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Old 09-23-2015, 11:48 PM   #1
Raekai
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Default How to use radiation for the Corrupting limitation?

Hey, all!

The title should be pretty self-explanatory. I'm trying to create a version of the Corrupting limitation for magic that would irradiate the caster slowly but surely, sentencing them to death if they abuse their power.

This is part of the reasons that humans abstain from magic in this setting. It's the Great Poison that goes against the God Rose. Some humans actually form pacts with the "demons" in order to get them to work the magic for them, but the radiation is then only replaced by corruption. So, instead of being irradiated, the guy who made a pact with a dryad is now slowly turning into a tree (if he uses his powers too frequently).

Thought I would include the fluff. It's pretty fun stuff, and, if it helps anyone point me in a better direction, then yay!

Thanks!

EDIT: Clarification. This would be for Ritual Path Magic and not standard Magic.

Last edited by Raekai; 09-24-2015 at 09:34 AM.
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Old 09-24-2015, 01:17 AM   #2
Nereidalbel
 
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Default Re: How to use radiation for the Corrupting limitation?

I'd model it as a Backlash limitation, hitting yourself for [convert mana cost to dice] rads. Use the spell's cost [b]before[/] skill reduction! If powerstones exist, those are the only "safe" way to cast.
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Old 09-24-2015, 09:12 AM   #3
Jerander
 
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Default Re: How to use radiation for the Corrupting limitation?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Raekai View Post
The title should be pretty self-explanatory. I'm trying to create a version of the Corrupting limitation for magic that would irradiate the caster slowly but surely, sentencing them to death if they abuse their power.
I'd add the Corrupting limitation in two places:

1) On the Magery itself. Any spell cast that used those levels of Magery (as a prereq or to get a bonus to skill) would accrue corruption in the user.

2) Any ER, whether the caster's or granted by the contracting spirit. Price the limitation so it becomes 1-pt corruption per spell point (I believe that would be a -33% limitation...).
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Old 09-24-2015, 09:24 AM   #4
Jerander
 
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Default Re: How to use radiation for the Corrupting limitation?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Raekai View Post
The title should be pretty self-explanatory. I'm trying to create a version of the Corrupting limitation for magic that would irradiate the caster slowly but surely, sentencing them to death if they abuse their power.
Unless I'm misunderstanding. Do magic-users take rad damage from casting? If so, then you could use Costs HP on the Magery and/or ER, with an additional discount based on the difference between toxic and rad damage types. Maybe compare the values listed under Innate Attack.
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Old 09-24-2015, 09:34 AM   #5
Raekai
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Default Re: How to use radiation for the Corrupting limitation?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Nereidalbel View Post
I'd model it as a Backlash limitation, hitting yourself for [convert mana cost to dice] rads. Use the spell's cost [b]before[/] skill reduction! If powerstones exist, those are the only "safe" way to cast.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jerander View Post
I'd add the Corrupting limitation in two places:

1) On the Magery itself. Any spell cast that used those levels of Magery (as a prereq or to get a bonus to skill) would accrue corruption in the user.

2) Any ER, whether the caster's or granted by the contracting spirit. Price the limitation so it becomes 1-pt corruption per spell point (I believe that would be a -33% limitation...).
I guess I should clarify here that I'm using Ritual Path Magic and not standard Magic. I'll clarify that in the original post as well. That was pretty vague. My bad.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jerander View Post
Unless I'm misunderstanding. Do magic-users take rad damage from casting? If so, then you could use Costs HP on the Magery and/or ER, with an additional discount based on the difference between toxic and rad damage types. Maybe compare the values listed under Innate Attack.
I would like them to accumulate rads and not necessarily have to take any damage. Unless I'm waaayy misunderstanding how radiation works in GURPS. This will only be my second time ever touching those rules.
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Old 09-24-2015, 09:36 AM   #6
Jerander
 
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Default Re: How to use radiation for the Corrupting limitation?

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Originally Posted by Raekai View Post
I guess I should clarify here that I'm using Ritual Path Magic and not standard Magic. I'll clarify that in the original post as well. That was pretty vague. My bad.
No problem. I'm not very familiar with RPM, but it still has a version of Magery, doesn't it?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Raekai View Post
I would like them to accumulate rads and not necessarily have to take any damage. Unless I'm waaayy misunderstanding how radiation works in GURPS. This will only be my second time ever touching those rules.
"rad" damage is a type of damage. Looking at the damage types under Innate Attack will help clarify. I'm sure there are definitions elsewhere as well (likely under Combat), but I wouldn't be able to cite a page reference for you.
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Old 09-24-2015, 09:38 AM   #7
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Default Re: How to use radiation for the Corrupting limitation?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Raekai View Post
I guess I should clarify here that I'm using Ritual Path Magic and not standard Magic. I'll clarify that in the original post as well. That was pretty vague. My bad.
Spells that use only Lesser effects are safe, except on critical failures. Every Greater Effect used is 1d rads. So, the guy who just does parlor tricks lives to old age, while battle mages tend towards an early grave.
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Old 09-24-2015, 09:46 AM   #8
Jerander
 
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Default Re: How to use radiation for the Corrupting limitation?

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Originally Posted by Jerander View Post
No problem. I'm not very familiar with RPM, but it still has a version of Magery, doesn't it?



"rad" damage is a type of damage. Looking at the damage types under Innate Attack will help clarify. I'm sure there are definitions elsewhere as well (likely under Combat), but I wouldn't be able to cite a page reference for you.
Sorry, my bad. Rad damage is under Damage Modifiers (p. 104-5 in the Basic Set), and is a +25% modifier on Toxic. So a Costs HP (rad) would be -12% or -25% (see Powers, p. 110).
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Old 09-24-2015, 10:22 AM   #9
trooper6
 
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Default Re: How to use radiation for the Corrupting limitation?

I'm not really familiar with RPM, but if I wanted to use radiation, I would do something like:

Rather than spending fp, the Mage spends rads. You spend 6fp for your spell? Actually you just accumulate 6rads.

If you think that would accumulate rads too quickly, you could say that the Mage can choose how much of the cost to pay with fp and how much of the cost to pay with rads...but at least 1 must always be paid with rads.

If this is a universal switch for the campaign, I wouldn't worry about the price for it.
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Old 09-24-2015, 10:27 AM   #10
Raekai
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Default Re: How to use radiation for the Corrupting limitation?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jerander View Post
No problem. I'm not very familiar with RPM, but it still has a version of Magery, doesn't it?

"rad" damage is a type of damage. Looking at the damage types under Innate Attack will help clarify. I'm sure there are definitions elsewhere as well (likely under Combat), but I wouldn't be able to cite a page reference for you.
Yes, it does! And thank you for pointing out those references.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Nereidalbel View Post
Spells that use only Lesser effects are safe, except on critical failures. Every Greater Effect used is 1d rads. So, the guy who just does parlor tricks lives to old age, while battle mages tend towards an early grave.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jerander View Post
Sorry, my bad. Rad damage is under Damage Modifiers (p. 104-5 in the Basic Set), and is a +25% modifier on Toxic. So a Costs HP (rad) would be -12% or -25% (see Powers, p. 110).
Thank you for the page numbers and those ideas there. I think I'm going to go with the Costs HP (Rads), -25% version. That way, longer rituals will accumulate a lot more rads. Because what I was kinda thinking about was a mechanic that would give the caster rads based on how much energy he had to accumulate since mana is radioactive, essentially. Having it cost a rad per second is pretty close to that same idea since the exposure of accumulating energy is giving them rads. This also should mean a difference between people doing parlor tricks and battlemages flinging fireballs. Does this all make sense, or am I missing something? Double-checking.
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