A few flaws in the Predator Sight spell...

[Cal]

...in that a few monsters probably should NOT show up when using it.

As it states, it allows the character to see monsters in the infrared spectrum. I think a few monsters, such as walking corpses, skeletons, and poltergeists should not be visible with the spell, as they'd be at room temp or close to it.

Just a thought...a consideration for Book Two, perhaps?

[BasiliskWrangler]

Yep, agreed. Predator Sight should probably have something to do with electromagnetism as I would assume animated or corporal entities would produce some form of energy field. So, maybe just a description change is in order?

[Cal]

Hmm...not a bad fix. Or maybe it detects life energy in the living and magic energy in the undead.

And a few monsters should have Predator Sight as a feature of their own, like the poltergeists and other undead. They shouldn't have penalties for fighting in the dark.

[acoustibop]

I would have thought even "walking corpses, skeletons, and poltergeists" should be appreciably above room temperature, as they must be expending energy.

Warm-blooded animals such as mammals and birds maintain a fixed temperature that is usually appreciably above their surroundings. Cold-blooded animals, most of the rest of the Animal Kingdom, simply maintain a body temperature a little above their surroundings - how much usually depends on how active they are. They aren't necessary cold at all; a lizard basking in the sun on a hot day can have a body temperature higher than that of most mammals.

And similarly, I would expect that "walking corpses, skeletons, and poltergeists" would be something like cold-blooded animals: not maintaining a fixed temperature, but warmer than their surroundings because of the energy they inevitably expend, generating heat.

[Cal]

Aside from applying real-world biology to imaginary creatures, that's a good argument.

I counter with this, however: Traditionally, undead creatures such as skeletons and zombies are animated through clerical means, ie "magic"...surely that would be the "energy" that gives the creatures life. I know all existing forms of energy entropy down to low-heat...I wonder if magic would do the same...

And ghosts and wraiths and poltergeists and the like are traditionally non-corporeal, slightly "out-of-phase" with reality. I can't see how they would emit any heat.

[acoustibop]

They emit light - why not heat?

[Cal]

They emit light - why not heat?

Biolumiscence...erm...maybe necroluminescence

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bioluminescence

[Kreador Freeaxe]

I thought, if it was infrared, then the undead creatures should be blue (cooler than the surrounding room, as they're absorbing energy to be animate) while living creatures should be red. The way the spell/potion works now, all the creatures look like a night-vision goggle effect.

Also, if it's Predator Sight, why don't more of the predators seem to have it?

[Dr. G]

What an interesting argument about Biology, Physics and Chemistry....
I would suggest the following, since the name is Predators Sight, tit shuold apply only to creatures that can be a pray i.e. animals... for all the rest undead, skeletons, etc.. ther shuold be another spell, and it shuold also go on a diferent color, maybe a Strong red or a Light Blue.

[Maelstrom]

What an interesting argument about Biology, Physics and Chemistry....
I would suggest the following, since the name is Predators Sight, tit shuold apply only to creatures that can be a pray i.e. animals... for all the rest undead, skeletons, etc.. ther shuold be another spell, and it shuold also go on a diferent color, maybe a Strong red or a Light Blue.

Ah ha! To me everything is prey! Well my latest character that is. Taliesin and Lilly will be the only ones that don't make a nasty red splat on the ground. Poor li'l Lilly is going to have to do a lot of cleaning after Taliesin is done.