the description doesn't quite match the write-up you've got. As it stands, what you've got is an ability that will, when you trigger it, immediately send out the wave of despair, affecting people as you described. It will then shut off - it won't follow you as you move, for example, and the line about "the first time someone enters this area" doesn't make a lot of sense, because there's no "area" to enter - just a brief flash. If you want to match the power more closely to the description, you'll need to make some changes. Basically, drop Emanation, and add the Melee Attack limitation and the Aura enhancement. Melee attack means the attack centers on you, and Aura makes it last until you switch it off.

See the easy-to-miss bit on Powers p. 39, the "Field" section under Affliction. Apparently you can use Area Effect + Emanation in two different ways - the instantaneous pulse you're describing, or as a (presumably Switchable by default) continuing field which only affects targets "once, when they first come within range".

[Not another shrubbery]

Originally Posted by transmetahuman

See the easy-to-miss bit on Powers p. 39, the "Field" section under Affliction. Apparently you can use Area Effect + Emanation in two different ways - the instantaneous pulse you're describing, or as a (presumably Switchable by default) continuing field which only affects targets "once, when they first come within range".

I think it only works like that (in the example given on p39) because it's Always On. There wouldn't be any reason to use the Aura+AE construct if Emanation+AE worked that way, as the latter would always be cheaper.

[transmetahuman]

Originally Posted by Not another shrubbery

I think it only works like that (in the example given on p39) because it's Always On. There wouldn't be any reason to use the Aura+AE construct if Emanation+AE worked that way, as the latter would always be cheaper.

Well, the big question with that usage of Emanation is - what happens to someone who is affected, leaves the radius, then comes back within it? If they can only be affected once in a fight, once in a day, or once ever, then obviously there's a big reason to take Aura instead of Emanation. And depending on the answer to that question, making it switchable wouldn't make much difference so long as switching it off then on again didn't "reset" the one use.

If leaving the area affected resets the one use, then it's broken whether it's always on or not - a one yard radius would be -70% the price of an Aura + Melee Attack, and pretty much as useful as long as you can keep stepping back a yard.

[Not another shrubbery]

Originally Posted by transmetahuman

Well, the big question with that usage of Emanation is - what happens to someone who is affected, leaves the radius, then comes back within it? If they can only be affected once in a fight, once in a day, or once ever, then obviously there's a big reason to take Aura instead of Emanation. And depending on the answer to that question, making it switchable wouldn't make much difference so long as switching it off then on again didn't "reset" the one use.

The phrasing in that example is quite curious. I don't see a reason to assume that duration should change because of AoE modifiers. As I understand it, Always On effects should affect subjects (within the AoE) continuously, or for the normal duration once they are out of range. The price differential between the Emanation and Aura constructs favors the former because of the intrinsic switchability of the latter. If you allow the temporal nature of them to become the same (eg, by applying AO, as in the example from Powers) for the same price, then you get a disparity in value that favors Emanation. Rather than assume the wonky change in duration suggested for Emanation ("once" what?), I'd rather ignore the Emanation+AE+AO idea, and build baleful fields as AO Auras. Emanation shouldn't be allowed to have AO attached without some kind of premium anyway, since it is Transient, not Switchable.

[arnej]

Originally Posted by 7thPanzer

You are surrounded by a 3-yard radius Aura of Despair. The first time someone enters this area, he must win a Quick Contest of Will or suffer an one point reduction in HT, IQ and DX. Your roll has a -1 per yard of distance to the target, who rolls against Will at -1 per level of Affliction.

If I am reading this correctly, you (the Aura'er) are always going to be rolling
at a -3 in this contest, since it happens when they "enter the area", and that's 3 yards away. Why not just say 'rolls at a -3,' instead of the -1 per yd?

AJ

[jspade]

I'm unclear why an Aura of Despair would affect HT.

[vitruvian]

Why not just say 'rolls at a -3,' instead of the -1 per yd?

I would think there wouldn't be any range penalty at all, so long as the target(s) were within the area of effect. If you were inflicting the same area of effect as a ranged effect, after all, you would base your penalty on distance to the center of the area, right? Well, in this case, *you* are the center, so distance to the center is 0, or at least C; ergo, no penalty.