Chronomancy attacks

[GryMor]

Are there any better mechanics for pushing someone out of the timestream (for eventual retrieval or until they fall back in, down stream) than a thaumaturgical attack with a duration tacked on? Intended experience is infinitesimal elapsed time experienced by the target(s) and the target(s) fading out existence as far as the intervening time is concerned (unless the spell in cancelled early).

[Tedronai]

If you're removing them for a significant amount of time, then what you're looking at is a taken out result.

[Haru]

A taken out result in a conflict could work. Other than that, manipulating time is straight up thaumaturgy, I can't really see a way around that. You could go for a block instead of an attack in the spell though (you are effectively blocking any action the person can do). Or a maneuver plus tag for effect. Would be way more elegant I think, and the target wouldn't be able to absorb any stress with consequences.

[Tedronai]

An invoke(or tag)-for-effect should never directly remove a character from a conflict.  That is the domain of the Taken Out result.  An invoke-for-effect might trigger a compel which limits the character's options sufficiently that their player chooses to Concede the conflict, but the path from the invoke to the Take-Out should not be direct.
(ie. no "here's a FP, I want you to Concede")

[GryMor]

If you're removing them for a significant amount of time, then what you're looking at is a taken out result.

Yes, but, would it be a straight up attack (ala the heart bursting spell with different trappings) or would additional mechanics need to come into play, such as thaumaturgy duration (sure you are implicitly choosing not to kill them, but they just plain aren't there for the duration of their taken out)?

Other than that, manipulating time is straight up thaumaturgy, I can't really see a way around that. You could go for a block instead of an attack in the spell though (you are effectively blocking any action the person can do)

Err, yes, obviously Thaumaturgy... I hadn't thought of the block implementation. That is actually quite a bit more amusing than a simple attack, though I'm not sure how that would end up working mechanically. Power for block level, power for duration (thaumaturgy duration or evocation duration?), power for area (runs into the no area all blocks rule, but maybe that isn't not too bad), and a note that the block is two way, nothing can do anything to them without breaking the block first. Perhaps putting discipline in as the resist skill?

Say for instance I put the spell as a landmine on my wards with the intent being to blink victims out for a day (or a month), beyond the ward strength, triggers and base power for the effect itself (either block strength or attack strength), what else is needed?

[crusher_bob]

Well, how much more would you charge to a killing ritual that also disappeared the body?  Maybe another 3 shifts, or so sounds appropriate.

Also, the effect may not work properly if the person you are disappearing is carrying an item of power.

[Tedronai]

Yes, but, would it be a straight up attack (ala the heart bursting spell with different trappings) or would additional mechanics need to come into play, such as thaumaturgy duration (sure you are implicitly choosing not to kill them, but they just plain aren't there for the duration of their taken out)?

Once you've managed a Taken-Out result, you can impose almost anything you want on your victim subject to a reasonableness test from your gaming group.  You would not need to devote any shifts to duration.

Perhaps putting discipline in as the resist skill?

Blocks are not resisted.  Blocks resist.
Anything that the block resists can break the block.

Say for instance I put the spell as a landmine on my wards with the intent being to blink victims out for a day (or a month), beyond the ward strength, triggers and base power for the effect itself (either block strength or attack strength), what else is needed?

A block will need duration.  An attack will need to be stronger (have more shifts dedicated to power) to achieve the desired result.

[GryMor]

Blocks are not resisted.  Blocks resist.
Anything that the block resists can break the block.

Never mind, I keep getting thrown by the damned Orbius example... which seems to be the only actual example of an offensive magical block?!? All the other things I recalled as blocks are actually maneuvers with their block like effects coming from compelling sticky aspects they generate *sigh*

Attack it is then, I suppose fewer people would resist it if the offered take out wasn't directly harmful, though toughness working against it is just plain weird.

[Tedronai]

Attack it is then, I suppose fewer people would resist it if the offered take out wasn't directly harmful, though toughness working against it is just plain weird.

Insofar as the DFRPG is a game of creative rationalization, obviously individuals with Toughness powers simply have more metaphysical mass, and are thus more difficult to displace.

[Orladdin]

Insofar as the DFRPG is a game of creative rationalization, obviously individuals with Toughness powers simply have more metaphysical mass, and are thus more difficult to displace.

One way to describe it, certainly.  I wouldn't require it to take toughness into account.  They aren't actually killing the target.  We're just going for a taken-out to rationalize the forced time-hop. 

You could simply say it goes against the Mental track, since time is simply a mental construct.  Voila: no more toughness nonsesne stopping time travel... just discuss with your table.

[Tedronai]

Mental stress doesn't really apply with any more logical consistency, either, though, since you're not trying to change the fundamental nature of the individual's mind, personality, behaviour, etc.

[GryMor]

Mental stress doesn't really apply with any more logical consistency, either, though, since you're not trying to change the fundamental nature of the individual's mind, personality, behaviour, etc.

On further consideration, targeting Conviction (as confidence and connection to the here and now) and consequences of the 'deja vu' and 'temporal mental dissonance' sort could work, with the taken out result being from not holding onto now and getting a very short trip into tomorrow.

[ImpishMortal]

To avoid too much complication, you could also consider making it a mental attack on the perception(s) of the target(s) getting hit with it; i.e. they can still act, but only at an extremely slow rate, or everything else recieves the benefits of having speed at least 2 steps higher.