Back to the main page

Mailing List Logs for ShadowRN

Message no. 1
From: Bryan Prince <WALAB@******.HH.VANDERBILT.EDU>
Subject: Spell locks, ect...
Date: Tue, 17 May 1994 08:09:18 -0600
Gurth,

I know how you feel about the Incr Rxn+3 Spell locks.
We had a similar problem in our group with mages having
multiple spell locks, and screwing up game balance. I
finally had to do the following:

A mage may have up to his base INT rating in bound
spell locks. If not of initiate grade, he may only
have ONE active spell lock at any one time. An initiate
may have one+his initiate grade active at any one time.
It takes one action to activate/deactivate a spell lock.
Quickened spells count toward this total.

This reflects the ability to channel magical energies.
An initiate will have more experience and skill in
handling those energies than a non-initiate.

A mage who takes a single wound of S, must
save for each spell lock or quickened spell indivually
to see if it retains the crucial link to Astral Space.
The TN-the force the spell was cast at.
If he takes a wound of D, either singly or in combination,
all spell locksor quickened spells are lost-no save. The
spell locks are not destroyed, and can be reused. The
Karma used to bind it however is gone...

This may not fit into your game system, or your style
of play-but I thought you might be able to use it.

Bryan Prince aka SHADOWMASTER
WALAB@******.HH.VANDERBILT.EDU

Also, I tried to send this to your email address, but your server
kept sending it back.
Message no. 2
From: Egil Geir Brautaset <egilbra@***.UNIT.NO>
Subject: Re: Spell locks, ect...
Date: Tue, 17 May 1994 15:28:48 +0200
I haven't really had any cause for removing spell locks yet, but my favourite
methods are those that are covered in the rulebooks and thus cannot be
disputed by the players. Here is one:

A spell lock is an astral entity and thus it can be attacked by any astral
creatures like magicians, elementals or nature spirits. In fact, any
astral entity could probably disconnect any spell lock just by walking
up to an unsuspecting magician and doing it (simple action). This would
break the spell and put the mage in a difficult position without bringing
any new elements into the game.

As for the attack, an enemy with any kind of weapon focus should be able
to crush a spell lock with one attack. (Sorcery skill + focus dice vs. TN 2)
While the poor lock defends with (1 dice against TN=charisma + half focus
rating) I.E. a spell lock cannot stage down any damage and with a weapon focus
you need only >4 successes more than the lock to wreck it.

BTW: I have not included the dice from the Astral Pool in the attack.


-- Egil <egilbra@***.unit.no>
Message no. 3
From: Thorben Woehler <tew@****.INFORMATIK.RWTH-AACHEN.DE>
Subject: Re: Spell locks, ect...
Date: Tue, 17 May 1994 16:53:17 +0200
> A mage may have up to his base INT rating in bound
> spell locks. If not of initiate grade, he may only
> have ONE active spell lock at any one time. An initiate
> may have one+his initiate grade active at any one time.
> It takes one action to activate/deactivate a spell lock.
> Quickened spells count toward this total.

Whats your problem with spell locks??? You can have max INT active,
and gm can *always* flatten the bonding... dont need much to defeat a
Rating 1 Focus in Astral Space (Perhaps a Rating 4 Spell)...

But we did limit the number of Quickenings a char may have to his
initiate grade... Because quickenings are much stronger than spelllocks!

SHADE
Message no. 4
From: Ivy Ryan <ivyryan@***.ORG>
Subject: Re: Spell locks, ect...
Date: Tue, 17 May 1994 15:13:19 -0700
On Tue, 17 May 1994, Bryan Prince wrote:

> Gurth,
>
> I know how you feel about the Incr Rxn+3 Spell locks.
> We had a similar problem in our group with mages having
> multiple spell locks, and screwing up game balance. I
> finally had to do the following:
>
> A mage may have up to his base INT rating in bound
> spell locks. If not of initiate grade, he may only
> have ONE active spell lock at any one time. An initiate
> may have one+his initiate grade active at any one time.
> It takes one action to activate/deactivate a spell lock.
> Quickened spells count toward this total.
>
> This reflects the ability to channel magical energies.
> An initiate will have more experience and skill in
> handling those energies than a non-initiate.
>
> A mage who takes a single wound of S, must
> save for each spell lock or quickened spell indivually
> to see if it retains the crucial link to Astral Space.
> The TN-the force the spell was cast at.
> If he takes a wound of D, either singly or in combination,
> all spell locksor quickened spells are lost-no save. The
> spell locks are not destroyed, and can be reused. The
> Karma used to bind it however is gone...
>
> This may not fit into your game system, or your style
> of play-but I thought you might be able to use it.
>
> Bryan Prince aka SHADOWMASTER

C'mon Bryan, what's wrong with the *rules*. Sure, a mage can go
nearly as quickly as a Sammi. But the locks have to be active. Nuke
them from the Astral.
Quickened spells are even eas{er to deal with. Just wait till
the mage tries to pass through a ward. He has to fight the ward to get
his quickened spell through it. It really does work.
Ivy K
Message no. 5
From: I'll bite your kneecaps off! <AM77423@******.BITNET>
Subject: Re: Spell locks, ect...
Date: Tue, 17 May 1994 23:40:01 -0500
>On Tue, 17 May 1994, Bryan Prince wrote:
>
>> Gurth,
>>
>> I know how you feel about the Incr Rxn+3 Spell locks.
>> We had a similar problem in our group with mages having
>> multiple spell locks, and screwing up game balance. I
>> finally had to do the following:
>>
>> A mage may have up to his base INT rating in bound
>> spell locks. If not of initiate grade, he may only
>> have ONE active spell lock at any one time. An initiate
>> may have one+his initiate grade active at any one time.
>> It takes one action to activate/deactivate a spell lock.
>> Quickened spells count toward this total.
>>
>> This reflects the ability to channel magical energies.
>> An initiate will have more experience and skill in
>> handling those energies than a non-initiate.
>>
>> A mage who takes a single wound of S, must
>> save for each spell lock or quickened spell indivually
>> to see if it retains the crucial link to Astral Space.
>> The TN-the force the spell was cast at.
>> If he takes a wound of D, either singly or in combination,
>> all spell locksor quickened spells are lost-no save. The
>> spell locks are not destroyed, and can be reused. The
>> Karma used to bind it however is gone...
>>
>> This may not fit into your game system, or your style
>> of play-but I thought you might be able to use it.
>>
>> Bryan Prince aka SHADOWMASTER
>
> C'mon Bryan, what's wrong with the *rules*. Sure, a mage can go
>nearly as quickly as a Sammi. But the locks have to be active. Nuke
>them from the Astral.
> Quickened spells are even eas{er to deal with. Just wait till
>the mage tries to pass through a ward. He has to fight the ward to get
>his quickened spell through it. It really does work.
> Ivy K


---------- End of Original Message ----------

Ehh just scrage the Bas****s with some art'y, then you won't have to bother
with spell locks!!
-- Mad Hatter

Further Reading

If you enjoyed reading about Spell locks, ect..., you may also be interested in:

Disclaimer

These messages were posted a long time ago on a mailing list far, far away. The copyright to their contents probably lies with the original authors of the individual messages, but since they were published in an electronic forum that anyone could subscribe to, and the logs were available to subscribers and most likely non-subscribers as well, it's felt that re-publishing them here is a kind of public service.

Thwap!