Re: Confused about magic

From: Mark Galeotti <mark_at_...>
Date: Tue, 14 Oct 2003 06:03:22 -0000


> Concentrated magic. What does this mean? It says non
concentrated magic can't be
> used for an active effect. I got that means it can only augment
an ability, but does
> that make the act magical? Suppose I use my Climb Walls
talent/feat/charm/
> whatever to augment my Climb skill, is that now a magical act? If
climbing a really
> slick tall wall do I still roll against a target number of 14 or
do I roll against the target
> number I'd use for a non augmented skill check, say 10W1 or
something. If using a
> magical healing ability to help my first aid skill is that magical
healing? Or is it
> mundane healing and the magic was just some innate "you do this a
bit better"?

The latter: unless you have concentrated on common magic, it simply augments without changing the basic nature of the act, so it is still mundane climbing or healing.  

> In the magic rules there is an example of someone having magic
boots to jump over
> trees. She is rolling against a 14 target because it is magic.
Does she have
> concentrated common magic or is having a magic item somehow
different?

It is different. Effectively, the boots are doing the magic!

> And then there are feats. Ok, I get if using a feat you jsut roll
your affinity+feat+any
> augmentations. But what if I'm augmenting with the feat? Do I
augment with
> (affinity+feat)/10 or do I augment with affinity/10+feat. If I
had the affinity of 1W2
> and the feat at +6 would that be an augmentation of +3 or +8?

The whole +x notation was just intended as a way to simplify record keeping. Essentially, you have that feat at 7W2, or 47, which gives an auto-augment of +5

> And If you have concentrated your magic and want to use an
affinity to do a feat like
> "active effect" but aren't a devotee yet is there a penalty? Is
that what the -10 they
> are talking about is?

Yes (although if you have concentrated the penalty is actually -5)

> Oh and is there a good explanation for what determines a feat vs a
talent vs charm vs
> all these different types of magical abilities?

The only difference is the kind of otherworld from which they derive, which is important if you then go on to concentrate in a kind of magic and must lose the incompatible ones - eg, if you concentrate in theist magic, you can only keep your c.m. feats. In practical terms, they do the same thing.

> I'm sorta avoiding reading the Animist and Wizardry sections
because so far the
> magic rules have really confused me and I had really liked how
simple everything was
> up until now.

Perservere, ask questions and play around with the rules, they *should* make sense in the end! Hope all this helps.

Mark

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