Topic: Spell Mastery Just because you can think of

[Old Man]

Can you use Spellmastery to add an impact lesser critical to some spells?  Say like fire bolt?

I would not allow it or allow extra damage either. I try to keep the bolt spell extras in line with weapon damage extras. So if you have swords with extra criticals, you can get items that add crits to bolts. But you can't add any via skill in either case (melee or magic).

[Elton Robb]

So, I'll have to create a new spell, then.

[providence13]

@ Elton,
A spell that works like a Fireball, but with an RR to determine Crit level, sounds interesting. The defender would, in effect, be rolling their own crit. It sounds like the RM version of the old D&D saving throw.

If you wanted to HR it and say that Targeting could be used to off-set the RR.. if you're ok with that.

[yammahoper]

Perhaps the best option to adding another crit is charging extra pp's.  For example, I have always allowed Fire Wall to have the B heat crit increased by pumping up pp to cast the spell.

So if a firebolt is cast and the mage wants double crits, it cost 12 pp to cast instead of 6.  Two extra crits would be 18pp.  Of course, they would be heat crits, all of the same secerity as determined by the attack roll (i.e. possibly no crits at all) and all resolved with one roll (essentially doubling or tripling the effect of the crit).

If the mage wants to cast a cold fire by combinung Ice Bolt with Firebolt, I guess it could be Heat and Cold crits.

All this could be house ruled.  The results will be very powerful.  The results will be exceptionally powerful if you allow the extra crits to be rolled seperately.

[providence13]

This is related..
Our valiant Mystic summoned a freaking Lok-nar over the weekend trying to double a duration.. or something.
"vortex of energy consumes all matter and energy... drifts lazily for 10-100 rnds..."
it took out the inn and a few houses before fading away. They blamed it on an NPC witch already in custody.
The whole party busted out laughing because the same guy had done this 2x before with a Sorcerer years ago.

So I'm thinking that if you had enough neophytes and maybe a magic item to actually hamper their spell casting, this could be a potent weapon. A "goblin grenade", if you will.

[Marc R]

There's a reference somewhere on the board to someone charging into an enemy HQ in full plate and a bag with 50# of metal in it, then deliberately snap over casting a 50th level arcane spell with no hands or voice used just to pile on as many penalties as possible and micro nuke themselves and the location.

[yammahoper]

There's a reference somewhere on the board to someone charging into an enemy HQ in full plate and a bag with 50# of metal in it, then deliberately snap over casting a 50th level arcane spell with no hands or voice used just to pile on as many penalties as possible and micro nuke themselves and the location.

That was one of my players, Chuck Saches.  He did not need extra weight lol.  The brilliant part was he designed the character and its background with the intent of doing just what he did: using an impossible SCSM with a level 50 Arcane spell to nuke the Boss Bad Guy.

I still take my hat off in respect to that marine!

[Old Man]

That was one of my players, Chuck Saches.  He did not need extra weight lol.  The brilliant part was he designed the character and its background with the intent of doing just what he did: using an impossible SCSM with a level 50 Arcane spell to nuke the Boss Bad Guy.

And so why did you allow it? Rather than just have it fizzle?

[providence13]

Sounds like he had to nuke the entire site. Only way to be sure.

Apparently, he respected the wherewithal and perspicacity of the guy.
I think it's a cool story and a reminder for others. Magic can kill.