Melee attack spells

[Myrddin]

I was wondering: is there a deliberate policy of not having melee attack spells? I don't think there are any, even in the promos. It could be quite an interesting approach to having a 'burning hands', 'rock fist' or whatever as a melee attack spell: the fact that it would be a type of attack would automatically stop it stacking with equipment, and the one-off nature fits quite well with some mage types.

You could have an enchantment 'rock fists' that gave access to a new sort of melee attack just like a weapon did. Or it could literally be an attack spell. If it was a quick spell, that might cause balance/rule issues: would you be able to use a melee bonus for it, and then for your real attack, for instance. But I don't see why a full action spell would be controversial: it would essentially be a 'range zero' attack with more interaction around guards etc.

The only problem I see with this would be that the costings would probably have to reflect the significant probability of other melee boosts stacking on the mage. But then, a melee-focused mage would presumably want a weapon, so there'd be inefficiency balancing it.

[Lord0fWinter]

I was wondering: is there a deliberate policy of not having melee attack spells? I don't think there are any, even in the promos. It could be quite an interesting approach to having a 'burning hands', 'rock fist' or whatever as a melee attack spell: the fact that it would be a type of attack would automatically stop it stacking with equipment, and the one-off nature fits quite well with some mage types.

You could have an enchantment 'rock fists' that gave access to a new sort of melee attack just like a weapon did. Or it could literally be an attack spell. If it was a quick spell, that might cause balance/rule issues: would you be able to use a melee bonus for it, and then for your real attack, for instance. But I don't see why a full action spell would be controversial: it would essentially be a 'range zero' attack with more interaction around guards etc.

The only problem I see with this would be that the costings would probably have to reflect the significant probability of other melee boosts stacking on the mage. But then, a melee-focused mage would presumably want a weapon, so there'd be inefficiency balancing it.

The only thing that comes to mind are the two promo cards Fire Strike and Lightning Strike. But they just make the target's next melee attack into the Fire or Lightning damage type, respectively, and then add an effect die roll.

This is probably the closest thing out there, but I would bet there will be more in the future.

[echephron]

ring of fire is like a burning hands zone melee attack with reach?

[Zuberi]

Page 14 of the English rulebook v3.0 states that attack spells are always ranged attacks, so I wouldn't count on melee versions any time soon. As stated, there are already similar spells thematically to what you desire, if not the exact mechanics that you suggest.

[sIKE]

Page 14 of the English rulebook v3.0 states that attack spells are always ranged attacks, so I wouldn't count on melee versions any time soon. As stated, there are already similar spells thematically to what you desire, if not the exact mechanics that you suggest.

And almost all of them have 0 in the range which makes them in all but game effects (Melee+1 etc) melee attacks.....

[Myrddin]

Page 14 of the English rulebook v3.0 states that attack spells are always ranged attacks, so I wouldn't count on melee versions any time soon. As stated, there are already similar spells thematically to what you desire, if not the exact mechanics that you suggest.

Oh, boo. I wonder why? I'm trying to work out what the mechanical problem with melee attack spells would be: after all, both 'touch' attacks (which thematically probably shouldn't be affected by bear strength etc.) and spells that make your hands deadly (which would) have a pretty long pedigree in the trad fantasy background of magewars.

And there are important differences between melee and ranged 0, melee bonuses aside. Ranged 0 can hit flyers and, more importantly, ignores guards, doesn't draw retaliation, is blocked by different defenses....

[Zuberi]

Touch attacks and spells that make your hands deadly, such as what you reference, still require you to actually hit your opponent with your hands (an existing melee attack). Thus, spells such as Fire Strike and Lightning Strike seem to adequately reflect what you are wanting by imbuing the Mage's melee attack (such as their hands) with magic for the next time they hit their opponent.

It might not be exactly what you had in mind, but it does fill the same thematic niche.

[Myrddin]

Touch attacks and spells that make your hands deadly, such as what you reference, still require you to actually hit your opponent with your hands (an existing melee attack). Thus, spells such as Fire Strike and Lightning Strike seem to adequately reflect what you are wanting by imbuing the Mage's melee attack (such as their hands) with magic for the next time they hit their opponent.

It might not be exactly what you had in mind, but it does fill the same thematic niche.

True! I was thinking of something deliberately incompatible with weapons (for occasional close combat by a zappy wizard, or for a 'monk' character who fought unarmed), but those could be incoprorated in the quick spell which boosts a melee attack too, presumably, just by saying 'next time this turn this Mage uses his base attack...'