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Me and my group are starting a Dark Sun game this evening, and although we've got no wizards in the group yet, I'm curious about how Defilers cast their spells.

Here's what bugging me. Everytime a Defiler uses his magic, he turns the ground he's standing on infertile. So does that happen instantaneously, i.e. does the caster have to move out of the defiled zone to be able to cast a spell again? Or does the affected area merely grow, the two radii added together?

#2 Aug 31, 2007 7:05:02

denbyak

Joined Feb 2007

22 Posts

There is no more life in his area I think it was like a 5 foot zone. He can draw from farther away but its harder and there are feats to fix that. What always got me was, he drained life when he memorized and then more when he casted. As we are on the topic I would like to say I miss the differences between defilers and preservers from the 2ed material.

#3 Aug 31, 2007 13:23:36

brun01

Joined Mar 2004

834 Posts

You don't need to get out of the area. There was a rule for this in the original setting.

Casting Multiple Spells from the Same Location:
If a defiler casts more than one spell from the same location, the radius of destroyed vegetation expands around him. Consult the Defiler Magical Destruction Table for the highest level spell cast from that location, then add one yard for every other spell cast. (Spells equal to the highest level spell are treated as additional spells).
For example, the defiler Grifyan casts a lightning bolt, a 3rd-level spell, while in the scrub plains. The area of ash around him will be 4 yards. In the next round, he casts a magic missile spell, expanding the radius of ash by 1 yard, bringing the total of burnt earth to 5 yards. In the third round, Grifyan decides to unleash an advanced illusion, a 5th-level spell. Since this is the highest-level spell cast from this location, the area of ash is recalculated; 5 yards for the 5th-level spell, plus 1 yard each for the two lower-level spells cast, for a total radius of ash of 7 yards.

You only need to adapt it a little to work with 3.5 rules...

#4 Aug 31, 2007 14:27:44

Joined Dec 2004

645 Posts

And I think they defiled EITHER at memorization (off stage spell power gathering) OR when they cast their spells (on stage spell power gathering).. at least as far as I recall...

#5 Aug 31, 2007 14:42:17

flip

Joined Apr 2001

812 Posts

And I think they defiled EITHER at memorization (off stage spell power gathering) OR when they cast their spells (on stage spell power gathering).. at least as far as I recall...

Actually, defile when preparing only existed in DS2. In DS3, you defile when you cast. Period.

flip Athas.org overcouncil

#6 Aug 31, 2007 14:48:36

Joined Dec 2004

645 Posts

ahhh.. my bad

rusty memory, and I have yet to actually play more than a handful of 3e games, none of which are darksun

#7 Sep 01, 2007 7:56:43

Pennarin

Joined Apr 2003

5636 Posts

It's odd that DS3 hasn't incorporated what Bruno quoted.

#8 Sep 01, 2007 9:47:04

oorlof

Joined Mar 2005

48 Posts

Thanks, that's the kind of ruling I was looking for, Bruno. I'll show it to my DM. I think we'll go for radius = sum (spell levels)*5, so casting two lightning bolts nets you a (3+3)*5=30 feet radius of ash. Cuts down on recalculating when someone casts a higher level spell than he started the defiling with.

#9 Sep 02, 2007 9:52:52

ruhl-than_sage

Joined Apr 2005

2071 Posts

Thanks, that's the kind of ruling I was looking for, Bruno. I'll show it to my DM. I think we'll go for radius = sum (spell levels)*5, so casting two lightning bolts nets you a (3+3)*5=30 feet radius of ash. Cuts down on recalculating when someone casts a higher level spell than he started the defiling with.

It might be a good idea to put some sort of limit on how far a defiler can draw energy from. Would suggest 50ft-100ft +5ft-10ft per caster level, for ease of use you could write this on the character sheet under the heading Draw Radius:.

Also, two things about how you calculate defiler radius.

1st, you really need to figure the type of terrain into your calculations because the amount of life around you is essentially how much energy is available in a given area. Using the method you have mentioned. I would suggest that you set a per level variable radius based on terrain type

Dense Forest/Jungle/Swamp/Water Gardens 1ft
Grassland/Crop Fields/Gardens 2-3ft
Scrub Plains/Cactus Gardens 5ft
Rocky Badlands/Stoney Barrens/Sandy Wastes/Mountains 7-8ft
Salt Flats/Boulder Fields/Silt Sea 10ft

Second, the reason the radius was calculated the way it was in 2e is because the amount of area in a 5ft radius is only a fraction of the amount of area in a 10' radius. Every time you double the radius you effectively quadruple the total area affected. So subtracting the original radius you get 3 times as much area affected on the second casting of the same spell as if you just add radiuses together. You can either ignore this for simplicity or you can insert a very approximate rule like the one that they used in 2e. Or, here are some other suggestions:

1. If you are using a battlemap you base your calculations on how many squares or hexes would be effected instead of actual radius. An just build out in a approximately circular fashion
2. You can center the radius for each spell just outside of the last effected area.

#10 Sep 02, 2007 13:28:32

Joined Dec 2004

645 Posts

hi sage

how ya doing :D

#11 Sep 03, 2007 6:58:57

terminus_vortexa

Joined Apr 2005

885 Posts

Lyric! LONG time, no read! Good to see you back, bro!

#12 Sep 03, 2007 14:12:30

Joined Dec 2004

645 Posts

hey! the great Terminus Vortexa!! Wassup bud? :D I'm doing well ;) are you?:P

#13 Sep 03, 2007 14:35:10

terminus_vortexa

Joined Apr 2005

885 Posts