EoM - Ranges and AoE

[phloog]

Quick question on Elements of Magic. I am 95% sure I understand it, but just in case.

A) I cast Illusion Light and create the illusion of a man. I spend nothing on range or area of effect. The man illusion sits in the 5' square in front of me doing his thang.

I then move away....does the illusion vanish, or does it stay in its original casting spot, or something else?

B) I cast the same spell but would like the man to walk away from me. I need to purchase AREA, correct? NOT Range? This one is odd because he still takes up the same area, but needs to move about. But my thinking is that range is about initial position of effect, and area about where it can roam/impact.

C) I have access to Move Force and apply it to this spell instead. How do I determine where I can move the illusion? Do I pick a range for Move Force and I can move it anywhere within range of me (which tends to go against my thinking on range = solely initial position)?

Or do I pick an area of effect and can move it within that? (but then can't I use Move Force on my Move Force to move that area?)

Or is it the simpler answer that 'with Move Force I can move it anywhere within sight?'

 

[RangerWickett]

Quick question on Elements of Magic. I am 95% sure I understand it, but just in case.

A) I cast Illusion Light and create the illusion of a man. I spend nothing on range or area of effect. The man illusion sits in the 5' square in front of me doing his thang.

I then move away....does the illusion vanish, or does it stay in its original casting spot, or something else?

Bear in mind, I wrote the rules years ago, and haven't used them for over 2 years, so I might be fuzzy. But I believe that when you cast it, you generally target it at a specific point in space. You could, however, target it on yourself, and have it move with you.

B) I cast the same spell but would like the man to walk away from me. I need to purchase AREA, correct? NOT Range? This one is odd because he still takes up the same area, but needs to move about. But my thinking is that range is about initial position of effect, and area about where it can roam/impact.

I don't recall. I'd probably do it something like, if you concentrate, you can move him anywhere within range. Otherwise, it follows set instructions within the area.

C) I have access to Move Force and apply it to this spell instead. How do I determine where I can move the illusion? Do I pick a range for Move Force and I can move it anywhere within range of me (which tends to go against my thinking on range = solely initial position)?

Or do I pick an area of effect and can move it within that? (but then can't I use Move Force on my Move Force to move that area?)

Or is it the simpler answer that 'with Move Force I can move it anywhere within sight?'

Uff da. I don't recall how all that worked. I think the Move Force thing was designed for moving evocations and such. For illusions, I don't think it's broken to allow more flexibility and just have it move as you direct it within range.

 

[phloog]

Thanks for the help - rustiness/fuzziness is no problem-I appreciate the attempt.

So I'll allow them to do their thing within the area of effect even if I'm flitting about, I'll allow them to move within the range IF a range was purchased, and I'll allow Illusions to move within range without application of Move Force.

An aside, and maybe too much prying here, but what ARE you playing now? Bog standard d20 magic? 4E?

 

[RangerWickett]

4e. Not particularly digging it for a lot of tiny reasons. It changed a lot of things well, and a few things badly. I think I'll probably end up moving to a different system long term, since I don't have so much time to tinker with my own rules anymore.

 

[phloog]

Thanks, I was just wondering - - my 4e experience was similar - now I'm trying to somehow cleverly shoehorn your EoM rules into a True20 campaign, since T20 managed to fix a lot of my 3e issues without introducing all of my 4e issues.

If you ever revisit EoM let me know - I'm playing a Mage in a 3.5 campaign and I am absolutely loving the rules...when I understand them