Author Topic: Rift Maker = Boot to Never-Never  (Read 2996 times)

Offline Custos

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Rift Maker = Boot to Never-Never
« on: November 16, 2010, 06:40:17 AM »
Any one tried this in combat? Big nasty comes at ya and you just send them away and hope they can't cross back on their own?

Offline Papa Gruff

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Re: Rift Maker = Boot to Never-Never
« Reply #1 on: November 16, 2010, 08:19:57 AM »
The idea is interesting, yet problematic.

The standard strength for the barrier to the Nevernever should be Superb +5 or higher. It would be very very difficult to open a way at exactly the right moment and exactly the right place to lure an enemy into stepping through it. Granted: in some spots it would be easier then +5 because the barrier isn't that strong in every place. I suppose the GM would be within his rights to give situational penalties to creating a portal as a means of attack or maneuver, as the timing is so crucial.

An other thing to think about is the question of what lies beyond the portal. The residence might be offended by the intruder and in extension by the person who opened the portal and therefor is responsible for what the nasty does on their territory... Hey! That could be fun :D
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Offline Amelia Crane

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Re: Rift Maker = Boot to Never-Never
« Reply #2 on: November 16, 2010, 08:22:53 AM »
Yeah.  This gets tried.  My group has tried it twice.  The first time they made the portal with that in mind, but it ended up being easier just to beat the demon down.  The second time Maeve just happened to be holding open a portal (in hopes of dragging a PC through), and one of them did a maneuver to push a troll-changeling through.

The problem is, it's not really possible to open a portal directly under their feet.  And I don't even recall any rules that would allow you to push someone (through a portal).  So it's a matter of doing it with maneuvers.  And that's a matter of the DM approving it.

Plus, there's the infinite chasm rule from star wars.  Any time a baddie falls down an infinite chasm (because they're so prolific in the setting), he comes back more badass and with cybernetics.  Well, do the same thing, only with faerie pacts instead of cybernetics.

Offline Papa Gruff

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Re: Rift Maker = Boot to Never-Never
« Reply #3 on: November 16, 2010, 08:46:41 AM »
Plus, there's the infinite chasm rule from star wars.  Any time a baddie falls down an infinite chasm (because they're so prolific in the setting), he comes back more badass and with cybernetics.  Well, do the same thing, only with faerie pacts instead of cybernetics.

Awesome! Just awesome! Thank you mate.
in omnia peratus! ... wait a minute! ... to give anybody a rucksack? ... DAMN CORRESPONDENCE COURSE!

Offline Belial666

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Re: Rift Maker = Boot to Never-Never
« Reply #4 on: November 16, 2010, 09:26:28 AM »
It has been tried before. The outcome was that, unless the Gateway leads to somewhere inescapable, it is only a temporary measure to send someone through it. On the other hand, it is an extremely effective way to stop attacks that would otherwise be too strong for you.

Say that a senior-council-level evil wizard is about to throw a 15-shift blast at you or that an army of 200 mooks is about to start shooting. Ready an action, and when they do open a gateway in the attack's path for however many shifts is required. The gateway is going to absorb the attack, regardless of how powerful it is going to be. You can also set said Gateway to block a passage if someone is following you.


Finally, gateways are also extremely effective in creating a terrain advantage for certain battles. Just go to a region of the Nevernever where time flows (much) faster and open a gateway back to our world. Do your lengthy rituals in the time-accelerated area so they take much less subjective time compared to earth and let the effects strike through gateways. Enemies on earth will have far less time to disrupt your rituals, especially if you fortified said region in the Nevernever in preparation for a battle in your favor.

Offline luminos

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Re: Rift Maker = Boot to Never-Never
« Reply #5 on: November 16, 2010, 02:12:19 PM »
I remember a player doing this in the play-by-post I ran.  I can't remember precisely how I adjudicated it, but the effect was a portal in the ground opening up beneath a giant hill monster and then closing once its foot went through, severing the foot.
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Offline Custos

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Re: Rift Maker = Boot to Never-Never
« Reply #6 on: November 16, 2010, 05:18:59 PM »
Thanks for all the replies.