Steve Jackson Games - Site Navigation
Home General Info Follow Us Search Illuminator Store Forums What's New Other Games Ogre GURPS Munchkin Our Games: Home

Go Back   Steve Jackson Games Forums > Roleplaying > GURPS

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 03-20-2021, 06:51 PM   #1
Obrafour
 
Join Date: Mar 2021
Default Mana Enhancer Limitations

Greetings all!

So, have a question about mana enhancer - I've tried searching but my searching abilities don't seem to be up to snuff.

I feel like I've seen a Self-Only limitation for mana enhancer, and some other limitations that are related to that. Any ideas where it might be?

If there isn't one, any thoughts on a good modifier for such a thing?

Essentially, I am trying to make it so there is always a mana enhancer effect on an individual, but that it only impacts that individual - allowing use of spells that only take effect on them (such as Flight, for example).

It might allow the casting of a missile spell, but once the spell is no longer touching the person, it would be subject to whatever the local mana level is. In no mana, it would simply fizzle out. Also, it would not affect any objects the individual is carrying or using, solely magical effects that only effect the caster.

Thanks for any ideas!!!
Obrafour is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-20-2021, 07:57 PM   #2
Christopher R. Rice
 
Christopher R. Rice's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Portsmouth, VA, USA
Default Re: Mana Enhancer Limitations

Self only would be an enhancement worth at least +50%, not a limitation. It would likely also require Switchable as well.
__________________
My Twitter
My w23 Stuff
My Blog

Latest GURPS Book: Dungeon Fantasy Denizens: Thieves
Latest TFT Book: The Sunken Library

Become a Patron!
Christopher R. Rice is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-20-2021, 08:13 PM   #3
Ulzgoroth
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Default Re: Mana Enhancer Limitations

That's pretty much just unmodified Mana Enhancer, which "increases the local mana level by one step, but only for you and people or things that you’re carrying."

You have to have it enhanced with Area Effect for it to cover more than that.

"Can't enhance other people even if you carry them" seems like a limitation, but a rather small one. (Unless you are much larger than most people you are unlikely to have an enemy able to exploit your ability. At least without having already gotten you thoroughly under their control.)

The ability to selectively deny your enemies the benefit of an area Mana Enhancer is an expensive Enhancement but that's not what is needed here.
__________________
I don't know any 3e, so there is no chance that I am talking about 3e rules by accident.
Ulzgoroth is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-20-2021, 08:17 PM   #4
Plane
 
Join Date: Aug 2018
Default Re: Mana Enhancer Limitations

getting "I can carry someone without enhancing their mana" might be a Selective Effect enhancement? whereas if you have AE then you'd need Selective Area to exclude hexes
Plane is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-20-2021, 10:39 PM   #5
Gef
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Yucca Valley, CA
Default Re: Mana Enhancer Limitations

Hi Obrafour, I think I get what you're asking. While Mana Enhancer only affects the character by default, it would affect a spell he casts on someone else, at whatever range. And you want an Accessibility limitation so that it only affects spells with range zero and area no greater than 1.

So, if half of all the spells you are likely to cast are some manner of buff, that'd be -20%, but then presumably casting those buffs on yourself would be less than half the time, so I'd call it -30%. Your call on the breakdown, but Accessibility (Only for Spells cast on Self) is what you want.
Gef is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-21-2021, 01:33 AM   #6
Ulzgoroth
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Default Re: Mana Enhancer Limitations

Quote:
Originally Posted by Gef View Post
Hi Obrafour, I think I get what you're asking. While Mana Enhancer only affects the character by default, it would affect a spell he casts on someone else, at whatever range.
Is that so?

I'm not managing to find anywhere that actually specifies how the boundary effects of mana zones work. We know that no mana zones dispel or suppress spells, so there is precedent for the mana level of the target rather than the caster having an impact (and in the way the OP seems to want). But if anything says what happens if when you're standing in high mana and trying to cast a spell into low mana I haven't found it.
__________________
I don't know any 3e, so there is no chance that I am talking about 3e rules by accident.
Ulzgoroth is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-21-2021, 02:51 AM   #7
Gef
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Yucca Valley, CA
Default Re: Mana Enhancer Limitations

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ulzgoroth View Post
Is that so?...if anything says what happens if when you're standing in high mana and trying to cast a spell into low mana I haven't found it.
I withdraw the statement because I can't find evidence either - failed my Games (GURPS) roll I guess.
Gef is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-21-2021, 02:33 PM   #8
arcanus
 
arcanus's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Lyonese
Default Re: Mana Enhancer Limitations

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ulzgoroth View Post
Is that so?

I'm not managing to find anywhere that actually specifies how the boundary effects of mana zones work. We know that no mana zones dispel or suppress spells, so there is precedent for the mana level of the target rather than the caster having an impact (and in the way the OP seems to want). But if anything says what happens if when you're standing in high mana and trying to cast a spell into low mana I haven't found it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gef View Post
I withdraw the statement because I can't find evidence either - failed my Games (GURPS) roll I guess.
Mana Enhancer does not implicitly state it doesn't work in a No Mana zone, or that its a limitation.

No Mana purely states that magic can't work within its area, this suggests due to the absence of mana it can't be initiated (the engine can't start without fuel), not that No Mana suppresses or dispels magic once cast...

Mana Enhancer creates an area of low to normal mana (dependant on level), suggesting that a caster can cast spells at either a -5 or normally within the Mana Enhancers zone.

Nothing within No Mana indicates magic cast from a low or higher mana area into a No Mana area is supressed or dispelled, only that magic can't be initiated in a no mana area.

Looking at Gurps Magic 4e Powerstones (p.69) purely says that Powerstones can't recharge in a No Mana Zone not that magic can't be cast in a No Mana zone using a Powerstone.
arcanus is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-21-2021, 03:04 PM   #9
Ulzgoroth
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Default Re: Mana Enhancer Limitations

Quote:
Originally Posted by arcanus View Post
Mana Enhancer does not implicitly state it doesn't work in a No Mana zone, or that its a limitation.
...Of course Mana Enhancer works in a no mana zone by default. Was that in question?
Quote:
Originally Posted by arcanus View Post
No Mana purely states that magic can't work within its area, this suggests due to the absence of mana it can't be initiated (the engine can't start without fuel), not that No Mana suppresses or dispels magic once cast...

Mana Enhancer creates an area of low to normal mana (dependant on level), suggesting that a caster can cast spells at either a -5 or normally within the Mana Enhancers zone.

Nothing within No Mana indicates magic cast from a low or higher mana area into a No Mana area is supressed or dispelled, only that magic can't be initiated in a no mana area.
Look at Magic p6. Permanent magic is suspended and temporary magic is dispelled in a no mana zone.
Quote:
Originally Posted by arcanus View Post
Looking at Gurps Magic 4e Powerstones (p.69) purely says that Powerstones can't recharge in a No Mana Zone not that magic can't be cast in a No Mana zone using a Powerstone.
Magic can't be cast in a no mana zone at all. Powerstones are completely irrelevant to that, so there is no reason for the section on powerstones to point that out.

EDIT: Of course, a Mana Enhancer character can walk into a no mana zone and cast spells, but that's because they aren't in no mana even though they're surrounded by no mana. Those spells are still subject to the effect of the no mana zone if they're cast beyond the enhancement area, though, just like any other case of casting into a no mana zone from outside.
__________________
I don't know any 3e, so there is no chance that I am talking about 3e rules by accident.

Last edited by Ulzgoroth; 03-21-2021 at 03:12 PM.
Ulzgoroth is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-22-2021, 08:53 AM   #10
Obrafour
 
Join Date: Mar 2021
Default Re: Mana Enhancer Limitations

Thanks all for the responses...

It makes sense that self-only would be an enhancement not a limitation. I already figured switchable would be a part of it...but appreciate the confirmation!

The idea of a limitation of 'can't affect others/items even if carried' also fits what I'm trying to do, though I would expect that the value of the enhancement would far outweigh the value of the limitation...
Obrafour is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Fnords are Off
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 06:08 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.