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Message no. 1
From: "Like, dude, where's the firefight?" <MURRAYMD@******.BITNET>
Subject: Nega-Mages! E-gad was that bad!
Date: Fri, 22 Jan 93 03:52:23 CET
Thanks to the dear sir who typed that in;
After reading that article two questions popped into my mind:

1) What about damaging manipulations like Fire Bolt? Damaging
Manipulations create the physical matter (fire) and then hurl it against
the target. Even though the fire was created via magic, it is still fire
that hits its target. Since Nega-Mages are still vulnerable to fire, acid,
electricity, Oreo cookies, etc. they should be hurt by damaging
manipulations. I'm sure somebody could come up with a response derived
from the rectal region, but I don't think it would fly. I think there is a
whole in the premise presented in the article where I think Negas should be
vulnerable to Elemental Damaging Manipulations.

2) How is a Nega Mage created? Does the first priority have to go
to magic? Here is where the article is rather nebulous or The Count
decided to stop typing. (I'm leaning towards the first, good Prussians
finish the job!)

There are my questions. Any answers?

**************************************************************************
* Matt: You shot him!!!! | Matt Murray at the University of Dayton *
* Chris: No I didn't. It | MURRAYMD@******.BITNET *
* was a gunfight. | MURRAYMD@******.OCA.UDAYTON.EDU *
* He forgot his gun.| "Like, dude, where's the firefight?" *
*------------------------------------------------------------------------*
* Star Fleet Battles Battletech Shadowrun Space Marine AD&D *
**************************************************************************
Message no. 2
From: Custom built for Lemmings <ratinox@******.COE.NORTHEASTERN.EDU>
Subject: Re: Nega-Mages! E-gad was that bad!
Date: Fri, 22 Jan 93 05:05:19 CET
>>>>> On Fri, 22 Jan 93 03:52:23 CET, "Like, dude, where's the
firefight?"
>>>>> <MURRAYMD%DAYTON.bitnet@*****.nic.SURFnet.nl> said:

Murray> 1) What about damaging manipulations like Fire Bolt?

They're still immune. To use an analogy, casting a spell in Shadowrun works
a lot like lightning. Electrical energy builds at the "negative" pole (the
casting mage), rips through the atmosphere (astral space), and discharges
at the "positive" pole (target of the spell). The aura, energy field,
anti-magic field, or whatever it is that makes a nega-mage what he is, acts
like a Faraday cage. The only real difference is that electricity will not
enter a Faraday cage, while around a nega-mage the spell energy never
leaves astral space. The fire of the Fire Bolt will never materialize in
the physical world if the nega-mage is the target.

However, if said nega-mage is standing in a puddle of volatile fluid and
you cast a Fire Bolt at the fluid, it will ignite and *that* fire will most
certainly damage the nega-mage.

This is, of course, a two-edged sword. While the nega-mage is immune to
damaging magic, he is also "immune" to healing magic, spell locks, and
quickenings. It's all or nothing for the nega-mage.

Murray> 2) How is a Nega Mage created? Does the first priority
Murray> have to go to magic? Here is where the article is rather nebulous
Murray> or The Count decided to stop typing. (I'm leaning towards the
Murray> first, good Prussians finish the job!)

Here's the Nega-mage Archetype as printed in the Challenge article. He
looks like Attributes A, Skills C, Resources D, Race E, which leaves
Priority B for Magic. He is definitely a combat oriented character. But,
while immune to any form of magic, a .44Mag will blow his head clean off
with no trouble at all.

Skills: Attributes: Cyberwear:
Firearms: 6 Body: 5 Smartgunlink
Armed Combat: 5 Quickness: 6 Datajack
Etiquette (Street): 3 Strength: 5 (Anyone playing this archetype
Electronics: 4 Charisma: 3 must make two rolls to see if
Magical Theory: 4 Intelligence: 6 the cyber destroys his nega-
Willpower: 3 magical talent.)
Reaction: 6
Essence: 5.4

Contacts: Corporate, Street Samurai, Rigger, Fixer.

Gear: Armor jacket, Browning Max-Power, H&K S variant, Flash grenades,
Combat Axe, IR Goggles.

--Rat PGP Public Key Block available upon request
||||| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |||||
Northeastern's Stainless Steel Rat ratinox@******.coe.northeastern.edu
And now we meet again, for the first time, for the last time. --Dark Helmet

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Thwap!