From:	Mark Steedman <RSMS@******.EEE.RGU.AC.UK>
Subject:	Re: Drain Resistance
Date:	Fri, 8 Sep 1995 10:28:03 GMT

Robert Watkins writes

- warning potential spoiler rules refenerence will be required.
- identifying sourcebook could be classed spoiler.

> Marc A Renouf wrote:
> >
> > Untrue. Drain rolls, like all other kinds of damage resistance
> > rolls, are unmodified by wound category modifiers. The spell will be
> > more difficult to cast, but resisting its drainm will be the same. Just
> > thought I'd throw that out there for ya. :)
>
> Marc, I hate to do this, but I'm going to have to ask for a page reference
> on that one.
>
good luck.
i will annotate with what i remember.

summerising - been edited ref origonal post
> <from mainrulebook>
> general Resistance Test:
> <how many dice you get>... The target number for this test is the Power
> Rating of the attacking weapon, modified by any armor the character is
> wearing. To determine that adjusted target number, simply subtract the
> rating of the armor from the weapon's power."
>
> So, here we have a ruling that doesn't mention wether or not Damage
> modifiers come into play... But, as they generally do, I'd have to say they
> are taken into consideration.
>
> I do give you the Drain specific damage resistance:
> <from Magic, p 132>
> Drain Resistance Test:
> "The target number is the Spell Force Rating, modified by the Drain
> notation given with the spell's description. No target modifiers apply to
> this test."
>
> I still want to see the reference for the general case of Damage
> Resistance, though...
>
i think you will be so lucky. but

note that there are 2 explicit cases for raised drain target numbers.
1) stacking multiple spells at 1 complex action, main book, +2 to
both casing and drain per spell after the first for all spells cast
main sules just after the pictures in the magic chapter
2) Bug city book, background count levels above 5 add background
level -5 to drain target numbers.

Generally my opinion is don't add damage modifiers to any 'damage
resistance type' tests, which i class drain resistance as on the
simple fact thet the character abiltiy fall off with damage in SR is
already nasty, and the likely result of such a rule would be two
types of PC magicain
1) uninjured, not a scratch, because he/she still has karma pool.
2) totally fragged because the karma pool ran out.

never mind that the probability of a second hit or drain roll now
doing a further deadly on top of the last M or S is much higher on a
character probably low on karma. This is bad as it makes using karma
to ensure character are merly Docwagon load rather than perm dead
when they go down more difficult, though it is realistic that
dodging/ falling to avoid serious hurts etc would be more difficult
while hurt as would concentrating or avioding drain (its resisited on
willpower - mental after all) That is also in keeping with
descriptive stuff from the novels, ie 'secrets of power 2' where
there is a coment about someones spell defense not being up to combat
as the soul is so injured.

> --
> Robert Watkins
>

Mostly my opions on this subject but there are reasons for things if
you want runners to survive, same as agianst the fof overdamage rules.

Mark