RE: Common Magic

From: Bruce Ferrie <bruceferrie_at_...>
Date: Tue, 20 Jan 2004 22:23:28 -0000


On Tuesday, January 20, 2004 3:53 PM, Rob wrote:
>

> Could you have a common magic talent called 'Beffudle opponent' and if
> so - how would it operate in a contest?

Sounds okay to me. If you haven't concentrated your Common Magic, it would only act as an augment. Otherwise, you'd use it in a contest just like any other ability.

  1. Simple Contests
    • Decide what your goal is in befuddling your opponent - this might be distracting the shopkeeper so you can sneak into his storeroom, making the army captain drop his guard and tell you the secret passwords, confusing your best friend into not realising that you're all plotting a secret birthday party for him, etc.
    • Roll the "Befuddle Opponent" against whatever the opponent is using to defend - these could be appropriate abilities like Insightful, Clear-Headed, See Through Trickery, or magic like Humakt or Lhankor Mhy's Truth affinities.
    • Decide how well it works, based on the level of defeat or victory.
  2. Extended Contests

Well, a lengthier version of the above, really. What it really comes down to with GM'ing player actions in Extended Contests is understanding two things:

What happens depends on the flow of AP. If the actor wins, then clearly the "befuddle" magic has had some effect. It won't be decisive, unless some level of victory has been achieved, but the victim might be confused, pausing, etc. If the opponents wins the exchange, then maybe the effort and concentration put into the befuddle attempt has let him get closer to his own goals, whether this be bashing someone's head in, seeing through an attempt at deception or making the alehouse turn a profit this evening...

> Likewise could you have a common magic talent 'Heal the
> dying/injured/hurt patient' so that would return them to full health.

It's worth taking a look at the rules for healing on HQ p81. The way it works is:

  1. You can use Common Magic as "minor magical healing" if you can use it as a standalone ability. If you can only augment with it, then the ability which is being augmented determines whether the healing attempt is magical or not, which affects the Resistance. Regardless, this sort of healing only heals one level of injury (Dying to Injured, Injured to Impaired, etc.) unless you get a Complete Victory on the contest, in which case all injuries are completely healed.
  2. The only healing abilities that can automatically restore anyone to full health on *any* victory is "major magical healing". HQ p81 specifically points out that this is usually the preserve of powerful magic, such as cult secrets. Even Chalana Arroy healers don't have a "Heal Patient Completely" magical feat any more, so given this I wouldn't allow such a Common Magic ability, but I would allow one called "Heal Patient".

Regards,

Bruce

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