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Message no. 1
From: Mike Bobroff <AirWisp@***.COM>
Subject: New Spell : Density Control
Date: Wed, 25 Feb 1998 09:19:42 EST
Okay, here is the spell I promised everyone a while back ...

Density Control
Category ................... Major Physical Manipulation
Type ......................... Mana
Target ....................... Body (R)
Drain ........................ [(F/2) + 3 ] D
Duration .................... Sustained
Damage .................... N/A
Range ...................... LOS

Description
This spell either increases or decreases the density of a person, and does so
in terms of the person's body, and the increase or decrease is chosen at the
time of the casting.

The caster rolls their success test, and then based on the number of net
successes remaining after the resistance test, the effect on the target is
calculated. The amount of weight gained or lost equals the Body of the target
times the number of net successes.

In the case of the caster wanting to increase the weight or the target,
consider the new weight as counting towards the encumbrance value of the
character.

When the weight is decreased, subtract the number of kilograms from the
current encumbrance of the character.

In no case does this spell affect any attribute at all.

A variation on this spell which would affect technological devices of all
types would have a drain code of [(F/2) + 4] D, and the target number would be
the Body or Object Resistance Rating (whichever is higher) ... and the game
effects would be completely up to the gm ...
Message no. 2
From: Drekhead <drekhead@***.NET>
Subject: Re: New Spell : Density Control
Date: Wed, 25 Feb 1998 09:23:29 -0500
On 25 Feb 98 at 9:19, Mike Bobroff wrote:

> A variation on this spell which would affect technological devices
> of all types would have a drain code of [(F/2) + 4] D, and the
> target number would be the Body or Object Resistance Rating
> (whichever is higher) ... and the game effects would be completely
> up to the gm ...

One game effect I could see is making that drone chasing you suddenly
heavier, and its engines not able to keep it airborne anymore.
Pretty cool.

--

-----------------------------------------------------------------
- DREKHEAD - |"Let's face it. Sometimes your a
- drekhead@***.net - | pigeon, and sometimes your the
*-GridSec - Enforcer Division-* | statue."
"To Protect and To Serve" |-Unknown
=================================================================
http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Alley/6990/index.html
Message no. 3
From: Mon goose <landsquid@*******.COM>
Subject: Re: New Spell : Density Control
Date: Wed, 25 Feb 1998 12:04:02 PST
>Density Control
>Category ................... Major Physical Manipulation
>Type ......................... Mana
>Target ....................... Body (R)
>Drain ........................ [(F/2) + 3 ] D
>Duration .................... Sustained
>Damage .................... N/A
>Range ...................... LOS

>A variation on this spell which would affect technological devices of
all types would have a drain code of [(F/2) + 4] D
>

The spell seems much less useful than contol actions / animate object or
levitate person / levitate item, which could be used to very simlar
effect and have less drain.

But I can't actually see anything WRONG with it. It obviously increaes
density AND mass, which should help human and inanimate damage
resistance and knockdown, and harm vehicular handling, acceleration, and
possibly cause stress from "overload".

Maybe re-writing it as a limited version of a telekinetic spell would
work better- something like the opposite of a levitate, with no movement
contol, just weight increase.

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Message no. 4
From: "J. Keith Henry" <Ereskanti@***.COM>
Subject: Re: New Spell : Density Control
Date: Wed, 25 Feb 1998 20:08:25 EST
In a message dated 98-02-25 09:23:33 EST, drekhead@***.NET writes:

> One game effect I could see is making that drone chasing you suddenly
> heavier, and its engines not able to keep it airborne anymore.
> Pretty cool.
>
Makes me wish I could find Tom's design for "Stressor". A peculiar
Telekinetic Manipulation that his mage developed after the R2 came out.
Immediately went for the concept of "incurring stress upon a target", until it
would eventually give out, as per the rules in R2.

Gonna have to refigure it...
-K
Message no. 5
From: Mike Bobroff <AirWisp@***.COM>
Subject: Re: New Spell : Density Control
Date: Thu, 26 Feb 1998 08:54:47 EST
In a message dated 98-02-25 09:23:32 EST, you write:

> > A variation on this spell which would affect technological devices
> > of all types would have a drain code of [(F/2) + 4] D, and the
> > target number would be the Body or Object Resistance Rating
> > (whichever is higher) ... and the game effects would be completely
> > up to the gm ...
>
> One game effect I could see is making that drone chasing you suddenly
> heavier, and its engines not able to keep it airborne anymore.
> Pretty cool.

Thanks ... and it would be a pain for a drone too ... and if it begins to
exceed the load rating maximum then hello Stress Points ...

However, while on this topic ... if someone used the Density Control to get
away with getting a vehicle to carry a higher load or just more stuff ... I
would apply the following ... the overall weight of a vehicle can not be
changed in this instance, rather, each additional piece of equipment with a
load reduction can have this spell applied to itself ... this way the amount
of load reduction that happens becomes less ...

I would even apply the above ruling with people and trying to get around the
encumbrance limits ...

Also, for the purposes of those things which do not have a body rating ...
compare them to vehicle weights listed in the R2 ... and consider Body 0
vehicles to have a Body of 1 for all intents and purposes ...

Above all else, GM discretion is still in force with the above ...

Mike
Message no. 6
From: Mike Bobroff <AirWisp@***.COM>
Subject: Re: New Spell : Density Control
Date: Thu, 26 Feb 1998 09:01:55 EST
In a message dated 98-02-25 15:04:41 EST, you write:

> The spell seems much less useful than contol actions / animate object or
> levitate person / levitate item, which could be used to very simlar
> effect and have less drain.

First things first ... this spell has no basis on and no comparison to either
of the spells you are mentioning ... animate objects allows movement ...
control actions allows control over someone else's physical body ...

The objective of this spell is to make something either weigh more or less ...
and there are varying effects based upon what you are doing then ...

> But I can't actually see anything WRONG with it. It obviously increaes
> density AND mass, which should help human and inanimate damage
> resistance and knockdown, and harm vehicular handling, acceleration, and
> possibly cause stress from "overload".

Unfortunately as I stated the spell does not affect a person or vehicle in
terms of dice ... but it will affect vehicles and people based upon how much
new weight is tacked on though ...

> Maybe re-writing it as a limited version of a telekinetic spell would
> work better- something like the opposite of a levitate, with no movement
> contol, just weight increase.

Actually, the spell is more of the gravitic nature rather than telekinetic
nature ...

Mike
Message no. 7
From: Ereskanti <Ereskanti@***.COM>
Subject: Re: New Spell : Density Control
Date: Fri, 27 Feb 1998 22:51:42 EST
In a message dated 98-02-26 08:55:42 EST, AirWisp@***.COM writes:

> However, while on this topic ... if someone used the Density Control to get
> away with getting a vehicle to carry a higher load or just more stuff ... I
> would apply the following ... the overall weight of a vehicle can not be
> changed in this instance, rather, each additional piece of equipment with a
> load reduction can have this spell applied to itself ... this way the
amount
> of load reduction that happens becomes less ...

OOOO, I don't think I could see this unless litearally -each- piece were
effected by this spell at the time of installation, AND then it would have to
be reconfigured with LOTS of spellcasting, LOTS of
anchorings/quickenings/spell locks...which would equate to the NASTIEST astral
signature in existence.

My reasoning has something to do with the way "Combat Magic" tends to look at
Vehicles and other large, non-living, objects. As a singular piece of non-
living 'junk' and therefore doesn't discriminate.

> I would even apply the above ruling with people and trying to get around
the
> encumbrance limits ...

THAT would be the one area I thought the spell was actually designed to get
involved with...

> Also, for the purposes of those things which do not have a body rating ...
> compare them to vehicle weights listed in the R2 ... and consider Body 0
> vehicles to have a Body of 1 for all intents and purposes ...

But ... oh forget it ... joke slipped away ...

-K
Message no. 8
From: Ereskanti <Ereskanti@***.COM>
Subject: Re: New Spell : Density Control
Date: Fri, 27 Feb 1998 22:55:48 EST
In a message dated 98-02-26 09:07:07 EST, you write:

> Stressor
> Category .................... Combat
> Type .......................... (PHYSICAL)
> Target ........................ (8) (as per spell casting rules vs. 'cars')
> Range ........................ LOS
> Drain .......................... D4 (though I think it was probably D3)

Actually, refiguring it brings me back to "S1"

> Damage ..................... N/A (Stress Points)

A Variation of/on the term "Stun Damage"

> Duration ..................... Instantaneous
> Restriction ................. Vehicles only
>
> Description : This spell caused the targeted vehicle to suffer one point of
> Stress per every (NET) success left after the resistance test. This spell
is
> designed to target vehicle's, though mentionings of one capable of affecting
> Naval vessels has also abounded (though that may be a manipulation ritual
> version of this spell) .
>
> Keith, I believe this was it ...

Problem was, I could have sworn it was "Manipulation" and not combat...

I fixed this after rereading it. I have also forwarded it to RN...(HI
GUYS!!!)

-K
Message no. 9
From: AirWisp <AirWisp@***.COM>
Subject: Re: New Spell : Density Control
Date: Sat, 28 Feb 1998 08:19:18 EST
In a message dated 98-02-27 22:52:23 EST, you write:

> > However, while on this topic ... if someone used the Density Control to
> get
> > away with getting a vehicle to carry a higher load or just more stuff
...
> I
> > would apply the following ... the overall weight of a vehicle can not be
> > changed in this instance, rather, each additional piece of equipment
with
> a
> > load reduction can have this spell applied to itself ... this way the
> amount
> > of load reduction that happens becomes less ...
>
> OOOO, I don't think I could see this unless litearally -each- piece were
> effected by this spell at the time of installation, AND then it would have
> to
> be reconfigured with LOTS of spellcasting, LOTS of
> anchorings/quickenings/spell locks...which would equate to the NASTIEST
> astral
> signature in existence.
>
> My reasoning has something to do with the way "Combat Magic" tends to look
> at
> Vehicles and other large, non-living, objects. As a singular piece of non-
> living 'junk' and therefore doesn't discriminate.

I know ... but I also designed the spell originally to increase the load, not
decrease it ...

> > I would even apply the above ruling with people and trying to get around
> the
> > encumbrance limits ...
>
> THAT would be the one area I thought the spell was actually designed to get
> involved with...

It was actually designed to increase load, not decrease it ... increasing the
load is easier, decreasing is not ...

> > Also, for the purposes of those things which do not have a body rating
...
>
> > compare them to vehicle weights listed in the R2 ... and consider Body 0
> > vehicles to have a Body of 1 for all intents and purposes ...
>
> But ... oh forget it ... joke slipped away ...

Tell it to me later on then ...

> -K
>

Mike

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