Lightning on the Zig

[Gwydion]

I find it kind of silly that folks stand on top of the zig in metal armor while it's raining.  Wouldn't it be the highest point on that part of the island?

How about random lightning strikes hitting characters milling around on the top of the zig, say for 1-6 damage? You explain the high frequency, low intensity bolts by being attracted by the mythallar or something...

No one with half a brain stands outside on top of a hill in metal armor.

I think it would make it neat for people to start heading inside when it rains, even if lightning accompanies the rain only once in a while.
It would promote more use of the inside areas like the Mythallar area, the Market area, and Kingsman's.

[vawton]

I think this already happens. Both on top of the zig and in the gazer village during lightning storms I've seen my main PC make autosaves vs. elec.; but because he has such fantastic reflexes he's never taken any damage. But, it would make sense to apply a penalty to the save if wearing metal armor.

[Zelknolf]

I think the mountains are the highest point on the island, and that a plate harness is extremely good at grounding electrical current. :P

More to the point, though, there already are lightning scripts, ones that I would say strike too frequently and entirely too close together, especially for a tropical island. But, meh, they don't do that much damage, and the mythal makes a fair explanation; they're just hard to RP with. Yknow, the whole "I just got struck by lightning... but I'm only cantrip-style messed up." ... thing?

[Letsplayforfun]

Just like folks (i included) used to stand by town hall and it's stinking stoning cage, folks prefer to stand out in the rain. I'm regularly asking foks standing out in the rain if they enjoy it. Most answer yes... so what can we do, hu?

Would lightning bolts add much to the gaming experience?

[Kiaring]

Certainly to mine.

[MisterPAIN]

Wouldn't those high pillars be the highest point instead of adventurers?  It would also make no sense for something to randomly target a leather wearing halfling standing in a crowd full of tall humans just for standing there >.>

[Egon the Monkey]

I wonder personally if the nice conductive metal would act as a Faraday Cage or not, and just conduct the charge straight to the ground. :D

Personally, any sending i make when it's raining has something like "I'll be in Kingsman's/the Mythallar/Camp where it's *dry*" tacked on the end.

[Oroborous]

That's the kind of realism that many players just dislike.

I've seen it implemented on other servers, and couldn't stand it then.

[RIPnogarD]

Odds = 1 : 280000 of being struck by lightning

[Gwydion]

I kind of thought it was cool when there was electrical activity in the old goblin town in the former setting.  You didn't see characters hanging out there much.  Not practical.

Oro, the only realism I'm looking for here is for people to utilize some of the indoor areas, rather than the Grand Bazaar that is in constant existence at the top of the Zig, rain or shine.  I find it silly.  I wonder if the DM that put that junk pile at the top thought it would be the cornerstone of the #1 gathering place in the new setting?

RIPNogar, I'm guessing the chances go way up when you are wearing metal armor and standing at the summit of a high structure.  The reason the odds aren't so high is because people generally don't do these things.

[DeathFireArchon]

Well, I don't know about you guys... But whenever it starts raining around here, I put on my ornamental platemail armor and take the elevator to the tallest building I can find.

So far, I've only been struck once or twice. Out of the thousands of times I've done this, getting struck isn't that common of an occurance, I promise!

[Oroborous]

Gwydion, on CoA, we added lightning to the market to drive people into utilizing the in-door areas.

The idea was universally hated by PCs who discovered they couldn't even go outside without being hit by lightning half the time because it rained so often. Players still sat in the bazaar, and instead just spammed Endure Elements. Low level PCs got smote by the lightning trying to run indoors while Near Death.

I'm just saying, the idea did not work as intended.

[ExileStrife]

Magic.

[RIPnogarD]

Odds = 1 : 280000 of being struck by lightning

This ratio posted was per year, multiply these odds by 365 to get 1:10,220,000 a day; then add factors like plate armor and over the shoulder great swords and subtract the factor of four lightning rods mounted at the top of the Zig to get the actual ratio of chance per day to get struck by lightning.

If you’re talking some sort of magical electrical power like taking damage when a new PC is ported in, I’d say, “Awsome! Make the change.”

If you’re talking reality I’d say, “Reality sux, keep it a game.” You want real, try carrying 99 arrows and see what happens.

[Gwydion]

RIP,

LOL at using RL statistics to argue a point, and then saying "Reality sux, keep it a game."

We try to RP when we get poisoned, blinded, fireballed, tortured, insulted, strengthened, but yet all the characters stand around in the rain like cows in an open pasture?  That's not RP in my opinion.  

Although we aren't trying to be 100% realistic, we also use mostly human and thus, logical personality traits when we RP.  I don't want people to have to eat, drink, defecate and such.  That adds nothing to the experience.

But saying, "Hey, it's starting to rain.  Let's go into Kingsman's/Market/Fassaud's/Guard HG because of the lightning" is an opportunity for RP and changing up where our characters go.  

I like the "random electrical zaps" from a new PC coming in just as well as very small lightning zaps "encouraging" people to take cover too.

Hey it's just an idea.  Oro's point that it's wicked on newbs is a good one.  But if nightrisers out at night is a good one, this is along the same lines somewhat.

Good thoughts