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Message no. 1
From: Ulrich Haupt <sandman@****.UNI-OLDENBURG.DE>
Subject: Re: defending spells (should be: resisting spells)
Date: Mon, 10 Aug 1998 12:12:49 +0000
MC23 wrote:
<snip>
> >his mind with saying 'Yes, I want' and therefor dropped his defence.
>
> What defense?

Defense was the wrong word, I apologize. It should read resistance!


<snip>

> >It's hard to say because I don't remember any part in the books explaining
> >how spell defence works.
>
> Spell defense dice can be used to resist spells (and some other
> magical effects). Voluntary spells still need voluntary subjects. This
> might be better defined in MitS but until then the subject must accept
> the spell, not just any spell.
>
> >Hmmm, what do they say? For a successful spell the sorcerer must synchronize
> >the auras.
>
> Archiac beleif. Get with the SOTA man.
No synchronization ??? Did I miss something?

>
<snip>

I meant it no technically (like defense DICE) but in a more scientific way:

What conditions must apply for a spell successing? Not in game terms but in
'Real Game life'. What does it mean if a target resists a spell? Does he form
a mental barrier or was he just lucky?

How can manipulation spells like acid rain be resisted. IMO acid just rains
onto a target which gets more or less dissolved. But thats a matter of his
clothing and his luck not get acid in the eyes. Can a tennis player (high CON
IMHO) resist better than a fat TV baseball fan? I don't think so. Sure you can
say CON doesn't mean constitution in a general way but you can't translate it
with body mass either!

I don't want to start a big discussion now about CON or whatever. I just
wanted to give a spark for a thought. ;-)




> >I just don't know, sorry.
>
> Well, we're here to help.

Hey, thanks. I think I'll need it some time. (maybe this time?)

Sandman
Message no. 2
From: MC23 <mc23@**********.COM>
Subject: Re: defending spells (should be: resisting spells)
Date: Mon, 10 Aug 1998 10:18:34 -0400
Once upon a time, Ulrich Haupt wrote;

>> >Hmmm, what do they say? For a successful spell the sorcerer must
synchronize
>> >the auras.
>>
>> Archiac beleif. Get with the SOTA man.
>No synchronization ??? Did I miss something?
>
>I meant it no technically (like defense DICE) but in a more scientific way:

I also meant what I said.

>What conditions must apply for a spell successing? Not in game terms but in
>'Real Game life'. What does it mean if a target resists a spell? Does he form
>a mental barrier or was he just lucky?

Everything is about to change and you might have to wait until MitS
for the skinny in SOTA magical theory.

>How can manipulation spells like acid rain be resisted. IMO acid just rains
>onto a target which gets more or less dissolved. But thats a matter of his
>clothing and his luck not get acid in the eyes. Can a tennis player (high CON
>IMHO) resist better than a fat TV baseball fan? I don't think so. Sure you
>can
>say CON doesn't mean constitution in a general way but you can't translate it
>with body mass either!

The same way one resists a bullet.
Really, Damaging Manipulations isn't the best example for what you are
trying to ask.


<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

"When _I_ use a word," Humpty Dumpty said, in a rather scornful
tone, "it means just what I choose it to mean - neither more nor less."
-Through the Looking Glass

I am MC23
Message no. 3
From: Ulrich Haupt <sandman@****.UNI-OLDENBURG.DE>
Subject: Re: defending spells (should be: resisting spells)
Date: Mon, 10 Aug 1998 17:56:01 +0000
MC23 wrote:


<snip>
> Everything is about to change and you might have to wait until MitS
> for the skinny in SOTA magical theory.

It seems that you know something I don't ...

Nevertheless I just like this problem to be explained with the current rules and
not with some rules that I might use in several weeks/month.

But my original question is not answered yet.
What happens when resisting a spell?

<snip>
> The same way one resists a bullet.
> Really, Damaging Manipulations isn't the best example for what you are
> trying to ask.

You're defenitly right on this point!


Sandman
Message no. 4
From: MC23 <mc23@**********.COM>
Subject: Re: defending spells (should be: resisting spells)
Date: Mon, 10 Aug 1998 14:19:27 -0400
Once upon a time, Ulrich Haupt wrote;

>> Everything is about to change and you might have to wait until MitS
>> for the skinny in SOTA magical theory.
>
>It seems that you know something I don't ...

That's me, gatherer of esoteric trivia

>Nevertheless I just like this problem to be explained with the current
>rules and
>not with some rules that I might use in several weeks/month.

As of Friday it was current. B>P#

>But my original question is not answered yet.
>What happens when resisting a spell?

The spell works or it doesn't. Maybe the original question could be
rephrased so that the type of answer can be given that you are looking
for. Magic is still holistic, awareness of magic doesn't change its
effectiveness unless one is a magician. There were a lot of your
ponderings that were on irrelevant conditions.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

CRY HAVOC! And let slip the flames of SR3

I am MC23
Message no. 5
From: Mongoose <evamarie@**********.NET>
Subject: Re: defending spells (should be: resisting spells)
Date: Mon, 10 Aug 1998 15:14:20 -0700
>Nevertheless I just like this problem to be explained with the current rules
and
>not with some rules that I might use in several weeks/month.
>

The SR3 "theroy" is much less prone to inconsistancies, but I'll try to
keep this genric.

>But my original question is not answered yet.
>What happens when resisting a spell?


Having missed that post, I'm unsure what angle you want this answered
from. On a "theoretical" basis, I'd say that living beings interact with
mana, and can make an effort to resist its effects. This is not much
different form resisting the effect of any other environmental factor- it
happens automatically when needed. Astrally active (I.E. magical) beings are
sometimes able to make a consciously exerted effort to alter how mana affects
them (and others). Inanimate objects (at least in SR3) can do neither- some
are harder to affect than others, but they have no ability to interact with
mana on their own terms by affecting its flow (and hence cannot notice astral
forms or be affected by mana spells).

Mongoose

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