April 27, 2024, 02:47:37 PM

Author Topic: Dragon's Breath target options  (Read 10113 times)

SirJasonCrage

  • Jr. Mage
  • **
  • Posts: 78
  • Banana Stickers 1
    • View Profile
Dragon's Breath target options
« on: March 02, 2018, 04:24:11 AM »
Heyho.

With the thornlasher epidemic ravaging the meta, I'm trying to find ways to weed out the root of the problem.

I've been thinking about using Dragon's Breath to get rid of the tree from a distance.

Now imagine the Tree in A1 and my Warlock in A4. The druid's not stupid and has conjured a wall of thorns to block me from attacking.

Do I have to see both targets for my Dragon's breath at the start of the attack?

If that wall is between A1 and A2, can I attack the wall as an attack onto A2 and, after successfully destroying it, now choose a target in A1, since vision is no longer blocked?

Furthermore, if that wall is between A2 and A3, can I attack the Wall as a target in A2 (where the wall technically is, too) even though I can't see A2, and still use the second attack on the tree in A1?

iNano78

  • Ambassador
  • Legendary Mage
  • *****
  • Posts: 1296
  • Banana Stickers 4
  • Playing face-to-face in Ottawa again soon
    • View Profile
    • Ottawa/Gatineau Mage Wars (FB group)
Re: Dragon's Breath target options
« Reply #1 on: March 02, 2018, 04:35:52 AM »
Heyho.

With the thornlasher epidemic ravaging the meta, I'm trying to find ways to weed out the root of the problem.

I've been thinking about using Dragon's Breath to get rid of the tree from a distance.

Now imagine the Tree in A1 and my Warlock in A4. The druid's not stupid and has conjured a wall of thorns to block me from attacking.

Do I have to see both targets for my Dragon's breath at the start of the attack?

[mwcard=MWBG1A02]Dragon's Breath[/mwcard]

No. The target line only requires a (single) creature or conjuration. Compare to [mwcard=MW1I28]Teleport[/mwcard] (and others) that require more than 1 target.

If that wall is between A1 and A2, can I attack the wall as an attack onto A2 and, after successfully destroying it, now choose a target in A1, since vision is no longer blocked?

The card text specifies that you may make the second attack after completing the first, so it stands to reason that you could attack beyond the wall after attacking and destroying the wall with the first attack.

Furthermore, if that wall is between A2 and A3, can I attack the Wall as a target in A2 (where the wall technically is, too) even though I can't see A2, and still use the second attack on the tree in A1?
Definitely. This is how some archers and Ballista (e.g. cards with minimum range of 1), are able to make ranged attacks against a wall bordering their zone. You need line of site to the target (the wall), and the wall must be at the correct range (both 0 and 1, in Ballista's case; both range 1 and 2 in your example).
« Last Edit: March 02, 2018, 04:37:40 AM by iNano78 »
  • Favourite Mage: Salenia Forcemaster

exid

  • Legendary Mage
  • *****
  • Posts: 867
  • Banana Stickers 4
  • The longer the better!
    • View Profile
Re: Dragon's Breath target options
« Reply #2 on: March 02, 2018, 05:51:37 AM »
you check LoS to the second target befor begining the second attack.

It seems logical that if a wall is on a border of A2, a target in A1 or on a border of A1 is "1 zone farther away".
...
in this case could both attacks target the same wall between A1 and A2?

Zuberi

  • Rules Guru
  • Playtester
  • Legendary Mage
  • *
  • Posts: 2504
  • Banana Stickers 57
    • View Profile
Re: Dragon's Breath target options
« Reply #3 on: March 02, 2018, 09:22:21 AM »
First off, iNano78 is correct in all of their answers to the original questions. But then this:

you check LoS to the second target befor begining the second attack.

It seems logical that if a wall is on a border of A2, a target in A1 or on a border of A1 is "1 zone farther away".
...
in this case could both attacks target the same wall between A1 and A2?

is a very interesting question. I want to say the answer is no, and I have a few different reasons for why, but I'll admit to being unsure without further research which I don't have the time for right now. First, when it says second target, that could be interpreted as meaning it has to be a different target from the first. I know of some games that would interpret it that way and some that wouldn't, and I can't really recall which way Mage Wars does off the top of my head right now. But I'm pretty sure it has to be different.

But then another possible issue is when it says the second target must be IN an adjacent zone. Since walls are not actually in a zone, that would preclude them from EVER being the secondary target (though they could be the first target). Looking at the card, I am 95% sure that RAW this is the case, but that has some pretty significant implications for how the spell can be used so I don't want to say 100% that this is the correct interpretation. But just because you use the zones for determining range (because that's the only way to measure range in the game) does not mean the walls are actually in those zones.

zot

  • Playtester
  • Legendary Mage
  • *
  • Posts: 800
  • Banana Stickers 5
    • View Profile
Re: Dragon's Breath target options
« Reply #4 on: March 02, 2018, 10:04:18 AM »
I dislike that walls are also not in the zones they border. they should be subjected to zone attacks etc.

iNano78

  • Ambassador
  • Legendary Mage
  • *****
  • Posts: 1296
  • Banana Stickers 4
  • Playing face-to-face in Ottawa again soon
    • View Profile
    • Ottawa/Gatineau Mage Wars (FB group)
Re: Dragon's Breath target options
« Reply #5 on: March 02, 2018, 10:33:30 AM »
I dislike that walls are also not in the zones they border. they should be subjected to zone attacks etc.

[mwcard=FWI02]Earthquake[/mwcard]

Underused, imho.
*edit* Then again, I play multiplayer Domination, where it's common for key conjurations to be in adjacent zones, often separated by an enemy wall, with several creatures I'd be happy to Slam (e.g. de-guard the guards!). And it's a format where the Warlord is among the better mages, so Earthquake is even in-school!
« Last Edit: March 02, 2018, 11:23:39 AM by iNano78 »
  • Favourite Mage: Salenia Forcemaster

exid

  • Legendary Mage
  • *****
  • Posts: 867
  • Banana Stickers 4
  • The longer the better!
    • View Profile
Re: Dragon's Breath target options
« Reply #6 on: March 02, 2018, 02:02:17 PM »
IN
that answers my question, I think.

Arkdeniz

  • Sr. Mage
  • ****
  • Posts: 273
  • Banana Stickers 2
  • Hated by the Dice
    • View Profile
Re: Dragon's Breath target options
« Reply #7 on: March 02, 2018, 02:12:39 PM »
in this case could both attacks target the same wall between A1 and A2?

Surely the answer is No.

The card says: "Dragon's Breath may attack a second target (similar to a Sweeping attack)"

Sweeping says: "one attack action which comprises 2 attacks against different targets in the same zone"

Because a Sweeping attack has to have two targets in the same zone and DB does not, DB cannot be given the  Sweeping trait, but surely the phrase "similar to a Sweeping attack" means that we are instructed to follow the rules for Sweeping for all other aspects of the DB attack.
  • Favourite Mage: Darkfenne Necromancer
"Frost damage is a scam an armor dealer invented once to make a Beastmaster buy a new fur" - Exid


'No! Winter is coming." - Elementalist

Kharhaz

  • Playtester
  • Legendary Mage
  • *
  • Posts: 2109
  • Banana Stickers 7
    • View Profile
Re: Dragon's Breath target options
« Reply #8 on: March 02, 2018, 06:35:16 PM »
"The second target must be in an adjacent zone, 1 zone farther away than the first target. Both Targets must be within range."

So at the end of the first attack you have to target a second target; so that target must be different than the first target.

Then to determine if that target is legal you have to do the check list:

Is it in an adjacent zone?
is it exactly 1 zone further away?
are both targets (first and second) in range?

Once all those are correct, we are in step 1 on the second attack for those keeping score, then we can proceed to step 2 and so on.

Also it looks like walls can never be the second target, since they do not qualify for either of the first two conditions......


cheers

exid

  • Legendary Mage
  • *****
  • Posts: 867
  • Banana Stickers 4
  • The longer the better!
    • View Profile
Re: Dragon's Breath target options
« Reply #9 on: March 03, 2018, 12:37:48 AM »
Sweeping
;D
this answers my question again!

DaveW

  • Legendary Mage
  • *****
  • Posts: 926
  • Banana Stickers 3
    • View Profile
Re: Dragon's Breath target options
« Reply #10 on: December 22, 2018, 11:08:29 AM »
Apologies for resurrecting the thread, but the previous discussion may be helpful in considering my follow-up:

Assume that the caster of Dragon's Breath is in the near center (B2), and that there is a valid target in D2, and another in D3 (i.e. both D2 and D3 are in LoS and have a creature or conjuration in each). Also assume that there is a wall between D2 and D3.

May Dragon's Breath make its attack against the target in D2, and then bypass the wall between D2 and D3 to attack the target in D3? (RAW it seems so... the second target is one zone farther away... but you would think that the wall might "get in the way" of the breath.)

Does it matter what the wall's characteristics (blocks LoS, passage attacks, blocks passage) are in this particular case? I would not think so... which again makes me wonder about how the breath would bypass a steel wall to get behind it and attack the second target.... (It feels like another magical Tsunami effect, flowing over the wall, which still makes no sense to me.)
« Last Edit: December 22, 2018, 11:11:56 AM by DaveW »
  • Favourite Mage: Asyra Priestess

Kharhaz

  • Playtester
  • Legendary Mage
  • *
  • Posts: 2109
  • Banana Stickers 7
    • View Profile
Re: Dragon's Breath target options
« Reply #11 on: December 22, 2018, 11:13:11 AM »
Apologies for resurrecting the thread, but the previous discussion may be helpful in considering my follow-up:

Assume that the caster of Dragon's Breath is in the near center (B2), and that there is a valid target in D2, and another in D3 (i.e. both D2 and D3 are in LoS and have a creature or conjuration in each). Also assume that there is a wall between D2 and D3.

May Dragon's Breath make its attack against the target in D2, and then bypass the wall between D2 and D3 to attack the target in D3? (RAW it seems so... the second target is one zone farther away... but you would think that the wall might "get in the way" of the breath.)

Does it matter what the wall's characteristics (blocks LoS, passage attacks, blocks passage) are in this particular case? I would not think so... which again makes me wonder about how the breath would bypass a steel wall to get behind it and attack the second target....

When you go through the process:

Is it in an adjacent zone?
is it exactly 1 zone further away?
are both targets (first and second) in range?


You have to check LoS when you check range, when making an attack or casting a spell. If you do not have LoS then that target is not a legal target of the attack / spell




wtcannonjr

  • Ambassador of Wychwood
  • Legendary Mage
  • *****
  • Posts: 811
  • Banana Stickers 3
    • View Profile
    • WBC Mage Wars Tournament
Re: Dragon's Breath target options
« Reply #12 on: December 22, 2018, 11:58:37 AM »
You have to check LoS when you check range, when making an attack or casting a spell. If you do not have LoS then that target is not a legal target of the attack / spell

I thought it was "You have to check LoS when you TARGET something for an attack or spell casting."

i.e. Calculating range does not require a LoS, but targeting an object does.

That is the nuisance we have been using in our games.
  • Favourite Mage: Wychwood Druid
"Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced." - James Baldwin

Kharhaz

  • Playtester
  • Legendary Mage
  • *
  • Posts: 2109
  • Banana Stickers 7
    • View Profile
Re: Dragon's Breath target options
« Reply #13 on: December 22, 2018, 12:06:10 PM »
You have to check LoS when you check range, when making an attack or casting a spell. If you do not have LoS then that target is not a legal target of the attack / spell

I thought it was "You have to check LoS when you TARGET something for an attack or spell casting."

i.e. Calculating range does not require a LoS, but targeting an object does.

That is the nuisance we have been using in our games.

Any and everytime you count range, LoS is also checked.

From page 17 of the Core rules:

LINE OF SIGHT

In order to cast a spell or make a ranged attack
against a target, you must have a clear “line of sight”
(called “LoS” for short). Normally, a creature has LoS
to the entire game board, even into zones that are
out of range. But, some walls block LoS. You cannot
cast a spell or make a ranged attack through a wall
that blocks LoS.

When you count range to your target, you must also
check if you have clear line of sight (LoS). Draw an
imaginary straight line from the center of the attacker’s
or caster’s zone to the center of the target’s zone. LoS
is blocked if the line crosses through a zone border
that has a wall on it with the blocks LoS trait. Walls do
not normally block LoS if the line crosses diagonally
through the corner of a wall border, as long as at least
one side of that corner does not block LoS. When
drawing LoS to a wall, draw it to the center of the
zone border.




DaveW

  • Legendary Mage
  • *****
  • Posts: 926
  • Banana Stickers 3
    • View Profile
Re: Dragon's Breath target options
« Reply #14 on: December 22, 2018, 03:42:25 PM »
LoS has nothing to do with my question folks....
  • Favourite Mage: Asyra Priestess