From:	Mongoose m0ng005e@*********.com
Subject:	SR3... SpellCasting (and Game Balance)
Date:	Fri, 5 Mar 1999 16:31:29 -0600

:I don't see that the problem for this solution really exists. To me, the
:limitation that Magic imposes on spell pool size is more significant than
the
:SR2 limitation on magic pool added to a spell test. With less total spell
pool,
:there's less to go round for spelling, drain and spell defense. This
hurts, and
:doubly so with the spell pool not refreshing until the next turn - your
:cyber-mage above has only 4 dice for all this. Magic is just as important
as
:ever. It's just applied differently.


Very differently. The difference between the pools of a mage with
magic 1 and magic 7 is just 2 dice- less than a cheap focus or a single
use of a totem modifier. Additionally, they both have (almost) exactly
the same chance of dying from casting a force 8 spell.
In SR2, there was a big difference between having a magic rating of 2
and a magic of 4. In SR3, its at most 1 pool die, and both mages would
have the same trouble casting force 5 spells.

Not that this is all bad; magic rating is VERY important now in astral
space. It is just quite different.

Mongoose