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Old 10-20-2015, 07:02 AM   #11
Jose
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Default Re: [4e] Mage and (non-lethal) figting.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kuroshima View Post
On curses.
That looks very promising, I can see having a -3 curse ready to throw on whatever looks like it might be a problem is a very cool thing.
It might not stop whatever but will make everything -3, effectively Id be robbing him of 12 points in whatever skill he uses. Or even worse in attributes.

On the other hand bless is the very opposite yet still practical, This is good. im going to need a higher magery but it almost is better than upgrading her IQ now.

The projectile spell is still a good way to enable healing over distance, right? But with her DX of 9 is it still worth it?
Im having a hard time as to when skills earn home their points.
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Old 10-20-2015, 07:04 AM   #12
Nereidalbel
 
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Default Re: [4e] Mage and (non-lethal) figting.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jose View Post
That looks very promising, I can see having a -3 curse ready to throw on whatever looks like it might be a problem is a very cool thing.
It might not stop whatever but will make everything -3, effectively Id be robbing him of 12 points in whatever skill he uses. Or even worse in attributes.

On the other hand bless is the very opposite yet still practical, This is good. im going to need a higher magery but it almost is better than upgrading her IQ now.

The projectile spell is still a good way to enable healing over distance, right? But with her DX of 9 is it still worth it?
Im having a hard time as to when skills earn home their points.
See if your GM will allow the Psychic Guidance Perk. That solves many, many problems with hitting targets.
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Old 10-20-2015, 07:25 AM   #13
Culture20
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Default Re: [4e] Mage and (non-lethal) figting.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jose View Post
That looks very promising, I can see having a -3 curse ready to throw on whatever looks like it might be a problem is a very cool thing.
It might not stop whatever but will make everything -3, effectively Id be robbing him of 12 points in whatever skill he uses. Or even worse in attributes.

On the other hand bless is the very opposite yet still practical, This is good. im going to need a higher magery but it almost is better than upgrading her IQ now.
Bless is so much better than curse since curse will be for one creature and presumably temporary in a combat heavy game (creature dies). Blessing your party members works much better overall unless you're looking for curse's "target fails a critical roll" mentioned earlier.
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Old 10-20-2015, 08:59 AM   #14
Jose
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Default Re: [4e] Mage and (non-lethal) figting.

So, delaying the spell is the only real way to get around the high fatigue point cost?
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Old 10-20-2015, 09:25 AM   #15
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Default Re: [4e] Mage and (non-lethal) figting.

If I'm reading it correctly, it looks like you might be misapplying Alternate Ability. You always take the highest cost ability at full price, and the lesser costs at 1/5.
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Old 10-20-2015, 10:22 AM   #16
Terwin
 
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Default Re: [4e] Mage and (non-lethal) figting.

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Originally Posted by Jose View Post
So, delaying the spell is the only real way to get around the high fatigue point cost?
I enjoyed doing:
Hang Spell(Expensive but highly effective spell, possibly with a long casting time)
Rest a bit
Maintain Spell:Hang Spell (give the hung spell a several hour duration without spending additional energy to keep it going, also no longer counts as a spell 'on' so that penalty goes away)
rest a bit
repeat.

note: Steal spell is also handy for adding additional duration if it turns out you did not need that spell just yet but your maintain spell is running out of juice.

Suspend Time and Time Out can be great things to have available at a moments notice.
The various 'Body of' spells, earthquake, enlarge other, etc.

Of course if you want to make things really interesting, try Hang Spell(Lend Energy), and just keep several 'instant recharge' spells hanging around with no down-side except the need to occasionally steal the hung spell to re-up the maintenance time if you do not use them for a while...
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Old 10-20-2015, 10:38 AM   #17
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Default Re: [4e] Mage and (non-lethal) figting.

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Originally Posted by Jose View Post
So, delaying the spell is the only real way to get around the high fatigue point cost?
As fast as I remember, you want Hang Spell, not Delay.. Delay is an area spell, it's cast on the area to create a magic trap. Hang spell moves with the caster,and let's him precast and prepay for the spell.

Those saying that curse is not awesome need to read the second part again. When the cursed target succeeds at an important roll despite the curse, the curse might end and turn the success into a failure. This is a good way to ensure that they fail their roll against flesh to stone, for example. It activates at the GM's option, though. Still, -1 to active defenses is worth +2 to attack, and much more when it comes to defenses, as the rule of 16 caps your skill. Oh, and again, it's not a resisted spell, so it's really worth to get it to skill 20 so it's 1 second cast time.
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Old 10-20-2015, 11:13 AM   #18
Kalzazz
 
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Default Re: [4e] Mage and (non-lethal) figting.

We allow Attribute Substitution - Innate Attack off IQ as a perk, see if your DM will buy that
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Old 10-20-2015, 11:17 AM   #19
Otaku
 
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Default Re: [4e] Mage and (non-lethal) figting.

So I've got a laundry list of things. In fact, I'll preface this with an outline

1) Properly applying Alternate Ability
2) Stretching Advantage versus Long Enhancement
3) Other important Advantages for the Hair
4) Just try to get the GM to write it up as a Spell since you're a mage.

Number One

Quote:
Originally Posted by RyanW View Post
If I'm reading it correctly, it looks like you might be misapplying Alternate Ability. You always take the highest cost ability at full price, and the lesser costs at 1/5.
I also am confused; for what is her Medusa* Hair acting as an Alternate Ability? Itself so that sometimes its a single Extra Arm, other times it can be two, five or eight? Like RyanW points out, the Alternate Ability rules mean you pay full price for the more expensive of the two abilities, then the other one may be purchased for 1/5th its normal price (if both are the same price, just choose whichever one you want to be the default and pay full price for it, a fifth normal price for the secondary ability).

So if that is the case the eight arm version is the most expensive and thus primary ability.

Number Two

Super long hair can be a real pain when out on an adventure but even with the Enhancement you purchased, they just act as Size Modifier +1 limbs... which means your hair won't reach that far. You can do C actions at Reach 1 and you'll get some potentially useful bonuses for things like grappling.

That might be all you want, but I wished to make sure. Since long hair can be such a pain, if you go this route perhaps Stretching? It costs 6/level but since it is only for the hair bought as Extra Arms, I would think that the -20% Limited ("Arms Only", -20%) would translate to Limited (Hair Tentacles Only", -20). Even if it doesn't, a single level of Stretching costs 6 points and gets you to Size Modifier +1, while you are paying 10 points by taking "Long, +100%" for Extra Arm once and so 16 points total as you buy it three more times but those are Alternate Abilities.

You don't get all the same bonuses, but for the purposes you've described (entangling foes, counting as touch contact for casting spells) this would still work. If the GM agrees it is a legal use for the Enhancement, take at least one level of Reduced Time so that your hair can instantly use the first level of Stretching (since the hair is already magic, I think this is within suspension of disbelief). Reduced Time costs +20% so the Limited (Hair Arms Only, -20%) would even out and you'd still only be paying 6 points per level. If you can spare the points and want some really wild hair, consider extra levels of Stretching and (if the GM agrees) Reduced Time.

Of course as I keep worrying about long hair even when it isn't being used as Extra Arms. If agreeable for the character concept, point budget and GM, apply "Switchable, +10%" on the Extra Arms so that she can reduce them to a more adventure friendly length. This would also allow them to be a bit more of a surprise; whether her default length is a bob, shoulder length, or just less than the full yard implied by Extra Arms, it should be easier to deal with when trying not to get caught up in traps.

Number Three

There is a lot more to effectively using the hair well. Even if we ignore some of the tricks tbrock1031 employed with his build for Medusa like Brachiator (so you can easily move about with your hair wherever there are climbing hand holds) you might want Extra Attack so you aren't forced to choose between doing something with your hair and doing something else. Constriction Attack seems useful but not an absolute necessity. I am wondering about Regeneration and Regrowth; here is where the "fluff" meets the "crunch". Normally hair isn't a limb so defaulting to the normal human experience of "cut hair grows back" should be worth no points. Here? Probably should require points or else the hair just grows back as normal hair. Which leads to the next point...

Number Four

Maybe you should see if the GM will allow this to be a series of Spells (whether a few to cast together or one that just has several prerequisites) instead of having to buy it as an Alternate Ability. It might be less of a headache for all involved.

*The Marvel Comic book character, not the gorgon.
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Old 10-20-2015, 12:29 PM   #20
Jose
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Default Re: [4e] Mage and (non-lethal) figting.

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Originally Posted by Otaku View Post
*Rant on hair*
Ah yeah Ill look at those calculations again, probably messed something up there. The GM's girl friend is already after me on the long hair part but making it longer and as an advantage has it even pricier than before and its already pricey as allhell.

Any suggestion on how animate it? I open for any suggestions here, that would be such a cool thing.
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