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2 years ago ::
Nov 04, 2011 - 7:48PM
#1
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This is just a story from a recent gaming session of mine. My girlfriend only recently started playing D&D and I've been teaching her slowly as we game. So far she has done everything pretty much "by the book" in so much as her strategies and ideas are generaly easy to predict and plan for (no insult, she just new). anyway, she completely blew my mind when she did this. She's in a dungeon hunting for for goblins (you know, that old chestnut), and she enters a chamber that is devided by a crevice two squares wide with a rope bridge crossing it. On the other side a goblin with a crossbow takes aim Initiative is rolled and she gets to act first. She looks at her spells and says to me, "I want to cast light on his eyes." I'm shocked. Well, its ranged, he's within the range, and his eyes are an object she could target so I asked for an attack vs will and she hit! So the goblin was immediatly blinded, for the entire fight since light lasts five minutes. This girl has some real potential 
There is a world just around the corner of your mind,
where reality is an intruder and dreams come true.
You may escape into it at will.
You need no secret password, no magic wand or Aladdin's lamp;
only your own imagination and curiosity about things that never were.
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2 years ago ::
Nov 04, 2011 - 10:45PM
#2
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Date Joined:
Mar 15, 2008
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This is just a story from a recent gaming session of mine. My girlfriend only recently started playing D&D and I've been teaching her slowly as we game. So far she has done everything pretty much "by the book" in so much as her strategies and ideas are generaly easy to predict and plan for (no insult, she just new). anyway, she completely blew my mind when she did this.
She's in a dungeon hunting for for goblins (you know, that old chestnut), and she enters a chamber that is devided by a crevice two squares wide with a rope bridge crossing it. On the other side a goblin with a crossbow takes aim Initiative is rolled and she gets to act first. She looks at her spells and says to me, "I want to cast light on his eyes."
I'm shocked. Well, its ranged, he's within the range, and his eyes are an object she could target so I asked for an attack vs will and she hit! So the goblin was immediatly blinded, for the entire fight since light lasts five minutes.
This girl has some real potential
That's not really how Light works, and cantrips aren't really supposed to mimic powers of spells (It only explicitly says this of Prestidigitation, but it's implied for all of them).
Also, how is Light an attack vs will? Why not Reflex for him to turn away or close his eyes?
Why blinded the entire fight? Why not blinded save ends? The light may last the encounter, but generally when a bright light blindes you, it's only for a few seconds until your eyes adjust, so why not save ends?
It's cool that you're giving your players awesome effects for their powers, but letting an at-will class feature completely disable an enemy is asking for trouble, IMO.
"Not only are you wrong, but I even created an Excel spreadsheet to show you how wrong you are." --James Wyatt, May 2006
Dilige, et quod vis fac
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2 years ago ::
Nov 04, 2011 - 10:56PM
#3
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Date Joined:
Nov 27, 2006
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To date my very best use of a light spell has been assuring that as many people as possible could see that it was me, (THE non-4e BARD), who just saved the day.  {I cast it on myself while airborn over a city, in the evening} Sure, I could've saved the day without the spotlight. But where's the fun in that? Besides, the actual desired game effect was to steal Supermans schikt & give the NPC citizens down below hope rather than blind panic in the face of impending doom. Out-of-game though? It made a very nice ! point in highlighting to certain "Bards are useless characters" players that a well played bard is infact NOT useless.
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2 years ago ::
Nov 05, 2011 - 1:11AM
#4
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Date Joined:
Sep 21, 2007
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Unfortunately the power specifies that it can be targetted on One Object or Unoccupied square. An object is not an eyeball, you'd need the power to specify a creature. Also giving this power the ability to blind a creature as a minor action is too extreme and will lead to abuse of this cantrip as you go on and you'll see all your major characters blinded at every combat.
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2 years ago ::
Nov 05, 2011 - 4:18AM
#5
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IIRC, the 2e spell description of Light explicitly stated that targeting a creatures eyes would blind it.
Boraxe wrote: "Knowledge of the rules and creativity are great attributes for a DM, but knowing when to cut loose and when to hold back, when to follow the rules and when to discard them, in order to enhance the enjoyment of the game is the most important DM skill of all."
Keeper of the Sacred Kitty Bowl of the House of Trolls.
Resident Kitteh-napper.
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2 years ago ::
Nov 05, 2011 - 4:22AM
#6
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Date Joined:
May 13, 2009
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I think it's mentioned in the PHB or DMG as an example of "creative use of powers", but it probably also says the effect shouldn't be that powerful. Unless it's a Minion, I'd totally allow someone to cripple a minion with a cantrip, just because it's fun.
Epic Dungeon Master Want to give your players a kingdom of their own? I made a 4e rule system to make it happen! Your Kingdom awaits!Update 5th Sep 2011: Added a sample kingdom, as well as sample of play.
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2 years ago ::
Nov 05, 2011 - 5:33AM
#7
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IIRC, the 2e spell description of Light explicitly stated that targeting a creatures eyes would blind it.
True but the 2e version did not have to be cast on an object - it could be sprung from air or just about anywhere. Also was a spell not a cantrip.
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2 years ago ::
Nov 05, 2011 - 5:42AM
#8
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Date Joined:
Oct 12, 2005
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IIRC, the 2e spell description of Light explicitly stated that targeting a creatures eyes would blind it.
True but the 2e version did not have to be cast on an object - it could be sprung from air or just about anywhere. Also was a spell not a cantrip.
Also, in 2e, the target had the opportunity to make a saving throw to avoid the effect.
Come join Team Apathy! or not whatever  Yo! tm 
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2 years ago ::
Nov 05, 2011 - 5:45AM
#9
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I just wanted to share a fun moment with fellow DMs. D&D rules are fluid and only ment as suggestions, and they can bent or outright broken. The point is she got to be creative and we had fun. End of story.
Moderated by
ORC_Narada
on Nov 05, 2011 - 06:34AM
There is a world just around the corner of your mind,
where reality is an intruder and dreams come true.
You may escape into it at will.
You need no secret password, no magic wand or Aladdin's lamp;
only your own imagination and curiosity about things that never were.
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2 years ago ::
Nov 05, 2011 - 6:35AM
#10
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I've removed content from this thread because masked vulgarity is a violation of the Code of Conduct. You can review the Code of Conduct here www.wizards.com/Company/About.aspx?x=wz_...Please keep your posts polite, respectful, and on-topic, and refrain from making personal attacks.
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