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Message no. 1
From: Philip Hayward <Philip.Hayward@***.UK>
Subject: Allies for Phy
Date: Fri, 31 Mar 1995 15:26:45 +6000
Badger writes:
> Have any of you out there allowed or thought about letting Phys-Ads have
> Ally Spirits?

No, but it doesn't seem like too bad an idea

> I've thought of two ways to do this.

> First, the Adept must have astral perception and conjuring skill (Also
> useful for banishing). I require astral perception because in our game
> anyone who wants to interact with the astral (spell casting or conjuring)
> must be able to perceive that plane. Then the Phys-Ad performs the
> Ritual of Summoning.

This is the one I prefer though if I were too use it I would have the
1.5xKarma to represent that it is harder for them, (as their link to the
astral is not as strong as a full mage? I'll think of a reason for it
later) This will also make it rarer. But then I allow Phys-ads power
foci for purchasing extra powers and sorcery skill for a magic pool
thats only use is spell defense. After further consideration if a PC
wanted one then I would make an adventure of it. As Damion points out
the problem is that a physad does not have a strong enough link to the
astral then he would have to achieve a stronger link for the duration
of the ritual of summoning. If I recall some spirits (free spirits I think
I would have to check) can gate, or allow access to metaplanes, so it
seems reasonable that a free spirit might be able to grant a stronger
bond to the astral for the duration of the ritual. I would either
leave persuading the spirit up to the PC, or have them do a run for the
Free spirit - I would probably make it a player for this purpose.



Damion writes:

> I'd say it cannot be done. To conjure spirits requires a more extensive and
> full link to the astral than a phys adept has (ie a full magician, which
> requires an A preference on magic during character creation). Merely being
> able to access the astral plane and having some knowledge about spirits
> (Conjuring skill), does not enable you to conjure them. $Also, you mentioned
> that you required anyone who wanted to interact with the astral,
> spellcasting as an example, had to be able to astrally perceive as a
> minimum. How do you cope with Sorcery Adepts, they can cast spells, but not
> astrally percieve?!

Simple I don't use them :) if I did I would probably give them astral
perception as it fits in better in our game.

> One can look at summoning an ally as an advanced vers ion
> of
conjuring an elemental or nature spirit, it is more highly powered a nd
> requires additional skill and effort. Now, since phys adepts cannot even
> summon spirits of the normal kind, then why should they be able to summon
> the more high powered ones? pts
>
Yet this PC could bind a free spirit? Gaining an ally should be a one off
and aid (such as from the free spirit above or a mage may be needed)
I wouldn't tell the PC whos aid he might need, let him chase down stories
of other Physads with allies to find out how it might be managed.

> It seems to me that everyone is out to m ake
> phys adepts more powerful than they already are, I don't think this is
> warranted or neccessary, the character types seem perfectly balanced as they
> are.

I can't speak for anyone else, but the changes I make are because I like
using them as high level baddies, and our only physad doesn't have enough
interest in magic, he only wants a street sam with killing hands and
improved attributes so I am trying to lure him onto the magic side as
he is our only magical type other than my shaman who doesn't play when I
GM.

Phil
<Philip.Hayward@***.UK>

Further Reading

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