From:	Sommers sommers@*****.umich.edu
Subject:	Spell Availability?
Date:	Tue, 03 Aug 1999 09:02:52 -0400

At 08:49 AM 8/3/99 , Dennis Steinmeijer wrote:
>--00DNA wrote:
> > Well because one is a mana based spell and the other a physical spell that
> > costs more drain.

<snip quotes>

>There is no difference in Drain Power or Level when it comes to the
>difference between Mana and Physical spells, AFAIK. The difference between
>the Invisibility Spell and the Impr. Invisibility spell is the +1 Power
>modifier for Impr. Invisibility's drain.
>
>Dennis

There is no listed difference between mana and physical spells. But if you
look at the drain codes in SR3 for all of the spells, in cases where there
are two versions of the same spell the physical spell is higher drain that
the mana one. In MITS, under the spell creation rules, making a spell
physical based adds an additional drain modifier.

The theory is that it is easier to manipulate living things and their auras
(mana based) that it is to change the gross matter of the universe
(physical based). But, for all of the spells created in the books, that
difference is already factored in.

Sommers
Insert witty quote here.