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 Post subject: Creative use of spells
PostPosted: Thu Dec 22, 2016 4:48 pm 
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Hey guys,

I am Joshua. Have been lurking here for few weeks now. Found the world building background material by various persons (Damian, Shaun, and many others) truly amazing. Thanks for adding to this world and making it come to life guys!

Ok thought I start this post for us to share encourage possible creative use of spells. Please feel free to join the discussion and add your thoughts on other spells.

1. Image, Illusion, Mirage spells
From: Sorcerer rank 1 & 3, Mystic rank 1, Warlock rank 3 spells
Uses:
- cover/camoflage, eg: image of a rock wall over a door, image of a tree/rock/wall/table over a person
- trap, eg: image of solid ground over a hole, image of a hole over solid ground, image of a soft bed covered with cushy pillows over some spikes
- deception, eg: image of (caster created) text and/or diagrams over an actual writing/carving/diagram/map on paper, wall or pillar
- embellishment. eg: give a chest/door/being a reddish glow
- deterrent, eg: illusion of a ball of fire rolling around, illusion of thorns/spikes on a handle, illusion of leprous/rotting skin/flesh on a hand

2. Detect Aura
From: Sorcerer rank 2
Uses:
- detect and see presence of spells, ie: what being or object being magicked
- detect and see invisible objects or beings
- detect illusions (presence of magic detected and can be seen, but whether it is an illusion cannot be ascertained)
- detect and see magical potions and/or objects

3. Phantasm
From: Sorcerer rank 6
Uses:
- create a phantasm of a small flying being (eg: small pegasus, gryphon, wyvern) that caster can ride and fly

4. Burden
From: Sorcerer rank 8
Uses:
- prevent enemy sorcerers, warlocks and elementalists from casting spells (the gravitational pull is so great they cannot even make the requisite gestures); this use makes it one of the most valuable spells as this is the only known indirect spell that can prevent casters from using their magic; elementalists can still exercise their raw power however.


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PostPosted: Thu Dec 22, 2016 8:19 pm 
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Well, I figure a looks 18 illusionary scantily clad chick might distract some barbarians.

A mirage of a 2x2x200m pit might cause people to avoid a doorway.

I think we should expand on fire and burning rules, so far there is little coverage but I think burning terrain with DRAGONBREATH might do wonders, especially dry season vegetation or really dense castle interiors.

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PostPosted: Fri Dec 23, 2016 1:46 am 
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Kharille wrote:
Well, I figure a looks 18 illusionary scantily clad chick might distract some barbarians.

A mirage of a 2x2x200m pit might cause people to avoid a doorway.

Yup. Actually given some creativity, illusions can be rather powerful. Even overpowered. Some effort going into plausibility, plus depending on what the GM allows...

Kharille wrote:
I think we should expand on fire and burning rules, so far there is little coverage but I think burning terrain with DRAGONBREATH might do wonders, especially dry season vegetation or really dense castle interiors.

Instead of blasting the foe directly, which can be evaded, blast the dry grass or vegetation around it instead, which should be an auto-hit. That's an idea.


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PostPosted: Fri Dec 23, 2016 12:32 pm 
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Well yeah. Somehow I figure we should expand on trap rules and STEALTH/PERCEPTION materials. Concealed entrances, traps, illusions that may be missing details... the fixed 5% failure of illusions seems too simplified, something used in earlier edition rules and not taking into account future interpretations.

A particularly horrific illusion like a screaming, burning upper torso of a humanoid being thrown at npcs should make them dive for cover if you ask me. Personally I think use of EVASION should be a full 'movement' action which will prevent that character from taking any other action. As they stand it seems EVASION is applied to any and all missiles even if he is unaware of it. Would you apply SPEED vs EVASION if someone threw a Javelin at you from behind?

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PostPosted: Sun Dec 25, 2016 11:01 am 
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There are so many possibilities. Here are a few ideas just from the Sorcerer's spellbook:

Dragonbreath to light a campfire
Moonglow to scare superstitious peasants at night (wear a sheet and wail and rattle chains for added effect)
To make a dramatic exit, stand on a locked trapdoor then cast Portal to open it and vanish out of sight.
Hold off the dead: force zombies or other undead off a cliff or into a cupboard by slowly advancing toward them.
Inflict Wound: could it be used carefully on a willing subject to amputate a gangrenous or envenomed limb or maybe even perform other surgery'
Peer: So many uses! For instance exploring a shipwreck that is difficult to safely dive to (up to 20 metres down).
Tangleroots: Cast on yourself or a friend during a tornado to avoid being whisked away.
Banquet: distract a dangerous animal with banquet food, or use banquet water to put out a small fire, wash your hands etc.
Fossilize: keep a colleague preserved indefinitely for whatever reason (for instance, they are dying of an incurable disease etc)
Armour: Quickly disguise yourself. For instance, you are wearing your town clothes and fleeing the militia. Cast Armour and instantly your clothes are transformed into jet-black plate armour, very possibly with a face-concealing helm.
Lesser Healing, Greater Healing, Antidote, Cure Disease, Miracle Cure: Set yourself up as an incredibly capable physician (not exactly a creative use, but related). This is a lucrative career and a lot safer and more respectable than being an adventurer.
Phantasm: So many uses: free labour, sideshow freaks etc.
Stasis: Even better version of Fossilize
Bastion: Create a kind of coracle with a maximum displacement of 16 tons (but use it quickly!)

Cheers,

-Kyle


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PostPosted: Wed Dec 28, 2016 4:39 am 
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WodenKrait wrote:
There are so many possibilities. Here are a few ideas just from the Sorcerer's spellbook:

Dragonbreath to light a campfire
Moonglow to scare superstitious peasants at night (wear a sheet and wail and rattle chains for added effect)
To make a dramatic exit, stand on a locked trapdoor then cast Portal to open it and vanish out of sight.
Hold off the dead: force zombies or other undead off a cliff or into a cupboard by slowly advancing toward them.
Inflict Wound: could it be used carefully on a willing subject to amputate a gangrenous or envenomed limb or maybe even perform other surgery'
Peer: So many uses! For instance exploring a shipwreck that is difficult to safely dive to (up to 20 metres down).
Tangleroots: Cast on yourself or a friend during a tornado to avoid being whisked away.
Banquet: distract a dangerous animal with banquet food, or use banquet water to put out a small fire, wash your hands etc.
Fossilize: keep a colleague preserved indefinitely for whatever reason (for instance, they are dying of an incurable disease etc)
Armour: Quickly disguise yourself. For instance, you are wearing your town clothes and fleeing the militia. Cast Armour and instantly your clothes are transformed into jet-black plate armour, very possibly with a face-concealing helm.
Lesser Healing, Greater Healing, Antidote, Cure Disease, Miracle Cure: Set yourself up as an incredibly capable physician (not exactly a creative use, but related). This is a lucrative career and a lot safer and more respectable than being an adventurer.
Phantasm: So many uses: free labour, sideshow freaks etc.
Stasis: Even better version of Fossilize
Bastion: Create a kind of coracle with a maximum displacement of 16 tons (but use it quickly!)

Cheers,

-Kyle


Wow that's a wealth of ideas for creative use of spells Kyle!

Does Hold Off the Dead aura move together with the caster?

Using Inflict Wound to perform surgery/amputation is an amazing idea. Though the amount of fine control needed would be astoundingly immense.

I wonder if Fossilize can be used on non-living objects like doors, weapons, keys, etc. There is a mention in the original Book 5 scenario where an ice lock may be Fossilized.

An almost impassable guard can be created with Phantasm with 0 Attack and 28 Defence and then set to guard a doorway...Similiarly, an almost sure hit attack can be made with one created with 28 Attack and 0 Defence, perhaps with an arrow to a panel across the room, or a missile delivering poison to an key enemy...

Do you think we can use Astral Gate to make an emergency escape from a sticky situation. Basically cast Astral Gate blind, ie: WITHOUT spending the 3 rounds to focus on destination. And upon arriving at the destination, which could well be another plane of existence, the Sorcerer casts Astral again, but this time spends the requisite 3 rounds to focus on a familiar destination back on her own plane.

Would this work?

Also, I am particularly interested in ways in which:
1. enemy casters can be "silenced", ie: prevented from using their magic.
2. enemies can be hindered, ala battlefield control.

As described above, use of Burden spell to hold enemies, and at the same time prevent casters from casting spells. Excepting Mystics are not hindered in their casting, and Elementalists are probably still able to use at least some aspects of raw power. Is this how you would "silence" enemy casters?

As for battlefield control, Tangleroots, Transfix, Stasis, Pentacle of Entrapment (for prepared battlefields), Raise Fog, would all be invaluable spells. Like Transfix in particular because of the potentially large number of enemies it can take out.

What do you think?


Last edited by howareyou on Wed Dec 28, 2016 6:01 am, edited 2 times in total.

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PostPosted: Wed Dec 28, 2016 5:56 am 
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Hm, now theres a thought, some knight is charging at you so you use ASTRAL GATE to send them over a cliff....

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PostPosted: Wed Dec 28, 2016 5:59 am 
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Kharille wrote:
Hm, now theres a thought, some knight is charging at you so you use ASTRAL GATE to send them over a cliff....

LOL! I am sure the appearance of the gate will not be so sudden that the knight cannot divert her charge and blunders right in unless under very special circumstances.

Perhaps hide an Astral Gate (that opens into thin air over a cliff) behind an illusion of a corridor? LOL!


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PostPosted: Wed Dec 28, 2016 7:57 am 
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Well, maybe on horseback, if they fit.... Might need to pit a vs EVASION rule... vs MAGICAL ATTACK maybe....

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PostPosted: Wed Dec 28, 2016 9:31 am 
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Kharille wrote:
Well yeah. Somehow I figure we should expand on trap rules and STEALTH/PERCEPTION materials. Concealed entrances, traps, illusions that may be missing details... the fixed 5% failure of illusions seems too simplified, something used in earlier edition rules and not taking into account future interpretations.

In the original edition (the 6 glorious paperbacks), the later books were written with the rules from earlier books in mind, but not vice-versa (I can only assume the full rule-set was not developed prior to the first books being released). The revised edition didn't correct this, but that's what we're here for :).

My own illusion rules were posted here some time ago (http://www.libraryofhiabuor.net/forum/v ... rt=10#p623), which build Stealth & Perception into illusion checks and provides, for me at least, a slightly more satisfying way to resolve whether characters detect a flaw in the illusion that justifies a disbelief check.
Kharille wrote:
A particularly horrific illusion like a screaming, burning upper torso of a humanoid being thrown at npcs should make them dive for cover if you ask me. Personally I think use of EVASION should be a full 'movement' action which will prevent that character from taking any other action. As they stand it seems EVASION is applied to any and all missiles even if he is unaware of it. Would you apply SPEED vs EVASION if someone threw a Javelin at you from behind?

In a word, no - Evasion is not a passive defence that applies to all Speed-based attacks, only those of which the character is aware. I also only allow one free Evasion test per combat round - after that, they start to eat into their movement and combat actions...

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