I would like to begin by saying "Your table, your rules."

However, since you're asking for advice, here is mine. There are rules for attacking specific targets within a zone on page 251. In brief, you split up the Power and Control of the spell, so there is at least one shift of both for each target. I bring this up because if you're in a zone where a zone-wide attack is taking place, you're going to get hit.

Also, in your example, you said that the two groups are "several meters" apart. That sounds like two separate zones to me. Remember, "A zone is
an abstract region of the space the conflict takes place in, loosely defined as an area in which two characters are close enough to interact directly (which is a nice way of saying “can talk to or punch each other in the face”)," page 197, Framing the Scene.

I personally would find it hard to either talk to or punch someone who is several meters away.

Another thing you could do is use mooks. If they're not all that important to the conflict, have two or three "individuals" be one stat-block. That way, One well-placed attack can take care of them all without having to worry about petty things like splash damage :p

Again, these are all my opinions. Take them with the proverbial grain of salt  ^_^

-EF

The Custom Powers thread has several community-vetted upgrades for Breath Weapon, including range and damage.

I'll have to check that out, thanks!

Skimming over your concept, I wonder if even enchanted item gets you what you want, given that they are, in fact, *items*, which could be taken away.  (I really like the way you used Human Form to deal with the tattoo, by the way!)

So if you want a ranged attack in general, the best answer is going to be: a GUN.  Of course, that's not a magical attack, which you specified.

Yeah, you hit the nail on the head. I'm looking or a way to represent throwing the blade, so no actual "item."

If you want a magical ranged attack that can't be taken away, you can't use an IoP or enchanted item; you need a straight power.  That means use an existing option, or create a new power.  On the existing power front, choices for ranged magical attacks include:

Breath Weapon
Channeling (or Evocation or Sponsored Magic)
Incite Emotion (plus Ranged and Lasting)

Channeling would get you what you want and then some, but carries a lot of baggage: you need to buy up Discipline and Conviction, at which point you'd be a caster, rather than what you want to be.  Incite Emotion can generate the magical attack, but is geared more toward inflicting a specific flavor of consequence.  That leaves Breath Weapon, which you aren't happy with due to the range.  So your choice there becomes using the power as is (which would work, especially since your concept is a 'thrown' weapon, and thrown weapons have the same range), or modifying the power.

If you take that last option, then I'd suggest the following: start with Breath Weapon and trade the +2 stress for an extra zone of range (ie, pistol range) for the same case, OR keep the +2 stress and add an extra zone of range for an extra -1 refresh.

Channeling could work, really. I don't need to have that high casting skills, a few stunts could take care of that. However, I think I'll just opt for Breath Weapon and check out the custom powers thread.

Thanks again for the advice!

-EF

How would you go about rating an enchanted item--or potion, for that matter--that was given to a PC?

Also, would it be possible to for a PC to take Refinement for the sole purpose of getting a ranged attack? I would just use Breath Weapon, but it's such a restricted power, having only a range of 1. Or would it be better to just make up a new power to make up for the lack of range for Breath Weapon?

Thanks in advance!

-EF

For me, my biggest "screw-up" was during a WEG Star Wars game. One of my players wanted to play a character who had heightened senses, like bullet time. Every time he was in combat he got a +1D to Dexterity, +1D Perception, and +1D to Strength.

Needless to say, he was a combat monster. Anything that could cause him problems was enough to kill any other PC.

I was in high school at that time, so I didn't know any better  >_<

-EF

The footwork stunt says to use Fists instead of Athletics to dodge. The speed powers give you a +1 to Athletics when dodging. If a character had both, would they get to dodge at Fists +1?

Thanks!

-EF

Indeed.  Once you turn a power "on" it lasts for the whole scene whether you're actively using the power or thematically turn it "off" before using it again.

In other words, you cannot rack up a higher attack than the refresh cost of your modular powers in one scene.

Hey, GM, get out of my thread! I'm trying to cheat you!

Not really. But thanks for the affirmations. Looks like we're right, BB!

-EF

I've just started in a game of DFRPG, and have a question. My character's high concept is Gaia's Park Ranger, modeled off of Bernard from Codex Alera. To represent being able to be strong, tough, etc as needed, I took modular abilities (-6, so 4-refresh worth to play with). To show the strain on him (and to sort of mimic mental stress from spellcasting) I linked it to feeding dependency.

Me and the GM are going off of the idea that the feeding attack I take is 2 (the surcharge from FD) + however much other refresh I use. So if I only do inhuman strength, that's a 4-shift attack. We're assuming the attack isn't the full 6 (unless I use all 6).

Also, what if I use modular abilities twice or more during a scene? Would I take multiple hits? Or just one based off of the highest refresh I use?

Thanks in advance!

-EF

P.S. Here's a link to my character.