Magic-User Options

[Beowulf]

I think #3 is the most interesting but it would appear it wouldn't make much difference. I'm referring to the first & second pages of the Magic User Options Supplement:



Arcane Bolt
The Magic-User can magically attack once per round.
There are three different game mechanics for this, and the
GM should pick one.
Arcane Bolt #1. In this version, the Arcane Bolt is
treated as a normal missile weapon. The player makes a
normal combat roll against the target's AC, adding any
Intelligence bonus and taking into account the range
(10/20/30). The damage is d3. The origin is magic, but
the effect is a form of mundane concussion, so it will not
affect creatures who are only affected by magic.
However, it will affect inanimate objects.

Arcane Bolt #2. This is a bolt of raw magic. The MagicUser doesn't roll anything, but the target gets a save vs.
magic to avoid all damage. The bolt has a range of 30
feet and does d3 damage. Since it is pure magic, it will
affect creatures which are only affected by magical
weapons, but does not affect inanimate objects.
Arcane Bolt #3. This version is also a bolt of raw
magic, but is more like sorcery than normal magic. The
magician must make an ability roll on Intelligence (see the
table below) to succeed. If the roll succeeds, the bolt hits.
Range is 30 feet, damage is d3; it affects creatures only
affected by magical weapons, but not inanimate objects.

[SmootRK]

This is how I run Arcane Bolts (from my house rule document). The goal/idea is to give the MU character types something "magic-cy" to do in combats when the spells they have prepared are either non-applicable or non-combat oriented (or spells have been previously expended).

Arcane Bolt
All Mage classes may produce an Arcane Bolt once each round. This bolt may be used either melee or as ranged attack (10/20/30) and deals 1d3 points of physical damage. The Mage must roll to hit, with his Prime Requisite modifying the attack and damage rolls. In the same manner as normal spells, the arcane caster must have at least one hand free and be able to speak in order to produce an arcane bolt; thus, binding and gagging a spell caster is an effective means of preventing him from using the attack form.

The damage type dealt is a generic concussive force like a sling bullet. While the Arcane Bolt is produced in a similar way to other sorts of magic (spells), once the effect is launched it instantly becomes a non-magical force in its own right (although see the following for 10th level and beyond). It cannot be used against foes with immunity to non-magical weaponry.

At each level divisible by 5 (ie 5th, 10th, 15th, etc) the Mage may add another type of damage that can be chosen from round to round. Such choices include Fire/Heat, Cold, Electrical, Sonic. In addition, one could choose Necrotic or Negative energy causing damage to living tissue like a Cause Wounds spell, or Living / Positive energy which damages undead. For either of these positive or negative energies, the bolt does not produce healing effects (whether to living or undead respectively). Each of the above effects are like-wise non-magical energies once produced, however after 10th level all such arcane bolts are counted as magical in nature (and may be used to strike creatures requiring magical weapons/attacks to harm).

[Beowulf]

That's a reasonable house rule that should work well. I'm still kind of curious if anyone can tell me what the rule should be as written but at 1d3 it's not really unbalancing either way.

[SmootRK]

That's a reasonable house rule that should work well. I'm still kind of curious if anyone can tell me what the rule should be as written but at 1d3 it's not really unbalancing either way.

All flavors of Arcane Bolt sort of mechanics are purely House Rule. You are not going to find any definitive "rule as written" or otherwise official take on the concept. Use, adapt, change, etc as your particular game seems to need.

[Dimirag]

I've combined the post with the one from the one corresponding to the supplement in question. Maybe here lies the answer...

From what I can remember the idea of the arcane bolt is that of an unlimited attack as to give MU something they can always use in combat.
Probably its not fully explained so each GM can rule it as they best see fitting in their games.

[Beowulf]

Thanks! That seems like a reasonable interpretation that wouldn't be unbalancing due to the relatively low damage amount. Apropos of nothing I ordered a few new sets of dice yesterday including a set of d6 that are numbered 1-3 twice. Basically handy for stuff like this spell/power.

[Solomoriah]

I assume he's talking about the one in the Magic-User Options supplement.

[Beowulf]

Yeah, that's the one.

[Beowulf]

I think the unlimited use of Arcane Bolt won't really be unbalancing. After all, 1d3 is not a huge amount of damage. Still trying to gather up a local group so I have a little time to solidify the rules I want to use.

[Seven]

The idea is to offer an alternative to the Magic User carrying 40 pounds of throwing daggers.
So, anything that is not more powerful than a dagger will not unbalance the game.