Shadowrun RPG > Magic and the Planes
Magic Rules
kv:
OKay, I've been needing to start this thread for a while, but not really sure where to begin, so I've been putting it off.
Most of the runs I've been through up to this point (with my brothers Ruski and Dave) have been fairly high-tech and low-magic, which worked pretty well, because we'll all fairly high tech, and not to excited about magic.
Up until now. Recently I bought two copies of the 3rd Editon rulebook because I'm teaching my girlfirend and a group of friends to play Shadowrun. They all love it, but I have a feeling that this isn't exactly going to be the same runs I'm used to doing with my brothers. For instance, two of the new guys are already looking over the rules for mages.
So I need questions answered. They may seem basic or stupid, but I do need to understand them.
To start: How does casting and dispelling work?
It's my understanding that casting is sorcery (or spellcasting specalization) in dice, plus the spell level in dice, plus magic pool, with willpower and magic pool to resist.
What designates target numbers? Can you cast a Rating 4S Manabolt? Does a certain damage level rating have to have a certain power?
How does dispelling work? Is this just for active spells, or are you able to 'unweave' them as they're cast at you?
I'll have more soon enough, but I need to tap the magic of the minds here, so I can make sure I'm playing this right.
-kv
ROOTless:
OK, I'm at 'work', and don't have my books with me, so this is all just on memory, and I may have to correct myself later.
--- Quote from: Kid_Vid on April 26, 2006, 11:38:12 PM ---To start: How does casting and dispelling work?
It's my understanding that casting is sorcery (or spellcasting specalization) in dice, plus the spell level in dice, plus magic pool, with willpower and magic pool to resist.
--- End quote ---
No. In some edition I think you used to roll (Force) dice, but in the third, it's:
Skill (Sorcery, possibly speciality) + dice from spell pool.
Resisting drain is Willpower + dice from spell pool.
Relevant Foci add to spell pool.
SR3 p. 182
--- Quote ---What designates target numbers? Can you cast a Rating 4S Manabolt? Does a certain damage level rating have to have a certain power?
--- End quote ---
Target numbers are designated by each spell.
It's in the spell description. Often, it's 'Target (Attribute)'
So it's usually a good idea to use a manabolt against the sammies (often have low willpower), but a powerbolt against the decker (Low body anyone?)
If it's resisted, it's resisted using the same attribute that's generating the target number.
You can (in SR3) freely pick your Force up to a max of the Force you learned the spell at. A 4S manabolt is a nice tool. Remember that combat spells ignore armour.
SR3 p. 180-183
--- Quote ---How does dispelling work? Is this just for active spells, or are you able to 'unweave' them as they're cast at you?
--- End quote ---
I'll have to check that one for you, but I think it's only active spells. Remember that a magician can also attack and 'kill' a spell in astral space.
Yep, only active spells. SR3 p. 184.
"Unweaving 'em as they come" is Spell Defence.
Oh, and keep 'em comming, then I'll have a reason to refresh those bits.
kv:
How does Spell Defense work, then?
Curris:
Also, you can only add dice from your sorcery skill (or specialization) up to your force rating of the spell. (In third edition).
For example. You know a Force 5 manabolt. You may choose to cast it at any force from 1-5. You will then have either 5 dice (the Force rating) or your Sorcery Skill rating (Whichever is lower). You add to that any spell pool dice used. If you had a force 2 spell, you could only roll 2 dice + spell pool.
This is on memory, (At school, books at home.)
kv:
Ooh... that's an important feature to know.
For instance, I made a character with the idea Adept: The Path of the Mage, so he would be fast (like the rest of the group) and have magic. Of course, at this point, he has a bunch of force 2 spells, because I didn't understand the rating.
Time to go make edits.
Seriously, though, how does spell defense work?
-kv
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