Swarm of ravens

[Seamonster]

As a GM, I am developing an ability option for a player that creates a murder of ravens that attack foes much like the druid's ability in Diablo II: LoD. As suggested in Powers, p. 41, I am using an Innate Attack with Area Effect, Homing, Mobile, and Persistent, and I have a few questions:

1. As I understand the rules for homing attacks, I need to first take a second to "lock on" (Aim maneuver), then another second to "launch" or "summon" the ravens (Ready maneuver). Can I take a level of Reduced Time to have the character both Aim and Ready in one second, since it's not really an attack (the ravens attack on their own with Homing)?

2. I am requiring an Animal Handling (Birds) roll on the Ready maneuver to "activate" the summon, since the Innate Attack skills don't seem right. Is this okay? And what if the PC has the Speak with Animals trait? Can he get a bonus to his roll or even Ready instantly from that advantage?

3. I want the murder of ravens to surround the PC in the Area Effect radius rather than go out on their own. Should I replace Mobile with Emanation?

4. With an area effect of 4 yards and Homing, will the ravens attack everything in a 4 yard radius including allies? Should I add Selective Area? What about Bombardment?

Thanks in advance. It's been years since I've picked up my GURPS books, so I'm very rusty on the rules.

[the_matrix_walker]

Originally Posted by Seamonster

As a GM, I am developing an ability option for a player that creates a murder of ravens that attack foes much like the druid's ability in Diablo II: LoD. As suggested in Powers, p. 41, I am using an Innate Attack with Area Effect, Homing, Mobile, and Persistent, and I have a few questions:
1. As I understand the rules for homing attacks, I need to first take a second to "lock on" (Aim maneuver), then another second to "launch" or "summon" the ravens (Ready maneuver). Can I take a level of Reduced Time to have the character both Aim and Ready in one second, since it's not really an attack (the ravens attack on their own with Homing)?

The power takes 1 second and the aim is a completely seperate action required by the enhancement. The only way to reduce your time here would be ATR (altered Time Rate), there is no way to put reduced time on your Aim Maneuver, and it's certainly explicitly forbidden on attacks, regardless of modifyers

Originally Posted by Seamonster

2. I am requiring an Animal Handling (Birds) roll on the Ready maneuver to "activate" the summon, since the Innate Attack skills don't seem right. Is this okay? And what if the PC has the Speak with Animals trait? Can he get a bonus to his roll or even Ready instantly from that advantage?

This is certainly not required, but if you want to include it that's okay... If the character has Speaks With Animals, I suppose you could have him say "get him!" and make a reaction roll...(though this shouldn't be needed unless he's also taking "Fickle." I see no reason why having animal handling would impact the time it takes to Aim.

Originally Posted by Seamonster

3. I want the murder of ravens to surround the PC in the Area Effect radius rather than go out on their own. Should I replace Mobile with Emanation?

Yes, if they can only attack in a radius around him, that's emanation all right. But to target an area with you at the center you don't need homing at all...You're not going to miss attacking your own area.

Originally Posted by Seamonster

4. With an area effect of 4 yards and Homing, will the ravens attack everything in a 4 yard radius including allies? Should I add Selective Area? What about Bombardment?

Bombardment just makes it come from above (or another vector) instead of from the attacker in a straight line... This is cool, but area effect renders it "already covered" as it's from all angles if you're in the area of effect. and Yes, if you don't have Selective Effect, your friends will get munched equally with the bad guys.

[aesir23]

It's a murder of crows.

A group of ravens is called an unkindness , I kid you not :)

[Seamonster]

Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker

The power takes 1 second and the aim is a completely seperate action required by the enhancement. The only way to reduce your time here would be ATR (altered Time Rate), there is no way to put reduced time on your Aim Maneuver, and it's certainly explicitly forbidden on attacks, regardless of modifyers

So it takes 2 seconds to activate an innate homing attack, no matter what? What about reducing time on the Ready maneuver?

Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker

This is certainly not required, but if you want to include it that's okay... If the character has Speaks With Animals, I suppose you could have him say "get him!" and make a reaction roll...(though this shouldn't be needed unless he's also taking "Fickle."

Well, I'm only thinking of requiring Animal Handling because I don't think an Artillery (Guided Missile) roll is appropriate for the flavor of the ability. Of course, this is all assuming the PC is required to roll a skill in the first place. Would it be wise to leave out a skill roll altogether?

Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker

I see no reason why having animal handling would impact the time it takes to Aim.

It shouldn't. I was thinking the advantage Speak with Animals could benefit the PC's ability somehow. Reduced time on the attack is obviously too powerful, but maybe a bonus to the skill roll to activate the attack (not the Aim) if I need a skill roll on the Ready maneuver at all.

Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker

Yes, if they can only attack in a radius around him, that's emanation all right. But to target an area with you at the center you don't need homing at all...You're not going to miss attacking your own area.

Oh! So, what skill roll does an ability like this with Emanation need?

Also, what does Emanation do for RoF and Recoil stats? Is the attack still ranged at all?

Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker

Bombardment just makes it come from above (or another vector) instead of from the attacker in a straight line... This is cool, but area effect renders it "already covered" as it's from all angles if you're in the area of effect.

I thought Bombardment meant the attack doesn't automatically hit everyone in the area of effect. I was thinking of using it to replicate individual raven attack rolls on each enemy. Doesn't Emanation automatically hit everyone in the area of effect with one successful attack roll?

Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker

and Yes, if you don't have Selective Effect, your friends will get munched equally with the bad guys.

Neat! Thanks.

[Seamonster]

Originally Posted by aesir23

It's a murder of crows.

A group of ravens is called an unkindness , I kid you not :)

Ah, good to know! Looks like they are also called a "conspiracy" by some.

[Phoenix_Dragon]

If you want it to be a group of ravens flying around you and attacking any enemies that get too close, you should drop the Homing and Mobile enhancements, add Selective Area (If desired), and add either Emanation (With Persistant, the ravens stay for 10 seconds after activating the ability, attacking anything that gets too close), or add Melee (C) and Aura and remove Persistant (Which allows you to "toggle" the ability on or off.

Bombardment just gives the ability a chance to attack targets in the area of effect, rather than being an automatic hit, yes. And yes, it's a good way to represent a group of small attackers that may not necessarily hit.

With Emanation (Or Aura with Area Effect), you don't have to use any skill to attack or hit, it automatically goes off and hits (Or potentially hits, with Bombardment) anyone in the area, with no skill roll required to activate it. If you wanted one, though, you could always add the Requires (Attribute) Roll limitation from Powers.

If it were a ranged attack, it would default to using a Innate Attack skill, but the GM can always allow a different skill for a specific power.

[Seamonster]

Thanks. Can you target hit locations with Bombardment since it creates an effective skill level?

[the_matrix_walker]

Originally Posted by Seamonster

So it takes 2 seconds to activate an innate homing attack, no matter what? What about reducing time on the Ready maneuver?

Again, this is an Aim maneuver, not a ready maneuver. But since it requires an aim first, it takes two turns. i would allow skipping the aim to make regular (non-homing) attack, but some GMs might say you need selectivity to not use the enhancement to escape it.

Originally Posted by Seamonster

Well, I'm only thinking of requiring Animal Handling because I don't think an Artillery (Guided Missile) roll is appropriate for the flavor of the ability. Of course, this is all assuming the PC is required to roll a skill in the first place. Would it be wise to leave out a skill roll altogether?

No, even with Homing, you need the skill to "Lock on" when you Aim

Originally Posted by Seamonster

I was thinking the advantage Speak with Animals could benefit the PC's ability somehow. Reduced time on the attack is obviously too powerful, but maybe a bonus to the skill roll to activate the attack (not the Aim) if I need a skill roll on the Ready maneuver at all.

Well, it's your game, do what you want! By RAW there's no support for doing this, but who cares, it's your game!

Originally Posted by Seamonster

Oh! So, what skill roll does an ability like this with Emanation need?
Also, what does Emanation do for RoF and Recoil stats? Is the attack still ranged at all?

Emanations are just zero range area effects. they still have normal RoF and Rcl, but the range is 0 for the placement of the center of your area.

Originally Posted by Seamonster

I thought Bombardment meant the attack doesn't automatically hit everyone in the area of effect. I was thinking of using it to replicate individual raven attack rolls on each enemy. Doesn't Emanation automatically hit everyone in the area of effect with one successful attack roll?
Neat! Thanks.

Sorry, I was confusing Bombardment with "Overhead". Yes it hits everyone, unless they leap out of the area.

[Seamonster]

Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker

Again, this is an Aim maneuver, not a ready maneuver. But since it requires an aim first, it takes two turns.

I'm confused. B413 states that you use a Ready maneuver to attack instead of an Attack maneuver, after Aiming, of course. Does the Homing enhancement work differently?

[Phoenix_Dragon]

Originally Posted by Seamonster

Thanks. Can you target hit locations with Bombardment since it creates an effective skill level?

Normally it'd be a "large area" attack, and not targeting any specific location, but I think it'd be fair to say it can be a single-location attack (Especially if it's something like piercing). A randomly-rolled location might be best, but if you can direct the ravens, targeted attacks could work, too.

I think these options would all be special effects, rather than actually costing anything, too, but that'd just be my judgement on it.