Control Weather= World Domination? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Control Weather= World Domination? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
*Truean*
10-18-04, 12:22 PM (Seeing as this has Game Political, Spell, and all sorts of other aspects, I placed this thread here.)

The title is pretty self explainatory: how do you fight against the weather itself?

Think about it: weather determines everything, from how much food you have (economy) to how effective a fighting force you can feild.

Granted, one casting of Control Weather may negate another, but that leads to the fact that who(or what in the case of an organization)ever can cast Control Weather the greatest number of times (or stop someone else from casting it) wins....

That leads to the question of why there isn't at least one very well known country (in D&D) that is known for its weather controling ruler (you'd think that'd stand out...). This ruler could be beneviolent: "I'll literally change everything for you (the people of said nation), even the weather, if you bow to me." However, it doesn't take much imagination to see an evil counterpart to the above beneviolent ruler....

Any thoughts? Counterarguements (ways to get arround this situation)? suggestions? ect?

Bored on a Lunchbreak....
Truean

P.S. I'm considering making a place in D&D based arround this concept, any suggestions welcome.
Edymnion
10-18-04, 03:33 PM Yeah, but it only affects a 2-3 mile radius.
4-6 miles is hardly an entire country. 4-6 miles, thats a day's walk, max.

You could affect a city, thats about it.
And you can bet that if you tried to use it constantly for this sort of thing, they are going to be sending anything from the town guard to the national army out to stop you the old fashioned way.
*Truean*
10-18-04, 05:30 PM Granted: limited area of effect....

Solutions:

1.) enlarge spell (metamagic feat)
2.) multiple castings (the duration is very nice)
3.) multiple casters (in different locations)

4. For the more evil... intimidation tactics

Yes, 3-6 miles isn't that impressive, but when you cast this in a major city/ important area (mosoons to flood the river/capital anyone? how about signifigant crop failures in key areas?) it becomes harder to ignore. In fact, you could possibily make just about any demand on most governments if you could summon forth and mantain a tornado(s), hurricane, moonsoon, drought, blizzard, ect, ect....

Plotting world domination (j/k),
Truean
*Truean*
10-18-04, 05:35 PM Sorry didn't see the part about the army/ guard coming after the caster:

Here's the answer to that-- there are two possible outcomes:

a.) Yeild to the caster, who will restore the land back to it the way was and actually make improvements on it now that he is getting his way.

b.) fight off the casters (and by that level... lets face it... his minions...) lets say the nation even wins.... Doesn't matter because the crops are still ruined, the rivers are still flooded, and the hurricane is just starting to leave....
If you're the ruler, what exactly do you do after this happens to insure the sirvival of your people?

Truean
hiryuu
10-18-04, 05:41 PM Not to mention that changing the weather on even a scale like that has global implications. After all, it still follows the normal laws of nature - you taking rain and wind away from someplace else, you know? It's that whole butterfly flapping its wings thing. Chaos effect may cause the world's weather to collapse into a heap.

Of course, I'm a mean bastard that way.

Hey, wait a second, who's high enough level to control weather anyway? Certainly no one in my games.
kSquared
10-18-04, 06:08 PM If you're going the megalomaniac route, the trick is to use control weather where it will have maximum effectiveness. For instance, instead of dumping some rain on the farmlands, you send tornados at the granaries and destroy the year's food supply.
Stardrake
10-18-04, 10:58 PM Well, there's one other factor to keep in mind--in most D&D worlds, you have a god or gods who is concerned with the weather. Now consider having to deal with, for instance, a ticked-off Thor. This isn't the sort of thing most people find attractive--no matter how megalomanaiacal :devil: .

Just something to keep in mind....
*Truean*
10-19-04, 08:18 PM humm, how to deal with a weather god.... Bribe his followers and finance his temples after you gain control ;>).

Truean
*Truean*
10-19-04, 08:28 PM Any ideas how to take this from theory to reality (in game of course ;>) )?

Truean
Cervantes
10-19-04, 08:38 PM It would be cool if there was an evil force plagueing a city with contrlolled weather, asking payment for days of suitable weather. That a group of hero's would try to stop.
Gnomish Zombie
10-20-04, 11:54 AM humm, how to deal with a weather god.... Bribe his followers and finance his temples after you gain control ;>).

Truean

you really believe he'll take it kindly that you are corrupting his church?
Bribing him so he doesn't do his divine duty?
And you are going to accomplish this with how many world's weight in gold?
memberZ
10-20-04, 12:42 PM Key to the god of weather is to have your own god/s of destruction backing you and enjoying your actions.

To truly cause a kingdom great overall suffering, find the source of their water. Usually glacial runoff or spring. Wipe them out, this can be done with stealth. A combined effort of water source depletion and destruction of the kingdoms stores of food and water will cripple a kingdom quite fast.

As for the kings forces that's what evil gods minions are for. Erythnul and Hextor come to mind as their followers are quite adept at war.
Yak of Darkness
10-20-04, 01:05 PM I don't see why you have to make the evil warlord's plans involve destruction with Control Weather. A much more effective, and fun, villain will use the spell to benefit his country.

He becomes the ruler of a small area, gradually acquiring other countries, building an empire of peasants all devoted to him for his philanthropy. Farmers will pray to have their lands conquered by him, seeding distrust and rebellion in opposing kingdoms across the world (even if he never plans on coming to said kingdoms). And the people, so satisfied with how their lives prosper compared to the serfs of other regions, will wholeheartedly support their leader in any acts of depravity.

After all, he makes the rains run on time.
Krelios
10-20-04, 01:08 PM Since my players have recently figured this out already...

I've already seen the potential for Control Weather being an incredibly powerful spell. If the radius were larger, as Edymnion pointed out, it would be ridculously powerful. As it stands it can change the weather on a battlefield, making large scale conflicts heavily in favor of one army or another, but it can't produce hurricanes like those that have wreaked so much havoc on Florida this year (typically 50-100+ miles across).

IMC, however, an ancient evil artifact that was shatter millenia ago (I know, cliche to the extreme, but it works), had one of its shards land in a sea in the northern part of the continent. It just so happened that when the artifact split, each piece had one of its original powers and the part that landed in this sea was Control Weather. It was basically set on hurricane when it landed and the duration of the spell was made permanent by the original artifact's destruction so in effect, it is responsible for the "Gulf Stream" of my campaign world.

Now that the party is trying to collect these artifact pieces to destroy them (before an evil Black Dragon beats them to it and reassembles it) they realize what removing that piece could mean. They know they can't destroy the artifact permanently without reassembling it themselves, but removing that shard may mean returning the northern part of the continent to a frozen wasteland (like it was 9000 years ago). If they don't remove it, the dragon will, since he doesn't care about the effects on the local populace.

Long story short, Control Weather has become a central part of my campaign.
Lincoln Hills
10-20-04, 04:26 PM None of the PCs in my Greyhawk campaign have reached the heights of power needed for control weather, but I've already forwarned them that the druids of Oerth have a large, well-connected hierarchy, and they regard abuse of the spell as a sin against nature. I leave it to your imagination what sort of vengeance the Archdruid might levy against somebody guilty of this sort of large-scale abuse.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Truean 10-18-04, 12:22 PM	(Seeing as this has Game Political, Spell, and all sorts of other aspects, I placed this thread here.) The title is pretty self explainatory: how do you fight against the weather itself? Think about it: weather determines everything, from how much food you have (economy) to how effective a fighting force you can feild. Granted, one casting of Control Weather may negate another, but that leads to the fact that who(or what in the case of an organization)ever can cast Control Weather the greatest number of times (or stop someone else from casting it) wins.... That leads to the question of why there isn't at least one very well known country (in D&D) that is known for its weather controling ruler (you'd think that'd stand out...). This ruler could be beneviolent: "I'll literally change everything for you (the people of said nation), even the weather, if you bow to me." However, it doesn't take much imagination to see an evil counterpart to the above beneviolent ruler.... Any thoughts? Counterarguements (ways to get arround this situation)? suggestions? ect? Bored on a Lunchbreak.... Truean P.S. I'm considering making a place in D&D based arround this concept, any suggestions welcome.
Edymnion 10-18-04, 03:33 PM	Yeah, but it only affects a 2-3 mile radius. 4-6 miles is hardly an entire country. 4-6 miles, thats a day's walk, max. You could affect a city, thats about it. And you can bet that if you tried to use it constantly for this sort of thing, they are going to be sending anything from the town guard to the national army out to stop you the old fashioned way.
Truean 10-18-04, 05:30 PM	Granted: limited area of effect.... Solutions: 1.) enlarge spell (metamagic feat) 2.) multiple castings (the duration is very nice) 3.) multiple casters (in different locations) 4. For the more evil... intimidation tactics Yes, 3-6 miles isn't that impressive, but when you cast this in a major city/ important area (mosoons to flood the river/capital anyone? how about signifigant crop failures in key areas?) it becomes harder to ignore. In fact, you could possibily make just about any demand on most governments if you could summon forth and mantain a tornado(s), hurricane, moonsoon, drought, blizzard, ect, ect.... Plotting world domination (j/k), Truean
Truean 10-18-04, 05:35 PM	Sorry didn't see the part about the army/ guard coming after the caster: Here's the answer to that-- there are two possible outcomes: a.) Yeild to the caster, who will restore the land back to it the way was and actually make improvements on it now that he is getting his way. b.) fight off the casters (and by that level... lets face it... his minions...) lets say the nation even wins.... Doesn't matter because the crops are still ruined, the rivers are still flooded, and the hurricane is just starting to leave.... If you're the ruler, what exactly do you do after this happens to insure the sirvival of your people? Truean
hiryuu 10-18-04, 05:41 PM	Not to mention that changing the weather on even a scale like that has global implications. After all, it still follows the normal laws of nature - you taking rain and wind away from someplace else, you know? It's that whole butterfly flapping its wings thing. Chaos effect may cause the world's weather to collapse into a heap. Of course, I'm a mean bastard that way. Hey, wait a second, who's high enough level to control weather anyway? Certainly no one in my games.
kSquared 10-18-04, 06:08 PM	If you're going the megalomaniac route, the trick is to use control weather where it will have maximum effectiveness. For instance, instead of dumping some rain on the farmlands, you send tornados at the granaries and destroy the year's food supply.
Stardrake 10-18-04, 10:58 PM	Well, there's one other factor to keep in mind--in most D&D worlds, you have a god or gods who is concerned with the weather. Now consider having to deal with, for instance, a ticked-off Thor. This isn't the sort of thing most people find attractive--no matter how megalomanaiacal :devil: . Just something to keep in mind....
Truean 10-19-04, 08:18 PM	humm, how to deal with a weather god.... Bribe his followers and finance his temples after you gain control ;>). Truean
Truean 10-19-04, 08:28 PM	Any ideas how to take this from theory to reality (in game of course ;>) )? Truean
Cervantes 10-19-04, 08:38 PM	It would be cool if there was an evil force plagueing a city with contrlolled weather, asking payment for days of suitable weather. That a group of hero's would try to stop.
Gnomish Zombie 10-20-04, 11:54 AM	humm, how to deal with a weather god.... Bribe his followers and finance his temples after you gain control ;>). Truean you really believe he'll take it kindly that you are corrupting his church? Bribing him so he doesn't do his divine duty? And you are going to accomplish this with how many world's weight in gold?
memberZ 10-20-04, 12:42 PM	Key to the god of weather is to have your own god/s of destruction backing you and enjoying your actions. To truly cause a kingdom great overall suffering, find the source of their water. Usually glacial runoff or spring. Wipe them out, this can be done with stealth. A combined effort of water source depletion and destruction of the kingdoms stores of food and water will cripple a kingdom quite fast. As for the kings forces that's what evil gods minions are for. Erythnul and Hextor come to mind as their followers are quite adept at war.
Yak of Darkness 10-20-04, 01:05 PM	I don't see why you have to make the evil warlord's plans involve destruction with Control Weather. A much more effective, and fun, villain will use the spell to benefit his country. He becomes the ruler of a small area, gradually acquiring other countries, building an empire of peasants all devoted to him for his philanthropy. Farmers will pray to have their lands conquered by him, seeding distrust and rebellion in opposing kingdoms across the world (even if he never plans on coming to said kingdoms). And the people, so satisfied with how their lives prosper compared to the serfs of other regions, will wholeheartedly support their leader in any acts of depravity. After all, he makes the rains run on time.
Krelios 10-20-04, 01:08 PM	Since my players have recently figured this out already... I've already seen the potential for Control Weather being an incredibly powerful spell. If the radius were larger, as Edymnion pointed out, it would be ridculously powerful. As it stands it can change the weather on a battlefield, making large scale conflicts heavily in favor of one army or another, but it can't produce hurricanes like those that have wreaked so much havoc on Florida this year (typically 50-100+ miles across). IMC, however, an ancient evil artifact that was shatter millenia ago (I know, cliche to the extreme, but it works), had one of its shards land in a sea in the northern part of the continent. It just so happened that when the artifact split, each piece had one of its original powers and the part that landed in this sea was Control Weather. It was basically set on hurricane when it landed and the duration of the spell was made permanent by the original artifact's destruction so in effect, it is responsible for the "Gulf Stream" of my campaign world. Now that the party is trying to collect these artifact pieces to destroy them (before an evil Black Dragon beats them to it and reassembles it) they realize what removing that piece could mean. They know they can't destroy the artifact permanently without reassembling it themselves, but removing that shard may mean returning the northern part of the continent to a frozen wasteland (like it was 9000 years ago). If they don't remove it, the dragon will, since he doesn't care about the effects on the local populace. Long story short, Control Weather has become a central part of my campaign.
Lincoln Hills 10-20-04, 04:26 PM	None of the PCs in my Greyhawk campaign have reached the heights of power needed for control weather, but I've already forwarned them that the druids of Oerth have a large, well-connected hierarchy, and they regard abuse of the spell as a sin against nature. I leave it to your imagination what sort of vengeance the Archdruid might levy against somebody guilty of this sort of large-scale abuse.