The Dresden Files > DFRPG
Need advice on a fire-based defense
Sir lerks-a-lot:
--- Quote from: paul_Harkonen on May 08, 2010, 05:32:37 PM ---I want to point out that Crusher_Bob's math illustrates how little danger you're actually in from this type of heat. Bullets have a fair bit of energy yes, but compared to the amount of energy it takes to heat up air (or water) it's a drop in the bucket. Course, if your shield is just trying to convert kinetic energy to heat, fire based attacks are a danger. But, you're a pyromancer, they shoot fire at you it shouldn't be that hard for you to think of ways to move that heat around to protect yourself.
--- End quote ---
True, but notice how I used the plural on weapons? Multiple automatics are going to be trouble. And what about the wall of kinetic force in an explosion? Or if the monsters start chucking more substantial things at you, like cinder blocks? And if your maintaining the shield, can you split your attention enough to convert the heat into offense? I'm not saying it's not an effective, if limited, defense, I'm just saying that there are probably other, more effectual and efficient, tools in your kit that would be better at stopping attacks than fire magic.
Victim:
--- Quote from: Sir lerks-a-lot on May 08, 2010, 05:47:41 PM ---I'm not saying it's not an effective, if limited, defense, I'm just saying that there are probably other, more effectual and efficient, tools in your kit that would be better at stopping attacks than fire magic.
--- End quote ---
Not really. Designing a character to use the same element for attack and defense is vastly more effective than using two elements, since your specializations can apply both ways. And if you can't apply specializations, then you can't have other types of magic.
Conversely, fire magic doesn't really have too many offensive advantages over other elements, so there's no special reason why it should be disadvantaged defensively.
Cajun Guy:
How about using it as armor or a block self based? Sort of you burst into flames like the human torch and the bullets whatever melt or are destroyed?
Sir lerks-a-lot:
--- Quote from: Victim on May 08, 2010, 08:50:03 PM ---Not really. Designing a character to use the same element for attack and defense is vastly more effective than using two elements, since your specializations can apply both ways. And if you can't apply specializations, then you can't have other types of magic.
Conversely, fire magic doesn't really have too many offensive advantages over other elements, so there's no special reason why it should be disadvantaged defensively.
--- End quote ---
Not within the game rules maybe, but within the fictional world it does. That's what I mean, the things we're talking about, messing with probability, transferring kinetic energy into heat on the fly, maintaining fire hot enough to not only melt metal but dematerialize it, ect., are all incredibly taxing uses of magic where as compared to summoning a wall of spirit/force, or using physical material to intercept or deflect attacks (earth, water, air). Conversely fire is always dangerous to human flesh, whereas the other elements are only dangerous in certain situations.
But here's an idea, rather than converting the kinetic energy in the projectile to heat in the air, why not just convert it to heat in the projectile? That way your only changing the type of energy, not it's location, so the magic is less complicated. Of course if the monster throws a propane tank at you, that could be bad.
surarrin:
>_> Magical Riposte
1. Shield goes up.
2. People shoot at you.
3. Heat level reaches a threshold.
4. Use accumulated heat energy to fire lasers. ( or alternatively, use the heat to make a haze and help avoid more bullets. I like the lasers more!)
5. ? ? ? ?
6. Profit!
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