From:	Wafflemeisters <evamarie@**********.NET>
Subject:	Re: Magical Flaws
Date:	Tue, 12 May 1998 14:12:49 -0500

>
> Re: Magical Flaws (Ereskanti , Mon 9:32)

> <snipped the other flaws>

And snipped my intention for thier use, and the request replies be
mailed privately to me as well as to the list. :\

>
> > 2 point flaw: Initiate Outcast: a mage character can not form an “astral
> > contact”, and can not join any magical group, even one S/he attempts to
> > form. S/he can still initiate alone and associate with groups
> > socially, professionally, or ritually, however.
>
> WHOA!!!! IMNSHO, this should be at -least- a 6 pointer, as it severely limits
> many options open to the character.
>

Not IMO. It adds to the cost of intitation, sure, and might deny you
acsess to some resources, like group libraries and such. Thats it. It
does not ever deny any actual use of magic or assciations. And, as a
"bonus", you will never be recruited by the black lodge, or have to
worry about strictures.

> > 3 point flaw: Stressed Magic: the character has a weakened connection to
> > magic, and could even burnout from natural causes. S/he rolls only 1
> > die when checking for magic loss, instead of 2.
>
> Same for this one, a 6 pointer at least, as it reminds of a variation of
> "Limited Time" (or whatever the real name is).

Hardly. If your dead, you can't use magic. With this one, you are NOT
dying, just more vulnerable to already bad things. Iv'e known mage
players to NEVER have to make a magic loss test- they avoid things that
cause it, and burn karma to avoid deadly wounds. Unlike death,
magicloss can be reversed, or at least compensatd for.

Look at the flaws in the book- they all give "disapointingly" low
amounts of points. The only really big ones are like "cortex bomb" or
other things that give a GM completely free license to F--- with you.
Any flaw that can be compensated for with good planning should not be
worth more than 3 points, IMO.

6 point flaws shopuld be "It happens, you die. It WILL happen." Using
my new examples, look at 6 points of "bad luck". That will turn 6
normal dice in any test that are not successes into 1's. You WILL roll
fumbles, and often (always, on failures with 6 dice or less, and even
quite often with more, since a few are bound to already be 1's). 6
points of "haunted" or "god hates you" would be similarly painful.
THATS a six point flaw. Not being able to get a break in life by
joining / forming an intitory group or automatically keeping you magic
forever is NOT a six point flaw (not nearly). Hence the assigned
values. A 3 point flaw is one you can live with, but would rather not
have to- a 6 point flaw is one were you'd often rather not, and could
kill you, or drive you to kill yourself... IMNSHO.


> Another flaw we came up with this weekend...
>
> Magic Magnet : -3 points (maybe higher)
<snip>

Interesting, But I think the fact it helps some (freindly) magic could
make it prone to abuse- as a "flaw" that gives -3 points, its to good, I
think. I'd definately NOT make it higher, or it could be easily offset
with edges (like higher attributes and such).
This is also a REALLY big effect, more on the scale of a small power
site or a ley line than a flaw- it would take a HIGHLY unusual character
to have this flaw- how did it come up, I wonder?

BTW, thanks for the comentary- Obviously, the harsher flaws were rude
enough, you'd rather not have them. Thats the point, in my intended
use- if any of them DON'T seem harsh, tell me!

-Mongoose