In which the team engages in a shootout with the 405 Hellhounds in their attempts to rescue the missing children. It’s a shootout at Ed’s Diner!
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
In which the team engages in a shootout with the 405 Hellhounds in their attempts to rescue the missing children. It’s a shootout at Ed’s Diner!
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Just out of curiosity, but what’s with mages in this party and Ball Lightning spells? Just wondering on the reasoning, I personally prefer my face stomping combat spells to be a little less obvious – no mage likes being geeked :o)
Wait a minute, I just answered my own question…… wow these drain codes can’t be real….. Manabolt, Stunbolt & Powerbolt are F-3 (like Lightning Bolt) but Manaball, Stunball and Powerball are F while Ball Lightning is F-1. That’s totally messed up!!!!!! Now I really wanna see the spell design rules Catalyst didn’t include in Street Grimoire…. wow my cybered combat shaman may as well burn out with those drain codes…
Ball Lightning and Fireball are a little more drain friendly than, say Powerball or Stunball, probably because it’s Indirect instead of Direct. With the single target Lightning Bolt, and Flamethrower, there’s no scatter, so it’s just as easy to hit your target as with the direct spells, so the drain is the same
But with the Indirect Area spells, they don’t automatically target a specific area like the Direct spells of Powerball and Stunball do. You have to get a threshold of (3), or it scatters, so you could potentially miss one or more of your targets.
There might be other reasons, but I have a feeling that is the main reason why its 1 friendlier on the drain.
Personally I like the auxillary effect of electricity attacks. Ball lightning causes my opponents to lose 5 initiatve among other things. With my high initiative score I could potentially get it off early and let my lower initiative score party members attack before the enemy, potentially killing them before they attack. I have a limited spell selection so Lightning ball is my only atttack spell.
In the previous editions, making a spell area-effect increased the drain code, as did making it physical. So Manabolt used to be one less than Powerbolt/Lightning Bolt but Lightning Bolt could a) give you away and b) be dodged. My 2k karma cybered wolf shaman used Lightning Bolt versus drones and vehicles and Manabolt against people (mainly because it’s those direct spells which make you bleed from your eyes, nose and ears then you drop dead). And that’s probably the reason – a Direct Combat spell in SR5 is Spellcasting+Magic versus Willpower or Body (plus counterspelling if applicable) with no damage resistance test so it’s likely you’ll end up doing a lot more damage than with something which is essentially a ranged attack that can be dodged and you get a full Damage Resistance test too. So in game balance terms it makes sense, but it still sucks :o)