Sticky Floor and other one megahex spells

phiwum · 10-28-2021, 10:16 PM

Sticky Floor and Slippery Floor are two spells that have one megahex effects. I have a few questions about them.

(1) Does the spell have to be in a literal megahex (that is, match the MH boundaries)?

(2) If the answer to (1) is no, does it have to be a megahex shape?

(3) Is the range of the spell determined by the center of the megahex (assuming (2) is "yes") or by the nearest space of the megahex?

(4) In any case, does it always last 12 turns (ignoring renewal) or can it be willed away?

I could go either way on (1). I assume the answer to (2) is yes, it is a roughly circular effect and I think the answer to (3) is nearest space, but I could be wrong.

The answer to (4) is also yes, it always lasts 12 turns. As I understand it, renewing a spell with fixed duration always requires another casting, which means another range calculation (though Images and Illusions ignore the range when renewed, explicitly mentioned on ITL 139. Implicitly, Summon Scout must ignore it too, though maybe it doesn't even require a roll.).

Axly Suregrip · 10-29-2021, 12:38 AM

1) No. Any MHx shaped area. Not having to actually be on a MHx. ITL 136 states, "Any 7-hex circle may be affected."

2) Yes. Otherwise it would have been called "7-Hex Slippery Floor", like the image, illusion, shadow, wall and fire spells. (ITL 136 again, same quote as above)

3) The range is to the center hex of the MHx. This is documented in the Slippery Floor spell, last paragraph (ITL 26).

4) Good question. I don't know where it is written, but I thought a wizard can will away any spell. I might be wrong. Curious what others might say. I will see if I can find something in ITL.

Axly Suregrip · 10-29-2021, 01:00 AM

ITL 126 has this "Note: some spells are not renewable, but last a stated number of turns after casting."

This seems to say they cannot be willed to end early.

I know I have played that spells like slippery floor, fire, wall and shadow can be willed away early when it fits your tactical situation. Maybe I was wrong.

phiwum · 10-29-2021, 08:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Axly Suregrip

3) The range is to the center hex of the MHx. This is documented in the Slippery Floor spell, last paragraph (ITL 26).

Ah, thanks. I should have checked Slippery Floor!

That's a fairly significant liability for these two floor spells. You're at a -2 DX penalty to cast them unless you're in the area of effect. I thought -1 DX penalty was a little more reasonable.

Oh, your reference to ITL 136 is something I overlooked too. It also repeats that the range is to the center of the hex. No wonder I overlooked that page, as I was doing a search for Sticky and the text omits Sticky Floor (which I suppose was a late addition to the spell list).

Skarg · 10-29-2021, 10:59 AM

For (4), I would say those spells can be willed away, like the rules say summoned creatures can be willed away at any time, also because spells stop when a wizard dies or goes unconscious or stops re-energizing a continuing spell - presumably they can also stop doing what they're doing to keep those spells going, at other times.

10-28-2021, 10:16 PM	#1
phiwum Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Boston area	Sticky Floor and other one megahex spells Sticky Floor and Slippery Floor are two spells that have one megahex effects. I have a few questions about them. (1) Does the spell have to be in a literal megahex (that is, match the MH boundaries)? (2) If the answer to (1) is no, does it have to be a megahex shape? (3) Is the range of the spell determined by the center of the megahex (assuming (2) is "yes") or by the nearest space of the megahex? (4) In any case, does it always last 12 turns (ignoring renewal) or can it be willed away? I could go either way on (1). I assume the answer to (2) is yes, it is a roughly circular effect and I think the answer to (3) is nearest space, but I could be wrong. The answer to (4) is also yes, it always lasts 12 turns. As I understand it, renewing a spell with fixed duration always requires another casting, which means another range calculation (though Images and Illusions ignore the range when renewed, explicitly mentioned on ITL 139. Implicitly, Summon Scout must ignore it too, though maybe it doesn't even require a roll.).

10-29-2021, 12:38 AM	#2
Axly Suregrip Join Date: Jun 2018 Location: Durham, NC	Re: Sticky Floor and other one megahex spells 1) No. Any MHx shaped area. Not having to actually be on a MHx. ITL 136 states, "Any 7-hex circle may be affected." 2) Yes. Otherwise it would have been called "7-Hex Slippery Floor", like the image, illusion, shadow, wall and fire spells. (ITL 136 again, same quote as above) 3) The range is to the center hex of the MHx. This is documented in the Slippery Floor spell, last paragraph (ITL 26). 4) Good question. I don't know where it is written, but I thought a wizard can will away any spell. I might be wrong. Curious what others might say. I will see if I can find something in ITL.

10-29-2021, 01:00 AM	#3
Axly Suregrip Join Date: Jun 2018 Location: Durham, NC	Re: Sticky Floor and other one megahex spells ITL 126 has this "Note: some spells are not renewable, but last a stated number of turns after casting." This seems to say they cannot be willed to end early. I know I have played that spells like slippery floor, fire, wall and shadow can be willed away early when it fits your tactical situation. Maybe I was wrong.

10-29-2021, 10:59 AM	#5
Skarg Join Date: May 2015	Re: Sticky Floor and other one megahex spells For (4), I would say those spells can be willed away, like the rules say summoned creatures can be willed away at any time, also because spells stop when a wizard dies or goes unconscious or stops re-energizing a continuing spell - presumably they can also stop doing what they're doing to keep those spells going, at other times.