Spirit Combat

[russ_cole]

Animists Practitioners and Shamen gain the magical ability of 'Spirit Face' which as well as allowing them to better sense the Otherworld, can be used as a defence skill against spirits.

On first glance through the rules there is no description on how heroes without this skill (e.g. Theists) defend against spirits appearing in the natural world?  I assume that the defence is based upon the type of spirit with for example 'bravery' used to defend against possesion by a fear spirit and 'tough' used against a desease spirit?

Alternatively through the use of a suitable feat or improvisation of an affinty?  Perhaps a hero with the light affinity could burn a spirit with a shield of defensive light, or a hero with the darkness affinity could defend with a cold shield of darkness?

On a similar line how would ghosts attack - a numbing attack verus affinity or suitable ability?

Any thoughts on how to treat this area of combat?

[dunlaing]

I think you just treat them like normal attacks, just like in your examples. With the obvious exception that feats and spells with names like "Banish Spirit" or "Burn Spirit" would also work against any spirit.

It took me about a half hour though to convince the guy who's playing a Selfrock Taught character that he didn't need to take a Spirit Combat ability, though.

[simon_hibbs]

Alternatively through the use of a suitable feat or improvisation of an affinty?  Perhaps a hero with the light affinity could burn a spirit with a shield of defensive light, or a hero with the darkness affinity could defend with a cold shield of darkness?

I'd olny allow these in certain circumstances. Light could be used against Darkness spirits and darkness against Light spirits that weren't actualy elementals. In other cases I'd say no, spirits aren't material beings so elemental attacks won't affect them.

On a similar line how would ghosts attack - a numbing attack verus affinity or suitable ability?

A spirit's attack to posess someone would be difficult for most theists to defend against. They might use a magical defence ability or even their relationship to their god, but with hefty appropriateness modifiers (perhaps -10, or -20). After all, this is an alien form of magic for them. Otherwise they just have the default resistance of 14.

In my game Vanaxis, a Yanafal Tarnills officer, was very effective against attacking spirits thanks to the 'Cut Spirits' feat in his combat affinity, which he used to augment with his Close Combat ability. I allowed the augment because cutting spirits obviously involves the use of his sword. If he hadn't had his sword, or any bladed weapon to hand, he wouldn't have been able to use the feat and would have been reduced to a default resistance of 14.


Simon Hibbs