Damage Over Time Spells

A New Class of Spells

In addition to the standard Direct Damage (DD) Spells (such as Fireball and Ice Sphere which do a certain amount random damage when they are sucessfully cast), in the Adarian Campaign we have introduced a new type of damage spells which work in a slightly different manner. These Damage Over Time Spells (DOTs) do a set amount of damage over a longer period of time than the normal DD spells. DOTs are slower working but are more mana efficient as they do more damage for less mana over a longer period of time than would a standard DD spell.

Over the course of 30 second all DOT spells do 3 points of damage when the spell is cast with an additional 3 points of damage done every 3rd second for 30 seconds. So total damage would be 30 points of damage.

That is a long time and you may ask what is a caster to do while the subject is slowly taking damage from a DOT. There are a number of effective tactics a DOT caster may employ.

Root N DOT: Cast Total Paralysis or Rooted Feet on the subject and then DOT...

Kiting: Cast Paaralze Limb, Hinder or Sickness on target and or Haste on the DOT caster, then cast DOT and run ahead of the target staing out of reach.

Meat Shield Defense: Keep an allied heavy armed or skilled warrior between your DOT victim and yourself.

Bindmans Bluff: DOT the subject and cast Invisibility on yourself and hide...

Other tactics and uses....cast a DOT on someone in a Pit Trap, or on the other side of a bridge, wall or tied up (sadistic interrogater perhaps?), etc.

And if all else fails and the DOTed foe is attacking the caster, the caster can go on All Out Defense and hope his DOTed foe drops before the foe can hurt the caster.

So basically DOTs allow casters to have a few more options and they are able be a little more flexible using DOTs than just the standard DDs. And yes the DOTed subject may cast healing on himself or drink a potion of healing to stick around and try to keep positive Health and his revenge (he better do something to counter the DOT since very few foes have 30 positive hit points)...but while the foe is doing any or all of those things to heal himself, he is using up time and energy or resorces and is not able to flee, fight or pursue the caster during that time, while the caster is still able to act...

So have you thought up or imagined how interesting a DOT caster could be? Just consider the possibilities and I think you will see the advantages of adding DOTs to your GURPS game.

COMMON DOT TRAITS:

Lets Caster throw a ball of Cold(Blue), Disease(Yellow), Fire(Red), Magic(Purple), Posion(Green) or Vampiric(Black) DOT* (depending upon which paritculiar spell is being cast) from his hand. When the colored ball strikes something, it vanishes in a flash of light and puff of smoke. For the duration of the DOTs effect the subject is surrounded by a slight shimmering glow of the particuliar color of the DOT.

SS 13, Acc+2, 1/2D N/A, Max 50.

Duration: 30 seconds

Cost: 3 points. Double cost for area effect of the target hex and the six surrounding hexes.

Time to Cast: 1 Second.

Prerequisite: See individual spells below.

Item: Staff or Wand Energy to Create: 800 must include a gemstone of approaite color worth at least $1,000. Usable only by a mage.

Currently there are 6 commonly known DOTs spells (more could be added) each doing a particuliar type of damage and some having additional effects as noted below:

Frost Bite DOT - Cold Based (Blue)

Prerequisite: Magery 3, Create Water, Shape Water, Delay

Hell Fire DOT - Fire Based (Red)

Prerequisite: Magery 3, Create Fire, Shape Fire, Delay

Mage Bane DOT - Magic Based (Purple)

Prerequisite: Magery 3, IQ 15+, Delay, at least 25 other spells.

Plague DOT - Disease Based (Yellow)

Prerequisite: Magery 3, Steal Heath, Decay
-2 on all skills and spells for duration of spell.

Vampire DOT - Negative Magic Based (Black)

Prerequisite: Magery 3, Steal Youth, Delay
In addition to the normal damage effects, the caster gains 1 hit point for every 3 points of damage done to the target. This does not raise the casters Health or Hit Points above normal, but it does replace damage. If cast as an area effect spell upon mutiple targets maximum caster can recieve is 3 hit points per turn.

Vemon DOT - Poison Based (Green)

Prerequisite: Magery 3, Posion Food, Decay, Delay
-2 on all skills and spells for duration of spell.

Additional Notes:

Different DOTs are stackable so it is possible to cast both a Vemon DOT and a Plague DOT on the same subject with both having normal effects.

Please note that if the same DOT is cast upon the same subject again before the first DOTs full duration is comepleted, the second DOT overwrites the first DOT, doing no additional damage per turnbut instead extending the duration of the effects for 30 seconds from the turn at which the spell was cast.

EXAMPLE: A mage casts Hell Fire DOT and due to being stunned and dazed he casts another Hell Fire DOT on the same target 10 seconds after the first Hell Fire's effects started. The target had taken 12 points of damage by turn 9. On turn 10 the second Hell Fire goes off, on turn 12 effectively the Second Hell Fire takes over and for 30 additional seconds the Hell Fire will continue doing 3 points of damage every 3rd Second. So total damage would be 45 points.



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