Astral Bolt weirdness
Posted: Sun May 25, 2014 1:25 pm
Was looking closer at the Psi-Shaper class on page 88 of World Book 4 (Between the Shadows). Their Bolts power is listed as 'same as the Sensitive power on page 116 of Between the Shadows' except for physical-plane functioning... but when the stats are listed, it ISN'T the same.
Although the bonus/cost/damage/range is the same, the duration is different. The BtS sensitive power has a 'per level' duration but the Shaper power lacks the per-level mention. Should this be considered a mistake and we should make this power per-level? Or if the Shaper wanted long-term firepower, would they have to travel astrally and buy the sensitive power?
Another point of note is the Shaper's 'Create Ectoplasmic Objects' power. There is a discrepency from how it is described on the bottom-right of 88 and the top-left of 89. In the first case, it just says 'at half the level, minimum 1'. I take it this means you cast level 1 bolts at level 1-2, level 2 bolts at 4... and I'm not sure what at level 3 since a level minimum isn't necessarily the same as 'round up'.
89 however, rather than based on level-fractioning, just lists a damage and a range. It is strange because the range reflects that of a level 3 psionic, and if stats were half, that would mean it would be the range of a weapon made by a level 6 shaper. The damage reflects that of someone at level 2 though, meaning a weapon made by a level 4 shaper, so it's not consistent at all with the stats that should be produced by standard psi-bolt mechanics.
Another tidbit of interest is that these guns' stats say damage/range double in astral. This is not actually mentioned under the Shaper's Psi-Bolts power though. Does this mean that Astral Doubling is a unique trait of the gun?
Am also wondering about duration... would the guns have a limited firing duration, with the timer starting when the gun is created? Or starting when the first shot is fired? Or does it last indefinitely so long as the weapon does?
It goes out of its way to mention you can't make a permanent gun... but if the guns had a temporary duration of bolts, I can't see the need for that, as a permanent astral gun that could not fire would not be much of a game breaker.
Although the bonus/cost/damage/range is the same, the duration is different. The BtS sensitive power has a 'per level' duration but the Shaper power lacks the per-level mention. Should this be considered a mistake and we should make this power per-level? Or if the Shaper wanted long-term firepower, would they have to travel astrally and buy the sensitive power?
Another point of note is the Shaper's 'Create Ectoplasmic Objects' power. There is a discrepency from how it is described on the bottom-right of 88 and the top-left of 89. In the first case, it just says 'at half the level, minimum 1'. I take it this means you cast level 1 bolts at level 1-2, level 2 bolts at 4... and I'm not sure what at level 3 since a level minimum isn't necessarily the same as 'round up'.
89 however, rather than based on level-fractioning, just lists a damage and a range. It is strange because the range reflects that of a level 3 psionic, and if stats were half, that would mean it would be the range of a weapon made by a level 6 shaper. The damage reflects that of someone at level 2 though, meaning a weapon made by a level 4 shaper, so it's not consistent at all with the stats that should be produced by standard psi-bolt mechanics.
Another tidbit of interest is that these guns' stats say damage/range double in astral. This is not actually mentioned under the Shaper's Psi-Bolts power though. Does this mean that Astral Doubling is a unique trait of the gun?
Am also wondering about duration... would the guns have a limited firing duration, with the timer starting when the gun is created? Or starting when the first shot is fired? Or does it last indefinitely so long as the weapon does?
It goes out of its way to mention you can't make a permanent gun... but if the guns had a temporary duration of bolts, I can't see the need for that, as a permanent astral gun that could not fire would not be much of a game breaker.
