| From: | TopCat <topcat@***.NET> |
|---|---|
| Subject: | Re: [SR3] Combat Spells |
| Date: | Mon, 7 Jul 1997 20:09:48 -0500 |
>> A Force 4 spell (mediocre), cast at a Willpower 6 opponent (max human)
>> was still able to cause damage. This damage didn't have to go through armor
>> and couldn't be staged down by a body test. This change would make combat
>> spells WAY too powerful. If you wish combat spells to act like DMs, then
>> make them face the same drain codes as DMs and give the opponent a
>> resistance test to resist the damage. Nobody would use damaging
>> manipulations if combat spells were this easy to cast and this
>> devastating in power. *Please* don't make that change...
>The opponent would still get a resistance test.
But not a damage resistance test like victims of DMs get due to the fact
that their damage has to be staged all the way down, the victim of a Combat
spell gets his Willpower or Body and that is all. If combat spells were
made as powerful as this change would make them, nobody in their right mind
would take a DM. All that the opponent gets to resist with is his willpower
or (natural) body, which will be considerably lower than his potential die
pool for a damage resistance test combined with the use of some armor.
>Combat spells will still have higher target numbers and heaven
>help them if the opposition has shielding.
The target number was still the Willpower or Body of the opponent, just as
it is now. If you mean drain, having to fend off (Force) Drain is a
pittance compared to the incredibly enhanced (and game-unbalancing) power
this would give Combat spells.
Shielding always helps, but it wouldn't help near enough. It does plenty
normally, why shouldn't it do so in this situation?
If every person everywhere had a 6 Willpower and someone throwing some
Shielding dice their way 24 hours a day, then I could see this modification
to the rules being somewhat plausible. The average person in SR has a 3
Willpower and doesn't know anyone with magical ability let alone someone
who's willing to shield him constantly...
>DM's will have lower target numbers, but the opponent gets some
>or all of there impact armor.
And a full damage resistance test as opposed to a handful of dice from
Willpower or Body. Remember that a force 4 (mediocre) spell was cast
against a *max* human willpower target and still caused damage without
trouble. Drain was handled easily. The target got no damage resistance
test just a spell resistance test. Imagine what this would do to anyone
without a 6 willpower (90% or more of SR)?
>The drain would be high enough that it would even out.
Nowhere near. As it was clearly presented in Steve's example, the drain was
handled easily and the target (with max human Willpower) of a mediocre spell
was injured.
>The higher target numbers on combat spells would limit there
>effectiveness in comparison to DM's.
Higher TN's? The average Willpower in SR is three (maybe 2, but I'll give
it the benefit of the doubt). This is less than the 4 TN of a damaging
manipulation. Average Body? Same. Still lower, nice and easy to cast on.
There is no downside to the enhanced power that this would give Combat
Spells. The drain increase is inconsequential, the target numbers better on
average than DMs, and the damage unavoidable in almost every case.
A force 3 manabolt cast at an average person would kill every time (barring
some UGLY die rolling) and drain would be resisted easily. I call that
unbalancing.
--
Bob Ooton
topcat@***.net
