Ask a Simple Question - Get a Simple Answer

Doc pseudopolis wrote:If I use Charm on myself and use an attack that targets a random creature does it whiff it targets me or am I simply not targetable by it.

Talent for Reference:

Addition to that question: If you target yourself with charm, and then use an attack that affects both you and the chosen enemy target (e.g. blood slash, supercharge), does the talent only effect the enemy and ignores "your" effect (since you "can't be attacked"), or does it whiff / fizzle / do nothing, or does it work normally?

Blood Slash / Supercharge, for reference:

"Can't be attacked" literally means that attacks can't target you to begin with. This means random attacks treat you as if you weren't there and any attack that includes you, such as supercharge, can't be legally used.

Another question: What happened with the various "AOE heal" combat talents that were being bounced around / tested in one of the docs (or on this forum, I can't remember)? Are those official, or soon to be official?

I honestly don't know. You'll have to ask Kindulas/Nehiel Mori - they're in charge of development atm.

Zarhon wrote:Another question: What happened with the various "AOE heal" combat talents that were being bounced around / tested in one of the docs (or on this forum, I can't remember)? Are those official, or soon to be official?

Are you talking about the Grace talents? They've been added in...

3rd question!

[-3] Confusion - Standard Attack
Target creature suffers confusion (save ends). A creature suffering confusion flips a coin when it attacks. If it loses the flip the attack targets one of your enemies at random instead."

Does confusion effect, if put on yourself or an ally, cause abilities that have "random creature" targets (e.g. Frenzy, or the Wild Lightning d10 special) to be unable to hit your allies anymore (since it re-chooses your random enemies instead)?

Edit: Ah, so that's what they're called. Guess I couldn't find them.

If they lose the flip, yes! Very clever. We might need to reword that to be clearer or only target enemies... But it's so clever... I almost don't want to. =)

It's a standard action and costs three pips, why not allow parties to use it that way if they feel like? (I'm sure there might be a mechanical reason but, no point in ruling it out just cuz if there isn't).

Echo – At Will
Preparation Time: 30 Seconds
You cause a sound to emanate from any object or space within fifty feet of you. The sound can be as loud as a shout or as quiet as a whisper.

Magical Tricks – At Will
Preparation Time: 6 Seconds
3) You alter a sound within fifty feet of you to another of similar volume. For example, you could make a shout of warning sound like a round of applause. This effect lasts until the sound naturally dies away.

1) Why does echo provide almost no advantages over Magical Tricks?

Magical Tricks can easily do the same things as Echo, provided it has a sound, which can be supplied by having your character just something. It's only advantage over Magical Tricks appears to be that you can make sounds from nothing at a chosen area (for ventriloquism), rather than use other sounds.

Conversely, its disadvantages are:
- Its preparation time is longer than Magical Tricks, to the point that it's harder or outright impossible to use in an emergency.
- It cannot alter other existing sounds, it only makes new ones.
- Magical Tricks provides a whole other range of uses/abilities that echo doesn't even compare to.
- Magical Tricks is a prerequisite for Magecraft, while echo isn't prerequisite for anything.

2) How exactly does the sound altering work for Magical Tricks, if it has a 6 second preparation time? Is it exempt from it? Is one assumed to be able to "anticipate" or "interrupt" a noise?

3) What defines the length and qualities of a "sound", for the purposes of echo and magical tricks? Can it be a sentence being spoken? A word? A song? A recognizable voice?

Zarhon wrote:

Echo – At Will
Preparation Time: 30 Seconds
You cause a sound to emanate from any object or space within fifty feet of you. The sound can be as loud as a shout or as quiet as a whisper.

Magical Tricks – At Will
Preparation Time: 6 Seconds
3) You alter a sound within fifty feet of you to another of similar volume. For example, you could make a shout of warning sound like a round of applause. This effect lasts until the sound naturally dies away.

1) Why does echo provide almost no advantages over Magical Tricks?

Magical Tricks can easily do the same things as Echo, provided it has a sound, which can be supplied by having your character just something. It's only advantage over Magical Tricks appears to be that you can make sounds from nothing at a chosen area (for ventriloquism), rather than use other sounds.

Conversely, its disadvantages are:
- Its preparation time is longer than Magical Tricks, to the point that it's harder or outright impossible to use in an emergency.
- It cannot alter other existing sounds, it only makes new ones.
- Magical Tricks provides a whole other range of uses/abilities that echo doesn't even compare to.
- Magical Tricks is a prerequisite for Magecraft, while echo isn't prerequisite for anything.

2) How exactly does the sound altering work for Magical Tricks, if it has a 6 second preparation time? Is it exempt from it? Is one assumed to be able to "anticipate" or "interrupt" a noise?

3) What defines the length and qualities of a "sound", for the purposes of echo and magical tricks? Can it be a sentence being spoken? A word? A song? A recognizable voice?

1) Probably because echo needs a buff? In fact, I've been cleared to do just that. Keep an eye on the Errata thread...
2) Yes, you're supposed to anticipate it. So, you can't just snap and change a sudden noise.
3) Yes, it can be all these things

Will you be buffing Mirage and its 5 minute prep time soon as well?

3) Yes, it can be all these things

Does this mean that it can be effectively be used in the same way as the "Mimicry" racial? You can alter your own voice, or voices of other creatures (both probably count as something you can anticipate / plan).

Indeed!

Paper Shadow wrote:Will you be buffing Mirage and its 5 minute prep time soon as well?

Ah yes, that. That always did seem really weak, especially compared to "Illusionary Image," even with that one at 3/Day. Five minutes is just so... hard to work with.

1) If both "Echo" (now named "Audiomancy") and "Magical Tricks" allow you to outright copy the effects of "Mimicry"... What's the point of Mimicry? Can you "stack" the racial-predetermined +6 persuasion bonus, with the "situational modifier" you get from imitating something with tricks/echo? Or are they one and the same (meaning you get a +6 persuasion if you imitate something with echo/magical tricks as a situational bonus, even if you don't have mimicry?)

2) With the new rework of "echo" in the errata in mind...

Audiomancy - At Will
Preparation Time: Instantaneous
Do one of the following things:
-) Cause a sound to emanate from any object or space within fifty feet of you that you can see. The sound can be as loud as a shout or as quiet as a whisper
-) Alter a sound within fifty feet of you to another of similar volume. For example, you could make a shout of warning sound like a round of applause. This effect lasts until the sound naturally dies away.
-) Choose any small object within fifty feet of you that you can see. Until your next extended rest, you can hear sounds as though your ears were in the place of that object, though the object gives off a very faint ringing noise. This enchantment can be sensed with an Arcana check (DC 25 + your level), and the noise can be heard with a perception check (DC 20+ your level).

...does the "remote hearing via object" option allow one to remotely scan/see an area around the object with the "echolocation" racial? It states ones ears are considered at the object, and echolocation uses sounds.

3) Is there a limit to the number of objects you can affect with audiomancy simultaneously (e.g. three separate objects at three different areas)? Can you only affect one at a time, or as many as you want?

4) Considering the wording, does enchanting an object with audiomancy actually replace your normal hearing (meaning your actual ears can't hear anything, other than the area around the enchanted object)?

5) Does anything prevent you from using option #2 of audiomancy (alter a sound) to make the ringing noise of an audiomancy-enchanted object sound like something else? Since it's continuous ringing, the alteration would last for as long as the enchantment does.

If you're in a buffing mood, may want to take a look at Metalcrafting

TK and Metalcrafting:

The update to Adv PK left Metalcrafting rather lacking in comparison.  Rather than try to buff Metalcrafting, I propose that it be rebuilt as a brand new power that can fit more concepts.

Element Master:

The concept is that someone can specialize in an element and get a better buff with just it while there's still room for an all around telekinetic.  Obviously may need fine tuning for a finalized version.  Adding a few energy effects sounds like a good way to represent something with high control over an element that is still normal instead of an elemental like the various racials would. Thus a fire dragon is different from a unicorn with a few fire spells.

These are great suggestions. Not exactly sure how much lightning 'weighs' though - for the element master idea - or fire for that matter. How would you propose solving that?

Quick thing, today we're going to be mostly indisposed for questions and stuff. We're gathering to playtest a bunch of our games.

Zarhon wrote:1) If both "Echo" (now named "Audiomancy") and "Magical Tricks" allow you to outright copy the effects of "Mimicry"... What's the point of Mimicry? Can you "stack" the racial-predetermined +6 persuasion bonus, with the "situational modifier" you get from imitating something with tricks/echo? Or are they one and the same (meaning you get a +6 persuasion if you imitate something with echo/magical tricks as a situational bonus, even if you don't have mimicry?)

2) With the new rework of "echo" in the errata in mind...

Audiomancy - At Will
Preparation Time: Instantaneous
Do one of the following things:
-) Cause a sound to emanate from any object or space within fifty feet of you that you can see. The sound can be as loud as a shout or as quiet as a whisper
-) Alter a sound within fifty feet of you to another of similar volume. For example, you could make a shout of warning sound like a round of applause. This effect lasts until the sound naturally dies away.
-) Choose any small object within fifty feet of you that you can see. Until your next extended rest, you can hear sounds as though your ears were in the place of that object, though the object gives off a very faint ringing noise. This enchantment can be sensed with an Arcana check (DC 25 + your level), and the noise can be heard with a perception check (DC 20+ your level).

...does the "remote hearing via object" option allow one to remotely scan/see an area around the object with the "echolocation" racial? It states ones ears are considered at the object, and echolocation uses sounds.

3) Is there a limit to the number of objects you can affect with audiomancy simultaneously (e.g. three separate objects at three different areas)? Can you only affect one at a time, or as many as you want?

4) Considering the wording, does enchanting an object with audiomancy actually replace your normal hearing (meaning your actual ears can't hear anything, other than the area around the enchanted object)?

5) Does anything prevent you from using option #2 of audiomancy (alter a sound) to make the ringing noise of an audiomancy-enchanted object sound like something else? Since it's continuous ringing, the alteration would last for as long as the enchantment does.

1) Magical Tricks does have the prep time Mimicry doesn't, but really the point of Mimicry is being cheap. It's (1) point, it makes sense it could get overshadowed. However, I do find it awkward that it only gives a +6 to persuasion to imitate, instead of just making your voice automatically sound exactly right or have a massive bonus, considering the way these Utility Talents can just morph anything AND do a bunch of other things

2) Haha! So this awesome combo has been discovered with haste!

3) At this point, yes you can. If it becomes a problem we'll tone it down, but right now I don't see a need to. Unless you use the "Echolocation" combo to "see" new objects and - wait, 50 feet restriction. Yeah, I think it's fine to let it do multiple objects.

4) Good question. No, it doesn't, I'll add an "as well" line

Didn't answer #5.

5) Does anything prevent you from using option #2 of audiomancy (alter a sound) to make the ringing noise of an audiomancy-enchanted object sound like something else (e.g. ominous whispering, or elevator music...)? Since it's continuous ringing, the alteration made in such a way would last for as long as the enchantment does.

3) At this point, yes you can. If it becomes a problem we'll tone it down, but right now I don't see a need to. Unless you use the "Echolocation" combo to "see" new objects and - wait, 50 feet restriction. Yeah, I think it's fine to let it do multiple objects.

Wait, so when you enchant an object, do you have to be within 50 feet at all times for it to function, or is that only the initial "enchanting range", and works at any range afterwards?

Stairc -Dan Felder wrote:These are great suggestions. Not exactly sure how much lightning 'weighs' though - for the element master idea - or fire for that matter. How would you propose solving that?

What I'm thinking is that there should be either the ability to affect something by volume instead of weight for some substances (20 cubic feet w/ 100 cubic feet for a magic point?) or the ability to summon a small amount out of thin air and then immediately manipulate that.

Also, does Detect Thoughts allow you to read minds? It seems like it would be obvious but the word choice of 'detect' instead of 'read' in the description seemed a little weird.

Detect Thoughts:

You can indeed understand the thoughts going through the person's mind at the current moment. You can basically listen in on what they're currently thinking, you can't delve into their memories or anything unless they're thinking about them at that moment. This should definitely be clarified.

ZamuelNow wrote:

Stairc -Dan Felder wrote:These are great suggestions. Not exactly sure how much lightning 'weighs' though - for the element master idea - or fire for that matter. How would you propose solving that?

What I'm thinking is that there should be either the ability to affect something by volume instead of weight for some substances (20 cubic feet w/ 100 cubic feet for a magic point?) or the ability to summon a small amount out of thin air and then immediately manipulate that.

Also, does Detect Thoughts allow you to read minds?  It seems like it would be obvious but the word choice of 'detect' instead of 'read' in the description seemed a little weird.

Detect Thoughts:

I do like this idea. The 'energy' based ones of fire and lightning would go by totally different rules than mass-based objects, though, and if we go by volume for mass based objects then you give the idea that there isn't a force limit to the power, and players could argue they could do all sorts of crazy things...
And frankly, once we have Fireborn and Thunderborn, how useful would fire-lightning manipulation be outside of combat? And that isn't rhetorical, I'm wondering if it is, because I can't really think of many situation except style-points where anything more powerful than the 1 point racials would be useful, but are there many I'm missing?

But listing Stone, Metal, Water, Air, Wood, and that sort of thing, then choosing one, would be a cool new identity for Metalcrafting.


And yes, detect thoughts is surface mind-reading

Kindulas wrote:I do like this idea. The 'energy' based ones of fire and lightning would go by totally different rules than mass-based objects, though, and if we go by volume for mass based objects then you give the idea that there isn't a force limit to the power, and players could argue they could do all sorts of crazy things...
And frankly, once we have Fireborn and Thunderborn, how useful would fire-lightning manipulation be outside of combat? And that isn't rhetorical, I'm wondering if it is, because I can't really think of many situation except style-points where anything more powerful than the 1 point racials would be useful, but are there many I'm missing?

Let's take fire as an example:
Fireborn allows you to breathe small flames and withstand extreme heat.  Pretty basic and allows you to make fire dragons or the G1 villain Lavan.  This utility talent allows you to build something like Zuko from Avatar or Pyro from X-Men.  You can be hurt by fire but you can manipulate the movement of large swaths of flame or even extinguish them if the GM allows.  Fireborn is good individual survival while this utility proposal is better for a team player who wants to direct a flame.

ZamuelNow wrote:

Kindulas wrote:I do like this idea. The 'energy' based ones of fire and lightning would go by totally different rules than mass-based objects, though, and if we go by volume for mass based objects then you give the idea that there isn't a force limit to the power, and players could argue they could do all sorts of crazy things...
And frankly, once we have Fireborn and Thunderborn, how useful would fire-lightning manipulation be outside of combat? And that isn't rhetorical, I'm wondering if it is, because I can't really think of many situation except style-points where anything more powerful than the 1 point racials would be useful, but are there many I'm missing?

Let's take fire as an example:
Fireborn allows you to breathe small flames and withstand extreme heat.  Pretty basic and allows you to make fire dragons or the G1 villain Lavan.  This utility talent allows you to build something like Zuko from Avatar or Pyro from X-Men.  You can be hurt by fire but you can manipulate the movement of large swaths of flame or even extinguish them if the GM allows.  Fireborn is good individual survival while this utility proposal is better for a team player who wants to direct a flame.

Yes, but save possibly for extinguishing, that's combat stuff. You can make Zuko in this system - with combat talents. What's useful about all that if you can't hurt people with it, and if there are a few small uses, is it worth adding what would be one of the most awkward "Um... you can't use this in combat... b-because, I guess..." talents in the system?

Still waiting on an answer...

Questions: