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Message: <blockquote data-quote="swrushing" data-source="post: 1667451" data-attributes="member: 14140"></blockquote>With DND you can simply describe the spell efects to be whatever you like. There is no "build" like in HERo, so pretty much just jot down what you want, put in the relevent specs and go from there. Off hand, i would say close range or medium, duration in hours, probably VSM, the target held "helpless" while the spell is in effect and the caster can leave him at slow spin or he can speed him up. I would let the damage be con damage as thats relatively constant compared to HP. Give the victim a save or not depending on how high a level you want the spell to be. But a lethal spell on a failed save is probably 7th or better.This is where you probably would get into trouble.OK see, now you are talking realistic effects.Most people will be killed by a few run throughs by   a sword.Most people would be incinerated, or at least incapacitated and blinded, by a fiery dragons breath.Most people would be crushed by a giant's rock.Most people would not be able to do most of what epic fantasy heroes do and what the DND system allows.The sap already exists in DND. it like the other weapons has a designed and consistent effect.If in your module you change how the sap works, giving it quick Ko options that get around hit points that it did not otherwise have, you change "the way normal things work" for your module and that will cause problems. Its perfectly fine to have a strange new magic feidl do all sorts of wondrous things or a new monster with bizarre new features as these represent "unusual things" but not to change the basic normal everyday things.So, no more than a quick hit with a longsword is dangerous to a 10th or even 3rd level fighter (it has to work thru a lot of hit points), a few quick hits from a sap wont be either.Now, some exceptions would be to have the footpads be rogues, so their sneak attack might get the sap damage up to knockout level, but unless you give them a lot of levels (more than the notion of simple footpads, perhaps), that wont happen reliably, in DND. The combat system is specifically designed to not allow "realistic quick drops" of heroes.After all, whats to stop the 10th level rogue from slipping in with his +2 sap and KOing the giant, the lich, the troll-king or (if he has multiple attacks and is very fast) the hydra![/QUOTE]

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