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Message no. 1
From: Terry Amburgey <xanth@****.UKY.EDU>
Subject: weaving new patterns
Date: Tue, 29 Aug 1995 10:46:20 -0400
Eve wrote:
>Your magical self (your True Pattern) isn't just made from your DNA; it's
>also part of your history, who and where you've been and how it's affected
>your physical body as well as your magical self. So, let's say you killed
>a Barghest with a spell you cast from your left hand, or that scar on your
>finger is from the bite of a devil rat, or whatever; your body is part of
>your history. Cutting off a part of that history, and replacing it with
>something else, even if it's -biologically- you-- it still isn't the same
>arm, and you know it(<-- this is important; sorry to cliche but WYTIWYG)
>and yet it's trying to replace part of your Pattern and it can't really
>do it because it doesn't have the history behind it... and so your Pattern
>is disrupted and your magic rating goes down. As for why bio costs more than
>cyber; maybe it's because cyber is dead and has no living Pattern to conflict
>with what you already have.

Makes sense to me. However it suggests that the disruption should decay over
time as the character continues to generate new history. I.e. mage gets a
trauma damper [its neuralware so it's cultured from the mages dna], pattern
is disrupted because the new tissue doesn't have the same history as the
rest of the bod. It's now 1 year and several runs later. That tissue shifted
1 box when the mage got bit by another devil rat and came in very handy on 5
other occaisions. The disparity between the history of the bioware and the
rest of the bod is now less than it was a year ago. Would you reduce the
disruption over time or experience?
Terry

Terry L. Amburgey Office: 606-257-7726
Associate Professor Home: 606-224-0636
College of Business & Economics Fax: 606-257-3577
University of Kentucky
Lexington, KY 40506
Message no. 2
From: Eve Forward <lutra@******.COM>
Subject: Re: weaving new patterns
Date: Tue, 29 Aug 1995 09:19:44 -0700
>>Makes sense to me. However it suggests that the disruption should decay over
time as the character continues to generate new history. I.e. mage gets a
trauma damper [its neuralware so it's cultured from the mages dna], pattern
is disrupted because the new tissue doesn't have the same history as the
rest of the bod. It's now 1 year and several runs later. That tissue shifted
1 box when the mage got bit by another devil rat and came in very handy on 5
other occaisions. The disparity between the history of the bioware and the
rest of the bod is now less than it was a year ago. Would you reduce the
disruption over time or experience?<<

An interesting point, but not allowed for in the game rules. So, you can say
that once it suffers such a sever disruption, then your magical pattern isn't
ever the same as it was -meant- to be (sticking to what you were born with,
not "corrupting" yourself with outside parts, etc). Of course, you can add
more magic points by Initiating, so you can grow them back that way; but
it's still a different kind of growth. Like when a lizard loses its tail, the
tail grows back, but it's a different color and pattern than the original.

-E
Message no. 3
From: Jeffrey Riordan <JRIORDAN@***.GOV>
Subject: Re: weaving new patterns
Date: Tue, 29 Aug 1995 13:33:25 -0400
> An interesting point, but not allowed for in the game
> rules. So, you can say that once it suffers such a
> sever disruption, then your magical pattern isn't
> ever the same as it was -meant- to be (sticking to
> what you were born with, not "corrupting" yourself
> with outside parts, etc). Of course, you can add more
> magic points by Initiating, so you can grow them
> back that way; but it's still a different kind of growth.
> Like when a lizard loses its tail, the tail grows back,
> but it's a different color and pattern than the original.

> -E

I think the argument boils down to what constitutes
"YOU" as a magic user. I think it depends on your
outlook as a GM. I happen to believe that as long as
it's organic, and can change and adapt with your body
it will eventually be incorperated into your "pattern".
(may take several years to do it, but eventually it will
become "you").
Yea, this is another area that can be munchkined but
if you playing in a long term campaign it gives the
mage some hope of recovering something very
important. Especially if the loss is due to deadly
damage as opposed to elective surgery. I believe that
(and don't jump on me if I've got this wrong since I
don't have the books with me) A mage can suffer a
deadly wound, pass all the magic loss test and still be
missing an arm without any loss of essence or Magic.
I'm also pretty sure that its the same for non mages
that they won't lose any essence even if they lose an
arm.
I've never been one to believe in "If it ain't in the
book you can't do it" rule. Most players I know are
alot more creative then your average game designer.

Jeff
Message no. 4
From: Eve Forward <lutra@******.COM>
Subject: Re: weaving new patterns
Date: Tue, 29 Aug 1995 12:01:34 -0700
>>I've never been one to believe in "If it ain't in the
book you can't do it" rule. Most players I know are
alot more creative then your average game designer.<<

*shrug* Whatever floats your boat. I was just trying to come
up with an additional explanation for those types who
say; "
"If it isn't BY THE BOOK, it's not Shadowrun."
I kinda miss Ivy sometimes. I can't give an example
of what I'd do about it in my game, since it's never
come up.

-E
Message no. 5
From: "Andrew W. Ragland" <RAGLAN45@*****.MMC.EDU>
Subject: Re: weaving new patterns
Date: Tue, 29 Aug 1995 15:36:28 -0500
>rest of the bod is now less than it was a year ago. Would you reduce the
>disruption over time or experience?

If this were Earthdawn, I would say absolutely yes. Since it's Shadowrun,
sevceral thousand years and a vaslty lower mana level different, I dunno.
Maybe. I'd say this would be a house rule, and you've have to work out a
strict mechanic for it to keep a lid on the munchkins.

Andrew W. Ragland | Identification Division | _ Prayer Division |
Product Support Manager | GCS @*++ -p+ c++++ l u- | /\ /\ Ariadne, |
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