GURPSnet-Digest Friday, January 3 2003 Volume 04 : Number 3761 In this issue: Spell limitations part 2 Re: Question about enchantments Re: Question about enchantments Re: Spell enhancements part 1 (4th try) Re: Spell enhancements part 1 (4th try) Re: Spell enhancements part 1 (4th try) Curious Goods Tl 7-9 fussion bomb ??? Re: Tl 7-9 fussion bomb ??? Re: Tl 7-9 fussion bomb ??? See the end of the digest for information on subscribing to the GURPSnet-L or GURPSnet-Digest mailing lists. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 03 Jan 2003 00:25:16 -0600 From: "Geoffrey Fagan" Subject: Spell limitations part 2 LIMITATIONS Accessibility Varies The Accessibilty limitation defines the conditions under which a spell may or may not be cast, or may or may not be effective. This is designed to fill the gaps in the limitations list, by giving guidelines for the creation of new limitations. The Accessibility limitation's value must be determined by the Game Master using the guidelines below. A +1 limitiation of this sort is relatively trivial. The restricitive event or condition occurs considerably less than half the time (the spell may not be cast in moonlight, for instance). Note that some limitations may be so trivial as to be worth no limitation value. A +2 limitation defines the halfway mark. The spell may be cast about 35% to 65% of the time. Only in Daylight (or Only in Darkness), Only Works Against Nonhuman Races, etc. A +3 limitation makes the spell generally uncommon in use. A spell that only affects dwarves, only works in temples, or can only be cast underwater is such a limitation. The level 4 limitation opposes level 1, and then some; i.e., conditions which prevent the function of a +1 limited spell may be the only ones appropriate to a +4 limited spell. A spell that could only be cast on a crowded city street, or only works one hour of the day, or on rare things ("That's odd, Menelaus, this fireball only seems to burn swamp sprites!") would be appropriate. Truly rare events, like Astrological phenomena that occur but once per decade, or once in a lifetime, can justify an even greater bonus than +4. The undying elves are reputed to know spells with conditions so rare that they actually provide bonuses of +10 or higher! Note that many of the examples listed above change levels depending on the campaign setting. "Only works in the presence of elves" is a +3 level limitation in a normal fantasy campaign, but worth +4 in a 1920s horror campaign (where elves are relatively scarce). In addition, meaningless limitations of other sorts should be avoided. A Create Fire spell with the limitation "cannot be cast on marble" is pointless, since the spell can't be cast on anything, and marble wouldn't burn... As an aspect of limiting the circumstances under which a spell might be cast, an Accessibility limitation may require certain traits in the caster. For example, a Truthsayer formula might work only for a caster who is Truthful himself. If he ever lies, the spell will cease to work for him. A spell may have multiple Accessibility limitations, but consider their cumulative effect. Two +2 limitations are typically about as restrictive as one +3 limitation, and hence they should be worth a bonus of +3, not +4. Some Magery limitations (see hereafter) make fine Accessibility limitations: Exclusive is +2, Incantation is worth +1 for the language requirement (beyond the value of No Ritual Reduction), Ritual Prerequisite is +1 per ritual component (+2 more for Extra Time), and Rune Magic is +2. Additional skills required to make Fetishes are +1 apiece. One other Accessibility limitation deserves mention: If a spell may be cast only with energy from a Power Reserve (an advantage described hereafter), it merits a +4 bonus. Enchantment: Enchantment spells like Enchant and Scroll may be limited to work with spells of one other college only, a +3 limitation, or even for one specific spell only, +4. This makes them eligible for membership in that other college, so a single-college mage can thus enchant within it. However, these limitations do not reduce the cost of enchantment as other limitations do. Spellbooks: Accessibility limitations nicely model a wizard's requirement of a spell's formula not just for initial training but also for ongoing use. If he must consult a copy weekly, +1, but he suffers a -1 penalty per week he can't study the formula. Daily, +2, and -1 per day without study. Every time he casts the spell, +3, and -1 per casting without study or per day between the study and eventual casting. Studying the spell takes 10 minutes; if it takes only 1 minute, reduce the bonus by 1. Additional Prerequisite +1 Normally, a custom spell has the same prerequisites as the unmodified spell. This limitation requires an additional prerequisite, which may be an advantage or skill, as well as a spell, a level of magery, or a tech level. This limitation has the potential for abuse, if a mage specifies every spell he knows as a prerequisite for every other spell he knows, so the following restriction applies: Only a spell with enhancements may have Additional Prerequisites, and it may have its model (base spell or intermediate version) as a prerequisite, plus 1 Additional Prerequisite per enhancement. The bonus from Additional Prerequisites cannot exceed the penalty imposed by enhancements, and it does not apply for the purpose of calculating energy cost for enchantment. (Exception: A spell designer may impose additional prerequisites with no effect on casting difficulty, merely to limit distribution to a learned community.) An attribute as a prerequisite must be at least 12 (for ST, read as 20% higher than racial average). An attribute requirement of 15 counts as 2 prerequisites, an attribute of 18 as 3, and a godlike attribute (21) as 4. For skills, reduce the prerequisite value by 1. Manual Dexterity generally satisfies DX requirements. A quantity of unspecified spells (e.g., "any 6 Mind Control spells") may serve as one Additional Prerequisite. Nominated prerequisite chains are always subject to GM approval, based on their relation to the base spell or its enhancements. Restriction 2 above implies that the best way to customize a powerful spell (without taking enormous penalties) is to do so in stages of one enhancement each, making each stage a prerequisite for the next. Removing a prerequisite from a standard spell is a -1 enhancement. Removing a Magery prerequisite is a special case, also a -1 enhancement but only possible 3 tech levels after a spell's TL of introduction. However, initiation (below) may be substituted as a prerequisite for one level of Magery. Attunement Ritual +1 An enchanted item with this limitation requires a special ritual to attune it to a new wielder, which may involve fasting, prayer, meditation, etc., lasting 1 hour per 100 points of energy involved in the creation of the item. Attunement requires a roll against Performance skill. Specialization in rituals applies, as does familiarity with the enchanter's ritual culture. The wielder may receive instruction in the ritual from another, in which case he must roll against the lower of his IQ or the instructor's skill. The GM may approve more strenuous attunement requirements, such as holy quests or planetary alignment, and set their cost as he does for Accessibility limitations, bearing in mind that the wielder of the item must attune the object but once. Black Magic +3 Some spells invoke forces of Darkness for a boost in power. Such spells are mighty, but automatically fail if those dark forces wish. This is rare, for any use of black magic, however noble, can corrupt the caster: Whenever a mage rolls a critical success with a black magic spell, he acquires a debt of one character point. He may pay off this debt when he receives his next character point award; otherwise he gains a slight compulsion toward evil acts. As the point debt builds, the compulsion gets stronger, and he incurs a -1 penalty to Will rolls to resist temptation to evil for every 5 points of debt. To erase the debt, he may accept evil into his heart and take an "evil" disadvantage such as Sadism whose value equals the point debt, and at that time he may conduct a ritual (use ritual Performance skill) to affirm his fealty to whatever dark forces empower his black magic. Proof of evil acts must be incorporated. If the ritual is successful, he gains a Power Reserve of the same absolute point value as the disadvantage just acquired. For example, if he takes a -5-point Vow, he gets a 5-point Power Reserve - 50 points of magical energy. If the Power Reserve only works with black magic spells (-20%), that would be 60 points of energy. The description above describes only the unique mechanics of black magic, but the GM may rule that all such spells have a Magical Signature, Physical Effect (odor of brimstone), or are vulnerable to Purity, i.e., mithril, holy water, or the name of a power of light evoked in an elder tongue (q.v.) - altogether a +2 Vulnerability. He may further rule that certain spells (e.g., Summon Demon) must be black magic. Blatant Magic +1/+2 A mage can "feel" you cast a spell with this limitation, even if its effects are not otherwise visible, with an IQ+Magery roll, at -1 per hex between you and him or between your target and him, whichever is lower. With the second level of the limit, use the Long Distance range penalties for mages; even mundanes can sense your spell with an IQ roll at -1 per hex. Enchantments with this limitation are automatically detected by mages and may be detected by mundanes with an IQ roll. Optional Rule: Every spell is blatant when barely successful, i.e., when the margin of success is zero. Chaos Magic +3 Similar to Black Magic, but invoking the power of Chaos, instead of the power of Evil. The mechanic is similar: On any failure with a Chaos spell, the caster acquires a point debt. As the point-debt accumulates, the caster incurs a -1 penalty to resist any mental disadvantage he may have per 5 points of debt. When at last the caster surrenders to chaos, he mutates. He should make a Will roll, with the same penalty, and if he succeeds, he influences the mutation; i.e., he can nominate a mutation to the GM. Otherwise, he has no say. The mutation will consist of physical advantages, even "racial" advantages, of value equal to the point debt, balanced by disadvantages of like value, typically to include an Inhuman Feature. The disadvantages may be part of the physical mutation, like One Hand if the caster's other hand turns into a pincer, or they may be forms of insanity, such as a phobia or compulsive behavior. A chaos mage can acquire a mental advantage if it has a physical effect, such as an IQ bonus if his head grows notably larger. The description above describes only the unique mechanics of chaos magic, but the GM may rule that all such spells have a Magical Signature, Physical Effect, or Vulnerability to Purity. He may further rule that certain spells (e.g., Teleportation) must be chaos magic. Example: Chaos Kate learns teleportation as Chaos Magic, with a Magical Signature (taint of Chaos) and a Vulnerability to iron - she doesn't use a sword anyway. She gets a whopping +7 bonus to cast Teleportation, so she uses it often, teleporting behind her enemies for a surprise attack, or teleporting away if they're too strong. Over the course of many adventures, she fails 5 times, and she's too busy buying up her Teleportation level to pay off the debt, so she surrenders to Chaos. She makes her Will roll, so she gets to choose a physical mutation: She takes Polarized Vision, since the GM recently ruled that she was temporarily blinded after teleporting from a dark closet into bright sunlight. If you dissected her eyes, you'd see a physical difference, but it's not obvious enough to justify any physical disadvantages, so she takes a mental one: Compulsive Carousing. Over the next year, Kate fails Teleportation 25 more times, and each time her physical form seems to twist before she gathers her will to resist the Chaos. Carousing has placed her in jeopardy a couple of times, so she's not anxious to accept any more disadvantages, but then she's also too stingy to pay off the point debt. Eventually, amidst an epic battle in her mind to resist going to a party where her enemies will be sure to look, she surrenders to Chaos, and she changes! This time, she fails the Will roll, with her -5 penalty, and has no control over the metamorphosis. Her limbs deform (Brachiator, 5 points), as do her ears (Parabolic Hearing, 4 points), and her skin calcifies into an exoskeleton (DR 2, 6 points). She doesn't realize it at the time, but her nervous system develops the ability to deliver a bio-electric shock (10 points). However, now she now has clearly Inhuman Features (-5) and a terrible Secret (-20). As for her social engagement, she decides to stay home and work on a new costume: From now on, she will be known as the Masked Mage. Effigy +4 for certain enchantments The focus of an energy pool (q.v.), or effigy, is ideal for enchantment of any spell which is Always On, including Power. Effectively, the power is drawn from the energy pool. If the initiatory group and its energy pool are dispersed, the enhchantment fails until the effigy becomes the focus a the new pool. [Energy pools are another notion I posted to this list awhile back.] Extra Fatigue +2 For each time you purchase this limitation, the energy cost to cast the spell doubles. This enhancement may be taken any number of times. Extra Time +2/level The first application of this limitation quadruples casting time; an extra 3 seconds can be critical in a tactical situation. The next application multiples the casting time by 10, with a minimum of 5 minutes. Fatigue Damage Only +1 The spell inflicts fatigue damage instead of normal damage. Hybrid +1/level The modified spell draws power from multiple sources simultaneously, according to what exists in the campaign, one alternate source per level. For example, a mage-priest can cast his hybrid spells only where his god's sanctity overlaps an area of mana. Use the lowest level of Magery, Power Investiture, or Mentalism that applies, and stack penalties for mana, sanctity, and psychic static, and days of weakness. Bonuses for holy days and high mana or sanctity only apply if no penalties accrue from the other sources. If the hybrid spell has an energy cost but has Magery based on Unlimited Mana as one of its sources, it must specify how the cost be paid (half-and-half, or all but 1 from the tally, or from a Power Reserve). Hybrid spells are common among shamanic traditions which do not readily distinguish between natural magic and that granted by their gods. Illusion +1 A spell whose function is to produce a physical effect may be defined as merely illusory, much like Phantom Flame, or as a mental illusion (resisted by Will). In such case it is also an Illusion or Mind Control spell accordingly, as described above (Dual College Membership). Ingredient Required Varies Some ingredient must be present at the casting of the spell and is consumed (lost) as the spell is cast (successful or not). If the ingredient is not consumed, then reduce the value of the limitation by 2. Thus, a +1 or +2 ingredient is not a limitation if not consumed. The value of this limitation is based on the cost of the ingredient: +1 $5 per casting. +2 $25 per casting. +3 $100 per casting. +4 $1,000 per casting. These are TL3 values. Blood in quantities as required by Blood Magery is a +2 ingredient. A human sacrifice is worth +3. An expendable fetish is only a +1 ingredient, but it is also a +1 Accessibility limitation because of the skill roll required to make it. If a spell requires multiple ingredients, total their cost before calculating the value of this limitation. Note that the ingredient must be in hand, which requires a Step and Ready manuever (or Fast-Draw for that ingredient). Initiation +1 The spell is taught by a magical order or mystery cult, and membership is a requirement not only to learn it, but to cast it as well. This enables the group to teach powerful spells to its members and to discipline them with the threat of excommunication. Initiation is much like an Additional Prerequisite, except for the restriction that a normal Additional Prerequisite can only counter the penalty from an enhancement. This limitation is not available for spells to be cast with Power Investiture, for that advantage is effectively a refined form of Initiation. Whether membership in a group qualifies as "initiation" is for the GM to determine, but it should have these general characteristics: 1) secret wisdom imparted only to group members, 2) moral principles which define its reason to exist, 3) clear guidelines for initiation and excommunication, 4) a commitment to the group on the part of the initiate, 5) a ceremony of initiation. This ceremony of initiation is conducted with Performance (Ritual) skill by a duly authorized member of the group but need not include any special spells, though some cults do use Truthsayer or even Geas. In game terms, the GM may require the initiate to take the Magic Circle and or Energy Pool advantages (q.v.). The GM may also rule that initiation makes non-mages eligible to cast spells in normal mana, in which case he should charge an extra 5 points (reduced for range like an Energy Pool). Note that initiation as discussed here is separate from the Initiation advantage described in GURPS Voodoo. Initiatory groups often use Rank in the group as an Additional Prerequisite, per the usual terms of that limitation; initiatory rank cannot substitute for a level of Magery. Low Spell Endurance +2 The spell has half the normal duration, so over the long run, it costs twice as much to maintain. To quarter duration, +3. If the spell cannot be maintained, +1 more. Magical Signature +1 The spell has a distinctive character obvious to anyone who has some means to detect magic (including the default Magery roll to spot an enchantment). Analyze Magic will give full details on any spell, but even Detect Magic will reveal the distinctive character a spell with this limitation. It is appropriate for the taint of black magic or chaos magic. Any form of magical detection spell (or advantage) can be limited with an Accessibility limitation so that it only detects the magical signature, but with a bonus, and someone with Mage Sense can specifically tune in to the signature. If a person has a permanent magical signature (from casting too many such spells), that's a quirk, although it may coincide with a Reputation as well. A magical signature is only a limitation if it conveys something significant about the caster - e.g., that he is a black magician, or that he follows a certain magical tradition whose capabilities are documented. If several magical traditions exist, a Heraldry roll would be appropriate to identify their signatures. Necrosis +3 to Healing spells Tissue restored by a Healing spell with this limitation is subject to necrosis; i.e., tissue death, even when the body of which it is part is otherwise hale. Roll a check against HT for the recipient. If successful, the spell functions normally, but the tissue will die, inflicting damage equal to half the amount healed, in 1d weeks. The visible effect is not pleasant, and subsequent healing (natural or magical) incurs a -3 penalty. If the HT check is unsuccessful, the tissue dies immediately, and its only benefit is to stop bleeding. The -3 penalty to subsequent healing applies. However, a restored or regenerated limb of necrotic tissue can be restored to normal function with the Zombie spell, with ST+1, and necrotic versions of Minor and Major Healing work fine for repairing it. With an appropriate Ingredient limitation, the necrotic version of Instant Regeneration grafts a severed limb (possibly the original) rather than generating new tissue. Calculate the cost of a necromantic graft as if it were bionic (p. UT+7). No Energy Reduction +1 High skill does not reduce fatigue cost. No Powerstone +1 Energy from a powerstone cannot cover the fatigue cost of the spell. No Ritual Reduction +1 High skill does not reduce casting time or mitigate verbal or somatic ritual requirements. Non-Formulaic +1 This limitation is common to hedge magic and shamanism. The repertoire of these traditions does not lend itself to step-by-step instruction. A teacher doesn't so much explain a spell as encourage each student to discover his own way of casting it, and the spell cannot be recorded at all, nor is it compatible with the Scroll enchantment. Frequently, non-formulaic traditions are spotty, and the +1 bonus from this limitation overcomes the penalty for missing prerequisites. Physical Effect +1 This limitation applies to spells which are not normally accompanied by light, sound, smell, etc. (GM's decision). It adds beams of colored light, smoke, crackling noises, sulphurous odors, or some other definite sensory "special effect" to an otherwise covert spell. Alternatively, it may add a signature effect to a spell which already has a physical manifestation. For example, a sunbolt, normally light, may be transformed into a darkbolt. In addition to identifying the caster, or at least his school, the spell might have other drawbacks; e.g., the GM might rule that a wall of light will block a darkbolt or that warm clothing offers some protection. Range Limitation +1 This limitation is applied to missiles, decreasing the 1/2D range by 5 yards and the Max by 10 (multiplied like base range at high TL) for each time this limitation is purchased. Range Difficulty +1 This limitation is applied to Regular, Area, or Information spells. Any penalty for range (spatial or temporal) is doubled, including long-range penalties if applicable. This limitation may not be taken more than once. Recharge Varies A certain amount of time must elapse between each casting of the spell. If that time is 5 seconds, this is a +1 limitation. If 15 seconds, +2; if an hour, +3; and if a full week, +4. Runic For Enchantment, Varies A runic enchantment requires its wielder cast Activate Runes (p. M82) on the item whenever he wishes to use its magic. Activate Runes takes 1 turn to cast per rune involved in the enchantment (after which the normal casting time for that enchantment still applies). The default value of this limitation is -20% with one rune, -30% with 2, -35% with 3, -40% with 4, -1% more for each additional rune. Self Only +3 The subject must be the caster. Some spells already have this limitation, and buying it off is a +3 enhancement. Most Information spells fall into this category, for although they are affected by the range of the probe, they report only to the caster. If you buy off Self Only from an Information spell, calculate a Regular range penalty to the subject, in addition to any penalty, Regular or Long Distance, for the range to the target. Slow Damage +2 For spells which inflict damage, this spell reduces its application to 1 hit point per turn, although it doesn't affect the total, unless another mage intervenes by countering the spell. A second application reduces damage to 1 hit point every other turn. For sustainable damage, halve the bonus from this limitation. Maintenance cost is the same as casting cost, and the mage must be prepared to pay it on the final turn of the preceeding damage roll. Shock Only +2 Damage done with a spell with this limitation on it is not real, but feels real. Shock and stun, and any other factors from pain, are still considered, but no actual injury is done. Armor protects normally. Touch Only +2 A Regular spell with this limitation requires that the subject be touched. An Area spell with this limitation must center on the caster (a staff still counts as an extension of the caster, however). Information spells work on similar principles, depending whether they are area or single-subject spells. Note that some spells already have similar limitations inherent to them, and may not be modified by this limitation. Instead, removing this restriction counts as a -2 enhancement. Vulnerability Varies Your magic is vulnerable to a certain substance (or creature), and you suffer a weighty penalty (determined by the GM) to cast your spell in the presence of that substance. The substance may shield its own and possibly adjacent hexes from an otherwise successful Area spell. Sample penalties follow: - -5...You (or the subject) bear a small quantity of the substance, such as an amulet or a weapon - -10...You (or the subject) bear a large quantity of the substance, such as a suit of armor or large shield, or subject is made of the substance - -5...You (or the subject) are less than a yard away from a large quantity of the substance Combine penalties for yourself and the subject. If you are injured by the offending substance while maintaining the spell, it fails automatically and you lose an additional 1d hit points. Protective magic, such as missile shield or fortify, protects at half value against anything to which it is vulnerable. Typical vulnerabilities are iron, mithril, sunlight, holy symbols, and knots. Vulnerability to a common substance (sunlight, iron) is worth +3; vulnerability to an occasional substance (gems, dwarves) is worth +2; and vulnerability to a rare substance (meteoric iron, mithril, necromantic magic) is worth +1. If presence of the substance in any quantity causes automatic failure, add 1, and in this case objects made of that substance completely ignore protective spells. Weak +1/level Resisted at +2 per level of this limitation (no maximum). EXTENDED EXAMPLE Fizzle the fire mage wants a custom spell that will consume an area with fire, so he researches Conflagration, based on Flame Jet, with Area Effect (-4) and the Additional Prerequisites of Flame Jet (+1) and a Tech Level (+1), for a net modifier of -2 to the base Mental/Hard skill. Allowing it to be Blatant Magic - it's a pretty blatant effect - brings it up to Very Hard. Not satisfied with this level of destruction, Fizzle continues his research and produces Intensify Conflagration, based on Conflagration, an Auxiliary (-4) for Conflagration Only (+2) with Additional Prerequisites of Conflagration (+1) and Magery (+1), for no net skill modifier relative to its basis, so it also Very Hard. Now, if he has the energy, Fizzle can deal out some serious fire damage, but he takes a -1 penalty for 4-6 dice, -2 for 7-9 dice, etc. Meanwhile, Sizzle, a rival, hears of Fizzle's endeavors and tries to beat him to the punch with a single Super Conflagration spell, based on Flame Jet with Area Effect (-4), Auxiliary (-4) for Itself Only (+2), with Variable Configuration (-2) and Additional Prerequisites of Flame Jet (+1), Magery (+1), and 2 Tech Levels (+2), for a net modifier of -4 to the base Mental/Hard spell. Sizzle's spell is less reliable at base level, although as a single skill instead of a pair, it is easier to improve in the long run. _________________________________________________________________ Add photos to your e-mail with MSN 8. Get 2 months FREE*. http://join.msn.com/?page=features/featuredemail ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 03 Jan 2003 07:33:46 +0100 From: Oliver Schoenwald Subject: Re: Question about enchantments Hello Emily, Emily Smirle wrote: > > Fifth Question: How could I make the creation of magic items easier > > without unbalancing gameplay? > > {...} > Sure. The rule we use is that Slow and Sure enchantment, instead of > adding one point to the total per day, adds a number of points equal to > the mages skill in Enchant. Ah, this sounds like a good idea. I will experiment with this approach for some possible scenarios. Thank you! Oliver ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 03 Jan 2003 09:27:33 +0100 From: Oliver Schoenwald Subject: Re: Question about enchantments Hi Bret, Bret Indrelee wrote: >>Third question: {...} >> >> > >Provided they are willing to make up the time. There are rules for missed >days of work in GURPS Magic. > Ah, I will browse through the book again. I must have missed this. >>Fourth Question: Is there any other formula or method to define the >>necessary energy cost to create magic items? {...} >> >> > >Not in the normal rules. > Yes, I know. But maybe someone did some house rules creating some formula? >>Fifth Question: How could I make the creation of magic items easier >>without unbalancing gameplay? >>Lowering the energy cost but adding the necessity for certain, rare >>and/or expensive raw materials >>for the item? >> >> > >I don't remember where it was, but one house rule that I remember is a >magical workbench that reduced the time required to create an item. > Yes, I had this idea too. In my Harn campaign the mages (Shek Pvar) can create so called Sancti (plural of Sanctum) where they get a bonus to their spell workings. I think I will define that within a Sanctum the enchantment can done faster. >Since I don't really like to run campaigns with lots of magical items >floating around, I really haven't paid much attention to how to achieve >the effect you are looking for. > Yep, so far I don't like it either. However, my players will have access to only few spells in the beginning (they are playing wizard apprentices just learning magic spells and other skill using a modfied learning system). Also, I will add some enchantment rules which will make the magic 'wear off' after some time if the enchantment is done on an item of less than excellent material and quality. Maybe it has to be re-enchanted after some time so that the enchantments don't fade away by the time. Only the normal enchantment process taking the full energy and time would create normal permanent items. >I know there are a couple of people on the list who run a GURPS FR >campaign, hopefully they can chime in. You might also find some help in >GURPS Technomancer, which I believe has magic item factories so it should >hopefully cover potential problems with flooding the market. > I will take a look at that. So far I think that the existence of many magical items in FR bases on the pure mass of magic users who can work together in teams to create magic items. However, as I said above, I prefer 'fading enchantment' which will take much from the impact to game balance due to flooding the game world with magic items. Oliver ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 3 Jan 2003 12:08:36 +0100 (MEZ) From: Johannes Trimmel Subject: Re: Spell enhancements part 1 (4th try) A suggestion for changing the mechanics with keeping the effects practically the same: Let the enhancements cost fixed amounts of cp rather then changing the skillevel and the limitation gain dedicated cps that can only be spent on the spell in question (either for skill level or for enhancements) A spells cp cost still can't be reduced below 1. You can do the same thing with it but you can have 1/2 cp steps instead of (practically) 2 cp steps. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Better a solution that makes the problem worse then no solution at all. Johannes Trimmel ++++++++++++++++ ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 03 Jan 2003 08:38:32 -0600 From: "Geoffrey Fagan" Subject: Re: Spell enhancements part 1 (4th try) HNY Johannes, >A suggestion for changing the mechanics with keeping the effects >practically the same... Hmm...interesting. Actually, in my campaign enhancements add 4-cp steps, because I use the M/VH progression for all skills (mental or physical). Under the system as it stands, an Archmage with IQ 18 and Magery 9 has a base skill of 25 with an M/H spell for 1 point. If he buys the super spell with -12 worth of enhancements, he has a base skill of 13 for 1 point, but a basic 14/3 wizard would blow himself up if he tried to practice the same formula. With your suggestion, the super spell might cost 20 points flat, but you'd have a reasonable chance to cast it from the start. A wizard who has a limitation on Magery gets points back, on the order 2-5 per Magery level. Under your suggestion, a wizard who takes a limitation on a spell would also get points back, on the order of 2-4 per spell but restricted to being spent on that spell. Do you think that would be a disincentive for taking limitations on Magery? I presume the free points from the limitation would not count against age-imposed limits as character creation. Which enhancements or limitations do you think are worth only a half level? GEF _________________________________________________________________ Help STOP SPAM: Try the new MSN 8 and get 2 months FREE* http://join.msn.com/?page=features/junkmail ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 3 Jan 2003 17:16:21 +0100 (MEZ) From: Johannes Trimmel Subject: Re: Spell enhancements part 1 (4th try) On Fri, 3 Jan 2003, Geoffrey Fagan wrote: > HNY Johannes, Thanks you too. > > >A suggestion for changing the mechanics with keeping the effects > >practically the same... > > Hmm...interesting. Actually, in my campaign enhancements add 4-cp steps, > because I use the M/VH progression for all skills (mental or physical). > > Under the system as it stands, an Archmage with IQ 18 and Magery 9 has a > base skill of 25 with an M/H spell for 1 point. If he buys the super spell > with -12 worth of enhancements, he has a base skill of 13 for 1 point, but a > basic 14/3 wizard would blow himself up if he tried to practice the same > formula. > > With your suggestion, the super spell might cost 20 points flat, but you'd > have a reasonable chance to cast it from the start. > Yes this is a difference though you could make a malus to cast a limitation to get back to the effects under your system. > A wizard who has a limitation on Magery gets points back, on the order 2-5 > per Magery level. Under your suggestion, a wizard who takes a limitation on > a spell would also get points back, on the order of 2-4 per spell but > restricted to being spent on that spell. Do you think that would be a > disincentive for taking limitations on Magery? > I have not thought much about the compatibility to limited magery yet. Once you are able to affort full magery you would be better off with limiting spells individually. Limited magery would still be usefull for cases where you don't want to spend thoose points on your magic but to spend them elsewhere. > I presume the free points from the limitation would not count against > age-imposed limits as character creation. > No i don't think it should. I don't use that rules at all however. > Which enhancements or limitations do you think are worth only a half level? > I would value a malus to the resistence roll somewhere between 1/2 and 1 cp (though this comes from the comparison with a 2 cp/level skill progression) As a limitation propably a delay until the spell takes effect. You can make small steps in how much you need to make movements or speak to cast. If you only have to move your fingers or the wrist as well is not such a big difference unless you in the right kind of chains. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Better a solution that makes the problem worse then no solution at all. Johannes Trimmel ++++++++++++++++ ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 3 Jan 2003 13:38:58 -0600 From: "Troy Guffey" Subject: Curious Goods Has anyone ever used "Friday the 13th, the Series" in a game? Especially one with a pre-existing Supernatural Agency (like Bureau 13)? What possible effect and curse could the 1974 California State Cheerleading Tropy have? (Different if it's a cup, or a statue?) Troy Guffey ICQ pager: http://wwp.icq.com/1978644 AIM: Pax214 PGP key ID: 0xDCCDF22D ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 03 Jan 2003 16:09:39 -0500 From: "benjamin kitiyakara" Subject: Tl 7-9 fussion bomb ??? to get down to it im running special ops campain (tl7-9)where the pcs have to stop a a terrorist group from blowing up earth from space and to give it a truley sci fi feel i decided create a new type of nuke for them to stop unlike nukes of the past this one will realiy on fussion rather than fission wich in theory create a mini black hole heres how it will work in theory take a matirial and remove all the electrons and protons but how to do this in practice dont be so quick to say this is imposable they said the same thing about the h bomb _________________________________________________________________ STOP MORE SPAM with the new MSN 8 and get 2 months FREE* http://join.msn.com/?page=features/junkmail ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 03 Jan 2003 15:36:24 -0600 From: "Geoffrey Fagan" Subject: Re: Tl 7-9 fussion bomb ??? >dont be so quick to say this is imposable they said the same thing about >the h bomb It doesn't have to be possible anyway...the people threatened by it just have to a little uncertain. -GEF _________________________________________________________________ Help STOP SPAM: Try the new MSN 8 and get 2 months FREE* http://join.msn.com/?page=features/junkmail ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 3 Jan 2003 14:02:43 -0800 From: "Brian G. Vaughan" Subject: Re: Tl 7-9 fussion bomb ??? From: "benjamin kitiyakara" > to get down to it im running special ops campain (tl7-9)where the pcs have > to stop a a terrorist group from blowing up earth from space and to give it > a truley sci fi feel i decided create a new type of nuke for them to stop > unlike nukes of the past this one will realiy on fussion rather than fission > wich in theory create a mini black hole heres how it will work in theory > take a matirial and remove all the electrons and protons but how to do this > in practice dont be so quick to say this is imposable they said the same > thing about the h bomb a. When did they say the H-bomb was impossible? b. I thought the H-bomb *was* a fusion bomb. That is, a fission reaction is used to generate the energy to begin the fusion of hydrogen. ------------------------------ End of GURPSnet-Digest V4 #3761 ******************************* To subscribe to GURPSnet-Digest, send the command: subscribe GURPSnet-Digest in the body of a message to "Majordomo@io.com". If you want to subscribe something other than the account the mail is coming from, such as a local redistribution list, then append that address to the "subscribe" command; for example, to subscribe "local-testlist": subscribe GURPSnet-Digest local-testlist@your.domain.net A non-digest (direct mail) version of this list is also available; to subscribe to that instead, replace all instances of "GURPSnet-Digest" in the commands above with "GURPSnet-L". --==IFJRGLKFGIR50560UHRUHIHD--