| From: | Mark Steedman <RSMS@******.EEE.RGU.AC.UK> |
|---|---|
| Subject: | Re: Grounding Spells : question on astral to physical |
| Date: | Wed, 25 Oct 1995 15:30:08 GMT |
> Please forgive me but I have some questions about spell casting and
> grounding.
>
why do we need to forgive you?, questions are fine.
> A mage can cast a spell at a target from the physical world by aligning his
> aura with that of the target, creating a bridge/conduit/circuit that allows
> the mage to channel the flow of energy into the target.
>
yes.
> However, when the mage is in astral form this is not possible. Why? Does
> the mage require his physical body to cast spells? No, because a mage can
> still cast spells at targets in astral space (while the mage is astral).
> From astral space the mage can see a physical (and living) target's aura,
> so why isn't synchronization/aligning allowed.
It is why do you think you can still cast spells at other astral
entities.
> Does the mage's aura come
> with him into astral space or does it stay with his body?
um well, FASA. It goess 'with' him, because its his aura that goes
romping off on its own onthe astral, though the body he/she leaves
behind still has an aura of its own as its a physical object.
> Is there
> something else involved in spell casting that I'm missing? Is it simply a
> game mechanic to keep mages from casting spells from astral space at a
> non mage in the physical world that can't defend himself?
>
That is no doubt the main reason for this being the case but FASA
fitted it in a bit better than that. The astral 'plane' is exactly
that, another plane parrallel to the 'physical' one. The two only
intersect, and therby affect each other, under certain circumstances,
and aura synchronisation between a projected mage and a non astrally
active target is not one of those, hance, synchronise to your hearts
content the spell won't reach the target, its on another plane and
theres no bridge between the two.
> A mage can ground a spell into a spell lock from astral space because the
> spell lock is dual natured and has a physical component.
Yes its present on both planes (though it may be invisible on one of
them - and immune due to a side effect from the touch of the non
astrally active) hence forms a bridge from one to the other.
> A dragon (and
> other paranormal critters) is dual natured and has a physical component
> (it's body), so can a spell be grounded into a dragon?
Yep, well assuming its a lesser dragon, the great forms are not
naturally dual [interesting, but all it takes is one missing pair of
brackets in the rulebook].
Yes this does mean your astral mage can hover at 20M altitude and blow
the frag out of the poor dual watch critter who's fangs cannot reach
him. Why oh why do FASA insist on suggesting dual watch critters are
a good idea, they are a lousy risk if you ask me, ok inside they
'might' work but against a astral magicians initative, 'Manabolt,
manabolt, ok corpse your turn..'.
> Or, is a dragon not
> dual natured in the same way as a spell lock?
>
Not really but for this specific case it doesn't matter at all.
[for other parts of the grounding it might, like there is no seperate
roll to 'ground out']
> David
>
Mark
