Question on Spells

[tralese]

I noticed in Chapter six of your book, there are a few examples of spells.  One of them is Mesmerize, which has the following casting attibutes:
Target:3
Range:2
Volume:0
Duration:0
Level of Vagary:1 but should be 2 seeing as it uses conquer 2

The question I have is about duration.  Seing as the duration of the spell is 0, wouldn't this spell have no effect since the effect would die out the instant it was created.  Wouldn't you have to at least put the duration to 1 in order to at least have the spell last for one hour?

I'm asking because a lot of spells relying on mind control would have to be modified this way.

Any ideas?

[Jake Norwood]

See "maintained spells" on p 121.

Jake

[tralese]

Thanks for the tip Jake, and thanks again for signing my books at Gencon.  I may have to throw a Gorilla Hef at the group to see if your statement about needing a sorcerer was true.

So, you could also attempt to have a set duration by increasing the CTN of the spell, kind of like the flying spell you have in your book, which does not require to be maintained.  Am I right?

[Brian Leybourne]

Not quite. The difference is that with a duration component (and the summoning vagary) the spell will be maintained for X hours/days/weeks without you needing to concentrate on it. Without that component, you need to maintain it through concentration or by assigning dice from your SP.

(By the way, it is possible for a group to take out a Great Ape Hef without magic, but not without some serious serious strife...)

Brian.

[tralese]

Thanks for your feedback Brian.  I was unclear as to exactly what the duration component of magic was, but now its much clearer.

One more thing through.  In the case of using the Summoning Vagary to sustain a spell, I have a small question.  I'll use an example again seeing as it clarifies things a little. So let's look at "Armor of Air" (T:1, R:1, V:1, D:1, L:4), which uses Movement 3 and Summoning 3.

Why in this case are you using a duration of 1, seeing as you are using the 3rd level of summoning to sustain a 3rd level vagary?  And where does the 1 week/success comes from seeing as in the Vagary section it doesn't talk about any given period of time for the magic component of the summoning vagary?

My guess at the answer to question 2 is that a level 3 vagary is equivalent to a level 3 duration, which is 1 week.  Hence the 1 week per success.  But if that's the case then why have the duration portion of the spell be 1 and not 3?

[Lance D. Allen]

Duration is set as part of the component of the spell during it's building. You could go with a level 3 duration, but that would raise the CTN of the spell by 2.

As for why Summoning is 3 I believe (it's been a while since I've read the Sorcery chapter, so I'm a little fuzzy) it's because your Summoning to sustain has to be of equal level of the highest Vagary used in it. In this case, it was Movement 3.

[Brian Leybourne]

Absolutely correct, Lance.

[tralese]

Thanks for the response guys.  I'm still a little unclear as to why the duration would be one week/success seeing as the duration component is only level 1, which would mean 1 hour/success.

Oh wait, are you saying that you are replacing the duration component of the spell by using the summoning Vagary to maintain it as is, in which case the spell duration would be equivalent to 1 week/success, as per a level 3 duration?  Am I getting this right?

Then if that's the case, why have the duration be 1, and not simply 0 and lower the CTN of the spell by 1 more?

Sorry for asking all those questions.  I just want to make sure I know the system properly for when I run this game.

[Brian Leybourne]

The summoning vagary is used to maintain the spell for the Duration period. So:

* The level of Duration determines hours/days/weeks (or minutes/hours/days, or whatever it is, I don't have the book near me).

* The level of Summoning needed is determined by the highest vagary (other than Summoning, duh) used.

So you're right, with a Duration of 1, the duration is Successes * Hours (or is it minutes), regardless of the level of Summoning used.

Clear as mud now? :-)

(edit: And never apologise for asking questions - that's why the Forum is here, right?)

Brian.

[tralese]

Thanks for the answer.  Now everything is as clear as crystal to me.  I can go on and work on developing more spells into my spell compendium.  I saved a few of the spells from the forum in the compendium too.  I figured it would be good to have a compendium for a player ot peruse when they decide to play a sorcerer.  I'm sure they'll want to come up with their own spells, but sometimes it's just nice to have something readily available.

[Brian Leybourne]

Sounds good.

If you do a search through the forum, you'll find many many spells that we discussed a year or more back, there are heaps posted around the place.

Brian.