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Message no. 1
From: MC23 <mc23@****.NET>
Subject: PhysAds - new power concept
Date: Tue, 21 Jan 1997 01:24:18 -0500
Weapon Empowerment.(2pts?)

An idea bounced into my head about some sort of power for PhysAds
where they have some sort of Weapon Empowerment. This is a variation of
killing hands and weapon foci. The PhysAds basically powers his weapon
(melee) so it can effect creatures in the same way killing hands and
weapon foci can. The weapon would still reatain the same damage code as
before. An astrally perceiving adept could affect astral creatures (and
spells?) when his weapon is empowered. The weapon would not effect
regeneration. The adept would also be considered astrally active with use
of this power.
Possible options/levels/limitations of this power could be.
Muscle powered weapons (+2 pts?)
any weapon (rumored)
drain test to use
power level determined by level bought
'attuned' weapons only

I think this power has some merit but I have not played PhyAds
enough to have a good fell for their balance. I like the concept but I
would like to see what you PhyAds buffs can do to it or with it.
Rip it apart guys!

- MC23 quickly jumps back from the offering -
"I'm scared to look"
Message no. 2
From: Max Rible <cheshire@*****.COM>
Subject: Re: PhysAds - new power concept
Date: Tue, 21 Jan 1997 10:44:43 -0800
At 01:24 1/21/97 -0500, MC23 wrote:
> Weapon Empowerment.(2pts?)
>
> An idea bounced into my head about some sort of power for PhysAds
>where they have some sort of Weapon Empowerment. This is a variation of
>killing hands and weapon foci. The PhysAds basically powers his weapon
>(melee) so it can effect creatures in the same way killing hands and
>weapon foci can. The weapon would still reatain the same damage code as
>before. An astrally perceiving adept could affect astral creatures (and
>spells?) when his weapon is empowered. The weapon would not effect
>regeneration. The adept would also be considered astrally active with use
>of this power.

This sounds like something I came up with a while ago (and posted to the
list, and received no comments on):

---
Extended Ki

Some Physical Adepts learn to extend their ki, their magical essence, into
other objects and even people. By extending their ki, they extend their
other powers to cover that particular object or person.

This is mostly useful in extending such powers as Killing Hands and Smashing
Blow. If a Physical Adept extends their Killing Hands power onto a weapon,
the weapon will be able to strike astral targets, and its Damage Code will
be modified by the deviation of the rating of the Killing Hands power from
M (since barehanded strikes usually do M stun). Thus, a katana wielded by
a person with Killing Hands S would do (Str+3)S damage instead of (Str+3)M,
while a polearm normally doing (Str)S being wielded by a person with
Extended Ki and Killing Hands L would only do (Str)M to spirits.

Smashing Blow will also work with weapons. For edged weapons, if the normal
case would indicate a half-meter hole in an object, substitute a half-meter
slash.

The ability to extend powers onto people is mostly useful for granting others
access to extended senses. (Attempting to improve someone's reaction or
initiative is usually pointless, since the penalties for being in combat while
forcibly maintaining physical contact with someone will easily negate any
bonuses that might be achieved.) It can also grant access to supernatural
endurance and healing (so a Physical Adept with the the top-rated Extended
Ki power and Rapid Healing may actually make a difference by sitting at an
unconscious friend's bedside holding their hand for hours on end). For
the theatrically inclined, it's even possible to punch someone through a
wall; they will only take the Stun damage for the strike used to hit them
into the wall.

Cost Range
0.25 Aura (covers brass knuckles, handrazors, weighted gloves, boots, ...)
0.5 Reach 0 weapons (daggers, spurs, ...)
1.0 Reach 1 weapons (katana, sword, ...)
2.0 Reach 2 weapons (pole-arms, ...)
3.0 People

--
%%% Max Rible %%% cheshire@*****.com %%% http://www.amurgsval.org/~cheshire %%%
%%% "Don't keep all your bats in one belfry." - me %%%
Message no. 3
From: Kevin White <kevw@*****.CO.UK>
Subject: Re: PhysAds - new power concept
Date: Wed, 22 Jan 1997 09:12:19 -0600
Max Rible wrote:
> Extended Ki
...8<...
>
> This is mostly useful in extending such powers as Killing Hands and Smashing
> Blow. If a Physical Adept extends their Killing Hands power onto a weapon,
> the weapon will be able to strike astral targets, and its Damage Code will
> be modified by the deviation of the rating of the Killing Hands power from
> M (since barehanded strikes usually do M stun).

This is fine except that as I understand ki it permeates (sp?) *living*
things. Extending this I would suggest that only living things have the
stuctures to contain and channel ki. Therefore, IMO, one would not be
able to extend a ki power into an inanimate object (distict from
extending the effect of a ki power into an inanimate object ie smashing
large blocks of stone or whetever).

Diamond
Message no. 4
From: Charles Baker <karolusb@**.NETCOM.COM>
Subject: Re: PhysAds - new power concept
Date: Wed, 22 Jan 1997 03:04:54 -0800
MC23 wrote:
>
> Weapon Empowerment.(2pts?)
>
> An idea bounced into my head about some sort of power for PhysAds
> where they have some sort of Weapon Empowerment. This is a variation of
> killing hands and weapon foci. The PhysAds basically powers his weapon
> (melee) so it can effect creatures in the same way killing hands and
> weapon foci can. The weapon would still reatain the same damage code as
> before. An astrally perceiving adept could affect astral creatures (and
> spells?) when his weapon is empowered. The weapon would not effect
> regeneration. The adept would also be considered astrally active with use
> of this power.

I don't think it should make him astrally active unless killing hands
normally does so, which I don't think it does. I would think that the
cost should be based on the damage code and max size, the damage code
would come from the character, not the weapon (IMO). And reach should
be at perhaps 1/2 point per max reach. With perhaps damage classes like
1/2 the cost of killing hands. While that would tend to be cheaper than
what you were suggesting it is a very limited power, only useful for
attacking astral entities, with perception, and manifest spirits,
without providing other bonuses the cost shouldn't be too excessive.
As to attuned weapons only that sounds like a common variation of the
focus geas with regards to this power. (I wouldn't allow it for ranged
weapons of course).
Message no. 5
From: Brett Borger <bxb121@***.EDU>
Subject: Re: PhysAds - new power concept
Date: Wed, 22 Jan 1997 20:29:27 -0500
>This is fine except that as I understand ki it permeates (sp?) *living*
>things. Extending this I would suggest that only living things have the
>stuctures to contain and channel ki. Therefore, IMO, one would not be
>able to extend a ki power into an inanimate object (distict from
>extending the effect of a ki power into an inanimate object ie smashing
>large blocks of stone or whetever).

Point, but also consider a samurai's sword....this thing had more soul in
his eyes than he did....

I'd say the power is fine, but that he should make a good story to cover it. :)
/ Brett "SwiftOne" Borger
\\\' , / // bxb121@***.edu
\\\// _/ //' http://www.opp.psu.edu/~bxb24/swiftone.htm
\_-//' / //<' Webmaster, Office of Physical Plant,
\ /// <//' The Pennsylvania State University
/ >> \\\` http://www.opp.psu.edu
/,)-^>> _\`
(/ \\ / \\\
// //\\\
((`
Message no. 6
From: Max Rible <cheshire@*****.COM>
Subject: Re: PhysAds - new power concept
Date: Wed, 22 Jan 1997 10:46:16 -0800
At 09:12 1/22/97 -0600, Kevin White wrote:
>Max Rible wrote:
>> Extended Ki
...
>> This is mostly useful in extending such powers as Killing Hands and Smashing
>> Blow. If a Physical Adept extends their Killing Hands power onto a weapon,
>> the weapon will be able to strike astral targets, and its Damage Code will
>> be modified by the deviation of the rating of the Killing Hands power from
>> M (since barehanded strikes usually do M stun).

>This is fine except that as I understand ki it permeates (sp?) *living*
>things.

As I understand it, ki permeates *everything*; that's what Feng Shui
is all about, channeling the ki flowing through the world in auspicious
ways. (Feng Shui being a Chinese term, they usually call it "ch'i", but
it's the same notion...)

> Extending this I would suggest that only living things have the
>stuctures to contain and channel ki. Therefore, IMO, one would not be
>able to extend a ki power into an inanimate object (distict from
>extending the effect of a ki power into an inanimate object ie smashing
>large blocks of stone or whetever).

Since my understanding of ki differs, I disagree. Would you feel more
comfortable if it were something like "The Physical Adept extends their
aura to cover a weapon" instead of "The Physical Adept extends their ki
into a weapon"? Would you consider the cost balanced then?


--
%%% Max Rible %%% cheshire@*****.com %%% http://www.amurgsval.org/~cheshire %%%
%%% "Don't keep all your bats in one belfry." - me %%%
Message no. 7
From: Tim Cooper <tpcooper@***.CSUPOMONA.EDU>
Subject: Re: PhysAds - new power concept
Date: Thu, 23 Jan 1997 12:57:13 -0800
On Wed, 22 Jan 1997, Max Rible wrote:

> At 09:12 1/22/97 -0600, Kevin White wrote:
> >Max Rible wrote:
> >> Extended Ki
> ...
> >> This is mostly useful in extending such powers as Killing Hands and Smashing
> >> Blow. If a Physical Adept extends their Killing Hands power onto a weapon,
> >> the weapon will be able to strike astral targets, and its Damage Code will
> >> be modified by the deviation of the rating of the Killing Hands power from
> >> M (since barehanded strikes usually do M stun).
>
> >This is fine except that as I understand ki it permeates (sp?) *living*
> >things.
>
> As I understand it, ki permeates *everything*; that's what Feng Shui
> is all about, channeling the ki flowing through the world in auspicious
> ways. (Feng Shui being a Chinese term, they usually call it "ch'i", but
> it's the same notion...)
>
> > Extending this I would suggest that only living things have the
> >stuctures to contain and channel ki. Therefore, IMO, one would not be
> >able to extend a ki power into an inanimate object (distict from
> >extending the effect of a ki power into an inanimate object ie smashing
> >large blocks of stone or whetever).
>
> Since my understanding of ki differs, I disagree. Would you feel more
> comfortable if it were something like "The Physical Adept extends their
> aura to cover a weapon" instead of "The Physical Adept extends their ki
> into a weapon"? Would you consider the cost balanced then?
>
>
> --
> %%% Max Rible %%% cheshire@*****.com %%% http://www.amurgsval.org/~cheshire %%%
>

Your whole argument seems based on the concept of "Ki". Isn't that merely
a chinese analogy to what an Aura is? It's just semantics. Whether you
call it a physad's Ki, or aura, or the power of the totem, or what ever
the tradition deems appropriate....the effect is still the same. The SR
term is merely "Aura".

~Tim
Message no. 8
From: Max Rible <cheshire@*****.COM>
Subject: Re: PhysAds - new power concept
Date: Thu, 23 Jan 1997 13:11:50 -0800
At 12:57 1/23/97 -0800, Tim Cooper wrote:
>Your whole argument seems based on the concept of "Ki". Isn't that merely
>a chinese analogy to what an Aura is? It's just semantics. Whether you
>call it a physad's Ki, or aura, or the power of the totem, or what ever
>the tradition deems appropriate....the effect is still the same. The SR
>term is merely "Aura".

But the chinese concept of ch'i is not something unique to living beings.
It flows through the world, and the entire art of feng shui is based around
manipulating it in propitious ways. It's obviously more than just the SR
notion of "Aura".

--
%%% Max Rible %%% cheshire@*****.com %%% http://www.amurgsval.org/~cheshire %%%
%%% "Don't keep all your bats in one belfry." - me %%%
Message no. 9
From: Brett Borger <bxb121@***.EDU>
Subject: Re: PhysAds - new power concept
Date: Thu, 23 Jan 1997 19:44:00 -0500
>>the tradition deems appropriate....the effect is still the same. The SR
>>term is merely "Aura".
>But the chinese concept of ch'i is not something unique to living beings.
>It flows through the world, and the entire art of feng shui is based around
>manipulating it in propitious ways. It's obviously more than just the SR
>notion of "Aura".

Correct...the SR term is Mana. Same difference though.
/ Brett "SwiftOne" Borger
\\\' , / // bxb121@***.edu
\\\// _/ //' http://www.opp.psu.edu/~bxb24/swiftone.htm
\_-//' / //<' Webmaster, Office of Physical Plant,
\ /// <//' The Pennsylvania State University
/ >> \\\` http://www.opp.psu.edu
/,)-^>> _\`
(/ \\ / \\\
// //\\\
((`
Message no. 10
From: Tim Cooper <tpcooper@***.CSUPOMONA.EDU>
Subject: Re: PhysAds - new power concept
Date: Thu, 23 Jan 1997 16:41:57 -0800
On Thu, 23 Jan 1997, Max Rible wrote:

> At 12:57 1/23/97 -0800, Tim Cooper wrote:
> >Your whole argument seems based on the concept of "Ki". Isn't that
merely
> >a chinese analogy to what an Aura is? It's just semantics. Whether you
> >call it a physad's Ki, or aura, or the power of the totem, or what ever
> >the tradition deems appropriate....the effect is still the same. The SR
> >term is merely "Aura".
>
> But the chinese concept of ch'i is not something unique to living beings.
> It flows through the world, and the entire art of feng shui is based around
> manipulating it in propitious ways. It's obviously more than just the SR
> notion of "Aura".
>
> --
> %%% Max Rible %%% cheshire@*****.com %%% http://www.amurgsval.org/~cheshire %%%

OK, substitute "Mana" (or rather _include_)...

~Tim
Message no. 11
From: Max Rible <cheshire@*****.COM>
Subject: Re: PhysAds - new power concept
Date: Thu, 23 Jan 1997 16:44:34 -0800
At 16:41 1/23/97 -0800, Tim Cooper wrote:
>OK, substitute "Mana" (or rather _include_)...

So if you substitute "mana flow" for "ki" in the power description,
does it
make sense and seem balanced?

--
%%% Max Rible %%% cheshire@*****.com %%% http://www.amurgsval.org/~cheshire %%%
%%% "Don't keep all your bats in one belfry." - me %%%

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