Any way to reduce a target's Magic Resistance?

[AlexanderHowl]

Magical is by definition a -10% source, it cannot be +0%. Now, you could use another source, like Divine (-10%), but that would not normally be available to mages.

[awesomenessofme1]

Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl

Wouldn't the Affliction need to be Magical though?

Why would it?

Originally Posted by Crystalline_Entity

I wouldn't require anti-magic countermeasures to take a -10% magical power modifier for the same reason anti-psi doesn't take a -10% psionic power modifier - unless there's some sort of anti-anti-magic ability, anyway. This should probably be "Magical, +0%".

Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl

Magical is by definition a -10% source, it cannot be +0%. Now, you could use another source, like Divine (-10%), but that would not normally be available to mages.

There's explicitly an Anti-Magic power in Powers, which by default uses a 0% modifier.

[Kromm]

I see no reason not to permit Affliction 1 (Will; Based on Will, +20%; Malediction 1, +100%; Negated Advantage, Magic Resistance 10 (Cosmic, Based on points, +50%), +30%; PM, ‑XX%) with almost any power modifier.

Malediction 1 puts it on an even playing field with Regular spells.

Negated Advantage, Magic Resistance 10 (Cosmic, Based on points, +50%), +30% just means that instead of being a flat Negated Advantage, Magic Resistance 10, +20% that knocks 10 levels off MR but has no effect on stuff like Improved MR, it slices 20 points off anything built from MR. So IMR, at 5 points/level, drops by four levels instead of 10.

As for PM: I think the most balanced ones would not be associated with spellcasting (so not Divine, Magical, Nature, or Spirit). In fantasy, I strongly recommend Cosmic, +50%, though I'd entertain Chi, -10%. Thus:

Affliction 1 (Will; Based on Will, +20%; Cosmic, +50%; Malediction 1, +100%; Negated Advantage, Magic Resistance 10 (Cosmic, Based on points, +50%), +30%) [30]
Affliction 1 (Will; Based on Will, +20%; Chi, -10%; Malediction 1, +100%; Negated Advantage, Magic Resistance 10 (Cosmic, Based on points, +50%), +30%) [24]

The latter is cheaper because the user could conceivably burn it out or lose access to it, and usually needs to buy Trained by a Master or something even to have it.

[David Johnston2]

Originally Posted by Gnome

Pierce Resistance
Regular
This spell is cast on another spell, making that spell more difficult to resist. The spells are cast one after the other, with no delays between castings.

Well that just seems wrong. People pay a big price for having magic resistance. They should get something for what they've given up. If only "It takes someone longer to affect them".

[SolemnGolem]

People pay a big price for being magic resistance

Specifically 2 points per level.

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by David Johnston2

Well that just seems wrong. People pay a big price for being magic resistance. They should get something for what they've given up. If only "It takes someone longer to affect them".

Could remove the special resistance roll vs magical elixirs (change it to only add resistance if the effect is resisted), but 'it takes one extra turn and 8 extra fatigue to penetrate magic resistance 4' is a substantial penalty.

[David Johnston2]

Originally Posted by SolemnGolem

Specifically 2 points per level.

To hell with the two points. I'm thinking about healing magic and buffs.

[Plane]

Originally Posted by SolemnGolem

Is there any way to bring down the MR of a target discussed in any of the books?

Affliction (Negated Disadvantage: Magic Resistance)

You could also design a custom spell to negate the advantage but obviously will have some trouble using it.

M14's "Designing New Spells" is particularly dangerous by those using Ritual Magery since they can just default stuff to their college so in theory wouldn't need to actually invest in newly designed variants.

Of course this requires negotiating with GM if a spell is legal in first place: you probably have to impress them, part of which is choosing an appropriate theme/college for the effects.

Some stuff should just be off limits, like an Animal Spell which causes damage to rocks.

Originally Posted by Anthony

Shapeshift Others will remove racial MR

M33 says "gains all the physical attributes of the new form."

B67 has Magic Resistance listed as a mental trait, not a physical one.

There probably should a physical version of magic resistance (someone possessing you can benefit, you can't take it with you when possessing others) which you could probably get by adding something like "requires HT roll" to it.

Originally Posted by Crystalline_Entity

I wouldn't require anti-magic countermeasures to take a -10% magical power modifier for the same reason anti-psi doesn't take a -10% psionic power modifier - unless there's some sort of anti-anti-magic ability, anyway.
This should probably be "Magical, +0%".

P121 does not list Magical as an acceptable source for an Anti-Magic power: only Divine or Spirit or "Anti-Magic +0%"

You could design certain anti-magic abilities as part of a "Magic" power modifier (P131) in which case the only possible source is "Magical -10%" meaning you always list that as "Magic -10%".

No anti-magic abilities from P121 except Detect are listed as basic abilities of this power but it's semi-open ended as you can design advantages which emulate spells and we know there are anti-magic spells out there. This requires GM approval though.

Using Wild Talent is another option since you could probably temporarily discover (maybe even permanently learn) anti-magic spells this way.

Taking the -10% magical power modifier on Wild Talent with "spells only" actually seems kinda broken as you wouldn't be able to make use of temporarily learned spells in No Mana anyway... is this double-dipping?

Originally Posted by awesomenessofme1

Why would it?

There's explicitly an Anti-Magic power in Powers, which by default uses a 0% modifier.

It's not Magical though.

Howl did not disagree with the idea of having a +0% Anti-Magic advantage, just defining it's source as magical

Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl

you could use another source, like Divine (-10%), but that would not normally be available to mages.

Is there something prohibiting Magery and Power Investiture from coexisting?

- -

Originally Posted by Kromm

Magic Resistance 10 (Cosmic, Based on points, +50%)
..
instead of being a flat Negated Advantage, Magic Resistance 10, +20% that knocks 10 levels off MR but has no effect on stuff like Improved MR,
it slices 20 points off anything built from MR.
So IMR, at 5 points/level, drops by four levels instead of 10.

Powers 96 mentions "take Affliction (p. 39) with Negated Advantage to remove specific advantages regardless of their origin."

I guess this helps emphasize the difference in origin vs. source that Powers elaborates on at P179, since having a different source (unlike having a different origin) also means a different power modifier, which would mean requiring this enhancement?

So for example if I had Affliction (Negated Advantage: Damage Resistance 1 (origin: any; source: none, wild +0%) +5%) I could target any of these non-power wild advantages:

DR 1 (origin: biological; source: none=wild +0%)
DR 1 (origin: magic; source: none=wild +0%)
DR 1 (origin: psychic; source: none=wild +0%)
DR 1 (origin: technological; source: none=wild +0%)

but none of these:

DR 1 (origin: biological; source: biological -10%)
DR 1 (origin: magic; source: magic -10%)
DR 1 (origin: psychic; source: psychic -10%)

Unless taking this new cosmic enhancement? Nice to have clarification on this (Affliction a bit less scary than it seemed before) and a cheaper alternative to Variable Enhancements or Modular Abilities for debuffing a broader range of targets.

[(E)]

Would an item fit as a way of reducing MR?
Do you use the staff of flame or the staff of unstoppable magic?

[Taneli]

If it's a monster ability, it just does what you say it does, no need to build it as an ability.

The same goes with any fancy spells the NPC wizards have come up with, just remember to have them burn any notes before the PC's show up...