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Message no. 1
From: "Elves are better at night 8)" <MKNABUSCH@******.BITNET>
Subject: Spell idea
Date: Sun, 7 Nov 1993 17:22:31 -0500
Is it possible (no flames please) for a spell to affect several
people at once. Rather let me explain the idea.

A Mr. Johnson meets with his runners in a bar. Right before he enters,
he casts a spell. He enters the bar and meets with the runners.
To each runner, the Mr. J, looks of the same meta(or non-meta) type.
So humans see a human, elves see an elf, etc. If the runners don't
think to mention to each other his geno-type, then no one is the wiser.
It does not, however, change the casters sex. The rest of the bar sees
the default image (he's concentratiting the spells effects on the runners)
of a human.

Its a thought I dredged up when I was reading the Corpfiles. About Entrich
the dragon's human/elven/dwarven side that he uses when he meets runners.
Harlequin
Message no. 2
From: "Jason Carter, Nightstalker" <CARTER@***.EDU>
Subject: Re: Spell idea
Date: Sun, 7 Nov 1993 17:41:16 -0800
Harliquin asked:

>>Is it possible (no flames please) for a spell to affect several
>>people at once. Rather let me explain the idea.

>>A Mr. Johnson meets with his runners in a bar. Right before he enters,
>>he casts a spell. He enters the bar and meets with the runners.
>>To each runner, the Mr. J, looks of the same meta(or non-meta) type.
>>So humans see a human, elves see an elf, etc. If the runners don't
>>think to mention to each other his geno-type, then no one is the wiser.
>>It does not, however, change the casters sex. The rest of the bar sees
>>the default image (he's concentratiting the spells effects on the runners)
>>of a human.

This would not work. The spell would make one image which all the runners would
see. The way SR magic works, the effect of a spell is pretty concrete. This is
too amorphous.

>>Its a thought I dredged up when I was reading the Corpfiles. About Entrich
>>the dragon's human/elven/dwarven side that he uses when he meets runners.

The Entrich problem is solved rather easily. Either Entrich is using a mask
spell to make himself look like the race of the person he is meeting or there
are many people of all the races using the name Entrich. You need to remember
that these people who met the different Entrich's were not together.

See Ya in Shadows, "I can count the number of days I've worked
Jason J Carter since graduation on one hand." - ME!
The Nightstalker Carter@***.EDU
Message no. 3
From: The Deb Decker <RJR96326@****.UTULSA.EDU>
Subject: Re: Spell idea
Date: Sun, 7 Nov 1993 21:41:29 GMT
>The Entrich problem is solved rather easily. Either Entrich is using a mask
>spell to make himself look like the race of the person he is meeting or there
>are many people of all the races using the name Entrich. You need to remember
>that these people who met the different Entrich's were not together.

Another thing is that if you were to meet the real Entrich (a dragon, right?)
he would have to shapechange to even enter the place. This wouldn't
solve your problem, though. Johnson's best bet is to have one or two mages,
possibly himself, sustain multiple spells on individual runners, resulting in
a possible clue ("hey, I thought that guy in the corner was human, not an
elf. . .")

J Roberson
Message no. 4
From: Something wicked this way comes <MKNABUSCH@******.BITNET>
Subject: Spell idea
Date: Sun, 7 Nov 1993 22:46:39 -0500
I-d-e-a
oops wrong frame of mind.
Going back to my query.
Ok, what if said Johnson lock the spell on himself several
times over. Like a multiple mask spell (I'm only using mask
because someone mentioned it). He burns a couple of focii to
do it probably. Could he tailor each spell to a metatype?
Harlequin

And yes, I realise if runners compare notes, they'll notice something
amiss. However, the chums I play with don't. Heh heh heh.
Message no. 5
From: The Deb Decker <RJR96326@****.UTULSA.EDU>
Subject: Re: Spell idea
Date: Sun, 7 Nov 1993 22:16:18 GMT
>do it probably. Could he tailor each spell to a metatype?

Yes, if they are cast with the "ork only" "elf only" etc clause. These
spells
are probably rarer than the regular version.

J Roberson
Message no. 6
From: "Jason W. Reynolds" <reynoldj@*****.IT.GVSU.EDU>
Subject: Spell Idea
Date: Tue, 19 Sep 1995 09:12:49 -0400
I'm sure some clever person has already been through this, but
here we go...

Could someone design a hypersenses spell to observe astral space? It would
work like astral perception, except that it would be a spell.
Not very useful, unless like the character who wanted it, you are
a sorcery adept. And of course astral creatures could attack through
it. If not that, how about a more limited spell- "aura reading," which you
could use to assense mood, cyberwear, and anything else?

If the ruling is that you have to be able to see astral space to design
the spell, could an adept learn it from a formula?

And if you can't do it at all, it sucks to be a sorcery adept around
things with invisibility.


.jason

"There is no great genius without a touch of madness."
-Seneca
Message no. 7
From: Mark Steedman <RSMS@******.EEE.RGU.AC.UK>
Subject: Re: Spell Idea
Date: Tue, 19 Sep 1995 15:59:33 GMT
"Jason W. Reynolds" writes

> I'm sure some clever person has already been through this, but
> here we go...
>
i have not done a spell to do this but there is plenty of reason to.
Note that for one specific conditionthe 'detect enemies' spell
actually does this, the target number is 10 to 11 odd before
background count but!!

> Could someone design a hypersenses spell to observe astral space?
Yes
see ref 'detect enemies'.
see Earthdawn, where you dare not use astral percet (in fact it not
even listed as a PC ability despite all adepts being equivalent (or
far more powerful than) to SR initates. There is a talent that sort
of half does the job. There are first circle Wizard spells (ie bottom
of the range, plenty enough magic even in SR to do these) that look
at the astrl, one does arua truth reading and the other 'looks'. I
cannot remember exactly what does what off hand but you get nothing
like as much information as astral perception in SR even with both
spells up and using astral sight (ED style). However here is plenty
of offical FASA stuff to work from.

> It would
> work like astral perception, except that it would be a spell.
> Not very useful, unless like the character who wanted it, you are
> a sorcery adept.
It has its uses! especially in the right circumstances though you
really need spell matricies (an ED concept) for full usefulness and
they have no equivalent yet in SR, though could easily be implemented
as a Metamagic technique, just not a lot of point using them while
raw magic is safe and much faster.

> And of course astral creatures could attack through
> it.
Someone said DLOH had said you can attack through everything but
sustained spells though why these should be an exception i don't
know, its certainly not consistent with info from ED, where even
instant spells cast SR sytle can land you in deep deep drek.

> If not that, how about a more limited spell- "aura reading," which
> you could use to assense mood, cyberwear, and anything else?
That is certainly possible.at least to some extent.

>
> If the ruling is that you have to be able to see astral space to design
> the spell, could an adept learn it from a formula?
>
you would not need to see astral space to design it, you don't need
to be able to innately turn invisible/ detect enemies to do those
spells.

> And if you can't do it at all, it sucks to be a sorcery adept around
> things with invisibility.
>
It plain sucks to be an adept, but then you get adept for priority B
rather than A, so what do you expect.
>
> .jason
>
Mark
Message no. 8
From: Matt Hufstetler <gt2778a@*****.GATECH.EDU>
Subject: Re: Spell Idea
Date: Wed, 20 Sep 1995 00:12:29 -0400
> I'm sure some clever person has already been through this, but
> here we go...
>
> Could someone design a hypersenses spell to observe astral space? It would
> work like astral perception, except that it would be a spell.
> Not very useful, unless like the character who wanted it, you are
> a sorcery adept. And of course astral creatures could attack through
> it. If not that, how about a more limited spell- "aura reading," which you
> could use to assense mood, cyberwear, and anything else?

It all depends upon your GM really. The spell would be designed exactly
like Clairvoiance, but only let you see astral space. It really isn't
that useful for keeping people away from your foci, or even reading the
auras of people. But, if'n you are paranoid enough. The aura reading
spell sounds pretty good, but it should only allow aural reading, not
enhance it(Ergo, you still roll the skill or make a perception test).


Matt 'Comatose Raspberry' Hufstetler
Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta Georgia, 30332
uucp: ...!{decvax,hplabs,ncar,purdue,rutgers}!gatech!prism!gt2778a
Internet: gt2778a@*****.gatech.edu
Message no. 9
From: Gurth <gurth@******.NL>
Subject: Re: Spell Idea
Date: Wed, 20 Sep 1995 11:18:01 +0200
>Could someone design a hypersenses spell to observe astral space? It would
>work like astral perception, except that it would be a spell.

Watch out, we've had this lots of times before and there are always people
saying "Yes! That's a good idea!" and others who yell "Munchkin!" as
soon as
they see the words "astral Perception spell"...

Anyway I would allow such a spell in my campaign. I've designed one, too.

--
Gurth@******.nl - Gurth@***.nl - http://www.xs4all.nl/~gurth/index.html
We're definitely not normal --Hillary, in the movie "Fun"
-> Unofficial Shadowrun Guru & NERPS Project Leader <-
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Message no. 10
From: Doug Miller <enigma@********.JPL.NASA.GOV>
Subject: Re: Spell Idea
Date: Wed, 20 Sep 1995 02:34:19 +0000
On Wed, 20 Sep 1995, Gurth wrote:

> >Could someone design a hypersenses spell to observe astral space? It would
> >work like astral perception, except that it would be a spell.
>
> Watch out, we've had this lots of times before and there are always people
> saying "Yes! That's a good idea!" and others who yell "Munchkin!"
as soon as
> they see the words "astral Perception spell"...
>
> Anyway I would allow such a spell in my campaign. I've designed one, too.
>

Another idle spell concetp just popped into my head. (I don't know if
it's origional or not.) How about a sort of Astral Flash spell.
Temporarily blinding ones astral senses. Just a thought.
Message no. 11
From: Mark Steedman <RSMS@******.EEE.RGU.AC.UK>
Subject: Re: Spell Idea
Date: Wed, 20 Sep 1995 11:11:09 GMT
> From: Doug Miller
>
> Another idle spell concetp just popped into my head. (I don't know if
> it's origional or not.) How about a sort of Astral Flash spell.
> Temporarily blinding ones astral senses. Just a thought.
>

Ref Earthdawn, its called astral flare, about fifth circle
Nethermancer i think, if you don't have ED well thats powerful enough
to be high drain in SR (fireball is about 5th circle in ED) but
possible though how affactive is questionable. You are possibly
better off using 'astral static' which is in the 2nd ed Grimoire, it
puts up background count which adds to astral percept target numbers,
hence makes vision in the astral worse, ok for better effect you need
a new spell that only affacts vision not spellcasting as well which
might make it a bit easier than target 6!!, therefore a bit more
effective. Again there is an Earthdawn equivalent to this spell,
which is more effective but 10th circle (ie beyond the power level it
is reasonable to copy straight to SR).

Hope that helps

Mark
Message no. 12
From: Jani Fikouras <feanor@**********.UNI-BREMEN.DE>
Subject: Re: Spell Idea
Date: Wed, 20 Sep 1995 14:31:15 +0200
> >Could someone design a hypersenses spell to observe astral space? It would
> >work like astral perception, except that it would be a spell.
>
> Watch out, we've had this lots of times before and there are always people
> saying "Yes! That's a good idea!" and others who yell "Munchkin!"
as soon as
> they see the words "astral Perception spell"...
>
> Anyway I would allow such a spell in my campaign. I've designed one, too.

But it is munchkin, at least as long as you keep the current character
generation system. ED has a similar spell, but they dont have adepts
and full mages. Anyway I dont think that a sorcerer and a full blown
magician should play the same way, having access to spells does not
make you a mage and thats exaptly what this adept thing is all about.

--
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PS+ PE Y+ PGP-- @*++ 5++ X++ R+++ tv++ b++ G+++ e++ h+(*) r

"In my mind I see the matrix, and in the matrix is held the power. The lock
to the matrix is my will, and in the matrix my will becomes the power."

Further Reading

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