Searing Light

[Rakusia]

[MENTION=13404]Wish[/MENTION] if your doing all this to make a profit couldnt you just wish for vast sums of money?

 

[Pergentile]

I have no interest in showing you how for the following reasons:

1. It is a thought experiment, don't take it so seriously.
2. This would never enter into an actual D&D game so don't take it so seriously.
3. Nothing, but still, don't take it so seriously!

Whoa whoa WHOA! The INSTANT you start to say "Don't take x seriously" in a thread where intelligent individuals are obviously seriously discussing something, is the instant where you should STOP POSTING.

Edit: @ Rakusia: This is being done, not only as plot, but for a power so unquestionable and unfailing, that even gods look at you with worry at what you will become... oh , would building this thing make enemies of gods?

@ Deathstar: This is a very valid point. Now the project has gone from making reflectors in close orbit to doing such as well as making a focus lens closer to earth. At this point, it would all have to be connected together, but this point actually makes things a lot easier, as you would only need to focus each reflector onto the attached lens (no changing calculations). At that point, the only problem would be keeping it in orbit while being close enough to the planet not to have your "death beam" turned into a "slightly annoying heat beam" by solar winds/radiation/etc.

I think now that we are approaching the fourth page, that the OP needs to be edited to include what we have discussed.

First, the moon sized mass is not necessary, only the mirrors, focus lens, and connecting material (a latticework of titanium bars would do nicely).
Second, since the lens would focus all the gathered light energy into a straight beam, all you would need to do is move the construct above where you wanted to hit, then angle the entire thing as needed.
Third, we will assume, through shrinking and growing, that getting to the necessary speed will be plausible through the use of a single high level spell designed for the purpose of accelerating a small mass to ridiculous speeds.
Fourth, since the whole think can be made in outer orbit, pointing away from the earth, that no arch-mage will spot it and have his curiosity ruin our day.

The one thing that needs to be considered is moving the thing while in orbit. Simple nudges of gravity would do the job for rotation, but to get it in the right spot to hit where you want, I think a necessary skill check would have to be made along with the spell-casting. The spell casting is just the "hands molding the clay". There is still room for human error/unpredictable variables. There needs to be a critical fail chance.

I think the plan seems very sound. The original idea was a good base, but I think that this is the realistic conclusion. Also, a custom high powered spell for altering levels of light could add power to the thing by increasing the light at the focus point tenfold, theoretically meaning that the device would only have to be one tenth the size. I think keeping it from getting too big is a goal that should be considered.

With all these things considered, now we just have to choose the spells we need, and mention what ones would have to be made more powerful and mention in what order they would have to be done. Again, that is something that should go on the first page, before this thread gets big enough that people only read the first post before commenting.

 

[Dandu]

@Wish if your doing all this to make a profit couldnt you just wish for vast sums of money?

Practicality has no place in a discussion of supervillainy.

 

[JamesonCourage]

I have no interest in showing you how for the following reasons:

1. It is a thought experiment, don't take it so seriously.
2. This would never enter into an actual D&D game so don't take it so seriously.
3. Nothing, but still, don't take it so seriously!

1) Thought experiments are meant to flex mental ability. They're good mental exercise. By handwaving things, I'd argue you're effectively cheating.
2) Different people play with different things. While it wouldn't happen in my group, I can see this happening in someone's epic level story. And while it's not my cup of tea, play what you like and all that
3) Yeah, I don't like handwaving, otherwise, what's really the point of the discussion? The original post might just be a concept, but the discussion is about how it would work. That requires critical thinking at times, and handwaving actively works against that, convenient though it may well be at times.

Now that you've brought it up, it should be possible to de-orbit a moon in DnD. The first thing that comes to mind is to use some sort of mass driver to hurl a really massive piece of rock off in the opposite direction of the desired movement. Perhaps a Hulking Hurler build, then.

I think that'd be easier, honestly. And probably very, very deadly.

I see what you're getting at, but mechanically psionics and arcane magic are identical. If you want to argue this from a mechancial point of view, there's no distinction between psionics and magic as to how they warp reality outside of the fluff.

True, which is why I admitted almost immediately afterward that I know that psionics gets suppressed in an AMF.

So... truenaming?

 

[kitcik]

Once again, the Black Mage waves his mighty wand of pot stirring.

 

[Alexander123]

Whoa whoa WHOA! The INSTANT you start to say "Don't take x seriously" in a thread where intelligent individuals are obviously seriously discussing something, is the instant where you should STOP POSTING.

Don't tell me when to stop posting.

Yes, this is a very serious discussion, what could be more serious than a giant laser on the moon in a D&D game? (sarcasm)

 

[Rakusia]

this thread is more serious than a clowns heartattack

 

[Pergentile]

Don't tell me when to stop posting.

Yes, this is a very serious discussion, what could be more serious than a giant laser on the moon in a D&D game? (sarcasm)

I didn't tell you to stop. I told you, "if you do x, you SHOULD stop". No need to get defensive just because I made a simple statement of fact. Considering the level of debate everyone is putting into this thread (except you of course), to say its not serious is to insult it, and everyone discussing it. A discussion is as serious as the people discussing it. The topic itself is irrelevant. Not to mention, I personally think the mechanical and theoretical possibility of a satellite based weapon is serious in the real world, so why not in a complex game that we all like enough to post on forums like these? Again, I think you should stop posting, before you make yourself look like even more of an ***.

Also: I justify this off topic response by saying yours is also off topic, and was first.

 

[kitcik]

I didn't tell you to stop. I told you, "if you do x, you SHOULD stop". No need to get defensive just because I made a simple statement of fact. Considering the level of debate everyone is putting into this thread (except you of course), to say its not serious is to insult it, and everyone discussing it. A discussion is as serious as the people discussing it. The topic itself is irrelevant. Not to mention, I personally think the mechanical and theoretical possibility of a satellite based weapon is serious in the real world, so why not in a complex game that we all like enough to post on forums like these? Again, I think you should stop posting, before you make yourself look like even more of an ***.

Also: I justify this off topic response by saying yours is also off topic, and was first.

TROLL

Can you regenerate from laser damage?

 

[Rakusia]

idk depends. also you would need somekind of shielding system in place to protect the structure from asteroids.

i want a frickin "laser" on the frickin moon.