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Message no. 1
From: Brett Borger <bxb121@***.EDU>
Subject: Re: [SR3] SwiftOne's take on Circles
Date: Thu, 20 Aug 1998 10:34:58 EST
Heck, everyone else is doing, why not me?

Okay, first I should mention that these rules assume you have circles
that are permanently active astral barriers...I am unsure if this is
a house rule or not. If it is, assume that these rules apply only
when the circles are active.

Obviously those arguing for concentric circles are thinking about
layered defenses, which will slow down an opponent and bring
attrition to bear (for example, maybe a high-force Manabolt could
take down the largest barrier you could make, but that would leave
the attacking mage too drained to do it again.) There is some
support in generic fantasy literature for such a concept.

> I don't believe two circles could coexist. One would have to disrupt
> the other one. I don't see anything simple about. If you ask what would
> happen but you don't think nothing good could come out of it then you
> already have a bias. At best the two circles would coexist inside of one
> another but the idea of augmenting each other flawed. If it could support

Here MC brings in the basic form of a Hermetic Circle, which is
_usually_ a filled circle. He also raises concerns about abuse...

> Don't forget a combined Magical Library only equals the highest
> rating. You just can't coax more power out of what you are saying.

...and backs it up with a related rule.

Okay, so, if you wish to maintain the possibility of the first group,
without denying the second group, what do you do?

1) Allow concentric circles
2)...IF all circles save the first are designed to contain one inside
them.
3) ...which would mean that they'd be a filled "track".
4)...which would increase the overal radius
5)...and to prevent abuse, the time should be based on the total
radius.
6) Because each circle depends on the inner circle, taking away any
inner circle disrupts all circles further out.

Example: Mathius is hired to astrally protect something. He's hurt
for time, so he takes 4 hours and creates a rating 4 circle around
the object. (at a radius of 4 meters). Later, he has time to beef
up the circle, but he doesn't wish to leave it unprotected for the
time it would take, so he creates a rating 6 circle surrounding the
inner one. This circle takes 10 hours (radius 6+4) to create, and
the circle now has radius 10. His employer decides it's REALLY
important to protect this thing, so they knock out few walls, etc,
and he makes a rating 10 circle. This circle takes an amazing 20
hours to make, and the total radius is 20 meters. (that's big).

So for a total investment of 34 hours, taking up a 20 meter radius,
he has 3 nested circles, with nothing higher than a rating 10. (He
could have had a rating 20 in the same amount of space).

Now let's say that the object turns out to be a free-spirit. It
wakes up and decides it's time to leave. He has little trouble
dealing with the rating 4 ward that holds him. As it's astral form
crumples, so does the one surrounding it (the rating 6), which in
turn takes out the rating 10.

I imagine this order (outer depends on inner) could be reversed, but
you would have to know that when creating ALL of the circles.

<snip excellent argument against biased opinions based on outside
knowledge>

-=SwiftOne=-

Further Reading

If you enjoyed reading about [SR3] SwiftOne's take on Circles, you may also be interested in:

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