The SANIC Hack: Part 7 - Auras and Aura Shards

 

I learned TODAY that the Japanese releases call these "Barriers"
which is a much better descriptor than "Shields" but what ya gonna do?
- Sonic Adventure 2: Battle (GCN, 2001)

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Howdy, Farmhands!

    It's been a long damn time since I posted anything with this title. While April through May 2024 was a very productive period of time for me, for the Sanic Hack specifically, my energy for it quickly waned as the scope crept bigger and bigger. It's a mish-mash of ideas for mechanics that fit, in theory, with the vague concept of an adventure game I've kept in my head. The unfortunate reality is, time needs to be spent actually trying to make it all work together at an actual table, which is mostly where I've been.

    I once, briefly, shared a Play Report for a session of an even earlier draft of what is currently The Sanic Hack, known then as "Daring & Dreaming." The hiatus for that table ended last May (conveniently after I posted the last major Sanic Hack blog), and my game design attentions shifted towards problem solving for a specific group of 2 to 3 individuals. How did my plans survive the field of battle? Well... 

    Without giving a full play report of  9 months worth of games, though those may still be coming, a number of assumptions I had about the game I was writing were tested and found wanting. Some subsystems worked fine! Others were fiddled with on the fly. The tl;dr of the whole thing is NO, Sanic Hack isn't going away, but YES, I've had a shift in focus and intent with the project. The Weapons Post in particular is going to be gutted. Ce la vie.

    Anyway, here's some temporary Shield type things to prevent specific kinds of damage.

Until Next Time,

    Farmer Gadda

 Aura Shards 

You can literally get these off Ebay for 180 bucks, this is a real product bandai made what the fuck
- Pokemon Evolution Stones Candy Set, Bandai (2017)

    Crystalized chunks of pure energy that can form in areas of heightened emotional chaos and intense geological pressure. They take on the color of the elemental energy they contain, with a symbol flickering inside. While these objects are uncommon, they can still be bought from Merchants for about the cost of mid-tier Armor. A method to artificially create these shards has been developed, but the technology is currently prohibitively resource intense. 

    Any individual who shatters a shard gains the benefits of the energy held inside, after which the pieces of crystal become inert. Only 1 Aura may be active at any time for a user; gaining the energy of another shard dispels the energy of the previous. Aura Shards of the same type stack up to 3 per slot.

Auras

    A field of energy that emanates from a single individual. Auras are attuned to the specific user, moving wherever they do and encompassing their body entirely. Specific elemental affinities create Auras with unique properties, which can be used to interact with the Users' surroundings in creative ways.

Common Auras' interactions are classified into 4 types-

• Passive- An ability that requires no intent of the User. Conversely, these interactions happen despite the Users' intentions, potentially having adverse effects.
• Active - Requires a conscious action by the User. As long as the Aura is active, this action may be repeated.
• Spend - Requires a conscious action by the User. The Aura is immediately Dispelled as a cost of making this action.
• Dispel - An interaction that will deactivate the Aura. Some Auras have multiple interactions that would dispel them, though most can be deactivated at will by the User.

Force Aura	A transparent orb of energy surrounds the user, giving a blue tint to everything seen through it. Objects cannot permeate the orb from either direction, but a good wallop will make it break.
	Passive	Active	Spend
	Negates all Damage once, is then Dispelled.	N/A	N/A
Dispel The User may Dispel this Aura at will.

Bubble Aura	A pocket of air within a viscous membrane forms around the User. It bends against objects that strike it, pushing back with equal force.
	Passive	Active	Spend
	Deflects any ranged attacks back at it's point of origin. Provides clean air for the User to breathe.	Dive - As an Action, the user may make a quick descent through air or water, bouncing safely once they hit the bottom.	Bubble Burst - Separate from their Action, the user may pop their bubble, dealing 1d6 Blast damage to any targets in Close range
Dispel The bubble can be popped by sharp or spiked weapons or terrain.

Flame Aura	Smokeless flames lick the air around the User. Objects may pass through, though any external sources of heat or fire are simply absorbed into the aura.
	Passive	Active	Spend
	The User is immune to damage related to Fire, Heat, or Lava. Flammable/Frozen objects that make contact with the Aura may ignite/melt	Dash - As an Action, the user may launch themselves forwards in a straight line, up to their standard movement speed. Targets within Close range of this path take 1d4 damage.	Flame Shot - As an Action, the user may cast this aura as a ranged attack at a single target for 1d8 damage.
Dispel The flames dissipate when making contact with Water.

Static Aura	Lightning arcs across an invisible field in a perfect orb around the user. When objects make contact, ripples of light emanate from the point of contact before fading.
	Passive	Active	Spend
	Attracts Magnetic objects, which latch on to hover within the Aura's orbit and cannot easily be removed.	Double Jump - As an Action, the user may ascend vertically up to twice their standard movement speed.	Rubble Burst - As an Action, the user may force objects latched onto the Aura as a ranged attack, dealing 1dX (X=# of Objects) Blast damage to any targets in Close Range.
Dispel Contact with water disperses the energy to any targets also in contact, including the user, dealing 1d4 damage.

Rush Aura	A haze of shimmering light surrounds the User, vibrating at a high speed. Vision through the barrier is unfocused.
	Passive	Active	Spend
	Standard Movement is Doubled	N/A	N/A
Dispel The effect ends if the User takes any Damage.

Spectral Aura	A cacophony of shimmering star-like motes of light swarm the User. Regardless of the properties of an offending source of damage, the User remains unaffected.
	Passive	Active	Spend
	Negates all damage taken.	N/A	Star Flash - As an Action, the user produces a bright light that floods the room, blinding any target looking at them.
Dispel This Aura can be Dispelled at will; once Dispelled, the User accrues Fatigue equal to number of Turns taken with the Aura Active.