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Message no. 1
From: Mick Rissling mrissling@*******.com
Subject: Magical activities.
Date: Mon, 23 Aug 1999 07:35:07 PDT
Hello. Is an astral attack considered a magical activity? I know that
it seems obvious on the surface, but listen: Does it work like a punch from
a levitating character? ie The method used to get in the position to punch
was magical, but the punch itself is not. If not, a mundane character
present on the astral plane (via a free spirit's Astral Gateway power) makes
an attack on another astral entity - he just performed a magical act (which,
by definition of mundane, he cannot do)!
Also, MITS says that a magician adept can get an "extra" Power Point or
learn a metamagical technique upon initiation. Is this extra P.P. in
addition to the normal Magic increase from initiation or in lieu of it.
IOW, I'm an (magician) adept. I initiate. Do I choose between 1) +1 Magic
rating and a metamagical technique and 2) +1 Magic Rating and +1 Power
Point? It seems wrong this way, but that word "extra" is driving one of my
players crazy.
Any help would be appreciated.


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Message no. 2
From: Lars Ericson lericson@****.edu
Subject: Magical activities.
Date: Mon, 23 Aug 1999 09:45:22 -0500
Mick Rissling wrote:
>
> Hello. Is an astral attack considered a magical activity? I know that
> it seems obvious on the surface, but listen: Does it work like a punch from
> a levitating character? ie The method used to get in the position to punch
> was magical, but the punch itself is not. If not, a mundane character
> present on the astral plane (via a free spirit's Astral Gateway power) makes
> an attack on another astral entity - he just performed a magical act (which,
> by definition of mundane, he cannot do)!

What do you mean by "magical activity?" Is magic involved in the attack?
Definitely, the magicien is astrally projecting and is all kinds of
magical. Is a spell being used? No. It doesn't work like a punch from a
levitating character because the punch has no magical qualities. A
mundane would not be able to attack an astral entity because he is not
present on the astral plane. You need to think of the physical and
astral plane as two separate places. Being dual natured (i.e. astral
perception) just means you exist in both planes.

> Also, MITS says that a magician adept can get an "extra" Power Point
or
> learn a metamagical technique upon initiation. Is this extra P.P. in
> addition to the normal Magic increase from initiation or in lieu of it.
> IOW, I'm an (magician) adept. I initiate. Do I choose between 1) +1 Magic
> rating and a metamagical technique and 2) +1 Magic Rating and +1 Power
> Point? It seems wrong this way, but that word "extra" is driving one of my
> players crazy.

From p. 24 of MitS, "If a magician adept initiates, she can choose to
either gain an extra Power Point or learn a metamagical technique."

I think this is canfusing, vague, not fair to magician adepts. I plan to
treat them like physical adepts with an extra power that is available to
them. Simple and straightforward. So, when they initiate they can get a
Power Point + Metatalent, Power Point + Astral Signature, or shed a
geasa. What they decide to do with that Power Point is up to them,
whether it's to increase their "magician" Magic rating or to get new
powers.


--
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-Lars Ericson: Professional Vagabond
Smalley Research Group, Rice University
E-Mail: lericson@****.edu
WWW: http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~lericson/

Life is like a Wankel Engine. In between the emptiness of boredom and
despair, and the compression of stress in one's life, there's that one
spark of enjoyment that keeps you going.
Message no. 3
From: Mick Rissling mrissling@*******.com
Subject: Magical Activities
Date: Mon, 23 Aug 1999 15:58:13 PDT
The reason I asked if an astral attack is "magical" is because the Owl
shaman in my game made an astral attack during the day - do you think that
he should get the +2 to his T#? Does the answer change if he uses Unarmed
Combat AOT Sorcery for the attack. Opinions?


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Message no. 4
From: Patrick Goodman remo@***.net
Subject: Magical Activities
Date: Mon, 23 Aug 1999 19:35:07 -0500
> The reason I asked if an astral attack is "magical" is because the Owl
> shaman in my game made an astral attack during the day - do you think
> that he should get the +2 to his T#?

Yep. If it involves astral space, it's magical.

> Does the answer change if he uses Unarmed
> Combat AOT Sorcery for the attack.

Nope.

--
(>) Texas 2-Step
El Paso: Never surrender. Never forget. Never forgive.
Message no. 5
From: Patrick Goodman remo@***.net
Subject: Magical activities.
Date: Mon, 23 Aug 1999 19:44:54 -0500
> Also, MITS says that a magician adept can get an "extra" Power Point or
> learn a metamagical technique upon initiation. Is this extra P.P. in
> addition to the normal Magic increase from initiation or in lieu of it.

An adept on the Path of the Magician initiates, and his Magic goes up 1
point. He can then either take another power point or a metamagical
ability. He cannot take both.

> IOW, I'm an (magician) adept. I initiate. Do I choose between 1) +1
> Magic rating and a metamagical technique and 2) +1 Magic Rating and +1
Power
> Point?

That is correct.

--
(>) Texas 2-Step
El Paso: Never surrender. Never forget. Never forgive.
Message no. 6
From: Bahamut Mighty Dragon Lord bahamut@**.com
Subject: Magical activities.
Date: Mon, 23 Aug 1999 21:12:21 -0400
SNIP
> Also, MITS says that a magician adept can get an "extra" Power Point
or
> learn a metamagical technique upon initiation. Is this extra P.P. in
> addition to the normal Magic increase from initiation or in lieu of it.
> IOW, I'm an (magician) adept. I initiate. Do I choose between 1) +1 Magic
> rating and a metamagical technique and 2) +1 Magic Rating and +1 Power
> Point? It seems wrong this way, but that word "extra" is driving one of my

> players crazy.
> Any help would be appreciated.
This was just gone over this past weekend on the list for Magician Adept it is Either a
Power point or a metamagical tech.
Message no. 7
From: Callum Shaw cshaw@***.com.au
Subject: Magical Activities
Date: Tue, 24 Aug 1999 11:16:48 +1000
So let me get this straight,

>> Also, MITS says that a magician adept can get an "extra" Power Point or
>> learn a metamagical technique upon initiation. Is this extra P.P. in
>> addition to the normal Magic increase from initiation or in lieu of it.

An adept upon initiating goes from (for example) magic rating 6 to 7 and
they have the option of getting an extra power point instead of a technique,
are you saying that they get 1 power point from having their magic rating go
up by one point, and then can get another power point instead of a
metamagical technique, in effect getting 2 power points when going up an
initiate grade?

Or are you saying that an increase in magic rating doesn't automatically
raise your power point total for buying adept powers but can if you choose
to get power points instead of metamagical techniques?


I wish I had my MiTS book at work to look this up, can anyone quote directly
from the rules on this?


Callum
(Long time lurker/short time poster)
Message no. 8
From: Callum Shaw cshaw@***.com.au
Subject: Magical Activities
Date: Tue, 24 Aug 1999 11:42:25 +1000
Let me just clarify my question here, I'm specifically asking about plain
vanilla physical adepts here, not Magician Adepts or shamanic
spellcasting/conjuring adepts or any else like that. Just normal physical
adepts.

>An adept upon initiating goes from (for example) magic rating 6 to 7 and
>they have the option of getting an extra power point instead of a
>technique, are you saying that they get 1 power point from having their
>magic rating go up by one point, and then can get another power point
>instead of a metamagical technique, in effect getting 2 power points when
>going up an initiate grade?
>
>Or are you saying that an increase in magic rating doesn't automatically
>raise your power point total for buying adept powers but can if you
>choose to get power points instead of metamagical techniques?
>
>
>I wish I had my MiTS book at work to look this up, can anyone quote
>directly from the rules on this?


Callum
(Long time lurker/short time poster)
Message no. 9
From: Scott W iscottw@*****.nb.ca
Subject: Magical Activities
Date: Mon, 23 Aug 1999 23:54:54 -0300
"And now, a Channel 6 editorial reply to Callum Shaw."
] An adept upon initiating goes from (for example) magic rating 6 to 7 and
] they have the option of getting an extra power point instead of a technique,
] are you saying that they get 1 power point from having their magic rating go
] up by one point, and then can get another power point instead of a
] metamagical technique, in effect getting 2 power points when going up an
] initiate grade?

Nope. A normal Adept, not a Magician Adept, doesn't get to choose to
get a Power Point. She/he gets A) A Magic increase (and therefore a
Power Point) and a metamagic technique, B) A Magic increase (and
therefore a Power Point) and the option of altering their astral
signature (if you rule that Adepts can leave signatures through the use
of various powers), C) the opportunity to shed a Geas (but not a Geas
used to reduce the cost of a power).

-Boondocker
Message no. 10
From: Ereskanti@***.com Ereskanti@***.com
Subject: Magical Activities
Date: Tue, 24 Aug 1999 01:54:40 EDT
In a message dated 8/23/1999 7:36:51 PM US Eastern Standard Time,
remo@***.net writes:

>
> > Does the answer change if he uses Unarmed
> > Combat AOT Sorcery for the attack.
>
> Nope.
>
Hmmm...by the book, Yes, the answer changes.

-K

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