Spells Feedback

[Zakilevo]

I have too many spells on the waiting list and not enough spells on my active spells...

[Brant]

I'm seeing so far it's much more costly to protect against a harm spell of roughly equal effect. 

For example:
There can be only one:  Power level required 8.
http://lemuria.org/SM3/info/view_spell/279

Since you'd be dead immediately after the spell is cast you'd have no chance to counter it's effect.   Since you'd need the same power level to counter (as per some of my feedback on my spell submissions)  and it would have to effect the same size target, those parts of the protection spell and the harm spell would be equal, power level wise.  The problem is that with the duration 1 insta kill spell, you shouldn't get a chance to counter it after it's cast.   The protect spell needs to be in place already, meaning a duration of at least 2+.

I suggest a multiplier modification to power level based on intent.   Harm  * 2, Protect / 2 ... or something along those line.   Haven't really thought it out much.

[Zakilevo]

If whoever fails with shifting my spontaneous magics, I will just write my own. I am seeing some people just subtracting numbers instead of shifting them. Or people just not responding to spontaneous magics.

[Tom]

I'm seeing so far it's much more costly to protect against a harm spell of roughly equal effect. 

Correct. However, one protection spell can protect against multiple attack spells.

I've not yet written down the rules, but my thoughts go roughly like this:

Each level of Effect in a protective spell, will reduce the Effect of attack spells by one. So an Effect-1 spell would be enough to reduce a spell like "There Can be only One" to non-lethal.
However, each attack with an equal or higher Effect would also reduce the Effect of the protective spell by 1. So the above example, that protection would be cheap (1-2-2 = PL 4) but only prevent 1 attack, and you'd still be seriously injured. But the really powerful defenses (say, 5-2-3 - PL 30) would last you quite a bit - all attacks would be blocked completely, and only Effect 5 attacks would reduce its strength.

[Zakilevo]

How about spell duration of protection spells = number of spells it can neglect? Of course following your reducing effect of spell rule.

[Tom]

How about spell duration of protection spells = number of spells it can neglect? Of course following your reducing effect of spell rule.

But that would make them even less powerful. Right now, a duration 3 protection spell will be really good for a long time, much longer than 3 attacks.

Plus, I'd rather not make special exceptions for types of magic.

[Anaris]

I got my Biofeedback spell rejected with the note "Unclear why this is water/ice/cold and not body." 

I thought I recalled Tom saying that blood fell under the Water base.  The Biofeedback spell specifically manipulates the blood within the body.

If that doesn't work, then I guess I can resubmit it as Body, but that does mean that it's much less useful for a Water-focused spellcaster

[Nathan]

If that doesn't work, then I guess I can resubmit it as Body, but that does mean that it's much less useful for a Water-focused spellcaster

And much more useful for a lucky Body-focused spellcaster

[Tom]

I thought I recalled Tom saying that blood fell under the Water base.  The Biofeedback spell specifically manipulates the blood within the body.

I can't remember ever saying that. We are playing in a pre-scientific world, the body would be considered as a unit there, not divided up into its parts.

[Anaris]

I can't remember ever saying that. We are playing in a pre-scientific world, the body would be considered as a unit there, not divided up into its parts.

OK. Darn.

[Zakilevo]

Tom said water = fluid though. Maybe once the blood is out of the body, you might be able to control that with water base.

[Tom]

Tom said water = fluid though. Maybe once the blood is out of the body, you might be able to control that with water base.

Yes, that would certainly work. Once it's left the body, it definitely doesn't fall under Body anymore.

[Anaris]

Yes, that would certainly work. Once it's left the body, it definitely doesn't fall under Body anymore.

What about right at the boundary—that is, as it's leaving a wound? Could it be stopped there using a Water base, thus forcing the blood behind to stay in and clot?

[Tom]

What about right at the boundary—that is, as it's leaving a wound? Could it be stopped there using a Water base, thus forcing the blood behind to stay in and clot?

Tim at his best... being anal about borderline cases. :-)

SM is a roleplaying game, so basically the always-correct answer is "it depends". The big principle is Intention - magic is an art of the mind. so if you intend for the spell to have a healing effect on your body by stopping the blood flow out, then it's a Heal/Body spell. If, on the other hand, you want to sculp red-coloured ice sculptures out of your own blood, it would be a Control/Water spell. :-)

[Anaris]

Tim at his best... being anal about borderline cases. :-)

Heh, it's why I'm good at finding the bugs

SM is a roleplaying game, so basically the always-correct answer is "it depends". The big principle is Intention - magic is an art of the mind. so if you intend for the spell to have a healing effect on your body by stopping the blood flow out, then it's a Heal/Body spell. If, on the other hand, you want to sculp red-coloured ice sculptures out of your own blood, it would be a Control/Water spell. :-)

OK.  Gotcha.  I will try and think more in terms of intent, and less in terms of modern knowledge and mechanics, when designing further spells.