New Spell: Darkbolt

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Aren
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New Spell: Darkbolt

Post by Aren »

Each ray in Darkbolt can currently cause a critical hit. This means that there's a 5% chance for each of the (maximized) bolts to do 32 damage (provided they make the threat roll). I think this may be unintentional.
Last edited by Aren on Sat Mar 14, 2020 10:36 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Apokriphos
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Re: New Spell: Darkbolt

Post by Apokriphos »

It's not a bug.

Quoted from the pnp rulebook on critical hits:
'A spell that requires an attack roll can score a critical hit. A spell attack that requires no attack roll cannot score a critical hit. If a spell causes ability damage or drain (see Special Abilities), the damage or drain is doubled on a critical hit.'

https://www.d20pfsrd.com/gamemastering/ ... tical-Hits
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Re: New Spell: Darkbolt

Post by Aniel »

Apokriphos wrote: Wed Mar 11, 2020 10:59 pm It's not a bug.

Quoted from the pnp rulebook on critical hits:
'A spell that requires an attack roll can score a critical hit. A spell attack that requires no attack roll cannot score a critical hit. If a spell causes ability damage or drain (see Special Abilities), the damage or drain is doubled on a critical hit.'

https://www.d20pfsrd.com/gamemastering/ ... tical-Hits
This isn't pnp.

This also isn't Pathfinder, which is the SRD you linked.

I don't think any attack roll spell in NWN has ever crit before. So if only Darkbolt does so, then it's likely a bug or otherwise unintended functionality.
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Re: New Spell: Darkbolt

Post by Apokriphos »

Pnp is being used as rationale for a variety of changes in the server, and I believe is the inspiration for which most changes here are made.

Also, here is the 3.5 ruleset which says basically the same thing, under Spells and Critical Hits.

https://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/actionsInCombat.htm
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Re: New Spell: Darkbolt

Post by Aniel »

If I wanted to be even more pedantic I'd say that this isn't 3.5e either, it's 3e. But the ruling I imagine is the same there too.

Either way, saying "well it's this way in PnP" is a terrible metric for if something should exist or not. PnP is a dumpster fire as far as balance is concerned but that's a big digression.

The point being it's reasonable to call something a bug when it functions differently than every single other similar instance. Mages should also probably not have crits due to pretty severe balance concerns. But that's also outside of the scope of a bug report.

The only person that can say whether it's unintended or not is the developer ultimately.
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Re: New Spell: Darkbolt

Post by Exordius »

Btw, Darkbolt is not showing up on the cleric's spell list. My cleric just got access to lv 5 spells and its not there.
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Re: New Spell: Darkbolt

Post by Void »

Szaren wrote: Wed Mar 11, 2020 12:30 pm Each ray in Darkbolt can currently cause a critical hit. This means that there's a 5% chance for each of the (maximized) bolts to do 32 damage. I think this may be unintentional.
The chance is not 5%, because crit needs to be confirmed in order to crit.

Keep in mind that mages are supposed to have low AB. Now, touch attack bypasses armor AC, nat armor AC and shield AC, but on a high AC dexterity based target it will have hard time scoring a critical hit.

The only real problem here are those pesky +15 darts. If those are removed, the darkbolt shouldn't be a problem.
Another forum ban, here we go again.
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Re: New Spell: Darkbolt

Post by Kuma »

If there's a chance of missing with a spell there's also a chance of hitting better than expected. Seems sensible to me. This is also the case with gonnes and, I imagine, things like manticore spikes.

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Re: New Spell: Darkbolt

Post by Aren »

Kuma wrote: Thu Mar 12, 2020 9:52 am If there's a chance of missing with a spell there's also a chance of hitting better than expected. Seems sensible to me. This is also the case with gonnes and, I imagine, things like manticore spikes.
Can Disintegrate crit? Should it be able to?

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Re: New Spell: Darkbolt

Post by garrbear758 »

Exordius wrote: Thu Mar 12, 2020 2:15 am Btw, Darkbolt is not showing up on the cleric's spell list. My cleric just got access to lv 5 spells and its not there.
It shouldn't be showing up in the cleric spell list.
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Re: New Spell: Darkbolt

Post by Kuma »

Szaren wrote: Thu Mar 12, 2020 10:43 am
Kuma wrote: Thu Mar 12, 2020 9:52 am If there's a chance of missing with a spell there's also a chance of hitting better than expected. Seems sensible to me. This is also the case with gonnes and, I imagine, things like manticore spikes.
Can Disintegrate crit? Should it be able to?
not sure; would be dope

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Re: New Spell: Darkbolt

Post by Kuma »

garrbear758 wrote: Thu Mar 12, 2020 11:10 am
Exordius wrote: Thu Mar 12, 2020 2:15 am Btw, Darkbolt is not showing up on the cleric's spell list. My cleric just got access to lv 5 spells and its not there.
It shouldn't be showing up in the cleric spell list.
the version added to arelith is the divine version, but only applicable to sorc/wiz spellbooks

bizarre

EDIT: THERE ARE LIKE EIGHT VERSIONS OF THIS SPELL WITH THE SAME NAME AND DIFFERENT RULES AHAHAHAHAHAHAH I'M OUT OF THIS ONE BOYS

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Re: New Spell: Darkbolt

Post by Exordius »

If it says cleric then it should be in the cleric spellbook... It says cleric so what gives?
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Re: New Spell: Darkbolt

Post by Aren »

Exordius wrote: Thu Mar 12, 2020 4:56 pm If it says cleric then it should be in the cleric spellbook... It says cleric so what gives?
The spell description is copy pasted from a pnp source book I imagine. That’s why you see cleric with darkness domain in the spell description.

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Re: New Spell: Darkbolt

Post by BHR55 »

Ideally we would have a darkness domain for this to go into. It seems that won't happen currently so I will remove that so people don't get confused/get their hopes up(more).
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