Rework trap >>> Alchemy

[Dresan]

Help Alchemy

Little is know about the true origins of alchemy, however those some who dabble with mixing herbs may sometimes take their ingredients just a step further and find some surprising results. A primitive form of chemistry often referred to alchemy is then achieved. The result of mixing certain powders derived from rocks and minerals and compressing them to form a very small primitive explosive. Alchemist have found it is the act of compressing these powders in a careful mix is what gives the greatest result, thus smaller tends to be better as a alchemist achieves success in their trade.

These small explosives are not that impressive for their overall damage, when thrown to a target they explode causing a small amount of damage and will knock the unsuspecting target down dazing them for a short time. Experienced alchemist are able to begin mixing other ingredients to the explosive, causing them to light the target on fire or poison them. Master alchemists are able to create smaller more compressed version that can be lit for a longer duration without notice and be planted on an unsuspecting victim.  If the target is hit on the head or neck or if it has been planted on them there is a chance for temporary blindness.

While not as feared by the masses as magicks, practicing alchemy is highly illegal, anyone being found carrying anything related to alchemy is arrested and tortured in order to find out where they acquired it from. With entire families of alchemist executed to ensure the information and knowledge does not spread.  No major house will openly employee anyone found practicing alchemy, and if caught the house will face fines. Authorities are always happy to reward information that leads to the capture of alchemists.  While the damage of these explosives is laughable compared to any other form of hostile attack authorities in the city states find the potential of such a field of study a threat. There are always rumors that some alchemists have managed to discover ingredients that have greater results, though these rumors have never been confirmed. 


craft stone powdery.stone into a fine white/blue/grey/black powder
sniff powder
You notice a light/moderate/strong/remarkable scent of flash powder

craft cloth powder into fuse
craft cloth 1.powder 2.powder fuse into large/medium/small/tiny bag full of powder
craft cloth fuse 1.powder 2.powder poison into small/tiny bag of scented powder

large bag (5-8hp/stun damage), medium (8-15hp/stun damage), small 15-22, tiny (22-30 if thrown, 30-40 if planted), a remarkable tiny bag made from rare materials (?)

Notes:

The damage values might still be a tad high, the idea is that this does not do an extreme amount of stun/damage or knock anyone unconscious, instead leaves a person prone and more vulnerable to a prepared ambush/attack. Only at higher levels is this potentially better than other attacks like throw weapons or blowguns, since it allows you to prepare a follow up attack right after planting it, assuming you have the skills.  Size and perhaps agility plays a small role in resisting falling down but we are talking elf agility and half giant size. Since these bags are made to work with throw and steal making those who can make them probably not the best at using them.   Brew works with taste, this would work with smell. I don't envision needing to ignite them,  figure that can also happen as you throw or plant. These bags would decay if a fair amount of time so no stock piling. 

This ruling classes in allanak and possibly luirs would consider these skills serous threat though as such they would always be in the look out for anyone working on studying alchemy.

This would only be a city class skill.

Potential 1/2 karma extended sub-guild saboteur-mater poison, alchemy, brew, forage, floristy, and scan (since they deal with sneaky people but no steal/throw to use it)

[Krath]

IF...Staff were to bring back trap to city sneaks...Highfive!

The problem is, every time someone makes a large scale explosive and it goes off in a building, staff will have to re-write the room desc.

[Dresan]

yeah this would tone down the idea that these are anything but small things, with smaller being better. Also for damage purposes many other attacks are better. This is merely a good way to distract and disorient a target..

The damage I set might still be way too high, the idea is you are trading off much better damage of other attacks for a better likely hood of status effect and the ability to prepare a second attack soon after.

[Sokotra]

IF...Staff were to bring back trap to city sneaks...Highfive!

The problem is, every time someone makes a large scale explosive and it goes off in a building, staff will have to re-write the room desc.

Just make it much less damaging/destructive.  Perhaps more volatile so if someone tries to make too large of an explosive it will just blow up on them.   

[Cerelum]

I got killed by a trapped bag once, literally took me from 130 some hp to dead.

Trap damage was ridiculous.

[Veselka]

I'd rather trap be more focused on application of poisons to, say, locks or items. As well, trapping doors that can be examined so you can see if someone forced entry or picked the lock while you were away. Trapping a belt so that it slides off when someone opens it, allowing you to grab it.

Flashpowder was weird, in that there was no real way to examine a bag for traces of it, so any closed bag you took off a criminal or found in the street you somehow suspected of being a bomb.

It'd be neat if there was some counter for it. I'd always thought scan would be cool as an active skill as well as a passive one. So 'Scan Room' might yield the search results that were mentioned in another thread, while 'scan bag' or 'scan item' might reveal hidden secrets about the item, or whether it's been tampered with, etc.

[Dresan]

I rather not see the old 'trap' come back.

It don't find the old method worked very well. Besides the fact that it was too much damage and the applications were kinda built to trick poor newbies. Eventually everyone will figure out that bag on the road might be trapped, or to never open chest,etc. People will also hate renting  and using apartment more than they do now.

My idea for alchemy isn't a damage skill, it needs to be followed up by something to be effective for damage. There are already plenty of good ways to apply poison and damage, while staying safe. Additionally the people who can make it (outside a sub-guild) aren't the best people to use it, since it requires other skills like steal and throw to be effective.

What this does do is provide a much much greater chance of causing some interesting disorienting effects, the person knocked on their ass, perhaps poison,  blinded and lagged for a moment all depending on how good the skill making the product was. Planting being superior to throw in this regard, as you can prepare a secondary action. It does not completely screw over your opponent by outright killing them or knocking them out.  We already have skills that can be more effective at that already. It has some high risks/interesting rewards, RP potential with alchemist being hunted and the value of their products, and even counters.

If you plant it in their inventory junk bag will counter the skill if they just look in their inventory, if you are skilled enough to unlatch their backpack and plant it there, then you there is less chance to notice assuming you succeed with sleight of hand odds. Additionally if your throw misses or does not hit their head/neck you won't get the additional effect of temporary blindness, though still useful in that it should leave them prone for a little while.

One of the reasons I added it with throw/steal skills was to also make them most useful to low strength characters, since throwing javelins would be a better tactic that using this for high strength characters.   

I think RPing alchemists and selling something that can potentially get you and your friends executed brings some interesting RP elements. Blinding opponents can easily bring some very interesting RP scenes that don't need to involve killing and a counter has already been built in with blind fighting. This skill should have some serious IC consequences if caught using or practicing, not quite the fear of magick but certainly persecution none the less. Heck perhaps the greatest way to use these things will not be to actually use them but put them in a bag and give it to someone before reporting them.

[Brokkr]

If you need a reason the old trap will not be back, I suggest you look no further than 'help toss'

Unless a Unibomber tossing multiple fused small packs into the Storm's End during rush hour is your idea of a fun time.

[Veselka]

If you need a reason the old trap will not be back, I suggest you look no further than 'help toss'

Unless a Unibomber tossing multiple fused small packs into the Storm's End during rush hour is your idea of a fun time.

Haha...It creates a funny image at least.

[Dresan]

I originally played around with the thought of giving it a much much smaller area of effect, and perhaps short blindness to a room but this would be way too overpowered and could cause too much annoyance.

The way I approached it was not only as something I would enjoy playing with but also as it being something fun that could happen to my characters.

Thus the current idea is just a small pow, even with the best materials and skill,  only good enough for one person if they are hit with throw or have the item planted on them successfully. The damage would go up with more skill, better ingredients, but in my mind perhaps not even enough to cause anyone who didn't use endurance as a stat dump to even need to sleep.

[Namino]

If you need a reason the old trap will not be back, I suggest you look no further than 'help toss'

Unless a Unibomber tossing multiple fused small packs into the Storm's End during rush hour is your idea of a fun time.

But how will I play my EOD concept now?

[Dresan]

Unless a Unibomber tossing multiple fused small packs into the Storm's End during rush hour is your idea of a fun time.

While the current idea of the skill would not do anything remotely close to this sort of mayhem. The fear of the above happening should be very real. The fear that if people are allowed to develop and study this skill, they could eventually find some way create such a scenario is something that I would love to see played out ICly, further fueling persecution.  Ideally the only characters I see getting the skill is fence at master and Pilferer at advance.

However, according to the skill lore nothing anywhere near that effective has been discovered yet and alchemy isn't like old trap where you just gather flash powder to create a big bang, Its more like re-worked brew where people are experimenting with different minerals to see what works better, the tighter, more condensed and compressed the mixture of minerals powders are, the bigger the bang while the larger clumps fall apart or just burn up normally more akin to lamp oil.

[Krath]

I really want Trap back so I can have a Trap House

[John]

Flashpowder was weird, in that there was no real way to examine a bag for traces of it, so any closed bag you took off a criminal or found in the street you somehow suspected of being a bomb.

Sniff would be a good use to find it. As would the skill search.