Afflictions

Okay, so, Afflictions is in need of an overhaul, I think we can agree - it only really covers combat, and that, not very well.

Let's start with the basic definition - To me, it ought to be re-written to something like "An Affliction is a negative effect on a character with a duration. They often trade immediate effects for more power over a duration, to improve a situation, or are used before combat to weaken an opponent that must be fought. They can also be used to limit or negate a threat, or alter a situation in favor of the players, if used in a clever fashion."

Combat Afflictions: The most common forms of "In Combat Afflictions" are: poison, burning, shock, paralysis, nausea, frozen, and blind.

Other discussed Afflictions: various stat eaters, psyche damage, sensory damage, madness infliction (predisposition, resistance reduction, immediate checks, and actual forced madness), temporary or permanent, various diseases, Enervate (stamina recovery debuff), various other debuffs to found stats, like stability, SAs and skills.

Other thoughts

Afflictions should always have a duration, and a check value to roll against in case someone tries to heal the target, whether by magic or medicine. They might have two...maybe. that's a point to debate. Killing a virus magicaly is probably easier than doing it medically. but that's a little bit too complex...eh - the glitter will probably eat it first, either way. unless it's a nano-cold.

Damaging/draining Afflictions should have 2 more numbers - a damage value, and a rate value - 1Wound/5 beats, or 1 Force/100 beats. Flat limiting values can be considered afflictions, and would just have the 2 values - there is nothing dynamic about the spell.

Magic poison idea

[Power] Wounds/Psyche; 10/[complexity] Beats; 10*[duration] beats; [Power+Complexity] +10 CV

When used as a stat drainer- [Power/2] stat; 20/[complexity] Beats; 10*[duration] beats; [Power+Complexity] +10 CV

When used to Drain SA max or Stamina Max - [Power] SA/Stamina; 4/[complexity] Beats; 2*[duration] beats; [Power+Complexity] +10 CV

Notes on Magic w/ Afflicitons: obviously some spells get some Afflictions by virtue of what they do - Fire spells cause burning, cold spells cause freezing, yadda yadda, at least in potential. On the other hand, that sort of makes the poor jerk throwing compressed airballs around sort of eh in comparison. so, I propose that most environmental afflictions have a check to see if the affliction occurs by accident (you put something flammable near a fire. smart) and also apply that same sort of check to magic sources of the same (you wore phosphorus to meet the fire mage. smart). Conversely, it is probably also possible to just apply the Affliction - ie, igniting someone on fire instead of chucking a fireball. Per the last conversation, this requires a resistance check, and needs to be tier 2 unless you are putting your hand on someone to light them (you put something flammable near a person on fire. smart). On the upside, the Burning Affliction would logically continue until someone is put out, or dead - much higher damage potential! probaby worth the cost increase and the wait.

Afflictions

Discussions Links