Spell: Calculate

[PTTG]

Knowledge Spell:
Calculate
Regular

Grants the subject innate mathematical skill. All attempted operations are 100% correct. For every additional energy point used in the spell, increase the speed of the operations tenfold; for instance, a test that would otherwise take an hour instead takes only six minutes.

This is a tiring experience, espectially for subjects unsued to the mental speed. At the end of the spell, the subject must roll against IQ, and on a failure loses 5 FP.

This spell grants no additional knowledge; the subject can only perform operations they have been introduced to, no matter how tenuously- they effectively have Photographic Memory for math knowledge only. Additionally, other realms of knowledge aren't improved.

An illiterate barbarian could precisely count a horde of gold coins in a second or two; someone with trivial knowledge of modern mathematics could be able to do advanced orbital dynamics in their head.

This spell grants fairly large bonuses to any skill that relies on route mathematics, and may provide some protection from critical failures, at the GM's whim.

Duration: 1 minute
Cost: 1-5. Same to maintain.
Prerequite: Memorize

[Anthony]

I'd probably just have it as
Calculate; regular
Grants the subject the Lightning Calculator advantage.
Cost: 2 for Lightning Calculator, 5 for Intuitive Mathematician; half to maintain.
Duration: 1 minute.

[whswhs]

That tenfold increase in speed per point spent seems way too powerful. In effect casting the spell at all lets you solve problems instantaneously; the limit is going to be how fast the problems can be presented to you, and that's dependent on reading speed.

Some clarification is also needed. Suppose you are presented with a test in calculus. Do you automatically know the notation, or does it only work if you've studied the math and learned what "d/dx" means? Does it let you calculate things in areas of math you know nothing about? Or does it just boost your speed for things you already understand?

Bill Stoddard

[Not another shrubbery]

Originally Posted by Anthony

I'd probably just have it as
Calculate; regular
Grants the subject the Lightning Calculator advantage.
Cost: 2 for Lightning Calculator, 5 for Intuitive Mathematician; half to maintain.
Duration: 1 minute.

That looks like a good way to do it, but the energy cost looks high. You might base it off Memorize... Cost: 1 for Lightning Calc., 2 for Intuitive Math. Cannot be maintained.

[PTTG]

Originally Posted by whswhs

That tenfold increase in speed per point spent seems way too powerful. In effect casting the spell at all lets you solve problems instantaneously; the limit is going to be how fast the problems can be presented to you, and that's dependent on reading speed.

Some clarification is also needed. Suppose you are presented with a test in calculus. Do you automatically know the notation, or does it only work if you've studied the math and learned what "d/dx" means? Does it let you calculate things in areas of math you know nothing about? Or does it just boost your speed for things you already understand?

Bill Stoddard

My idea was that it would let you remember anything you'd been taught before, even if your actual skill level was extremely poor. I like Anthony's method, possibly with the addition of the effects of Recall for math-related knowledge.

[Not]

What about Intuition (Mathematical)? That way you intuit the solutions to mathematical problems.

I don't find that either Lightning calculator or Intuitive Mathematician does what I want as a character advantage.

[Not another shrubbery]

Originally Posted by Not

What about Intuition (Mathematical)? That way you intuit the solutions to mathematical problems.

I don't find that either Lightning calculator or Intuitive Mathematician does what I want as a character advantage.

Hm, Won't Intuition's mechanic make problem solving kinda dicey? It might be more useful with Inspired.

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by Not

What about Intuition (Mathematical)? That way you intuit the solutions to mathematical problems.

That's generally just Math or Math Talent, which you define as figuring things out by intuition. The intuition mechanics are basically useless for math problems, since the number of wrong answers are very large and there is only a single correct answer.