From:	Mongoose m0ng005e@*********.com
Subject:	Totemic modifiers (was Spell Defense)
Date:	Thu, 4 Mar 1999 16:48:01 -0600

:> Note that as a racoon shaman, the number of dice rolled for defense
may
:> be affected by your totem modifier.
:
: Speaking of vague rules... Suppose I allocate 6 dice of spell
:defense. I, and my non-shamanic friend, both get hit by separate
:manabolts, and I allocate 3 dice to each. Each of us have a willpower
:of 6. How many dice do each of us get to resist with?

I may have spoken to soon- those dice allocated to defense may not be
modified, since the use is "allocating dice to defense", not "resiting a
(for ex) combat spell". I dunno- I can't find an explicite description of
just which tests totem modifiers affect.

: I would guess that you don't take the hit on the spell defense
:dice, otherwise wolf shamans become really hard to take out. (+4 to
:all Combat spells coming at them)


Isn't that +2 dice? If you are counting casting and drain- I think
drain doesn't get modified (but you could use some of those extra spell
pool dice you won't be needing to cast the spell for drain resitance
instead).
Totem mods are nasty anyhow- the wolf shamn can chuck 2 dice combat
spells all day long (maybe stacking them), and isn't even tapping into
spell pool or sorcery... On the reverse, a racoon shaman MUST allocate 2
dice to cast a combat spell, just to be able to roll 1!


:Me:
:8?
:6 dice (Willpower) + 3 dice (Spell defense) - 1 die (totemic modifier)
:or,
:7?
:6-1 dice (Willpower-totem mod) + 3-1 dice (spell defense - totem mod)


I'd say the former.

:
:Friend:
:9?
:6 dice + 3 dice
:or
:8?
:6 dice + (3-1) dice?
:
:Mark


Again, my feeling is for the later, if you assume that resisting the
spell with spell defense dice is a use of sorcery by the shaman. As
described, it pretty clearly is- rolling defense dice actually occurs
seprately from resitance now, as is particularly clear when defending
against area effect spells.

Mongoose