Re: Resisting Magic -- the specifics

From: BEThexton <bethexton_at_...>
Date: Wed, 02 Apr 2003 16:01:09 -0000

wrote:
> --- In hw-rules_at_yahoogroups.com, "epweissengruber"
> <epweissengruber_at_h...> wrote:
> > Aren't the "Resist Magic" abilities usually feats granted by gods?
>
> Any HW characetr can have pretty much any ability in the game,
> and many more that aren't, just by putting it in the 100 word
> description. Even if the GM rules that the ability has to come
> from a god, all you have to do is put "As a child, Hadred was
> blessed with the ability to XYZ by the god PQR". Where PQR is
> any god you like, and XYZ is any ability that god can bestow.

Absolutely, although the narrator can rule that certain abilities should be treated as broad abilities, and HQ offers a couple of ways to deal with those. I'd probably classify "resist magic" as a broad ability.
>
> > When the Crimson Bat is given a "deflect all magic" ability this
> > reflects its special status. Broad, uber-powerful abilites can
be
> > useful shortcuts for running NPCs but I would not give them to
PCs.

Right, and this gets reflected in values for key words. In HQ you get a starting value for a key word, and can't raise it, but rather raise the components of it individually. So you have warrior 17, and all your warrior skills start at 17, and you will always have "warrior 17" even if some of the component skills eventually end up with multiple masteries. To ease the narrators burden, NPCs will often be given key words at high values, rather than listing many individual skills. So your warrior with warrior 17, close combat (sword) 3W2, mounted combat 1W2, is about equal to an NPC with "cavalry soldier 1W2" In other words, complete agreement.
>
> Nobody is suggesting that Resist Magic should be any more
> powerfull than it's ability rating makes it.

Eh, it does smell like a broad ability, much like "tough." Besides, it takes a lot of flavor out of the world if all magic is just viewed as identical magic, I think except in rare cases magic has to be treated as individual and unique.
>
> Anyway, as has already been pointed out, pretty much _any_
> magical ability can be used to resist hostile magic. Therefore
> surely a Resist Magic ability if far more specific and specialised,
> and therefore less powerfull and game bending, than pretty much
> any other magical ability?

I'm not quite sure that any magical ability can be used to resist any magic. I think pretty much everyone has some magical ability that can be used to resist pretty much any magic, however. There you can use key words like "common magic" or "initiate of Issaries" to resist

magic, as you use your knowledge of the runes to turn the spell 
aside, or call on Issaries to protect you.  But these key words won't 
go up, so for more experienced heroes they won't offer a very strong 

defense.

Other magic will be more specific. You could probably call on your movement affinity to counter a flamebolt (get out of the way), a binding spell (pit movement against being frozen) or a mental command to stop (use the freedom of movement to ignore the command). However I don't see it being useful against an attempt to read your mind or for that matter most other mental magic, or something like an Issaries merchants "convince seller" feat (unless maybe you just wanted to get away before he convinces you....).

--Bryan