Alternate Core Documents

[Ghostpony]

Given just how swiftly a pegasus can move with high flight ranks, I can see this being easily exploited by a high stealth PC. Since their only negative factors are mostly line of sight and air disturbance, that can be handled simply by flying low to the ground. They would completely negate any penalty for moving at high speeds, as well as enjoy having a movement range that no ground bound sneaker could hope to match.

I'm prone to agree.

[Ragebrew]

The way the Alarm spell works in DnD, is it simple creates an area that if anything enters into it, the caster is alerted to this disturbance. I believe it's something small, like 30 feet, but it's still very useful. It is also static, meaning you can alarm areas you are not remaining in. Want to make sure no one pilfers your little storage space? Alarm it.

[Kkat]

That assumes the ward is 2 denominational.

That is exactly the problem. The concept of the ward is that it is utterly 2-dimensional.

The way the Alarm spell works in DnD, is it simple creates an area that if anything enters into it, the caster is alerted to this disturbance. I believe it's something small, like 30 feet, but it's still very useful. It is also static, meaning you can alarm areas you are not remaining in. Want to make sure no one pilfers your little storage space? Alarm it.

At that point, however, you are looking at something that is distinctly not a "Ward" and thus falls outside the discussion of ward spells.

Also fair. Hrm... though the alarm would be something that would be more technologically appropriate. Perhaps in combination with an Arcane Mark?

Actually, I think you're right. I was considering this simply as an addition to the other types of wards to be introduced in a bulk write-up of ward spells. But at this point, it seems clear that the idea of an "Alarm Ward" is a bust. Meanwhile, if ponies want alarms, they can rig up something technological. Or even good ol' tin cans on string.

[Ragebrew]

Even if the Alarm ward can only be applies to a single object it still has potential. Using it to ward doors when you are inside a building, to let you know when someone opens it, same with containers. Give it an "until triggered" duration, and you have a perfect spell for making sure you're not interrupted while sleeping for the night inside that old building.

[Kkat]

Attacks that target specific parts of the body are a pretty standard element of the Fallout games. And while they are rarely used for anything in the games other than headshots (or eyeshots in Fallout 1 & 2), attacks to other limbs are extremely useful in the Fallout: Equestria game...

...perhaps too much so. Or, at least, the vulnerability of characters and creatures to called shots is easily grossly abused. One option to tackle this is to tone down the penalties for crippled limbs. Another is to offer options for called-shot protection. Which would be a better route to go?

If we toned down the penalties, how much should we tone them down while being careful not to make crippled limbs a mere inconvenience?

My initial idea was the introduction of ways to create immunity to called shots, but this might be too powerful. Ways to create higher penalties for called shots, on the other hoof, simply aren't good enough as they are too easily negated. Perhaps something that functions like resistance, giving a straight up chance to turn a called shot into a general hit?

Also, if we created a called-shot protection, what would be a good name for it (assuming we don't just call it "called-shot protection"?

[Ghostpony]

That assumes the ward is 2 denominational.

That is exactly the problem. The concept of the ward is that it is utterly 2-dimensional.

Well I've never heard of a 2 denominational ward. Not at least of the type we are discussing. However if that's the way you choose to look at it as Rage points out it would still have it's uses.

[Ghostpony]

Attacks that target specific parts of the body are a pretty standard element of the Fallout games. And while they are rarely used for anything in the games other than headshots (or eyeshots in Fallout 1 & 2), attacks to other limbs are extremely useful in the Fallout: Equestria game...

...perhaps too much so. Or, at least, the vulnerability of characters and creatures to called shots is easily grossly abused. One option to tackle this is to tone down the penalties for crippled limbs. Another is to offer options for called-shot protection. Which would be a better route to go?

If we toned down the penalties, how much should we tone them down while being careful not to make crippled limbs a mere inconvenience?

My initial idea was the introduction of ways to create immunity to called shots, but this might be too powerful. Ways to create higher penalties for called shots, on the other hoof, simply aren't good enough as they are too easily negated. Perhaps something that functions like resistance, giving a straight up chance to turn a called shot into a general hit?

Also, if we created a called-shot protection, what would be a good name for it (assuming we don't just call it "called-shot protection"?

Perhaps Kkat you can explain how it got abused? I haven't had the problem. Understanding what was happening might lead to a better idea how to resolve it.

[Kkat]

Well I've never heard of a 2 denominational ward. Not at least of the type we are discussing. However if that's the way you choose to look at it as Rage points out it would still have it's uses.

I'm pretty sure you mean "dimensional"... unless you are saying you can't imagine a ward that is both Methodist and Presbyterian.

And yes, that's why I attempted to painstakingly describe how wards would work repeatedly... because I knew people would have trouble realizing that the wards are 2-dimensional and only effect things attempting to go through that 2-dimensional plane. This is a vitally important element of wards. Remember how I said that having an anti-teleport ward on a floor wouldn't prevent a character in the room from teleportating from one end of the room to another, but only prevent teleportation down through the floor into the room below? And how, likewise, having anti-teleport wards on every surface of a hallway would not prevent teleporting down the hallway? This mechanic works because the wards as being suggested are strictly 2-dimensional.

Ragebrew's examples don't really work because if the ward is on a door, opening the door doesn't go through the ward... the ward would move with the door. Warding a chest doesn't work because you can't ward an object, only a surface... it would take at least six wards to ward a rectangular chest, and it still wouldn't make opening the lid set off the ward.

There are concepts of an alarm spell that could work, but I'm not seeing any way to make an alarm ward spell work.

Perhaps Kkat you can explain how it got abused? I haven't had the problem. Understanding what was happening might lead to a better idea how to resolve it.

I have seen players who, upon realizing how powerful crippling limbs is, turned limb attacks into their entire method of play. Crippling limbs is an easy way to immobilize any foe, rendering characters who fight with unarmed or melee utterly helpless. Attacks to wings has become the default way of handling any flying opponent. And I think it is kinda crappy to be able to so easily wipe out a PC's entire character design, including a large number of their perks, by just a couple attacks to their wings or horn. PCs (and frankly everyone else) should have some way of protecting themselves against that.

[NitoKa]

Well I'm not sure how much my two cents here will help but I've got an experience from G0

Our flier, Firefly who Viewing Glass plays, took out about 4-5 Griffon mercs there with just called lightning shots to their wings, and most were dead from the fall damage, because GM didn't give them Falling With Style.

But still, the called limb damage means that if you play a flier, you are almost required to take Falling With Style, so in the more than likely case of you taking limb damage in your wings and falling, you don't die.

[Ragebrew]

It's also a smart idea for fliers to not be soaring around at bone breaking heights if they don't have air superiority. Floating around at 10 feet is enough to keep melee ponies away from you, after all.