From:	Justin Pinnow <jpinnow@*****.EDU>
Subject:	Re: Spelllocks....
Date:	Wed, 11 Dec 1996 13:33:43 -0500

Georg Greve wrote:

> Justin Pinnow (jpinnow@*****.edu) wrote:
> : I don't see the obligation to to make them more powerful just because
> : they can't be turned off. A force 1 quickening and a spell lock can be
> : "deactivated" with equal amounts of force. Since you can't turn a
> : quickening off, you should be careful of what you do, etc., but if the
> : aforementioned quickening is destroyed, it's only one point of karma to
> : replace it (just as it's only 1 point of karma to rebond the spell
> : lock).

> This is certainly true - unfortunately the amount of karma paid for a
> spell lock is ALWAYS 1 PLUS the advantage of being able to turn it on
> or off while the minimum number of karma points for a Quickening is
> equal to the force of the quickened spell. Meaning: If you try to
> quicken a spell with a force greater than 1 you HAVE to pay more karma
> than for a spell lock without having the extra possibility of turning
> it off for protection or cover purposes. There is just no reason at
> all to prefer quickenings if you don't make them stronger (usually
> MUCH stronger) than spell locks. Ah ... forgot about one thing: You
> cannot ground through Quickenings (PLEASE - do NOT discuss this one
> again, that's the way how we see and play it and if you want to play
> it any other way, feel free to) which gives you a real
> advantage... the spell can be destroyed but at least you are kinda
> safe concerning attacks from the astral plane.

Precisely. If you rule that you can't ground through quickenings, it's
definately worth the karma to have a greater than force one quickening.
Also, you don't have to worry about turning it on and off (sometimes you
get surprised and can't turn your spell locks on in time) in the heat of
battle. The downside to quickenings in this case are that there are
some spells you WANT to be able to turn off (physical barriers and such)
and you risk losing your quickenings every time you cross an astral
barrier (wards, etc.) that isn't attuned to you. (I rule that in
creating a hermetic circle, medicine lodge, or ward the magician attunes
it to their aura so they and all their locks/quickenings, spells, etc.
can pass unhindered...the same would apply for ritual
groups....otherwise you would have an additional test that isn't
mentioned anywhere in the rules where the ritual group would have to
fight their way out of their own barrier to cast a spell at
anyone....seems a bit ridiculous.)

> And please do not come with this: A "spell lock costs money" argument
> again. If you are initiated and experienced enough to be able to think
> about whether quickening or locking that spell you should certainly
> have one ot two spell locks at hand. They are not that unusual and
> usually you tend to find them on killed foes - definitely not on every
> magically active foe, but if you run the Shadows you will get your
> hands on spell locks for free eventually.

I agree. But saving money always helps. :)

> [ by the way: That reminds me of the scene where a burst (3 bullets as
> we all know) from a distance of about 50m killed that one mage (he was
> held busy magically). When we searched him (he had 4 foci in the size
> of a coin on totally different parts of his body) the three bullets
> had hit all four foci and destroyed them... *giggle* ]

I sense some serious GM intervention here....he wants to be able to use
the focus to fry your group, but you can't have access to it if you
survive. Stupid.

> : Also, keep in mind that just because you have a quickening doesn't mean
> : that every magically active being in existence suddenly decides to try
> : to destroy it. That would be like every street sam out there attacking
> : anyone with a weapon....just not practical or wise.

> True. I wish my GMs would see it that way.

I know *I* wouldn't want to take on several initiates for no money just
for the sake of destroying their quickenings and gaining them as
enemies. *duh*

<Snip>

Justin :)
--
_____________________________________________________________________________
Justin Pinnow
jpinnow@*****.edu