| From: | Chris Maxfield cmaxfiel@****.org.au |
|---|---|
| Subject: | Conjurer and Magic Attribute |
| Date: | Tue, 17 Aug 1999 19:28:34 +1000 |
>Seriously, though, the magic rating determines whether the summoner is
>taking physical or stun drain when he summons. If the spirit's force is
>greater than his magic attribute, he takes physical drain.
>I also think that he can only summon a spirit with a force up to twice
>his magic attribute - but I'm not sure about that one. If I'm right,
>though, then your little buddy is reduced to spirits with a maximum
>force of 2...
Yep, Rand has it right in both cases.
Personally, I'd let the player have the rigger-conjurer. I think such a
character is ripe for some great roleplaying and storylining. The player
will only be a munchkin if he acts like a munchkin. If that happens,
pro-actively enforce (and manufacture situations for) all the penalties of
a low Magic Rating. Including Rand's observations above, some more are:
* The maximum permissible force of any watcher summoned is equal to half
the summoner's Magic, round up. Force 1 watchers, only, for the
rigger-conjurer.
* Having such a low Magic leaves the character in danger of too easily
losing it all. Eg. deadly physical wounds, disruption, medics not taking
special care, stim patches (harder to avoid, too, with low Magic) - all
require magic loss tests. With a magic of 1, the character is one failed
roll away from mundanity. If your player acts the munchkin, drain his Magic
this way.
* The low Magic rigger-conjurer will be awful at creating Wards of any real
size, power or duration - since Magic Rating is what's rolled to create Wards.
*The rigger-conjurer will be pretty bad at Spirit Controlling or Banishing
tests - the rigger-conjurer's Magic is the spirit's resisting target number
in these tests. The rigger-conjurer had better not upset any free or
uncontrolled spirits with reckless magic. :-)
* The rigger-conjurer should want to erase his astral signature left by his
spirits' activities. This erasing results in a drain roll. Same as his
conjuring drain, this erasing drain will probably also be physical because
of his low Magic.
* With all the physical drain that a low Magic character must resist - keep
in mind that physical drain cannot be healed by magic.
* If the total force of any foci exceeds twice his Magic, the
rigger-conjurer will risk Foci Addiction. If he has a magic of one - this
means a maximum of two force points of foci to avoid the addiction. (Say
goodbye to multiple Power Focus & Spirit Foci.)
* No ally conjuring possible, a rich area for rigger-magicians and
roleplaying in general, since he has to give up a magic point. Unless done
as the Familiar initiation ordeal - for which there is still a risk of
magic loss when it goes free, is banished or destroyed. And, of course, the
ally can only ever be a maximum Force 2 spirit if the character's Magic is
only 1.
* When not astrally perceiving, the low Magic rigger-conjurer will be
almost as insensitive as a mundane to any background counts into which he
wanders. Also, since astral warps reduce Magic Ratings, the rigger-conjurer
will also be particularly vulnerable to losing all of his Magic in areas
suffering an astral warp of any strength. Lucky for the character, this
reduction is temporary. :-)
* Since the character's Magic is rolled to penetrate masking, he'll still
have a poor time of penetrating the masking of magicians, spirits or
masking wards - if the rigger-conjurer eventually initiates.
* If the rigger-conjurer takes Masking as a metamagic when he initiates,
his masking will be pretty ineffective against other initiates since they
need only roll a target number of his Magic to penetrate. If the
rigger-conjurer takes Invoking as a metamagic (very likely, I suppose)
he'll face resisting a double dose of physical drain if he tries to summon
a spirit of any great force.
* Lastly, if the rigger-conjurer is dragged off on any astral quests :-),
he'll face a dangerous time with both low essence and low magic - not to
mention the danger of disruption and consequential magic loss.
If your player uses geasa to offset his character's low Magic (only some
penalties can be offset this way), enforce those geasa stringently. :-)
Chris
