[RPM] Some questions about Path of Magic ?

[4rc4num]

1. About Wards, can a Path of Magic ward block "missile spell" like "fireball" ?

2. How works the activation of a enchanted item like a fireball staff ? It use the rules of "innate attack" advantage when it cause damage?

3. Can Path of Magic create "magic missile" ? If yes, is possible to add the damage modifier "explosion" to a Path of Magic missile ? Plus, the missile is invisible like ambient mana ?

4. Talking about that, is possible to use a Control Magic to reflect/change the direction of a missile spell ? If yes, the spell need to add the Meta Spell Modifier or no (the text says "dispelling" and "altering the magic", but in this case what the Control Magic do is "changing the direction" of the missile or a good analogy, in GURPS terms, the "innate attack skill roll") ?

4. Again about the missile spell, is possible to make a "homing" missile with Path of Magic ?

5. A mage can manipulate the mana reserve of other mages, but what happens if the mage try to put more mana than the limit of mana reserve ? It causes damage ? The mage becomes a "Christmas Tree" ? Nothing happens ?

[Refplace]

Originally Posted by 4rc4num

1. About Wards, can a Path of Magic ward block "missile spell" like "fireball" ?

2. How works the activation of a enchanted item like a fireball staff ? It use the rules of "innate attack" advantage when it cause damage?

3. Can Path of Magic create "magic missile" ? If yes, is possible to add the damage modifier "explosion" to a Path of Magic missile ? Plus, the missile is invisible like ambient mana ?

4. Talking about that, is possible to use a Control Magic to reflect/change the direction of a missile spell ? If yes, the spell need to add the Meta Spell Modifier or no (the text says "dispelling" and "altering the magic", but in this case what the Control Magic do is "changing the direction" of the missile or a good analogy, in GURPS terms, the "innate attack skill roll") ?

4. Again about the missile spell, is possible to make a "homing" missile with Path of Magic ?

5. A mage can manipulate the mana reserve of other mages, but what happens if the mage try to put more mana than the limit of mana reserve ? It causes damage ? The mage becomes a "Christmas Tree" ? Nothing happens ?

Mostly No.
Path of Magic can manipulate magic not other energy so it wont block a typical missile spell.
Adding more energy to an Er I would treat as Energy Absorbtion (DR) and have it drain off at 1 point of energy per second if not used up until the ER is within its limits.

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by 4rc4num

1. About Wards, can a Path of Magic ward block "missile spell" like "fireball" ?

No, that's an external effect. The magic is to create the effect - once its created its not magical anymore.

Originally Posted by 4rc4num

2. How works the activation of a enchanted item like a fireball staff ?

Depends on the advantage used - it's likely Burning Attack. That means it works just like the advantage, e.g., requires a DX or Innate Attack roll to hit.

Originally Posted by 4rc4num

It use the rules of "innate attack" advantage when it cause damage?

Yes.

Originally Posted by 4rc4num

3. Can Path of Magic create "magic missile" ? If yes, is possible to add the damage modifier "explosion" to a Path of Magic missile ? Plus, the missile is invisible like ambient mana ?

Yes to the first two, the second requires you add the No Signature enhancement for +4 energy (each +5% adds +1 energy).

Originally Posted by 4rc4num

4. Talking about that, is possible to use a Control Magic to reflect/change the direction of a missile spell ? If yes, the spell need to add the Meta Spell Modifier or no (the text says "dispelling" and "altering the magic", but in this case what the Control Magic do is "changing the direction" of the missile or a good analogy, in GURPS terms, the "innate attack skill roll") ?

Yes. That's a Control effect. Depending on the subject the Path will change: all forms of energy will require Path of Energy, physical items like bullets or arrows will require Path of Matter.

Originally Posted by 4rc4num

4. Again about the missile spell, is possible to make a "homing" missile with Path of Magic ?

Yes, Add the Homing enhancement (p. B106) and calculate energy as +1 per +5% of the enhancement.

Originally Posted by 4rc4num

5. A mage can manipulate the mana reserve of other mages, but what happens if the mage try to put more mana than the limit of mana reserve ? It causes damage ? The mage becomes a "Christmas Tree" ? Nothing happens ?

Nothing. You can't. Once it's at 0 it's done. Use the rules for Fatigue attacks along with a Greater Destroy Magic to damage the mana reserve.

[Engurrand]

Originally Posted by Ghostdancer

No, that's an external effect. The magic is to create the effect - once its created its not magical anymore.

But... there's no such thing as a magic missile. Or any construct of so called "energy" which, once created, behaves like an RPM missile spell. Surely if I create a ball of fire in my hand which doesn't burn me, but after I throw it and hit a guy it does 12d of damage to him, that is a construct of magic no?

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by Engurrand

But... there's no such thing as a magic missile. Or any construct of so called "energy" which, once created, behaves like an RPM missile spell. Surely if I create a ball of fire in my hand which doesn't burn me, but after I throw it and hit a guy it does 12d of damage to him, that is a construct of magic no?

This is why once you create it you must roll Innate Attack. Once your conjure the energy is just energy. Once it leaves your hand that's it. While it's in your hand you get the residual effect where it's not hurting you. This is why external damage spells subject is always the caster - your putting the energy into your hand.

[Engurrand]

Originally Posted by Ghostdancer

This is why once you create it you must roll Innate Attack. Once your conjure the energy is just energy. Once it leaves your hand that's it. While it's in your hand you get the residual effect where it's not hurting you. This is why external damage spells subject is always the caster - your putting the energy into your hand.

I normally consider your opinion on RPM matters to be cannon, but with all due respect, that seems like needlessly contortionist logic. Should an anti-vampire ward stop protecting against a vampire if they turn into a bat? No of course not. Turning into a bat is an expression of vampire powers, just as throwing a fireball is an expression of magic.

But let's set aside for a second the metaphysics consideration of what is or isn't a spell. That's got to be up to the GM, and based in the world-building IMHO.

My players oft note gurps can be unintuitive, and the ones who don't play witches occasionally remark that RPM borders on OP. I'm getting a sunburn just imagining the blazing squint-eye my non-rpm players would turn on me if I let the party witch ignore an anti-magic ward with a spell called "magic missile."

[Flyndaran]

A magic shield protects against magic not what the magic creates. Spells whose effects are on the other side of the shield will be blocked.

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by Engurrand

I normally consider your opinion on RPM matters to be cannon, but with all due respect, that seems like needlessly contortionist logic. Should an anti-vampire ward stop protecting against a vampire if they turn into a bat? No of course not. Turning into a bat is an expression of vampire powers, just as throwing a fireball is an expression of magic.

Not really convulated at all - this is simply how missile spells work in most cases in GURPS - there is a line in MH1 in the damage section that matches that. That said. I'll cast Greater Create Crossroads and summon PK.

Originally Posted by Engurrand

But let's set aside for a second the metaphysics consideration of what is or isn't a spell. That's got to be up to the GM, and based in the world-building IMHO.

It could be yes.

Originally Posted by Engurrand

My players oft note gurps can be unintuitive, and the ones who don't play witches occasionally remark that RPM borders on OP. I'm getting a sunburn just imagining the blazing squint-eye my non-rpm players would turn on me if I let the party witch ignore an anti-magic ward with a spell called "magic missile."

So "magic missile" in this case (assuming a DnD context) is a direct damage dealing spell because it always hits. So it's an HT or Will roll vs. Path skill. Success would mean they take damage.

[4rc4num]

First of all, thanks a lot for everyone who aswered the questions, specially Ghostdancer and PK, aka RPM creator!

Originally Posted by Ghostdancer

No, that's an external effect. The magic is to create the effect - once its created its not magical anymore.

Interesting, but this create one logic problem: how the missile can float in the caster hand without being a spell (gravity will pull down the missile and a fireball will burn the hand, etc) ?

Another question:

6. A missile in the caster hand can be dispelled with a Destroy Magic effect ? If yes, then it is a spell and can be affected by Path of Magic spell, right ?

Plus a interesting question:

7. If a missile float in caster hand then make more sense to be a Create + Control ritual, right ? Without the Control effect the missile will "fall" because of gravity... but if we add Control to the spell make sense in rolling "innate attack skill" to throw ?

Originally Posted by Ghostdancer

Yes. That's a Control effect. Depending on the subject the Path will change: all forms of energy will require Path of Energy, physical items like bullets or arrows will require Path of Matter.

Please, share with us your opinion if a control spell need to pay the META spell modifier to change the direction of a missile spell ?

[Engurrand]

Originally Posted by 4rc4num

1. About Wards, can a Path of Magic ward block "missile spell" like "fireball" ?

3. Can Path of Magic create "magic missile" ? If yes, is possible to add the damage modifier "explosion" to a Path of Magic missile ? Plus, the missile is invisible like ambient mana ?

4. Again about the missile spell, is possible to make a "homing" missile with Path of Magic ?

Back to the OP, this adds an interesting nuance to the ward question. Suppose you have a spell like this:

Magic Missile: Greater Create Magic, Lesser Control Magic, with Damage (external, Homing, and RoF equal to dice of damage). Treat each dice of damage as a separate homing projectile, fired shotgun style. Use innate attack to lock on to the target, then loose your fistful of missiles and they fly to the target at move 10, max range 100.

If you permit an AoE anti-magic ward to stop missile spells as we've been discussing... would those missiles be one spell or many spells?
Or in the general sense, would a missile spell that splits up it's damage among multiple projectiles have to defeat the ward with each attack, or only once?