RPM Blocking Spells/Instant Gathering

[JulianLW]

I'm not understanding how Blocking Spells work in RPM.

In RPM, under "'Blocking' Spells":

"Ambient energy can be gathered instantly at -10 to skill; this supersedes the normal penalty to reduce time."

So ... does this mean that, if I have the Path skill at 21, I can roll at 11 to gather energy 3 times, then at 10 3 times, then at 9 3 times ... until I have enough energy to power the blocking ritual? ... all instantly? or until I fail a roll, at which point the blocking attempt fails?

Or does it mean that, if I have a blocking spell that costs, say, 30 energy, I have to have a skill high enough to gather (45-Mana Reserve) energy in a single Path-10 roll? Like, if I have RPM Magery 8 and skill 20, I can use my 24 Mana Reserve and then I have to come up with 6 more energy by rolling at 10 and hoping for a 4? Well ... that doesn't seem plausible.

By the same token, if energy can be gathered instantly at -10, does that mean that I can do all my gathering rolls from a base of skill-10 (and hope I never roll a failure, which stops the instant gathering) like normal, but all those gathering rolls happen instantly?

Finally, an unrelated question. Let's say I have Magery 2, so my Path skills are capped at Magery 2 + 12 for 14, but my IQ is 20, and 1 CP in a Path skill would give me 17. If I put 2 points in a Path skill, could I use those extra 4 points of theoretical skill above the cap (18 - 14) to soak penalties?

I couldn't find a clear answer to these questions anywhere, and I'm trying to learn how RPM works! Thanks for responses!

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by JulianLW

I'm not understanding how Blocking Spells work in RPM.

In RPM, under "'Blocking' Spells":

"Ambient energy can be gathered instantly at -10 to skill; this supersedes the normal penalty to reduce time."

So ... does this mean that, if I have the Path skill at 21, I can roll at 11 to gather energy 3 times, then at 10 3 times, then at 9 3 times ... until I have enough energy to power the blocking ritual? ... all instantly? or until I fail a roll, at which point the blocking attempt fails?

Correct. You can make any number of gathering rolls, with all that that entails, but as soon as you fail or gather enough energy you're done.

Originally Posted by JulianLW

By the same token, if energy can be gathered instantly at -10, does that mean that I can do all my gathering rolls from a base of skill-10 (and hope I never roll a failure, which stops the instant gathering) like normal, but all those gathering rolls happen instantly?

I'd probably say "No" as a GM. Blocking spells should be spelled out as to what they are when made. Not every spell can just be instantly performed like this. Otherwise you're going to get casters who always roll at -10 to gather and cast instantly and that is obviously broken.

Originally Posted by JulianLW

Finally, an unrelated question. Let's say I have Magery 2, so my Path skills are capped at Magery 2 + 12 for 14, but my IQ is 20, and 1 CP in a Path skill would give me 17. If I put 2 points in a Path skill, could I use those extra 4 points of theoretical skill above the cap (18 - 14) to soak penalties?

No.

[JulianLW]

Originally Posted by Christopher R. Rice

Correct. You can make any number of gathering rolls, with all that that entails, but as soon as you fail or gather enough energy you're done.

Thanks for the responses! Based on the forum discussions of RPM I've read so far, I suspected you'd show up when the RPM signal appeared in the sky.

Originally Posted by Christopher R. Rice

I'd probably say "No" as a GM. Blocking spells should be spelled out as to what they are when made. Not every spell can just be instantly performed like this. Otherwise you're going to get casters who always roll at -10 to gather and cast instantly and that is obviously broken.

But you can roll in one second at -4, right? Let's say you have a small spell, and one roll at -4 is all it takes to gather enough energy - that spell would be cast on that same turn, right? as soon as the energy was gathered?

Example: My Ignite spell is just Lesser Control Energy (5), Cost: 5. I have Path of Energy at 19. I cut my gathering roll to one second for -4 and roll an 8, gathering 7 energy. As soon as that's done, I've lit my fire, correct? In theory, this makes for a one-turn spell - though not instant.

But I could NOT gather energy at -4 three times in that second, as I could when rolling -10 for instant gathering with a blocking spell, right? Or could I? (I think this is a no.)

The -4 for fast-casting means that I can roll that Path of Energy skill at 15 to gather for 3 seconds in a row, then at 14 for 3 more seconds, etc., to come up with ~27 energy in 6 seconds, correct?

So (and I'm sure this has been asked before) is there any way to get a more powerful one-second spell?

Could you do, like, "Rapid Strike Gathering" in one second at -6 on top of the -4? That is, could you take a -10 penalty on two gathering rolls (or -16 on three rolls) to make them in the same second?

Finally, would your "Spellslinger" advantage in Pyramid 3/66 cut that penalty to -3, for -7 for 2 gathering rolls in a second or -10 for 3 gathering rolls in a second?

[Kalzazz]

I allow -10 to cast spells in a single round.

I think this lines up perfectly well with the -10 for Quick Shooting Bows without Heroic Archer and Weapon Master for single round shooting, or Dungeon Fantasy -10 for single round First Aid

It's fairly niche . . . People usually prefer to use their charms in combat because the delta from 'my skill plus charm lab plus grimoire' to 'my skill -10' is so huge, the main use I've seen is to show off with minor cantrips outside of combat

[JulianLW]

Originally Posted by Kalzazz

I allow -10 to cast spells in a single round.

I assume you mean a series of gathering rolls starting at -10 in one second (rather than instant)? Otherwise, if it were just a single roll for a one second spell, it'd be at -4, right?

This is the thing that's giving me the hangup: I'm so used to the normal GURPS mechanics that being able to make more than a single active die roll per turn to accomplish an action is just confusing me, I guess.

[Kalzazz]

Right, series of rolls in round at -10 to cast in one round

[Kalzazz]

Multiple rolls in one round to do something is common

Fast draw to draw a gun, then guns to shoot it

For quick shooting bows. Fast Draw Arrow, then Bow to load the Bow, then Bow to shoot it

So in this case, say your doing Generic Attack Spell
Bunch of -10 Gather Energy, then Casting roll, then Innate Attack to hit with it

[JulianLW]

Cool. I wonder how Christopher Rice feels about -10 for one-turn casting like this? He seems to be the RPM Guru around here.

And another question, while I'm asking....

Re: Alternative benefits for Natural Caster talent:

Originally Posted by Christopher R. Rice

I give a +2 bonus to conditional spell slots as the alternative benefit for my games.

How does this work? A flat bonus for anyone with the talent, whatever level? Or +2/level (which seems excessive to me).

What would be other reasonable options for an alternative benefit for Natural Caster? Having +1/level reaction from other casters seems excessive to me, especially if you allow levels higher than 4.

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by JulianLW

But you can roll in one second at -4, right? Let's say you have a small spell, and one roll at -4 is all it takes to gather enough energy - that spell would be cast on that same turn, right? as soon as the energy was gathered?

Example: My Ignite spell is just Lesser Control Energy (5), Cost: 5. I have Path of Energy at 19. I cut my gathering roll to one second for -4 and roll an 8, gathering 7 energy. As soon as that's done, I've lit my fire, correct? In theory, this makes for a one-turn spell - though not instant.

But I could NOT gather energy at -4 three times in that second, as I could when rolling -10 for instant gathering with a blocking spell, right? Or could I? (I think this is a no.)

The -4 for fast-casting means that I can roll that Path of Energy skill at 15 to gather for 3 seconds in a row, then at 14 for 3 more seconds, etc., to come up with ~27 energy in 6 seconds, correct?

No, the penalty for gathering faster is superseded by the blocking spell penalty. They are not meant to interact. The -10 to gathering rolls for blocking spells is effectively, "I turn this into a free action." It's meant to emulate certain types of tropes and fiction. It's not meant to allow you to instant-cast spells willy-nilly. If you want that then buy levels of ATR or Compartmentalized Mind.

Originally Posted by JulianLW

So (and I'm sure this has been asked before) is there any way to get a more powerful one-second spell?

Could you do, like, "Rapid Strike Gathering" in one second at -6 on top of the -4? That is, could you take a -10 penalty on two gathering rolls (or -16 on three rolls) to make them in the same second?

If you had Spellslinger. Rapid Strike for spells is not available without that ability.

Originally Posted by JulianLW

Finally, would your "Spellslinger" advantage in Pyramid 3/66 cut that penalty to -3, for -7 for 2 gathering rolls in a second or -10 for 3 gathering rolls in a second?

No, it enables that option. Normal casters can't do it.

Originally Posted by JulianLW

Cool. I wonder how Christopher Rice feels about -10 for one-turn casting like this? He seems to be the RPM Guru around here.

I wouldn't.

Originally Posted by JulianLW

Re: Alternative benefits for Natural Caster talent:


How does this work? A flat bonus for anyone with the talent, whatever level? Or +2/level (which seems excessive to me).

It's +2 conditionals per level of the talent.

[JulianLW]

Originally Posted by Christopher R. Rice

It's +2 conditionals per level of the talent.

Thanks again!