Post by talysman on Jan 30, 2020 14:19:55 GMT -6
I've started tweaking a lot of the spells in Men & Magic, for a number of reasons, including: making spells fit into several clear patterns, compressing wordy spell descriptions, introducing variety, and creating a foundation for a system to modify base spells with material components. And since I have been messing with random targeting for ranged attacks, I've tweaked some spells to also use randomized targets. Blog post here, but important information is below, so you don't have to follow the link. I tweaked two spells. I started with Sleep because there's usually a breakdown of how many targets are affected based on the hit dice of the targets. I wanted to experiment with ways of approximating the results with shorter rules:
This should probably be compressed even more and include the 4 HD single target restriction. Maybe something like:
I also tweaked Cure Light Wounds the same way:
Again, needs further compression. This basically turns healing spells from single target spells delivered by touch into area spells radiating from the caster, with touching as an option rather than a requirement. All such area spells with random targets would allow the caster to grab one or two creatures simultaneously, one per hand, to restrict the effect to those specific targets.
I did do two previous spells that would work the same way:
I hadn't originally randomized which creatures were affected by the spell, but if I went with this approach for Sleep, it would apply to Confusion/Hallucination as well. But the affected creatures themselves use target randomization when performing any action on another creature, as opposed to the complicated procedure for the original Confusion spell.
Any other spells that might benefit from this approach?
Sleep (1st Level Mind Spell)
Up to 3d6 random living creatures within 4 paces of caster fall asleep. 2 dice creatures count as two targets, 3 dice creatures as 3 targets.
Up to 3d6 random living creatures within 4 paces of caster fall asleep. 2 dice creatures count as two targets, 3 dice creatures as 3 targets.
This should probably be compressed even more and include the 4 HD single target restriction. Maybe something like:
Sleep (1st Level Mind Spell)
3d6 dice worth of random living creatures within 4 paces of caster fall asleep, or 1 a single target with 4 dice.
3d6 dice worth of random living creatures within 4 paces of caster fall asleep, or 1 a single target with 4 dice.
I also tweaked Cure Light Wounds the same way:
Cure Light Wounds (1st Level Healing Spell)
Up to 1d6 random living creatures within 4 paces of the cleric recover 1 point of damage. If the cleric touches two targets, they are each healed 1d6/2 points. A single target is healed 1d6+1 points.
Up to 1d6 random living creatures within 4 paces of the cleric recover 1 point of damage. If the cleric touches two targets, they are each healed 1d6/2 points. A single target is healed 1d6+1 points.
Again, needs further compression. This basically turns healing spells from single target spells delivered by touch into area spells radiating from the caster, with touching as an option rather than a requirement. All such area spells with random targets would allow the caster to grab one or two creatures simultaneously, one per hand, to restrict the effect to those specific targets.
I did do two previous spells that would work the same way:
Confusion (4th Level Mind Spell)
Randomizes the target of any action taken by confused victims. 3 HD victims save on first turn, 4+ HD victims save every turn to escape confusion for 1 turn.
Hallucination (5th Level Mind Spell)
Similar to Confusion, but randomizes the appearance of any creature or object as well.
Randomizes the target of any action taken by confused victims. 3 HD victims save on first turn, 4+ HD victims save every turn to escape confusion for 1 turn.
Hallucination (5th Level Mind Spell)
Similar to Confusion, but randomizes the appearance of any creature or object as well.
I hadn't originally randomized which creatures were affected by the spell, but if I went with this approach for Sleep, it would apply to Confusion/Hallucination as well. But the affected creatures themselves use target randomization when performing any action on another creature, as opposed to the complicated procedure for the original Confusion spell.
Any other spells that might benefit from this approach?
