From:	Caric <caric@********.COM>
Subject:	Re: Spell types (was Re: Centering vs Penalties)
Date:	Tue, 15 Jul 1997 17:14:02 -0700

Spike wrote:
<snip>
> That os NOT how it works. We've been through this before.
> Even our resident unofficial Shadowrun Guru says it works in the following
> way, so why don't you just drop it, and admit that it's a house rule!
>
> Noone gets armour versus ANY combat spell, be it area effect, Mana or
> Physical.
>
> The spell affects EVERYONE in the area at the same time.

I do believe that it has to be targeted at one person and whether or not
the spell effects them determines if it effects others. (wait for my
explaination bellow before you shout your disagreement)

> You roll your dice, and compare those dice with EACH INDIVIDUAL TARGET.

Yes you do, but ONLY if the original target was effected. The main
target takes no damage then the spell does no tground through them and
hit the other. No armor would help to resist, because the spell is
still going off on the astral.

> The spell does NOT ground out though one individual, and then affect
> everyone else based on the number of successes that got through.

It does ground through one individual, but it does not matter by how
many successes (as long as there is one net. If the spell gamages the
target then the numbers originally rolled are compared to the rest of
the people in the area of effect.

> If that were the case, all the munchkins would have a field day.

Agreed, but the idea that you just pick a point in space makes the LOS
requirement silly to me. If you can just make the spell come out of mid
air and go off, why does it matter if you can see them or not? Thew
spell would still go off.

> |Area of Effect spells of the physical nature do not necessarily ground into
> |each target differently, though I realize that is likely the most frequently
> |played variation. BUT, the option I am giving suddenly re-establishes the
> |options of elemental effects such as Fire and Blast and what differences they
> |make in Combat Magic.

The spellcaster will have to compare success with all individuals, but
the spell still has to successfully hit the main target for that to
happen.

Caric