[RPM] Ritual Path Magic: doing the WEIRD stuff

[Varyon]

Originally Posted by Refplace

I have a question.
Lets say you want to mind control someone with CM.
Is it multiple instances of Control, multiple castings or just all get hit?

You're already having to deal with Subject Weight in order to hit the person, so it makes sense for the spell to hit all minds at once - although each would resist separately. If for some reason you don't want to hit a specific mind/minds, add +1 energy (comparable to leaving out up to 2 targets).
If the GM rules that any sort of Mind Control is meant to only target one mind, add +2 energy for Area Effect to get 'em all (and note this will let you affect anyone within 3 yards of the target, if you so choose).

[vicky_molokh]

Originally Posted by Varyon

You're already having to deal with Subject Weight in order to hit the person, so it makes sense for the spell to hit all minds at once - although each would resist separately. If for some reason you don't want to hit a specific mind/minds, add +1 energy (comparable to leaving out up to 2 targets).
If the GM rules that any sort of Mind Control is meant to only target one mind, add +2 energy for Area Effect to get 'em all (and note this will let you affect anyone within 3 yards of the target, if you so choose).

IIRC subject mass doesn't matter for Mind effects, though Area Effect is a good solution.

[Varyon]

Originally Posted by vicky_molokh

IIRC subject mass doesn't matter for Mind effects, though Area Effect is a good solution.

Taking another look at Subject Weight, it explicitly rules it out for purely mental effects. My mistake. Looks like Area Effect is the way to go, then (it's also cheaper, as most humans need +3 energy to affect based on weight). If the target's entire body needs to be within the AoE, +2 energy is enough to hit creatures up to SM+1 (assuming human shape), +4 for creatures up to SM+2, etc. I think a mental AoE simply needs to touch the subject, however.

[vicky_molokh]

Weird ideas with Chance:

Lockdown dem randoms: make all random number generators (dice and coin flips, pseudorandom algorithms, quantum random generations, shuffled decks etc.) produce the same result as they did before the casting. Greater Destroy Chance (because it removes randomness)? Or is it Greater Control (because it defines the results of random outcomes)?

Produce reoccurring event: instead of Creating/Strengthening the chance of some event occurring, Create/Strengthen the chance of it occurring every X time units until the spell expires or is dispelled or cancelled.

[Flyndaran]

Reminds me of a DS9 episode with a McGuffin that emitted a "force" that caused the extremely improbable to become nigh inevitable.
Everyone hitting the jackpot at Quark's to the chief always winning at racquetball and darts against Bashir.

[Anders]

Originally Posted by Flyndaran

Reminds me of a DS9 episode with a McGuffin that emitted a "force" that caused the extremely improbable to become nigh inevitable.
Everyone hitting the jackpot at Quark's to the chief always winning at racquetball and darts against Bashir.

They should have done something more fun with it, like everyone turning into Smurfs for no particular reason.

[Dwarf99]

Originally Posted by vicky_molokh

Weird ideas with Chance:

Lockdown dem randoms: make all random number generators (dice and coin flips, pseudorandom algorithms, quantum random generations, shuffled decks etc.) produce the same result as they did before the casting. Greater Destroy Chance (because it removes randomness)? Or is it Greater Control (because it defines the results of random outcomes)?

Produce reoccurring event: instead of Creating/Strengthening the chance of some event occurring, Create/Strengthen the chance of it occurring every X time units until the spell expires or is dispelled or cancelled.

You're actually doing the same thing with both effects. They should fall under the same ritual. Creating Chance isn't not really appropriate for creating a loop, you're setting up things to play out over and over again. Mind you, Groundhog Day is pretty much about finding a way to end such a loop, so it's a good terminating condition.

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by Flyndaran

Reminds me of a DS9 episode with a McGuffin that emitted a "force" that caused the extremely improbable to become nigh inevitable.
Everyone hitting the jackpot at Quark's to the chief always winning at racquetball and darts against Bashir.

Rivals, IIRC.

Originally Posted by Anders

They should have done something more fun with it, like everyone turning into Smurfs for no particular reason.

Have you actually watched the episode? IME it's one of the better (but not quite in the top 10) of comedic episodes of DS9.