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The Dresden Files => DFRPG => Topic started by: Vars on March 22, 2011, 12:41:11 AM
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As a continuation of the previous threads I'm starting the third in a series of 6 brainstorming sessions! As on the previous threads please do not debate the legality of a spell, I'm only looking for thematic uses that I haven't come up with myself. Please attempt to not repeat the same thing over and over again, yes a hurricane is great and powerful but I don't want the same thing for every entry.
Air magic is one of the more subtle but one of the strongest elements. Whether the air is wearing down a mountain one grain at a time or whether its a tornado destroying some poor trailer park in Kansas air magic is always a force to be respected. This also happens to be one of the elements that I have the most trouble with. Thanks for all the help you guys have already given myself and other wizards in coming up with neat, interesting ways to describe the use of our magic.
1. What is a non-combat interesting way to use air magic?
2. What is a single target interesting way to use air magic?
3. What is an area of effect interesting way to use air magic?
4. What is an interesting way to block using air magic?
5. What would be an interesting way to impede someones movement with air magic?
6.Can you think of anything else that would fit the Dresdenverse and be really neat in a game for air magic?
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1. What is a non-combat interesting way to use spirit magic?
Silence effects as sound travels by air
2. What is a single target interesting way to use spirit magic?
Vortex Cannon (like a stun gun), Vacume Air Blade, Tempest Shredder (grating wind)
3. What is an area of effect interesting way to use spirit magic?
Vacume field (suck the air out of an area)
4. What is an interesting way to block using spirit magic?
Tornado Block (spinning Currents)
5. What would be an interesting way to impede someones movement with sprit magic?
Increasing the air pressure in an area so people are having to push through twice their body weight in air
6.Can you think of anything else that would fit the Dresdenverse and be really neat in a game for spirit magic?
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1. What is a non-combat interesting way to use air magic?
The one that most easily springs to mind is....flight! I also think that a neat trick would be long range communication, like whisper into a breeze and have it taken across a battlefield to your friends or allies. Creation of air could be neat for surviving underwater or in space, though I'm not really sure why you would be in space... Slow fall would be a neat non-combat effect for wind.
2. What is a single target interesting way to use air magic?
I have a couple of different ideas on single targeting with air. The first is to expand the air in a targets lungs until they burst, another would be a directed lightning bolt (though this could concievably go to other targets). Another single target use would be shoves with wind similar to what Harry did that one time in the elevator. Wind Funnels could be used to strip a target of usable oxygen, and pass him out as well. There are two more ideas I can think of for single target attacks, one is cutting them with wind, like a wind sword or knife. The other is molecular friction, you vibrate the air molecules around them so fast that they burn/catch on fire.
3. What is an area of effect interesting way to use air magic?
The one that immediatly springs to mind is a tornado, the downside to this is that after magic is called it behaves like normal stuff so how do you stop it once it starts. Another area attack would be a chained lightning strike. A vortex to suck everyone up into the air and let gravity take over could be fun as well.
4. What is an interesting way to block using air magic?
I have been thinking about ways to redirect attacks as opposed to straight out blocking. A air pressure wall would be a straight block, but what I was thinking about would be more like a wind tunnel with the air moving so fast that it would push the object conjured back at the attacker, this only works for things with a mass though.
5. What would be an interesting way to impede someones movement with air magic?
The obvious idea to me is a sustained gale, so much wind pushing on them that they couldn't move. Another would be to slow down the molecules around them so much that it would be like wading through water.
6.Can you think of anything else that would fit the Dresdenverse and be really neat in a game for air magic?
I'm not sure if this would be only an air option, but I think it works best for air. Sonic booms, if you do these it could not only impair the target and injure them, it would also be like a car alarm alerting others.
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I love these threads, but I have one nitpicky thing to say about the first post: I don't think a hurricane has ever, in recorded history, hit anything in Kansas.
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1. What is a non-combat interesting way to use spirit magic?
Using two cross breezes to steady yourself on a narrow ledge/balance beam/other precarious position.
2. What is a single target interesting way to use spirit magic?
Dust in the eyes at 50mph!!
3. What is an area of effect interesting way to use spirit magic?
Severe downdrafts keeping people pinned to the ground.
4. What is an interesting way to block using spirit magic?
Grab something nearby to telekinetically intercept.
5. What would be an interesting way to impede someones movement with sprit magic?
Produce an updraft under them that keeps them juggled in one spot.
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I love these threads, but I have one nitpicky thing to say about the first post: I don't think a hurricane has ever, in recorded history, hit anything in Kansas.
Well, we're not in Kansas anymore. (sorry, just always wanted to say that ;D )
1. What is a non-combat interesting way to use air magic?
- Bridging a gap either by supercharging an athletics roll to jump or creating an actual bridge out of hardened air.
- Aiding an investigation roll by having a sort of selective wind that sorts things out of a clutter.
- Cutting of or increasing oxygen flow to a fire.
- Gasmasks/Scubagear.
2. What is a single target interesting way to use air magic?
- A tornado grappling an opponent is a great way to take him out of combat.
- Zapping someone with lightning will also work.
3. What is an area of effect interesting way to use air magic?
I see air as generally more or an area element, due to it's nature, so I would probably use most spells on at least one zone, if they are not specifically designed to act against one target. So instead of a gust of wind on one target, it hits an entire zone, instead of one lightning: lighning storm, and so forth.
4. What is an interesting way to block using air magic?
- Anything other than "Strong headwinds" kind of spells? I got nothing
5. What would be an interesting way to impede someones movement with air magic?
- Same here
6.Can you think of anything else that would fit the Dresdenverse and be really neat in a game for air magic?
- How about some sort of cyclone in a bottle potion effect?
I have to admit, I find air to be the most boring of the 5 traditional elements to use, but that might be just me.
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I had a character that was a wind specialist. He used a sword that and was very quick.
1) What is a non-combat interesting way to use spirit magic?
Jump is what I mostly used. Need to get up 20 flights of steps quick air lifting spell helped me bound up those stairs. I also used the old throw a rock to distract trick, but with air.
2) What is a single target interesting way to use spirit magic?
Push, its simple put effective, can be used to one on one or group. Most of the spells I used would be to speed my guy up to swing his sword a little faster.
3) What is an area of effect interesting way to use spirit magic?
lift, The books go over falling sucks… bad. A air lift everyone thing 20 feet and let it fall would hurt… a lot. Of course there is the who spiny little tornado filled with shrapnel. Due to the force of air you could also mimic a lot of explosive. Small gun explosive to throw a hand full of bird shot 100 feet, to something more like a grenade that throws shrapnel out in ever direction.
4) What is an interesting way to block using spirit magic?
Air sense – character was able to feel the subtle vibration in the air to understand how things would be coming at him. Was also used as a block(+dodge bonus)
5) What would be an interesting way to impede someones movement with sprit magic?
Float, for pure physical damage people this would put them out of combat for as long as the spell last.
6) Can you think of anything else that would fit the Dresdenverse and be really neat in a game for spirit magic?
Most of what I have above is the Pure Air element. You could take air magic to mean anything in the air. Talk with birds, lighting, thunder, sonic booms, cold temps, hot temps, super heated air would suck, Far seeing, far hearing, etc…
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lol! OMG I thought of that after I had posted it but was hoping noone would notice. I guess we can amend it to say " hurricane in Florida and tornado in Kansas" :D Sorry, guess I'm no weatherman!... and before you find my other mistakes I corrected them lol! (except you guys copy and pasted them and I can't get to those *doh*)
Going off what a couple of you posted do you guys think that an old D & D spell "haste" would belong in the wind category? Speed someone up so that they could preform more actions in a given turn etc? Also, would just a straight speed upgrade go into this seciton as well?
Also I get that holds and blocks are kind of hard without just saying "I shoo it away with wind!" or "I pin him down with wind!" but that is the purpose of the threads. What about that poor wizard that only has air evocation? We're helping everyone out so just keep pluggin away with the ideas, so far they are great!
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Since people are having issues with blocks I thought I'd concentrate on that.
For offensive blocks someone mentioned it before. Hardened air would be able to hold someone. There's a fairly common martial arts move where you clap your hands on someone's ears to disorient them. One could easily create a similar effect with bursts of air pressure. One could make large sonic blasts as a block to someone's hearing, or more easily one could simply prevent the sounds from reaching someone (rather than deafening them with sound). If one has a fine control of the lightning aspect one could disable neural impulses or just taze them for a similar effect. One could draw oxygen away from someone to make them light headed or black out. The book talks about using air for fine manipulation, like picking locks, one could foul machines (like guns) and temporarily or permanently damage them. Sandstorms to block sight and make action difficult.
Defensive blocks now. Hardened air works again, or simply a strong wind to parry attacks. One could have a really flashy shield by setting up a field in front of them that invokes lightning whenever something metallic breaks it, vaporizing the metal. Fog or smoke to block sight. Bursts of pressure (negative or positive) to cause attacks to veer off. Air is movement based, perhaps one could have a defensive block based on super speed (I know that's an actual power, but meh). Sound veils.
I can't think of much more. Hopefully that helps.
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One could have a really flashy shield by setting up a field in front of them that invokes lightning whenever something metallic breaks it, vaporizing the metal.
Wat?
The lightning shield makes sense to me but vaporize metal? That implies that the metal got so hot that it not only liquefied instantly but then turned into a vapor. The heat generated from such a reaction would be... AWESOME!
No seriously though I don't think metal vaporizes in any kind of survivable environment.
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Wat?
The lightning shield makes sense to me but vaporize metal? That implies that the metal got so hot that it not only liquefied instantly but then turned into a vapor. The heat generated from such a reaction would be... AWESOME!
No seriously though I don't think metal vaporizes in any kind of survivable environment.
Mercury does.
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Mercury does.
A sword made of mercury? I'm not sure if this is completely ridiculous/useless or awesome.
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YES
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A sword made of mercury? I'm not sure if this is completely ridiculous/useless or awesome.
"Come over here and let me take your temperature!"
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Back to the topic at hand though...
1. What is a non-combat interesting way to use air magic?
Race car drivers drive behind opponents regularly to take advantage of wind tunnels, I assume you could create one for yourself to go faster in situations.
2. What is a single target interesting way to use air magic?
Ya know we all have oxygen in our blood... This can be used to as gorey or as subtle as you wish. You can literally kill a person by taking a syringe full of air and applying it to the right artery. You could silently kill someone quite easily I suppose with air magic.
3. What is an area of effect interesting way to use air magic?
Tornadoes have been known to put straw through telephone poles. Bring a bale of hay and throw it in the air at 300MPH, Imagine the body afterwards riddled with....straw...
4. What is an interesting way to block using air magic?
Once again oxygen in blood, or an invisible shield of compressed air so it'd be like striking though molasses.
5. What would be an interesting way to impede someones movement with air magic?
A perfect vacuum wall? Vacuums have considerable sucking power as well. Also fog or blowing a cloud down to ground level.
6.Can you think of anything else that would fit the Dresdenverse and be really neat in a game for air magic?
A pinwheel enchanted item.
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Wat?
The lightning shield makes sense to me but vaporize metal? That implies that the metal got so hot that it not only liquefied instantly but then turned into a vapor. The heat generated from such a reaction would be... AWESOME!
No seriously though I don't think metal vaporizes in any kind of survivable environment.
I couldn't think of any other way in which lightning would actually disable attacks. It might discourage someone from melee attacking you (if they are worried about stuff like lightning). And yes I'm aware that it would have to reach ridiculous temperatures to vaporize attacks, but it's magic.
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Note: None of my plans include Exploding anyones ANYTHING, If I want to use air magic to kill, i ZAP them with lightning. This is a thread about Creative uses of air.
1. What is a non-combat interesting way to use air magic?
Using a smoke bomb (those cheap, stinky ones from fire works in the grocery store) and controling air masses and currents to make floating objects (rings, boxes, puppets) in the air. More smoke bombs, more colors!!
2. What is a single target interesting way to use air magic?
Alter the O2 level in the Air around them, have them pass out from hypoxia, in a totaly normal space. Of course, you must let it up before they die... first law.
3. What is an area of effect interesting way to use air magic?
Vibrate the air in ultralow frequencies, creating the infrasonics and the fear effects that they induce.
4. What is an interesting way to block using air magic?
A dome vortex, any projectiles trying to come through would be spun off target. Likewise, if you invest the dome with a drop of your blood, it can draw a perfect circle for you very fast, with your essence, and you can seal that to protect with a circle.
5. What would be an interesting way to impede someones movement with air magic?
Single Person: wrap their feet in a field, that is mated with the ground, allowing no air to rush in when they lift their foot. Their feet are trapped by the power of the vacuum. SCIENCE!!
Crowds: Crate a Disk/field/dome of Air in which you Sort the air molecules, Hydrogen on the Outside followed by Oxygen, Behind that, use the remaining less explosive elements to create a barrier, to shape the eventual blast, when someone tries to break the wall with fire magic, or gunfire. (ok, this one is kinda explosive)
6.Can you think of anything else that would fit the Dresdenverse and be really neat in a game for air magic?
Using the link of similarity magic, create a poppet of your self, and put is somewhere safe that you control. They you can use what measures, either pepper spray, hard vacuum, flooding an area with CO2 or whatever, knowing that YOU are drawing your breath from the safe space where your poppet is located.
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3. What is an area of effect interesting way to use air magic?
Vibrate the air in ultralow frequencies, creating the infrasonics and the fear effects that they induce.
This is an awesome idea, and potentially a way to use magic in social combat.
4. What is an interesting way to block using air magic?
A dome vortex, any projectiles trying to come through would be spun off target. Likewise, if you invest the dome with a drop of your blood, it can draw a perfect circle for you very fast, with your essence, and you can seal that to protect with a circle.
I could swear that there's something somewhere about not being able to use magic (in this case the air evocation) to help you perform magic (like the thaumaturgic creation of a circle) because they interfere with each other, but at this point I couldn't care less because this sounds awesome. I'm getting some pretty amazing ideas now for a brutal air/spirit/water warden.
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1. What is a non-combat interesting way to use air magic?
Create various kinds of gasses. Laughing gas, hypnotic gas, gas that incites rage, etc.
2. What is a single target interesting way to use air magic?
Disperse the kinetic energy of a single projectile using the "movement" factor of air magic.
3. What is an area of effect interesting way to use air magic?
An oxidation field. I don't really know what this would do, though. Metal would rust, but what would happen to other objects? And would a field with an hyper enhanced rate of oxidation be lethal to humans or any organic life?
Also, thinning the air so that it becomes hard to breathe. Targets faint, and you can set about dealing with them as you please. 'Course, this assumes that your target needs to breathe to begin with.
4. What is an interesting way to block using air magic?
A series of hard air plates or blocks that are angled so that deflect attacks instead of taking them head on. Alternatively, using the "movement" factor of air magic, create a shield that alters the path of objects so they miss you. Kinetic redirection.
5. What would be an interesting way to impede someones movement with air magic?
Make the air really thick, so its like moving in water or a block of soft clay.
Or release a number of balls that are compressed air. When someone touches it, the ball burst knocking back the person. No real damage dealt though.
6.Can you think of anything else that would fit the Dresdenverse and be really neat in a game for air magic?
EDIT: I'm becoming fascinated with the idea of giving air solid properties. Like the thick air idea. Or set up a number of invisible hard air spikes in an area. Or a globe of clay-like air. Watery air, sticky snot-like air, chewy rubbery air, etc.
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3. What is an area of effect interesting way to use air magic?
An oxidation field. I don't really know what this would do, though. Metal would rust, but what would happen to other objects? And would a field with an hyper enhanced rate of oxidation be lethal to humans or any organic life?
Fire being a common example of particularly rapid oxidation...this could end badly.
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Use air magic to make FOOF (http://pipeline.corante.com/archives/2010/02/23/things_i_wont_work_with_dioxygen_difluoride.php), put FOOF into dust devil, send far far away, watch fireworks.
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Use air magic to make FOOF (http://pipeline.corante.com/archives/2010/02/23/things_i_wont_work_with_dioxygen_difluoride.php), put FOOF into dust devil, send far far away, watch fireworks.
You're crazy, as soon as it was created it'd probly explode or break down, it CAN explode at disgustingly low sub zero temperatures... Room temperature it might just break down but if it exploded... HAHAHAHAHA.
I mean it can put out around 1200 BTUs which is about comparable to a space heater. But thats per FOOF. So if you created even just a single raindrop of it you're talking sand to glass temperatures.
So considering that evocation has to be within eyesight of whatever you're doing... I hope you have physical immunity to heat.
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You're crazy, as soon as it was created it'd probly explode or break down, it CAN explode at disgustingly low sub zero temperatures... Room temperature it might just break down but if it exploded... HAHAHAHAHA.
I mean it can put out around 1200 BTUs which is about comparable to a space heater. But thats per FOOF. So if you created even just a single raindrop of it you're talking sand to glass temperatures.
So considering that evocation has to be within eyesight of whatever you're doing... I hope you have physical immunity to heat.
Actually, if you combine this concept with the "Control the random motion of air molecules in a gaseous state" idea that someone suggested to knock out targets, FOOF can only react if it has OTHER reactants, otherwise it just breaks down. So, use the air control to create a hard vacuum, and add in a jot of Fire elemental control, to draw away enough heat to keep it below 168º and you should be ok... Possibly use the energy from the stolen heat, to to power the hard vacuum spell. Ooooooo, this would be an AMAZING booby trap.
A ceremonial circle, with delicately balanced items contained their in, part of the structure of the spell. In the center of the circle, a 10 oz of FOOF, levitated inside the super cold hard vacuum... over a block of ice. If anyone breaks any of the spell trip lines you lay out, then the spell is broken, canceling the vacuum and dropping it on the ice... BOOM!!!
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For those of you without much chemistry background, the stuff is about as reactive as anti-matter, coming into contact with just about anything will make it explode, and it does so at even very low temperatures, which normally inhibit other sorts of explosives from going off. Thankfully, the 433 kcal reaction (4 O2F2 + H2S -> 2 HF + 4 O2 + SF6) listed in the article seems to be per mol and not per 5 molecules. That makes the reaction something like 5-6 times as explosive as TNT, but not comparable to spitting the atom.
Also, the HF given off by the reaction is also toxic and corrosive, so the fun doesn't end with your massive explosion either.
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3. What is an area of effect interesting way to use air magic?
Vibrate the air in ultralow frequencies, creating the infrasonics and the fear effects that they induce.
That`s a great idea. Unfortunately when I saw this my mind went right to The Brown Note ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_note (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_note)).
Perfectly valid for a maneuver though:)
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... I have to admit, this "fear Sound" idea was "inspired" by a Fan Fic... Worse yet a CROSSOVER Fan Fic. It is on the Fanfic.net website called Higher Steaks, and is Dresden/BtVS fic. Molly used this trick in supporting Dresden, Carlos, and Buffy vs. the creations of a Bio-Shaper Worlock.
Don't Hate Me...
I am weak, and in need of a Dresden fix.
However, I can recomend several of the ideas I have seen in fic's on that site including:
One-Man-Rave: Light and sound enough to incapacitate centered around one person (one of molly's combat spells)
Using air to enhance her voice to Ultra and Infra sonic ranges.
More recently, she has been masquerading as Hairy in another story, to keep him "alive" in the council's eyes and prevent the Doom of Damocles being dropped on her now master-less head. Illusion is one of her strengths in that story.
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That`s a great idea. Unfortunately when I saw this my mind went right to The Brown Note
Everyone needs a good bowel disruptor. Who says you can't inflict social stress with magic without breaking the Laws?
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Everyone needs a good bowel disruptor. Who says you can't inflict social stress with magic without breaking the Laws?
Player: But thats ridiculous!
Me: I don't care. now roll not to crap your pants.
This will go over real well. I can't wait to use it.
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social stress + 10
you die from embarrassment
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Thank you for the post about FOOF,
Its been a while since I laughed that hard about chemistry.