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Mailing List Logs for ShadowRN

Message no. 1
From: Stefan Hahn <HAHN@***.EDU>
Subject: Foci Q
Date: Tue, 29 Mar 1994 11:07:56 -0800
Is there any reason that a mage with a magic rating of 1 (due to cyberware)
with a force 5 (ouch!) power focus can't do everything a normal mage can?

If not, what can they do?

And you can bond to multiple power foci, right?

WITH ORION'S SWORD THE HUNTER AROSE AND CONQUERED THE WORLD WITH FURY AND GRACE
/ \
Hahn@***.edu (\ /)
\ O /
IN HIM WAS I BORN, IN HIM SHALL I DIE, IN HIM DO I LOSE NAME, STATION, AND FACE
Message no. 2
From: Neal A Porter <nap@*****.PHYSICS.SWIN.OZ.AU>
Subject: Re: Foci Q
Date: Wed, 30 Mar 1994 14:12:53 +1000
>
>Is there any reason that a mage with a magic rating of 1 (due to cyberware)
>with a force 5 (ouch!) power focus can't do everything a normal mage can?
>
>If not, what can they do?
>
>And you can bond to multiple power foci, right?
>
>Hahn@***.edu

But with the use of a foci there are some problems, first the foci can have
spells grounded through it. And second the foci needs to be activated, and
that takes a simple action hence preventing you from powering up the foci
and casting a spell in the same action. Now when one action can mean the
difference between life and an unpleasent existance as red mist in the air,
taking the time to activate the foci seems more important. And if you leave it
on then all sorts of nastys can ground spells through it when your not looking.

So while if active it overcomes the effects of a lower magic rating there are
a number of problems that it creates also.

A'Deus.
Message no. 3
From: "Jason Carter, Nightstalker" <CARTER@***.EDU>
Subject: Re: Foci Q
Date: Tue, 29 Mar 1994 22:57:33 -0800
>>Is there any reason that a mage with a magic rating of 1 (due to cyberware)
>>with a force 5 (ouch!) power focus can't do everything a normal mage can?

Yes, when the focus if off you magic rating is 1.

>>If not, what can they do?

Take Physical Damage from Spellcasting.

>>And you can bond to multiple power foci, right?

Yes.

*******************************************************************************
* See Ya in Shadows * * "Keep your friends close, but keep *
* Jason J Carter * Carter@***.EDU * your enemies closer." *
* The Nightstalker * * Deep Throat -- The X-Files *
*******************************************************************************
Message no. 4
From: EIVES@******.BITNET
Subject: Re: Foci Q
Date: Fri, 1 Apr 1994 23:58:04 -0500
Prior question:
Is there any reason that a mage with a magic rating of 1 (due to cyberware)
with a force 5 (ouch!) power focus can't do everything a normal mage can?

One thing to keep in mind is that a mage is limited to a number of hours
in astral space equal to his/her essence. Thus your 1 essence (=magic rating)
mage would suffer from a major limitation is some recon-oriented functions.

Smirk
(a new guy on the block)
Message no. 5
From: "C. Paul Douglas" <granite@*****.NET>
Subject: Re: Foci Q
Date: Sat, 2 Apr 1994 00:07:29 -0500
On Fri, 1 Apr 1994 EIVES%ALBION.bitnet@*****.NIC.SURFNET.NL wrote:

> Prior question:
> Is there any reason that a mage with a magic rating of 1 (due to cyberware)
> with a force 5 (ouch!) power focus can't do everything a normal mage can?
>
There are only a couple of things your mage couldn't afford to do
1] he could NOT afford to recieve a major injury - if he does poof no
more magic
2] he probably cannot afford to eat after buying that power focus...And
as for the karma it costs..OUCH
--------------------GRANITE
Message no. 6
From: Matt <mosbun@******.CC.PURDUE.EDU>
Subject: Re: Foci Q
Date: Sat, 2 Apr 1994 10:01:35 -0500
>There are only a couple of things your mage couldn't afford to do
>1] he could NOT afford to recieve a major injury - if he does poof no
>more magic

As has been pointed out, if you have a 1 magic rating, you can't lose it due
to wounds, as it's very difficult to roll a 1 or less on 2d6.


Matt
Message no. 7
From: "C. Paul Douglas" <granite@*****.NET>
Subject: Re: Foci Q
Date: Sun, 3 Apr 1994 00:12:33 -0500
On Sat, 2 Apr 1994, Matt wrote:

> >There are only a couple of things your mage couldn't afford to do
> >1] he could NOT afford to recieve a major injury - if he does poof no
> >more magic
>
> As has been pointed out, if you have a 1 magic rating, you can't lose it due
> to wounds, as it's very difficult to roll a 1 or less on 2d6.
>
Then it would be my ruling that if the mage had dropped down to 1 essense
due to implants or because of prior injuries or whatever..that PC would
enter a new class BURNT OUT MAGE [and should probably become a
tallismonger] with a magic rating 0 - No rolls - Just
too bad. I know it is harsh but get real you simply cannot have you cake
and eat it too..
------------------------GRANITE
Message no. 8
From: "Brian W. Allison" <bwa550s@***.SMSU.EDU>
Subject: Re: Foci Q
Date: Sat, 2 Apr 1994 23:15:16 -0600
Waitaminute, are you suggesting you'd rather have physical drain and
cyberware than a magic rating of 15+?? You realize what kind of spirits
you could dispel with that???

*stares at wall in shock*

LightWave
------------------------------------------
<< 'Tis better to have an imaginative .sig than
an unimaginative .plan >>
<< RPG-ers play more games >>
<< My views aren't even those sometimes >>
Message no. 9
From: Timothy Skirvin <tskirvin@********.UNI.UIUC.EDU>
Subject: Re: Foci Q
Date: Sun, 3 Apr 1994 21:27:36 -0500
> 1] he could NOT afford to recieve a major injury - if he does poof
> no more magic

Sure he could. You roll 2D6, and if the roll is lower then you lose
a point. You can't get lower than a 1, or a 2 for that matter, on 2D6.

----------------------- "Well, you see, they took the Bible literally.
Tim Skirvin Adam and Eve, the snake and the apple...took
(tskirvin@ it word for word. Unfortunately, their
superdec.uni.uiuc.edu) version had a misprint."
----------------------- - Rimmer, Red Dwarf (The Last Day)
Message no. 10
From: Joe Bay <bay@*******.RUTGERS.EDU>
Subject: Re: Foci Q
Date: Mon, 4 Apr 1994 00:45:59 EDT
Hey hey hey - while the SRI burnt-out mage is a bit on the munchkin side (I
know; I've played one) the SRII burnt-out mage is a bit rougher. Try
doubling the gaesa, or subtracting essence losses from the sorcery skill for
the magic pool. And remember, casting a spell at force > magic rating means
Physical Drain...

Further Reading

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These messages were posted a long time ago on a mailing list far, far away. The copyright to their contents probably lies with the original authors of the individual messages, but since they were published in an electronic forum that anyone could subscribe to, and the logs were available to subscribers and most likely non-subscribers as well, it's felt that re-publishing them here is a kind of public service.

Thwap!