Turning Undead PRE attacks, how fo you do it?

[Wilfred_Death]

In my FH setting, I'm allowing a form of the + to PRE vs Undead talent / spell suggested in 'Fantasy Hero' and the 'Hero System Bestiary'

 

The way I read it: Only those with, 'the power' can 'turn undead'.

So That the 'Priest character' with say 12 PRE and 'Divine Wrath Spell' - +40 PRE only vs Undead, blah, Spell Limitations,

can 'PRE Attack' undead with 52PRE and so on.

Whereas, "Breaks Campaign Setting guy" with 60 PRE, ( Not that I'd ever allow that ), Just can't affect undead at all.

 

Is that how every one else does it?

 

I mean to say that so far in the campaign, only one undead has shown up.

The PCs are NCOs in a 'Fantasy Army', one of their NPC minions got wounded and died without them noticing, and, for setting reasons, converted over to a zombie. One of the PC NCOs was trying to 'PRE attack' - 'give orders' to what was to him just an unruly underling, not knowing it was a Zombie, and of course his 'orders' were having no affect.

Eventually they cotton on to it being an undead, (which was fairly easy to kill), and while they were at it they called up the Company Mage, who had his mighty 'Turn Undead' Spell.

Of course I as GM managed to roll ( 1, 1, 1, 1, 1,.......Low numbers ) and nothing happened...

 

What If a PC did say "I Presence Attack" the zombies ? - Say they claimed " I could get a lucky roll"

 

Do you just say "No you can't you don't have that power".

 

With Characters that do have the Turn Undead Power, Do they get bonuses for 'Extremely violent Action", "Good Soliloquy" and such like?

 

Or do you say "The Undead do not care...." and just gve them the base roll ?

[Phil]

Re: Turning Undead PRE attacks, how fo you do it?

 

One way of doing it is to give every undead Desolid (only vs. PRE attacks), and then allow your clerical-types to buy PRE (affects desolid)

 

Phil

[AmadanNaBriona]

Re: Turning Undead PRE attacks, how fo you do it?

 

In general, the usual way I've seen of handling this is on the GM's side... if you want to define undead turning as Presence attacks, you build your undead with appropriate Disadvantages. Common examples are seen in many of the write ups already out there, most notably "Affected by PRE attacks from Holy sources" (or however you want to word it) for automatons, often other disads for non automaton undead... ranging from Vunerabilities (X1 1/2 effect from Holy Pre attacks) all the way to limitations (i.e. extra PRE, only for defence, not vs Holy sources),

I'm usually inclined to give bonuses to "Holy" Pre attacks, as it promotes good roleplaying in exchange for an in-game reward, but my critera for what qualifies for the bonuses change based on the circumstances. An intelligent and self aware, but basically scavenger type undead like a ghoul might very well be impressed by the same kinds of things a human will, as might a vampire if the threat was powerful enough to warrant his attention. Zombies and skeleton OTOH, will respond better to raw displays of Divine power or favor. And soliloquies can go either way. A character using his most intimidating drill sargent routine isn't gonna get a bounus against a bunch of automatons, but a really heartfelt prayer or typically melodramatic paladins speach very well might.. in those cases One might say the soliloquy is directed more towards the Deity in question than the actual target of the attack.... Impress your god and he'll grant you a bit more power.

[Gangrel44]

 At the risk of getting off the subject here's a question I have....in the case of vampires using the  1985 Fright Night model. Holy symbols could only affect vampires only if the wielder of said holy symbol had genuine faith. How could characters that are not clerics  be able to  pull it off stat wise?

[Christopher]

 At the risk of getting off the subject here's a question I have....in the case of vampires using the  1985 Fright Night model. Holy symbols could only affect vampires only if the wielder of said holy symbol had genuine faith. How could characters that are not clerics  be able to  pull it off stat wise?

There is no rules definition of "having genuine faith". Not even clerics have to have genuine faith in D&D. It can be "just a job" for them too.

While it is more of a bad god thing, every soldier that promotes and fights for the cause is good for the god. Genuine Faith can be a lot less important then following the rules and doing your job.

 

Most of the time it is simply a definition. And one that must be made in advance and stuck too. It can be linked to having a "genuine bleiever of X" complication, but this would force this to be a problem for the Character.

[NuSoardGraphite]

There is no rules definition of "having genuine faith". Not even clerics have to have genuine faith in D&D. It can be "just a job" for them too.

While it is more of a bad god thing, every soldier that promotes and fights for the cause is good for the god. Genuine Faith can be a lot less important then following the rules and doing your job.

 

Most of the time it is simply a definition. And one that must be made in advance and stuck too. It can be linked to having a "genuine bleiever of X" complication, but this would force this to be a problem for the Character.

There absolutely is.  It's called a "Perk".  The GM charges whatever he thinks appropriate for the True Faith perk which then gives characters the ability to use a holy symbol to ward off certain undead or demonic creatures.  Cleric/Priestly characters are assumed to have this Perk (or the GM could charge them) because I would assume that if a Cleric didn't have True Faith, then their deity wouldn't provide them with the power to cast priestly spells!  (also, if a campaign setting requires the Perk "Annointed Priest" to be able to cast priestly/holy magic, then the True Faith Perk could be considered a part of that Perk as well)

[Tasha]

If "True Faith" gives an ability, it's probably more of a Talent than a Perk. Talent is a power ish thing, Perks are usually Roleplaying things ie Contacts, licences etc

[NuSoardGraphite]

If "True Faith" gives an ability, it's probably more of a Talent than a Perk. Talent is a power ish thing, Perks are usually Roleplaying things ie Contacts, licences etc

I would agree. depending on how one would quantify "true faith" in their campaign setting, it might be best to write it up as a tangible power (luck or some such)

 

However, in my gaming experience, true faith has been quite a bit more....ephemeral in nature. not having a really tangible effect at most times but could have an effect depending on the situation (a bonus to resist possession, or the ability to stave off the undead with a holy symbol)

In some campaigns they would only require a perk for this. for example, buying the perk would then open up the ability to use your PRE as an attack against undead types that would normally be immune. (Automatons normally being immune to PRE attacks)

[Kraven Kor]

If "True Faith" gives an ability, it's probably more of a Talent than a Perk. Talent is a power ish thing, Perks are usually Roleplaying things ie Contacts, licences etc

 

Well, if you compare "True Faith (Access to Powers and Institutions)" to, say, "License to Kill" or the like, I can see it as a perk.  But yes, Talent seems more appropriate to me.

[Lucius]

For  thing, Priest as Power Skill is PRE based and like any other PRE base Skill can give a bonus to PRE attacks.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

Use Riding Skill to turn a palindromedary