Help with Spells

[Jake Norwood]

Hey all.

I'm looking for a hand in updating (and perhaps editing several out of) the example spells in Book VI. The thing is...time...I need to do this now, and wanted to know who's willing to get down-and dirty with me for a few days working on the spells.

Volunteers?

Jake

[Casey Goddard]

I can probably help you.  What would you like me to do?

[Jake Norwood]

The first thing I need (and I would need this tomorrow mid-day-ish) is a list of which spells are really great, which ones suck, which ones showcase the system well, which one's don't, which ones you would like to see a more in-depth disscussion on (how we picked the numbers), etc.

I'm basically planning on going for quality over quantity, focusing on spells that showcase the system and its quirks instead of "a gun of a different color" as someone said here earler.

jake

[Casey Goddard]

Spells that showcase the system
*Dwarfing Giant Objects, Shrink, and Plague of the Dwarf (or Giant) should be used together in one clear example.  Also they need to be more clearly defined.  In particular does the targets mass change when size changes?
*Flight, Levitation, Broomstick, and Flying Carpet should be used together in one big example illastrating the flexability of the magic system.  The same is true for Mindshape, Vanish, Unseen, and Disapper.
*Regrowth and Fold are great examples.
*Mana I, Mana II, and Mana III should be shown as an example of how a spells effect can be boosted with slight modifications.
*Sustain is good but should be shown as and addition which can be made to existing spell designs.
*Vanquish and Lifeshield would maybe best to disscuss under the section "Mage to Mage."

Spells that are really great
*Destruction, Smite, Smoke, Duplicate, Mindgate, Evaporate, Chains of Fate, Sever, Dominate, Animal, and Transform are all excellent as is.
*Wall and Mineshaft are cool but need more clairification with respect to volume.
*Fling is another cool spell but should include an example of how to handle when a sword, spear, etc. is magically flung at someone.
*Frozen and Armor of the Air need some revision.
*Blind seams powerful but I have a question.  Is the blindness effect permenent or only temporary?
*Prophesy and Revelation are neat but in truth to have more than one printed in the book is redundent.

Spells that suck
*Pain is too simple.
*Form Fit Armor is silly.
*Impale and Rapiers of Bone are not defined well enough.
*Tomahawk and Ejection should be covered under Fling.
*Burn, Ignite, and Combust need to be condensed into one example spell.  The same is ture for Circle of the Moon, Cycle of the Sun, and Sands of Time.
*Quivering Bowels, Suicide, Mesmerize, Lure of Glass, Transfix, Fearfire and Lust should be condensed into one or two very clearly explained examples.  I would also recomend this for Foretell, Sight, Inner Sight, and Second Sight.
*I also dislike Barbarians Strenght, Avatar of the Blade, and Club for various reasons.

Special Spells
*I think Lightning should be revised as a "spell of one" usin the Movment Vagary.  Power electric discarges can be made just by the manipulaion of air molucules.
*Staunch Bleeding and Seal Wound along with any healing spells should be very cleary laid out.  I say his because magical healing is very important in game terms

On a final note I would suggest that the nine vagaries be even more rigorusly defined at each level of mastery.  Even an extra sentence or two would go along way toward giving players a clear idea of what magic can and can't do in tRoS.  I can of course offer advice on this.  But I think I might be over stepping my bounds.