Magical Birth Control

[hal]

Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl

I do think that the critical failure table is rather harsh for magical jobs. I think that any non-combat magic should just cost them an extra 1d FP on a critical failure. When it comes to monthly job rolls, only a critical failure on them would result on a roll on the magical critical failure table.

I get amused when people bring up the Critical Spell Failure table (not your fault, trust me!!!)

This is GURPS CLASSIC MAGIC's wording about the table...

"Roll 3 dice. The GM does not have to use this table; he is free to improvise (though improvisations should be appropriate to the spell and the situation). If a result on this table is inappropriate, or if it happens to be the result that the caster intended, roll again."

Then we have this wording in 4e version of GURPS MAGIC:

"Roll 3d on the table below. If the result is inappropriate – or if it is the result that the caster intended – roll again. The GM is free to improvise instead of using the table. Improvisations should be appropriate to the spell and the situation, and should never kill the caster outright."

It also mentions that the GM can ignore the results of summon demon if...

"(The GM may waive this result if, in his opinion, caster and spell were both lily-white, pure good in intent.)"

And finally...

We have this gem of advice for GM's in GURPS MAGIC...

"The GM may use the Critical Spell Failure Table or improvise some other
“backfire” he finds amusing."

In short? Nothing says that a critical failure MUST result in the summoning of a demon if you roll an 18 on the critical failure table. The GM could rule that the spell is not one to attract a demon as it is a simple light spell. The caster doesn't harbor evil within his heart, and he didn't cast it to cause harm or anything like that. I've just kept my mouth shut because I didn't feel it was worth a major discussion.

In the end? You can use the crit failure table as is, or you can take its advice (the book's advice that is) and create your own table, or even mitigate what you roll on the published table as you see fit. Last but not least, make up your own mind what the result of the crit failure is based on your "on the spot" GM role. Character attempts to cast Sleep on his nearby assailants, but gets a critical failure. The GM, being a nasty sort of fellow, decides to have fun at the player's expense, and rules that the spell goes off, but costs an additional 2d6 fatigue. If the caster fails to have sufficient energy reserves to pay the cost, he takes damage to his body. But that's not all - the GM rules that the player character can not get to sleep until a number of hours equal to three times that of the extra energy cost of the spell.

You can be certain that taking a personal hand in crafting the critical failure results and tailoring it to the spell being cast, is going to be more memorable than "you smell a bit of brimstone" and then nothing further happens.

<shrug>

Instead of a 17 being an automatic failure for spell skill rolls 17+ - turn it into a lesser critical failure tabl

[malloyd]

Originally Posted by hal

I get amused when people bring up the Critical Spell Failure table (not your fault, trust me!!!)

And oddly, they only ever bring up that Summon Demon result. Nothing else on the table causes serious concern, which I've always thought indicated people were assuming summoned demons were more of a threat than they are supposed to be. Though I suppose depending on the spell some of the results can be more serious than many demons (and violate the supposed rule of not killing the caster instantly - after all if a really big damage spell comes up affects the caster....)

By and large I wouldn't consider inflicting an attack demon on somebody failing a Continual Light spell. If I wanted a demonic theme to the failure it would probably cause the caster to permanently fail to be lit by natural light, making people suspect he was a demon, or the spell would "work" but the light would make things lit by it appear hellish, or a demon would whisper temptations into the minds of anybody lit by it (Will rolls every hour not to do something evil). A monster appears and attacks everybody is a fairly uninteresting maximal critical failure even where it's relatively plausible.

[Bruno]

Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl

Permanent sterilization is quote popular in the USA, I think that around 60% of adult women get it done in the USA after their second child.

The actual rate is around 36%

[hal]

Originally Posted by malloyd

And oddly, they only ever bring up that Summon Demon result. Nothing else on the table causes serious concern, which I've always thought indicated people were assuming summoned demons were more of a threat than they are supposed to be. Though I suppose depending on the spell some of the results can be more serious than many demons (and violate the supposed rule of not killing the caster instantly - after all if a really big damage spell comes up affects the caster....)

By and large I wouldn't consider inflicting an attack demon on somebody failing a Continual Light spell. If I wanted a demonic theme to the failure it would probably cause the caster to permanently fail to be lit by natural light, making people suspect he was a demon, or the spell would "work" but the light would make things lit by it appear hellish, or a demon would whisper temptations into the minds of anybody lit by it (Will rolls every hour not to do something evil). A monster appears and attacks everybody is a fairly uninteresting maximal critical failure even where it's relatively plausible.

What might be interesting - aside from the fact that I believe that alternate crit spell failure tables have been created (but thematic based upon the type of genre involved) - is for people to create their own ideas of what would make for interesting critical failure table results.

I think I'll go dig up some of my other role playing games (Dragon Quest, ROLEMASTER, etc) to see just what ideas might be worth mining for alternative critical failure results.

I remember at one point in time, using only 2d6 for a critical failure roll when the mage messed up in a low mana region, and I could have SWORN it was rules as written in earlier versions of GURPS or GURPS MAGIC or what have you. But, sadly, it must have been a house rule that I'd used for so long...

:(

None the less, the tables we have now just don't really add zest after all these decades.

[Bruno]

We have a longstanding house rule that critically failing Stop Bleeding to stabilize a mortal wound instead makes the vict-er, subject, finish bleeding. Dramatically. Ideally, all over the wizard.

[Flyndaran]

I fear what Crit failing First Aid in your games looks like? lol

I think people hate the demon summoning, because it's a disaster for the world at large, not just the summoner and immediate surroundings.
Screwing up a house's wiring that accidentally starts a horrific fire is just not as viscerally shameful as summoning a demon that eats the homeowners and continues down the street.

[hal]

Originally Posted by Bruno

We have a longstanding house rule that critically failing Stop Bleeding to stabilize a mortal wound instead makes the vict-er, subject, finish bleeding. Dramatically. Ideally, all over the wizard.

At the risk of a bad play on words directed at our friends on the other side of the pond...

What a bloody MESS!

Added thought:

Just out of curiosity, in your game world, if a Mage got a crit failure in that fashion, and saw his spell result in forced bleeding at an accelerated rate, would that constitute the equivalent of "seeing a spell" for purposes of researching the spell "Forced Bleeding"? Just curious. ;)

[Flyndaran]

Originally Posted by Bruno

The actual rate is around 36%

That link said 27% of women and 9.2% of men rely on it. The 36% was combined for couples relying on some form of sterilization.

That's still higher than I would have randomly guessed. Especially with the massive hassle women have to go through in the U.S. to find a doctor willing to perform it.

[AlexanderHowl]

It is surprisingly easy when you go through Planned Parenthood. They have information on local doctors who are willing to do it without any major issues. In states like California and New York, almost every gynecologist is willing to refer their patients for the procedure if the patient requests it.

[Terwin]

Don't forget the ability of he mage to change the whole financial situation of the area they are in.
Bless plants has a prerequisite count of 3, a base cost of 1, and will double the yield of the area of effect for an entire growing season.
(Assuming cast with 10 energy, it would take 15.4 castings per acre though)
Plant growth has the same pre-req count and gives a month's growth per minute.

Then there is essential earth which permanently increases yield by 3 fold, for 8 energy (per yard?), and could transform barren areas into fertile farms(very slowly) with a pre-req count of 6.
Not something a peasant would get, but something a forward-thinking noble might get...