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Message no. 1
From: Matthew Waddilove <matthew@*********.U-NET.COM>
Subject: Re: Sorcery and Spellcasting
Date: Tue, 22 Sep 1998 15:48:43 +0100
From: David Foster <fixer@*******.TLH.FL.US>
Date: 12 September 1998 15:14

>On Fri, 11 Sep 1998, Razor Girl wrote:
>
>->Now it comes to her second action. What is the situation now? Is it she
>->cannot cast any spells since she has tied up all her sorcery dice in the
>->last initative pass and has only one spell pool die? Or does her full
>->sorcery become available again? Can she reset the spell defense dice to
>->get at those two sorcery dice? Or because the spell defence has the
>->option to break at the beginning of her action she has 6 sorcery dice
>->and 2 pool left to do stuff? Can she readjust her spell defence?
>
> Sorcery SKILL dice refresh every action, so your next action
>you've got all 6 dice (and reduce your spell defense unless you
>re-allocate the dice). It would be like having a Sami holding back Pistol
>dice from one action and losing them the next action.
>
>->Lots of question, eh? Is sorcery like the pistol skill where you can
>->always use it at it's base level every time you test with it? Does it
>->refresh with every initative pass or does it diminish with use and not
>->recharge till the next combat turn begins?
>
> Yes, Yes, no.
>


Sorry that this is a reply to such an old post but I was just reading the
magic chapter again and I remembered that someone had said this and so I
though I had better reply.

Spell Defense dice do not return until the mage's next Combat Turn so that
would include Sorcery Dice used for spell defense.

To quote SR3 (second printing but I checked the errata and it's not in
there)

pg 183 SPELL DEFENSE paragraph 4(in spell defense)
"
Once used Spell Defence dice are lost until the magicians next Combat Turn.
Spell Pool dice used in spell sefense do not refresh until the next Combat
Turn
"

From the wording of the paragraph I would say that it is an error and should
say
"
Once used Spell Defence dice are lost until the magicians next Initative
Pass.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Spell Pool dice used in spell sefense do not refresh until
the next Combat Turn
"
note the changed wording I think that this makes much more sense.

More fixes for the errata's errata.

-Matthew Waddilove
Message no. 2
From: K in the Shadows <Ereskanti@***.COM>
Subject: Re: Sorcery and Spellcasting
Date: Tue, 22 Sep 1998 14:27:35 EDT
In a message dated 9/22/1998 9:45:17 AM US Eastern Standard Time,
matthew@*********.U-NET.COM writes:

>
> More fixes for the errata's errata.
>
> -Matthew Waddilove
>
Actually, NO, the term of "Turn" for refreshing pool dice is the intended one.

-K
Message no. 3
From: Fixer <fixer@*******.TLH.FL.US>
Subject: Re: Sorcery and Spellcasting
Date: Tue, 22 Sep 1998 14:53:26 -0400
On Tue, 22 Sep 1998, K in the Shadows wrote:

->In a message dated 9/22/1998 9:45:17 AM US Eastern Standard Time,
->matthew@*********.U-NET.COM writes:
->>
->> More fixes for the errata's errata.
->>
->Actually, NO, the term of "Turn" for refreshing pool dice is the intended
one.

Ok, hold on...... If I have five spell pool and five sorcery skill
dice, and I allocate three of each to spell defense, and in the same
initiative pass I use two from each pool as spell defense, my entire spell
defense pool of six is available in the next initiative pass without
allocating additional dice? Cool!
Why couldn't they do that with defensive Combat Pool? Allocate a
certain amount for defense and, until you roll initiative again, you can
use that combat pool each initiative pass to dodge attacks, and it
refreshes each initiative pass, unlike your remaining Combat Pool which
would be available for attacks and doesn't refresh until your next
initiative roll.
Example: (just because I like them)
Mr. Street Sam has 8 Combat Pool, he knows he's in trouble so he
allocated 6 dice toward defense while he rushes for cover. In the first
pass, he uses all six dice to dodge but still isn't where he wants to be.
He also used one Combat Pool die to attack with, leaving him one die left.
Next initiative pass (haven't rerolled yet), Street Sam gets his "Dodge
Pool" back and still has one Combat Pool. He puts his last Combat Pool
point into Dodge Pool and makes for cover. If there is a third initiative
pass this Turn, he can dodge using seven dice, but has no Combat Pool for
attacks. When initiative is re-rolled, The has all eight Combat Pool back
and can put them into Dodge Pool (which has reverted back to zero until
dice are allocated) or use them to attack with since he finally made it
to cover.
Does this sound reasonable?

Fixer --------------} The easy I do before breakfast,
the difficult I do all day long,
the impossible only during the week,
and miracles performed on an as-needed basis....

Now tell me, what was your problem?
Message no. 4
From: Matthew Waddilove <matthew@*********.U-NET.COM>
Subject: Re: Sorcery and Spellcasting
Date: Thu, 24 Sep 1998 13:55:16 +0100
From: K in the Shadows <Ereskanti@***.COM>

>In a message dated 9/22/1998 9:45:17 AM US Eastern Standard Time,
>matthew@*********.U-NET.COM writes:
>
>>
>> More fixes for the errata's errata.
>>
>> -Matthew Waddilove
>>
>Actually, NO, the term of "Turn" for refreshing pool dice is the intended
one.
>


But I wasn't refering to the refreshing of _pool_ dice, I was refering to
the refreshing of sorcery dice.

I admit on a second reading that my proposed "fix" did'nt say what I
intended to say which was more long the lines of
"
Once used Sorcery dice used for Spell defense are lost until the magicians
next initative pass. Spell Pool used in spell defence do not refresh until
the next combat turn.
"

I hope that makes what I was trying to work out clearer.

The reason that I thought that it might be incorrect was the duplicate
reference to loosing the dice until the next combat turn.

pg 183 SPELL DEFENSE paragraph 4(in spell defense)
"
Once used Spell Defence dice are lost until the magicians next Combat Turn.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Spell Pool dice used in spell defense do not refresh until the next Combat

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Turn
^^^^
"

Allthough in trying to write a understandable example of my "fix" vs canon I
noticed that the canon rule is easier in that Once it's gone it's gone.


<slightly separate topic>
Another thing that I noticed trying to make the example is that you are
better off allocating as little sorcery dice as posible to spell defense
instead allocating more spell pool. Because sorcery dice used for spell
casting come back where as spell pool dice always go until next turn.

i.e. if you have a sorcery skill of 6 a spell pool of 6 and want 6 dice for
spell defense you are best off taking the 6 spell pool dice and leaving the
6 sorcery dice for casting.


-Matthew Waddilove
Message no. 5
From: K in the Shadows <Ereskanti@***.COM>
Subject: Re: Sorcery and Spellcasting
Date: Thu, 24 Sep 1998 11:44:51 EDT
In a message dated 9/24/1998 7:51:27 AM US Eastern Standard Time,
matthew@*********.U-NET.COM writes:

>
> i.e. if you have a sorcery skill of 6 a spell pool of 6 and want 6 dice for
> spell defense you are best off taking the 6 spell pool dice and leaving the
> 6 sorcery dice for casting.
>
>
> -Matthew Waddilove
>
I snipped your clarifications and explanations. Okay, I can see the confusion
as well. I have to admit something on this topic.

The dice vs. pool refreshing system in the new SR3 is a bit, I don't know,
what's the word here??? Painful? yeah, that works.

I am speaking from a point of experience. Even the big characters here that
have been converted over to SR3 are feeling the shock of it. Get into a
firefight where lots of combat pool dice for example used to be really cool,
now it's fragging necessary.

As for Spell Defense dice, I have to admit that the about "Sorcery Dice" once
being used for Spell Defense are not refreshed / usable again until the Spell
Defense dice pool refreshes do seem a bit strange. I am uncertain as to why
this change occurred actually.

Steve K., you out there?

-K

Further Reading

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