Hideous Blow

Scripted ALFA systems & related tech discussions (ACR)

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mogonk
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Hideous Blow

Post by mogonk »

I realize this is not an issue that has an effect on the vast majority of players, but I really feel it should be addressed because the impact it has on those who are affected by it is dramatic. As it stands, hideous blow does not function consistently with its in-game description or with PnP rules, and the way it works does not make a whole lot of sense.

Currently, HB takes a round to cast, and is stored on your weapon until you successfully hit with an attack, but can only be cast within melee range of an opponent. (Note that this is a bug. AI controlled NPCs can cast HB without being in melee range of an opponent.) The attack which carries the HB charge cannot be made until the next round, effectively making HB useless.

In PnP, HB is activated as part of an attack action. In other words, as a standard action you activate HB and attack.

From Complete Arcane, pg. 134:
HIDEOUS BLOW
Least; 1st; Blast Shape
As a standard action, you can make a single melee attack. If you hit, the target is affected as if struck by your eldritch blast (including any eldritch essence applied to the blast). This damage is in addition to any weapon damage that you deal with your attack, although you need not deal damage with this attack to trigger the eldritch blast effect.

Having talked to some other forum members and looked through the vault at different fixes that have been attempted, I believe that the best way to approximate PnP rules is to make HB a mode which can be activated and deactivated per round.

This hak does exactly that:
http://nwvault.ign.com/View.php?view=NW ... ail&id=320

It's not technically a mode in terms of the way it's scripted, but it functions as one. It works by re-applying HB each round automatically until you deactivate HB. It only permits one HB attack per round, and it prevents you from making a full attack. In other words, exactly like PnP rules.

The hak works. I've tested it. I've talked to its author about the particulars of how it works, and she is happy to answer any questions we have or otherwise assist us in adding it to ALFA.

I welcome further input on this.
Last edited by mogonk on Sat Nov 27, 2010 6:20 pm, edited 17 times in total.
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Blindhamsterman
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Re: Hideous Blow

Post by Blindhamsterman »

#1 - IMO is the best option, some modes stack, others don't. So this would be the most sensible

#2 - I think this is bad, it makes all your attacks have whateve the affects of the ability are without any thought for preparation, also being unable to remove the effect is bad too.

#3 - From a balance perspective, I doubt this'll be a good option, the ability is supposed to be a single attack and turning the ability on /round. while true a single class warlock doesn't get multiple attacks till higher levels a multi warlock fighter would a bit earlier, the overal damage output could therefore go through the roof with full attacks, 1st attack of which would give the Eldritch blast damage each round as well.

#4 - like you, I think this option is probably less good, but might at least give a quick fix (it does however have the same issue as above, albeit for a single round, multiple attacks, the first of which would be full damage (maybe power attack) and Eldritch Blast damage)
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mogonk
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Re: Hideous Blow

Post by mogonk »

Blindhamsterman wrote:#1 - IMO is the best option, some modes stack, others don't. So this would be the most sensible
That's good news, I wasn't sure if that was the case or not.

I edited the first post to add some haks that approximate the different approaches I was looking at. #1 seems very well thought out, and is actively supported by the author. That's the way I think we should go.
Hialmar
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Re: Hideous Blow

Post by Hialmar »

Please refrain from posting links to copyrighted material.

If WotC find out about this we might get a hit on the fingers.
And when I see "we" I'm talking about the Infra Team and most specifically Zicada has he is the person paying for the current website.
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mogonk
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Re: Hideous Blow

Post by mogonk »

Hialmar wrote:Please refrain from posting links to copyrighted material.

If WotC find out about this we might get a hit on the fingers.
And when I see "we" I'm talking about the Infra Team and most specifically Zicada has he is the person paying for the current website.
Sorry. Didn't think about that. I've added the relevant text from Complete Arcane to the first post.
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AcadiusLost
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Re: Hideous Blow

Post by AcadiusLost »

Standards discussion now active here:

http://www.alandfaraway.org/forums/view ... 11&t=44909
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