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Message no. 1
From: TopCat <topcat@***.NET>
Subject: Willpower & the Common Mage (was Re: [SR3] Combat Spells)
Date: Thu, 17 Jul 1997 15:21:59 -0500
At 12:00 AM 7/18/97 +1000, Glenn wrote:
>>The average mage is just a person with the
>>capability to use magic. There would be proportionately as many mundanes
>>with a 6 Willpower as mages.

>I have to disagree here. Hermetic mages study to learn their magic often
>using mathematical formulas and the like. Those that even bother to try you
>would expect to have average and above willpowers. Then with the shamanic
>tradition why would a totem choose low willpowered individuals? The totem
>wants to advance its own cause and would choose the best people for that
>job and people with low willpower generally would not suit.

Why would hermetics have to have higher than average Willpowers to bother to
try to understand or use magic? By the statment above of "Hermetic mages
study to learn...etc" one could piece together a general need for hermetics
to have a high Magical Theory skill. Willpower has nothing to do with that,
there are doubtlessly many weak-willed people who can use magic. It just
doesn't work out well numbers-wise to play a character like that.

Totems choose their shaman for their own reasons, and I'd see Willpower as
awfully low on that priority list. Personality would be foremost by far.
Then perhaps destiny. Why bother taking some guy who happens to be
strong-willed if he doesn't have a personality anywhere near that of the
Totem? The guy'd never be able to use his magic anyway. If totems chose
their shaman by willpower, every shaman would be an albino dwarf and no
totem would ever think to pick a troll.

Also, one's willpower need not be "low" (1 or 2) I am simply stating that it
need not be high (5 or 6). Realistically, there would probably be an equal
distribution of both high and low willpowers among mages. In most games,
however, this stat is powergamed. Which is okay as long as people can admit
it and deal with their choices.

>Even assuming that there is the same spread of willpower amongst mundanes
>and mages that does not mean there is the same spread amongst mages running
>the shadows. I actually envision most low willpower mages as not
>comprehending they are magicaly active. To them they just can do this neat
>trick but is generally ignored because its tiring to concentrate to do
>it/its evil/it doesn't always work.

Low willpower mages don't comprehend that they're magically active? Far
from, willpower has absolutely nothing to do with one's capacity to realize
that they are magically active. A high willpower person could easily
deceive himself into believing that he was or was not magically active even
if the inverse was true. A low willpower person might believe someone if
they were told they were or were not magically active.

It'll be far more tiring for a high-willpower mage to cast a hellblast than
it'll be for a low-willpower mage to cast a manadart. Spell selection
should follow one's abilities (something that I believe strongly in). If
you know that you get headaches from casting a barrier, then learn personal
barrier. Control thoughts is a very powerful spell, but anyone who knows
about the spell knows that it's hell to resist. Only those willing to eat
the drain and those too stupid to research the effects of spells before
learning them would choose control thoughts. Also, a high sorcery pool can
more than make up for a low/average willpower. You know that you can't
handle drain as well as willful-boy over there so you work on perfecting
your art to the point where your skill makes up for your shortcoming. It's
a very common occurrence in today's world, why wouldn't it be in 205X?

Believing that magic is evil is part of a person's mindset and totally
seperate from one's Willpower. There are plenty of high Willpower priests
in SR that would swear up and down that magic is evil, but that they can
work "miracles" through their god's will...

Magic not always working can often be a factor of the targets you choose and
the spells you choose to use on them. If you find yourself fighting a troll
street gang a lot, that powerball spell is going to do you absolutely no
good. A manaball will work wonders though. Healing spells will have
problems with cybered targets. It'll be difficult to increase a huge
troll's body with a spell.
--
Bob Ooton
topcat@***.net
Message no. 2
From: Angel Ramos y David Fayes <hansa@****.NET>
Subject: Re: Willpower & the Common Mage (was Re: [SR3] Combat Spells)
Date: Fri, 18 Jul 1997 08:39:33 -0400
At 03:21 PM 17/07/1997 -0500, TopCat wrote:
>At 12:00 AM 7/18/97 +1000, Glenn wrote:
>>>The average mage is just a person with the
>>>capability to use magic. There would be proportionately as many mundanes
>>>with a 6 Willpower as mages.
>
>>I have to disagree here. Hermetic mages study to learn their magic often
>>using mathematical formulas and the like. Those that even bother to try you
>>would expect to have average and above willpowers. Then with the shamanic
>>tradition why would a totem choose low willpowered individuals? The totem
>>wants to advance its own cause and would choose the best people for that
>>job and people with low willpower generally would not suit.

I agree with Topcat about mages (hermetic) having above average willpower
becuase of intense studies and I'm absolutly certain that Shaman totem
won't choose any below normal willpower creature.

[snip rest of comment from Topcat]

What topcat says IMHO should be the common way in 205X but anyone can play
his/her world as he/she sees fit him/her.

That's my little opinion about this.

Bye
Elven Mage
Message no. 3
From: Caun Haskins <caun@*********.COM>
Subject: Re: Willpower & the Common Mage (was Re: [SR3] Combat Spells)
Date: Sat, 19 Jul 1997 05:52:04 -0600
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> Totems choose their shaman for their own reasons, and I'd see Willpower as
> awfully low on that priority list. Personality would be foremost by far.
> Then perhaps destiny. Why bother taking some guy who happens to be
> strong-willed if he doesn't have a personality anywhere near that of the
> Totem? The guy'd never be able to use his magic anyway. If totems chose
> their shaman by willpower, every shaman would be an albino dwarf and no
> totem would ever think to pick a troll.
>
TopCat ^

Totems are part of the shaman, inseprable, the totem's personality IS
the shamans personality. (personalitys are somtimes surpresed though)

Caun :}

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<HTML>

<BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE>
<PRE>Totems choose their shaman for their own reasons, and I'd see Willpower as
awfully low on that priority list.&nbsp; Personality would be foremost by far.
Then perhaps destiny.&nbsp; Why bother taking some guy who happens to be
strong-willed if he doesn't have a personality anywhere near that of the
Totem?&nbsp; The guy'd never be able to use his magic anyway.&nbsp; If totems
chose
their shaman by willpower, every shaman would be an albino dwarf and no
totem would ever think to pick a troll.</PRE>
</BLOCKQUOTE>
TopCat ^

<P>Totems are part of the shaman, inseprable, the totem's personality IS
the shamans personality. (personalitys are somtimes surpresed though)

<P>Caun :}</HTML>

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