What's your iron threshold?

hcobb · 10-09-2023, 10:46 AM

Does putting a steel arrowhead into the body of a wizard give him a -4 for casting? Does carrying one or twenty steel arrows in his pack do the same?
Whataboutism one steel dagger?

TippetsTX · 10-09-2023, 11:23 AM

Wizards and iron... I like the restriction and the flavor it adds to the setting, but it's a bit too binary. I prefer a more nuanced approach.

Minimal iron use (a few small held items, a dagger or two, arrows, bolts, etc.) - NO spellcasting penalty
Light use (a sword or other metal weapons in moderation, reinforced leather, a buckler, bracers, etc.) - Cast at DX -2
Moderate use (most metal-based armors, several iron weapons, small steel or large reinforced shields) - Cast at DX -4
Heavy use (half or full plate, large steel or tower shields, etc.) - Cast at DX -6

Of course, using too many items from a lower category will bump you to the next one up and GMs may need to make individual rulings on certain combos.

Drakenbow · 10-09-2023, 09:54 PM

If arrows aren't enough to cause a DX loss to spell casting, then a bow and quiver as an alternate weapon would be a good choice along with boomerangs. Without knowing the full justification for the Iron-Wizard rule, I often viewed it as a body encasement issues and an issue with the hands not being able to project or manifest the spell's magical energy.

The rules has a comment about magnatism in the second sentence on p.140. But I do know many metals mess with transmission of a radio signal. Like consider how a satellite dish focuses a radio signal for transmission or for receiving. Encapsulate the actual antenna and the signal gets severly messed with.

David Bofinger · 10-10-2023, 01:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drakenbow

The rules has a comment about magnetism in the second sentence on p.140.

Specifically it mentions some ferromagnetic metals, though that might just be because it's generally the most powerful kind of magnetism.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drakenbow

But I do know many metals mess with transmission of a radio signal.

Metals block radio signals just because they are good conductors, they don't need to be magnetic. Different effect.

Drakenbow · 10-10-2023, 07:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Bofinger

Specifically it mentions some ferromagnetic metals, though that might just be because it's generally the most powerful kind of magnetism.

Metals block radio signals just because they are good conductors, they don't need to be magnetic. Different effect.

You are reading in a connection I didn't write. I'm a former telecommunications technician. My comment was very specific about reality on the second part of the relationship of metals and radia transmissions.

But there is a good reason why radio waves are part of the "electro-magnetic spectrum".

DeadParrot · 10-10-2023, 10:34 AM

Most of rules on Iron vs Magic center around weapons and armor. I would think that small items of iron won't mess up magic. After all, human blood has iron in it. Thinking along the lines of cloak clasp, belt buckle, boot eyelets, plate, cutlery set and mug for eating and drinking.

Is it just being around iron that is the problem? Will sitting at a table with iron plate wearing companions on either side mess up a wizard's magic? How about that iron plate of roast lizard the bar keep just set in front of the wizard?

Can you thwart magic by putting a wizard in a small iron cage? Or putting an iron collar around his neck? Or iron manacles on her wrists?

If iron has an Area of Effect for being anti-magic, what is it?

Maybe iron vs magic is a mental thing for a wizard. Trusting in iron for either damage or protection just messes with the wizard's mind and prevents using magic. So the iron arrowhead in his back won't create a -4 DX for casting but pulling it out Scorpion King style and reusing it as a weapon would.

10-09-2023, 10:46 AM	#1
hcobb Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Pacheco, California	What's your iron threshold? Does putting a steel arrowhead into the body of a wizard give him a -4 for casting? Does carrying one or twenty steel arrows in his pack do the same? Whataboutism one steel dagger? __________________ -HJC

10-09-2023, 11:23 AM	#2
TippetsTX Join Date: Sep 2018 Location: North Texas	Re: What's your iron threshold? Wizards and iron... I like the restriction and the flavor it adds to the setting, but it's a bit too binary. I prefer a more nuanced approach. Minimal iron use (a few small held items, a dagger or two, arrows, bolts, etc.) - NO spellcasting penalty Light use (a sword or other metal weapons in moderation, reinforced leather, a buckler, bracers, etc.) - Cast at DX -2 Moderate use (most metal-based armors, several iron weapons, small steel or large reinforced shields) - Cast at DX -4 Heavy use (half or full plate, large steel or tower shields, etc.) - Cast at DX -6 Of course, using too many items from a lower category will bump you to the next one up and GMs may need to make individual rulings on certain combos. __________________ “No matter how subtle the wizard, a knife between the shoulder blades will seriously cramp his style.” -Vladimir Taltos

10-09-2023, 09:54 PM	#3
Drakenbow Join Date: Sep 2023	Re: What's your iron threshold? If arrows aren't enough to cause a DX loss to spell casting, then a bow and quiver as an alternate weapon would be a good choice along with boomerangs. Without knowing the full justification for the Iron-Wizard rule, I often viewed it as a body encasement issues and an issue with the hands not being able to project or manifest the spell's magical energy. The rules has a comment about magnatism in the second sentence on p.140. But I do know many metals mess with transmission of a radio signal. Like consider how a satellite dish focuses a radio signal for transmission or for receiving. Encapsulate the actual antenna and the signal gets severly messed with.

10-10-2023, 10:34 AM	#6
DeadParrot Join Date: Apr 2012	Re: What's your iron threshold? Most of rules on Iron vs Magic center around weapons and armor. I would think that small items of iron won't mess up magic. After all, human blood has iron in it. Thinking along the lines of cloak clasp, belt buckle, boot eyelets, plate, cutlery set and mug for eating and drinking. Is it just being around iron that is the problem? Will sitting at a table with iron plate wearing companions on either side mess up a wizard's magic? How about that iron plate of roast lizard the bar keep just set in front of the wizard? Can you thwart magic by putting a wizard in a small iron cage? Or putting an iron collar around his neck? Or iron manacles on her wrists? If iron has an Area of Effect for being anti-magic, what is it? Maybe iron vs magic is a mental thing for a wizard. Trusting in iron for either damage or protection just messes with the wizard's mind and prevents using magic. So the iron arrowhead in his back won't create a -4 DX for casting but pulling it out Scorpion King style and reusing it as a weapon would.