Re: [HOE] Syker Clarifications

[Theo McGuckin <tsm@jlab.org>]

> >Can you point me to where you got this from? I have always played it that
> it works like any other explosion >and have used the massive damage rules.
> Considering that I've been running for quite some time now, I'd >hate to
> find out I've been wrong.

> Q) Arson - Does this have a burst radius? The description says that it is a
> "fiery burst with a DIAMETER equal to the Syker's Spirit die type in
> yards..." (our emphasis). Bursts are usually rated in terms of Radius, not
> Diameter. But otherwise this sounds a lot like our old friend the burst
> rules, albeit one with a radius equal to half the Syker's spirit die type. -
> Steve Crow
> 
> A) Arson does not have a burst radius, it doesn't explode, it simply causes
> flame within its area of effect. It does full damage within the listed
> diameter. Anyone outside this area of effect is perfectly safe [John Hopler,
> HoE listserv, 6/14/99]

Another way to look at it is the description DOESN'T explicitly say it's
an explosion with burst radius = spirit. It's easy to assume that, because
it's LIKE an explosion, but if the rules don't state it...

> Of course, you could always just keep using it the way you have been.  I
> don't see where it makes THAT much of a difference one way or the next.

I don't know about that. Figure a syker gets a good roll and does 4d10
damage. Now normally that would hit everyone within his spirit in diameter
(say 10 yards). If you treat it like an explosion then it's doing 4d10 to
everyone within RADIUS 10 yards, 4d8 10 yards outside that, 4d6 10 yards
outside that and 4d4 10 yards outside that. MASSIVE DAMAGE. So rather than
hitting everyone within a 5 yard RADIUS, you're hitting everyone within a
40 yard RADIUS (that's almost an [american] football field). That
significantly ups the power (never mind the goofiness that everyone in
that last radius takes 4d4 damage and then burns for 2d6 after that (the
fire got bigger?!?)).

Theo McGuckin - SysAdmin, JLab, Safety Warden (Bldg. 85)


	A three-legged dog walked into an old west saloon and sidled up
	to the bartender saying, "I'm looking for the man that shot my
	paw."