From Foom's rules:

So here come the questions....

1) Foom's EE power trumps the generic EE power because that's what Colossal rule do, but his rules are still based on the old generic rules in which everyone was just dealt 1 damage. So, with his spin on it, all hit targets get hit for 3 damage each (assuming he's played at full strength). But, with the new EE rules, where splash damage is based on bolts, would his damage to the primary target become 3, and the splash damage be his # of bolts, or does the fact that his rules trump the new one, yet aren't divorced from the old EE rules, mean that the act of 'using' his rules, means using the old EE rules that they go with?

2) How does Multi-attack interact with his EE? Does all damage get reduced by 1, even AoE damage?, meaning his EE goes to 2 to the primary and 1 to the adjacents? I can't image the intent is for him to be nerved this much.

3) How does the DDM interact with his EE and multi-attack?

Any answers would be welcomed.

1) His power only modifies what his damage value becomes. It does not modify the splash damage. As such when he makes an attack that uses EE his damage value is changed, but the splash damage is still based on the number of bolts.

2)Splash damage is only modified by effects that specifically modify the splash damage. The -1 is only for his actual damage value.

3)Unfortunately it stacks. So if you use Multi-Attack with Foom and attack twice the first attack will be -1 damage and the second attack will be -2 damage. I'm not sure what you were thinking though on DDM and EE. Can you please explain further?

Thanks for the response. The part that worries me on the multi-attack and AoE damage is this part:

Isn't AoE damage still 'damage dealt'?

I was more thinking that combining EE, multi-attack and a DDM, would make a second attack using EE deal 1 to the primary - 3 initially, reduced to 2 from multi-attack, and reduced to 1 from DDM. That makes for a sad Dragon (him, not you).

It is. If I were asked to rule on it I would say that the splash damage is not reduced as I believe it cannot be modified unless something specifically modifies the splash damage (like the IH Bruce Banner). The only way to be 100% certain though is to send it to WES.



Right so when he makes a Ranged Combat Action EE will automatically activate and replace his damage with the number of dials. So in this case the first RCA would have a -1 from Multi-Attack. This would also trigger the DDM. So the second Attack would then have a -1 from MA and a -1 from the DDM so it would have a total of -2 to the damage value. A Sad Fat Dragon indeed

I'm sorry, I might have missed something that is going to make me punch a wall. Are you saying that his EE rules means he 'actually' deals 3 damage even on other attacks where I don't 'activate' the splash damage of EE because EE is always 'on'? Basically, he has 3 damage at range for all spots on his dial where EE is showing? And if he's played at 600 points, he has 1 damage? Because if that's what you're saying, then my Smaug Mod just became a complete waste of time, or I'm going to institute my first house-rule ever, with great contempt.

I can give you some numbers on who to call to fix that wall...

Yes, with the New EE rules, EE is always "on" but you can choose to activate the Area of Effect or not. Just like with Blades/Claws/Fangs it is always "on" but you can choose to roll for the power or not. You do not need to declare that you are using EE when you make a RCA, you only need to declare if you activate the AoE.

This is why a lot of the Smaug mods have been going on different bases than Foom...

Sigh. I appreciate all of your timely and well-articulated answers, though saddened by the result. You don't happen to have a spare Serpent base laying around, do you?

No, that is not how it works.

From the Player's Guide Section 1:

When game effects are triggered from using a power or ability (typically using a phrasing like “When he does...”), it refers to when you are given an action to activate it if there is an action option for the power (ie, Charge or Force Blast) or when you choose to utilize an effect when the effect works in conjunction with an action (ie, Blades/Claws/Fangs or Carry).

If you do not choose to utilize the area of effect for Energy Explosion with Foom, nothing happens to his damage.

When the Player's Guide was reformatted (about a year ago), for some reason the all the special Colossal clarifications and erratas were not transferred from the old documents. No idea why. However, going by the last time we *DID* have mention of them, there are some errors here we should clarify.

First, that isn't the wording of Multiattack you should be using. You need use the current, 2014 PAC Multiattack because of:

When a special character‘s printed rules indicates that they possess an ability that is documented in the latest rulebook, the rules from the rulebook override the printed rules for the character.

That gives you:

MULTIATTACK
Give this character a power action. It can be given any 2 actions as free actions. This ability can’t be countered.

That means the only negative modifier you need to worry about is the Damage Depletion Modifier. There is no longer a built-in modifier to Multiattack.

Second, the way his EE works is actually a little different. Again, from the old PG:

When Fin Fang Foom uses Energy Explosion or Pulse Wave against multiple targets, the damage dealt per hit is equal to the number of dials he started with, overriding all other restrictions on this number.

This doesn't specify hit *TARGETS*. So this means that anyone hit (targets or not, AoE or not) has damage dealt equal to the number of dials. The damage value doesn't matter and the number of do not matter.



All that said, this is old information. If you really want to get the most up to date info, you need to ask on the official forums.

Well, THAT would be good news.

I don't think I want to ask on the official forums. I'm going with what you said because it makes me happier. Thanks!