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Old 09-01-2016, 08:28 PM   #271
starslayer
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Default Re: GURPS Thaumatology: Sorcery

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Originally Posted by Shaun View Post
If I don't plan on having any other spells active, why would I need to pay full price for this spell? Also, I see the point of blocking spells as reacting to an unanticipated condition. Needing to decide on one active at a time would be limiting. I would either: [as stated before] build one multi-functional, and expensive, blocking spell; or expect that each spell that I purchased as a blocking type spell could be used as the situation arose, but only if I'm not concentrating on another spell.
Of course, if I am concentrating on another spell, I agree that I couldn't use a blocking spell, unless I had another spell slot open. I disagree that it would have to be in it's own spell pool. This could be better, or worse, depending on the cost of my next highest spell vs. the cost of my highest block spell.

Assuming your suggestion, would you price the cost of a blocking spell differently than an indefinite duration spell?
For example, Catch Missile costs 11, or 20 points depending on the level you get. Would it be more, less, or the same if purchased as a Blocking spell?

How about using the Accelerated Casting advantage from Pyramid 3/82, but add another modifier (Blocking Spells Only, -??%)? I have no idea how much this modifier should be.

Thanks.
Switching a spot takes one second- so if you have two slots unless you identified (and took the one second to prepare) that second slot as a blocking spell, its not a blocking spell when you need it.

That could possibly be mannaged by taking an SoP perk, but you would still need the second to load that blocking spell (or go away from it).

If you instead build your 'blocking spells' pool separately then there is ALWAYS A blocking spell loaded (now if its the most applicable one, that is a different matter), there is never a question of 'do you have a spell loaded that can be used for a power block/parry'

However if you are judicious with your spell selections (so that you are only ever selecting one 'normal' spell and one blocking spell) then you could achieve the same effect- though you've hit the nail on the head when it comes to costs; likely your most expensive blocking spell is going to be less expensive than your second most expensive normal spell.

A 'blocking spell' is just going to be a power that you can make use of power block, power parry, or power dodge with. As a result of this they don't need to be overly expensive- a simple 2 point burning attack with meele will let you power parry (and effectively get the effect of the 'iron arm' spell). Now if its a purpose built blocking spell it can use 'reduced duration 1/60th' since it only needs to last the single second in which it was activated.

I will try to give you my thoughts on accelerated casting in another post- but off the cuff I would think -20%, however if it is already based on ATR (-80% only to change spells) there would be no discount because you have already hit a -80% reduction in cost.
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Old 01-23-2017, 03:18 AM   #272
Roh
 
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Default Re: GURPS Thaumatology: Sorcery

So far I am pretty happy with this book but I am running into one confusing factor when using the example spells to make my own. "Indefinite" duration. I don't really see any explanation for it in the spells using it. Not in the spells statistics or any of the original advantages I checked. Is this a known gurps feature I have just managed to fail to come across?

I can't find anything on it beyond the maintaining spells section. And absolutely nothing to guide me apply it properly myself. I am tempted to just ignore it but the rest of the book is so well thought out I don't want to do that if I can gain an understanding.

Also I am curious if not being able to end your spells and needing the cancel spell is a key feature to the system or just part of the example spells?
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Old 01-23-2017, 03:48 AM   #273
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Default Re: GURPS Thaumatology: Sorcery

For a spell to be of "indefinite" duration, you'll probably want to put "Once On, Stays On (+50%)" (Powers, p. 109) or "Increased Duration (Permanent until dispelling condition is met) (+150%)" on the base advantage. Which one you use would depend on if it's an indefinite physical change (ala Alternate Form) or some other type of otherwise transient ability.
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Old 01-23-2017, 09:43 AM   #274
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Default Re: GURPS Thaumatology: Sorcery

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Originally Posted by Phantasm View Post
For a spell to be of "indefinite" duration, you'll probably want to put "Once On, Stays On (+50%)" (Powers, p. 109) or "Increased Duration (Permanent until dispelling condition is met) (+150%)" on the base advantage. Which one you use would depend on if it's an indefinite physical change (ala Alternate Form) or some other type of otherwise transient ability.
That doesn't really speak to Indefinite as used in Sorcery.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Roh View Post
So far I am pretty happy with this book but I am running into one confusing factor when using the example spells to make my own. "Indefinite" duration. I don't really see any explanation for it in the spells using it. Not in the spells statistics or any of the original advantages I checked. Is this a known gurps feature I have just managed to fail to come across?
The info probably should have been put in the Types of Spells section, as it is a keyword.

Every spell in Sorcery has the Costs Fatigue limitation (B111, Sorcery 13), which means that you get the effect at a cost of 1 FP for a set duration. The default duration of that is 1 minute in GURPS, so this is a direct application of that. The Indefinite spells haven't played with that default time, and are letting you just keep the existing spell going instead of having to start over with casting (and aiming, etc.).

Quote:
Originally Posted by Roh View Post
Also I am curious if not being able to end your spells and needing the cancel spell is a key feature to the system or just part of the example spells?
I don't know that it's a key feature of the system, but it is part of how it works. The points have been paid for a certain duration, and it goes for that duration. I'm not sure offhand why a spell can't be turned off normally, but there's probably a reason.

My own spell collection has gone hard down that line, with nothing being Indefinite and no Cancel Spell available, but that's the flavor of what I'm borrowing from.
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Old 01-23-2017, 11:20 AM   #275
Roh
 
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Default Re: GURPS Thaumatology: Sorcery

Rindis, thanks for the detailed answer! I guess the confusing part for me was I was thinking of a lot of these powers as having no duration by default. It hadn't clicked that indefinite wasn't representing a duration so much as the addition of a default 1 fatigue cost by the normal gurps rules. Makes perfect sense now!
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Old 01-23-2017, 12:29 PM   #276
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Default Re: GURPS Thaumatology: Sorcery

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Originally Posted by Rindis View Post
I'm not sure offhand why a spell can't be turned off normally, but there's probably a reason.
Because those abilities are (for the most part) built with some combination of Persistent + Extended Duration, or with Affliction, neither of which offer the user a way to turn them off before their duration expires.

So that left two options: (A) add Cancellation (+10%) to every Affliction and also come up with a similar enhancement for Persistent abilities (and the handful of spells that use a third fixed-duration build), or (B) come up with a very inexpensive spell that amounts to a 2-point surcharge for flexibility.

Since (B) was both simpler and (in nearly all situations) cheaper, I went with it.
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