Gamma World question

[Robtheman]

In Gamma World you can play a swarm of eels named Landeel Kalrisian that holds a shield in one Eeel and a length of downed electric power line for it's Electrokinetic attacks.

Landeel have/has all the weaknesses of a swarm in 4e. "They" take 5 extra from close blast and burst attacks. "They" take half damage from melee and ranged attacks.

So what happens if Landeel ends their turn in an aura? Is aura damage blast, burst, ranged, melee or something different? Would it be normal damage, halved or increased by 5?

<added edit>

I must give credit for the Kalrisian portion to a friend at the table. I came up with Landeel but he sparked the connection.

 

[I'm A Banana]

On the fly, I'd rule that aura = "burst with originating point on the creature."

So they'd take extra.

That's my common sense ruling, but the rules don't always follow common sense.

 

[bloody_crescent]

An aura is not a burst, an area attack, a melee attack, or a ranged attack. It should have just its normal effect.

 

[nookiemonster]

I don't have the Gamma World rules, but does it explicitly state that if your character is a swarm, you obey the Swarm rules from 4e? On Games Day, there were at least two characters which were Swarms (one of birds IIRC) and they were simply treated as the same as other characters, the "swarm" origin was only an origin, it didn't mean you were a "swarm" like a swarm monster is.

Landeel Kalrissian, classic.

 

[Robtheman]

The rule book does specify that if you have the swarm primary origin you take -5 from melee and ranged, and +5 from burst and blast.

 

[RigaMortus2]

The rule book does specify that if you have the swarm primary origin you take -5 from melee and ranged, and +5 from burst and blast.

Well, it appears that Aura doesn't fall into any of those categories, so I would rule it does its normal damage (no +/-).

 

[Camelot]

I agree with Bloody and Riga; normal damage. An aura is not a blast or burst attack, but a constant presence. It's also neither a melee or ranged attack. RAW, it makes most sense to not change the damage. You of course may change this if it breaks your suspension of disbelief.

 

[Tony Vargas]

Yep an Aura is neither melee/ranged nor area/close (though it's verymuch like a close burst, conceptually).

As an aside, on Game Day, I ruled that a rat swarm melee attacking a bloodbird flock with it's 'Swarm!' novice power did normal damage, and that, likewise, the flock did normal damage to the swarm with it's flock 'o beaks attack. Made sense at the time.

 

[Robtheman]

Thanks to all of you for the responses.

@ Camelot: I think the consensus makes the most sense visually and mechanically. A swarm is a bunch of tiny stuff that can be damaged by burst and blast because it smacks them around or messes with their internals or whatever. The melee and ranged attacks have a hard time targeting. An aura on the other hand just effects the area a constant rate. It would effect any given object the same, regardless of it's size.

That is pretty much where we ended things at the table but since it was 4 GMs discussing it, and none of us had ever seen it in print, I'm glad we double checked with the community.

Hope you all get to play Gamma World soon. It really is a lot of fun.