GT
Wizard
Duke of Indiana, Knight Commander
Posts: 2,032
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Post by GT on May 31, 2016 16:09:04 GMT -5
So what happens when two spheres meet? Do they merge into one? Do they rip apart explosively? Do they cancel out? I've read the description (as well as "portable hole" and "bag of holding"), and I'm not quite sure where to go. I'm leaning towards merger, given recent black hole discoveries...
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Post by geneweigel on Jun 1, 2016 9:15:16 GMT -5
Here is some source material on the sphere of annihilation "THE WIZARD OF LINN" Astounding Science Fiction (April - June 1950):
The story involves a proto-Elric like character (feminine features, broad shoulders, thin waist, and not too healthy.)who has a proto-sphere of annihilation as almost a Stormbringer (much of the plot of an outcast who comes back with savages seems taken by Moorcock as well.).
The references to Inland and Outland are a journey to another planet of people who have slipped backwards even worse than the main characters' world of Linn (Mars) and through lost tech have become untouchable if in danger (unrapable in one scene!) through an advanced teleportation system linked to the mind. So the sphere is the crude version of this tech.
The reference under the sphere in the DMG , not in Greyhawk Supp. (1974) where if first appeared BTW, says:
which is probably reference to the Outlanders/Inlanders in this story.
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Post by geneweigel on Jun 1, 2016 11:19:15 GMT -5
In DRAGON #28 there is a panel of developers for DMG (1979) amongst them are Mike Carr, Darlene Pekul, Jake Jaquet, Jeff Leason, Len Lakofka, Lawrence Schick, Jean Wells, Jim Ward and Allen Hammack.
On Jim Ward's developer comments he says:
In the same commentary he adds:
So its most likely Ward picked up the reference to WIZARD OF LINN and then suggested the psionic add on it seems. From the latter comments over his enthusiasm Tolkien references.
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Post by Scott on Jun 1, 2016 11:24:43 GMT -5
I will have to read the book when I get home. Do they have 'gravity', do they suck you in? If not than merge would not be a very satisfying game option. My winging it answer would be they explode, or maybe giving it gravity and have it try to suck in anything within a certain distance.
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Post by GRWelsh on Jun 1, 2016 11:34:08 GMT -5
If a sphere of annihilation is "nothingness" and only affects matter, then I'd be tempted to say two spheres meeting just pass through each other as if the other is not even there, having absolutely no effect on each other. But that is kind of boring. Coming up with a random chart would be a lot more fun... In any case, players should have no idea what would happen!
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Post by Scott on Jun 1, 2016 11:53:09 GMT -5
Maybe implode, rather than explode, and sucking in anything within x'.
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Post by geneweigel on Jun 1, 2016 12:20:33 GMT -5
Here is a an official description of more stuff interacting with a sphere of annihilation besides the items/spells mentioned in the DMG description. This is from Dispel Confusion (usually Mentzer with Gygax) in POLYHEDRON #22 (MAR 1985):
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Post by geneweigel on Jun 1, 2016 12:37:23 GMT -5
I like the idea of rolling on a chart.
Maybe a saving throw "hard metal" vs disintegrate +2 for a magic item and +5 against same attack form. So save on "10".
I would consider all the effects mentioned above at maybe equal chance and add some more effects. Possibly an explosion of living things and/or items the spheres destroyed.
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Post by grodog on Jun 7, 2016 22:51:46 GMT -5
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Post by geneweigel on Jun 8, 2016 9:31:09 GMT -5
Best not to let players see that chart or it will be immediately weaponized!
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Post by grodog on Jun 22, 2016 22:42:14 GMT -5
I wouldn't have any problem with that, in fact
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