Hideous Blow
Posted: Fri Nov 26, 2010 10:43 am
I realize this is not an issue that has an effect on the vast majority of players, but I really feel it should be addressed because the impact it has on those who are affected by it is dramatic. As it stands, hideous blow does not function consistently with its in-game description or with PnP rules, and the way it works does not make a whole lot of sense.
Currently, HB takes a round to cast, and is stored on your weapon until you successfully hit with an attack, but can only be cast within melee range of an opponent. (Note that this is a bug. AI controlled NPCs can cast HB without being in melee range of an opponent.) The attack which carries the HB charge cannot be made until the next round, effectively making HB useless.
In PnP, HB is activated as part of an attack action. In other words, as a standard action you activate HB and attack.
From Complete Arcane, pg. 134:
HIDEOUS BLOW
Least; 1st; Blast Shape
As a standard action, you can make a single melee attack. If you hit, the target is affected as if struck by your eldritch blast (including any eldritch essence applied to the blast). This damage is in addition to any weapon damage that you deal with your attack, although you need not deal damage with this attack to trigger the eldritch blast effect.
Having talked to some other forum members and looked through the vault at different fixes that have been attempted, I believe that the best way to approximate PnP rules is to make HB a mode which can be activated and deactivated per round.
This hak does exactly that:
http://nwvault.ign.com/View.php?view=NW ... ail&id=320
It's not technically a mode in terms of the way it's scripted, but it functions as one. It works by re-applying HB each round automatically until you deactivate HB. It only permits one HB attack per round, and it prevents you from making a full attack. In other words, exactly like PnP rules.
The hak works. I've tested it. I've talked to its author about the particulars of how it works, and she is happy to answer any questions we have or otherwise assist us in adding it to ALFA.
I welcome further input on this.
Currently, HB takes a round to cast, and is stored on your weapon until you successfully hit with an attack, but can only be cast within melee range of an opponent. (Note that this is a bug. AI controlled NPCs can cast HB without being in melee range of an opponent.) The attack which carries the HB charge cannot be made until the next round, effectively making HB useless.
In PnP, HB is activated as part of an attack action. In other words, as a standard action you activate HB and attack.
From Complete Arcane, pg. 134:
HIDEOUS BLOW
Least; 1st; Blast Shape
As a standard action, you can make a single melee attack. If you hit, the target is affected as if struck by your eldritch blast (including any eldritch essence applied to the blast). This damage is in addition to any weapon damage that you deal with your attack, although you need not deal damage with this attack to trigger the eldritch blast effect.
Having talked to some other forum members and looked through the vault at different fixes that have been attempted, I believe that the best way to approximate PnP rules is to make HB a mode which can be activated and deactivated per round.
This hak does exactly that:
http://nwvault.ign.com/View.php?view=NW ... ail&id=320
It's not technically a mode in terms of the way it's scripted, but it functions as one. It works by re-applying HB each round automatically until you deactivate HB. It only permits one HB attack per round, and it prevents you from making a full attack. In other words, exactly like PnP rules.
The hak works. I've tested it. I've talked to its author about the particulars of how it works, and she is happy to answer any questions we have or otherwise assist us in adding it to ALFA.
I welcome further input on this.