Show me the magic!

[Drakenbow]

Originally Posted by Shostak

Remember to take into account Lightning's special ability to destroy magic items (see ITL 167). That is a powerful ability to allow with only IQ 8 as a threshold.

Yes, you are right. Without running the full probability math on it, 3d6-6 (max input of ST) is closer to an average 4.5 damage sicne it's the whole roll and not individual roll, while the individual roll of 1d6-2 averages to 2.

But as a side note, I treat magic items with a bit more durability unless the item was fragile to start with, eg glass ball. Not that the characters need to toss it in some volcano, but still a bit tougher.

The Magic Fist gets a greater chance to do 5 points as the IQ goes up. As I see it, it is sort of like going from a Light Crossbow to a Heavy Crossbow in damage stepping.

[David Bofinger]

Originally Posted by Shostak

Remember to take into account Lightning's special ability to destroy magic items (see ITL 167). That is a powerful ability to allow with only IQ 8 as a threshold.

In the hands of an NPC that's a powerful ability which will terrify the PCs. In the hands of a PC it's an unfortunate side effect which will irritate the PCs.

[Bill_in_IN]

Originally Posted by Shostak

Remember to take into account Lightning's special ability to destroy magic items (see ITL 167). That is a powerful ability to allow with only IQ 8 as a threshold.

Please clarify the IQ 8 threshold.

Here is the related text from ITL, page 167.

Magical lightning bolts can destroy magic items. If an item
is hit by a Lightning spell, the player owning the item makes
a saving roll for each item. The number of dice rolled is equal
to the strength of the bolt – 3 dice for a 3-die bolt, and so on.

The number rolled must be 5 or less to save a scroll, 7 or less
to save a book or explosive gem, 9 or less to save any other
gem or glass/crystal item, 10 to save a wooden object, rope,
etc., and 12 to save a ring, metal weapon or similar object. If
a figure holding or carrying such an item is hit by lightning,
the item is also affected!

An object enchanted to give immunity to lightning (q.v.)
is harder to destroy this way, because its immunity subtracts
an appropriate amount from the number of dice used for its
saving roll.

The initial logic of the wording seems a bit off. It specifically states that IF and item is hit, implying that it was specifically targeted or randomly hit by the lightening, the player must make a saving roll for each enchanted item. It then goes on to say to say how each item saves against being effected. Do you remove all enchantments from that item or just one? Do you stop at one item or roll for all and see how many are affected? The text indicates that you roll for all enchanted items regardless of how many are actually affected.

Unless there are some definite interpretation that can be pointed out here, I would have to leave the mechanics of this up to the GM. The one thing that does seem definite is that behooves the wizard to cast a 3 die bolt for maximum assurance of the PC or NPC missing the savings roll.

In my own application of this, I would probably stop at one item and randomly roll which of multiple enchantments are removed. I don't throw out massive amounts of treasure in my game so, wholesale removal of enchantments would seem a bit harsh to me unless the PCs had a better chance of recovering them with some game time and money.

[TippetsTX]

Originally Posted by Bill_in_IN

Please clarify the IQ 8 threshold.

Here is the related text from ITL, page 167.

The 'IQ 8' assumption is based on @drakenbow's variant missile spell concept above, though he never actually said that all three spell tiers would have the same IQ prerequisite.

Perhaps we could get clarity on that?

[hcobb]

IQ 10 Jump (T) Subject treats megahexes as hexes for the purposes of jumping as per ITL 104. Each ten feet of vertical change during a jump (up, down, or over) counts as one of these megahexes. Costs 1 fatigue per turn.

[Drakenbow]

Originally Posted by TippetsTX

The 'IQ 8' assumption is based on @drakenbow's variant missile spell concept above, though he never actually said that all three spell tiers would have the same IQ prerequisite.

Perhaps we could get clarity on that?

It would be this:

IQ 8 Missile Spells I: Each spell takes one point to learn and does 1-2 damage per ST, up to 3 ST. This spell will progressly become more powerful with a higher IQ and training to use the higher IQ. Having learned one IQ level will include the lower IQ versions (as with Fire Hex, Image, and Illusion spells).
Magic Fist
Fireball
Lightning
Frost Ball
Acid Splash

IQ 12 Missile Spells II: Same as the IQ 8, but does 1-1 per ST. Same list.

IQ 14 Missile Spells III: A more powerful version of the IQ 8 and 12 doing 1+0 per ST. Same list

IQ 18 Missile Spell IV: ditto. This version does 1+1 per ST. Same list.

I look at this in different ways. What's the difference between an IQ 18 Wizard's Wrath Lightning Bolt compared to the IQ 14 version? Damage is the primary difference. When looking at the character's attributes, only a Goblin could start with an IQ 18 (ST 6, DX 8). All other characters would be IQ 14 with four more points to ST and/or DX. So, using what is on p.167 for Destruction of Magic Items there is no actual difference between IQ 18 and IQ 14. Three dice are three dice no matter what spell.

Now are scrolls immune to a Fireball or Fire Hex damage? Probably not. Why should Lightning get to have all the fun?

Third, I also look at the Wizard book, p.12.

"Since missile spells travel in a straight line, they are blocked by walls.
However, a Lightning spell can blast through a created wall hex. When the
course of the spell passes through such a wall, roll for damage. If it puts
more than 5 hits on the wall, that wall hex vanishes and the rest of the force
goes through and can hit a target."

The RAW in the Legacy core p.167 implies that the actual damage rolled means nothing, but it is the number of dice damage. A wizard could do 3 points on three dice or 12 points on three dice - it doesn't matter.

However, I consider the rule from Wizard p.12 about damage against a magical Wall as a a threshold the Lightning must do before checking. This hopefully clarifies a previous statement made about the average damage of a 3d6-6 IQ 8 variant.

Hence, I would have a required threshold of 5 damage (after armor) done before checking any saving throws.

Come to think of it, a Wizard's Staff would thus be vulnerable

[Drakenbow]

BTW I love the insights. There are several things which I have forgotten between the 80s and the now.

[Drakenbow]

Originally Posted by hcobb

IQ 10 Jump (T) Subject treats megahexes as hexes for the purposes of jumping as per ITL 104. Each ten feet of vertical change during a jump (up, down, or over) counts as one of these megahexes. Costs 1 fatigue per turn.

Yes, I have been considering some kind of Jump spell. It would be a great spell.

Movement allowance is the same then as the character bounds up/down/over the landscape? Is a recipient of this spell limited to 10 feet vertical for a single Jump or could the character jump much higher for combined 5 points of movement? Or is jumping over something which would normally cost 3 MA over a single hex be the 1 MH vertical?

[hcobb]

Originally Posted by Drakenbow

Yes, I have been considering some kind of Jump spell. It would be a great spell.

Movement allowance is the same then as the character bounds up/down/over the landscape? Is a recipient of this spell limited to 10 feet vertical for a single Jump or could the character jump much higher for combined 5 points of movement? Or is jumping over something which would normally cost 3 MA over a single hex be the 1 MH vertical?

They need to roll for their jumps as normal, this just lets them jump further. Note that they need to expend MA for jumps, so can't just jump out of engagement so not as useful as Flight.

[Drakenbow]

Originally Posted by Drakenbow

Yes, I have been considering some kind of Jump spell. It would be a great spell.

Movement allowance is the same then as the character bounds up/down/over the landscape? Is a recipient of this spell limited to 10 feet vertical for a single Jump or could the character jump much higher for combined 5 points of movement? Or is jumping over something which would normally cost 3 MA over a single hex be the 1 MH vertical?

Ah, update to correct something above. Coming from the Codex in the Q&A section under General Questions on special movement about Jumping over bodies:

Answer was:
Into a hex requires 3vsDX, 1MA only.
Jumping over a hex is 3MA for 2 hexes, no save needed.

I was thinking it was 3MA for one hex to jump.