"A better word for "Really, really difficult"?" Topic

So, I'm working on the magic rules for 'Chainmail Bikini', the upcoming Sword and Sorcery rules from Pulp Action Library. Tongue in cheek, 'rat-on-a-stick' fantasy.

Magic in pulp fantasy is much more like Mad Science than anything else. It's unpredictable, does bad things to the user, and is mostly the province of The Villain.

I need a word for the most difficult sort of spell. If there are four levels – Simple, Complex, Challenging and --- something, what's the best word for that something?

You know, the sort of Einsteinian level of sorcery that, done right, will change the face of the universe, but will most likely cause the user to catch fire and vanish in smoke, screaming incomprehensibly.

Mind boggling.
Formidable.
Gandalfian.

Impossible.

Epic. I also like the C.S. Lewis phrase 'Deep Magic'.

How about, "inconceivable"?

(you have to lisp it)

Nuclear, Game Over, Cataclysmic

I don't think that word means what you think it means.

Inconceivable
Herculean
Titanic
Sisyphean
Epic
Suicidal

Arcane.

But in the spirit of things, I think it should be: Screw This Up and Your Soul Gets Eaten by Horned Devil Frogs for All Eternity.
So, maybe "Hellacious"?

Impossible

*like*

Yeah, my first thought was Impossible as well.

ALMOST Impossible.

If something is described as Impossible then it can never be done.

Arduous, tortuous, abstruse, recondite, exigent, exacting…?

Or if you want something a bit obscure, daedal.

"Heisenbergian", after the Uncertainty Principle.
While not blessed with an equation like in physics, it can be summed up as "You don't get this right, you get blowed up real good."

PLUS, it is alleged that Heisenberg was pretty nonchalant and lazy when he led the research on The Bomb for Germany in WW2 (the Big OPne).

Celestial.

Daunting

Diabolical

Forgetaboutit

Blashphemous. It sees a lot of use in Pulp stories.

Please, keep us abreast of the development of this game.

Ron

If anyone British is involved then "tricky" would be appropriate :)

I like both Spudeus' suggestion of "Epic" and Agent Brown's suggestion of "Celestial".

Virtually Impossible.

Really, really, really difficult

Newbury and/or Fastplay

"nigh-impossible"

or "epic". "Epic" is good.

Cheers,

w.

I like 'Formidable'

Outrageous, unbelievable, deadly, diabolical/divine or dicey

While not difficulty related, you could go with a word like "Legendary". Similar to "Epic" above in feel.

Earth-shaking

andy

In my office, it's an "opportunity".

You could always go with "tricky"

I don't expect thanks…

Deadly

Ikea (have you ever tried to assemble their furniture!)
Machiavellian
Rocket Science
Quantum mechanics
Oh, !
Ooops
Titanic

I came to suggest "nigh-impossible" or "inconceivable" but I see the work was already done.

Bichin'
Boss
"Huh huh, watch this!" (as in drunk frat boys with fireworks)
"A little trick mom taught me when you weren't around"

Inadvisable.

Ominous
Insane
Forbidden

Of all the above, I think cataclysmic is best.

Seriously?

Not a question, my actual reply.

And a final one for the WRG/DBX crowd.
Barkeresque.

Are You Sure You Really Want To Try This? (AYSYRWTTT)

I always liked "too clever by half" beacause I don't understand what it really means but I know when I see it. Rob.

I like the suggestions of "Legendary" and "Diabolical"…those seem fitting. Or "Forbidden", as that sort of spell probably would/should be.

Byzantine.

Sesquipedalian.

Technically ambitious.

Brain (like the programming language, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brain"link ).

Cephaloclysmic (roll to save against head exploding).

I think I like "cephaloclysmic" best, but I just made it up (I believe "encephaloclastic" exists, meaning "destroying brain tissue").

All the best,

John.

Cataclysmic

Kind of descibes the potential effects, either on the subject/target and potenially the caster.

None of those ratings really invoke any sort of Sword & Sorcery flavour.

What about: Hedgecraft, Curriculum Ordinari, Curriculum Extraordinari, and Stygian?

Suicidal

It goes along with the increasing difficulty aspect of
Simple, Complex, Challenging and ---

also it ties off the lettering scheme : S-C-C-S

It would have to be 'courageous'… as in, 'that would be a courageous decision, Minister!'

Check any H.P. Lovecraft story, he always found ways to describe the vastl and undescribable without actually getting specific.

Hee Hee!

Brilliant stuff, fellas. Some great ideas.

How this will work is that the competence of the potential spell-caster (from "I can light my finger on fire" to "Awesome powers of (mostly) evil") is cross referenced with levels of difficulty, which tells you which table to roll on.

These run from, "Yes, you know how to summon a hamster" to "No, you can't even hold the book correctly, please stop now."

In between you have ranges of success or (more interestungly) failure which – depending on the Diabolical Awesomeness (TM) of the spell can range from "Damn – didn't work. Feeling a bit queasy" to, well, something that Indiana Jones would consider over the top.

Fiendishly difficult.