Re: Re: Practice spirits have how many abilities?

From: Roderick and Ellen Robertson <rjremr_at_...>
Date: Sat, 11 Sep 2004 10:46:13 -0700

> I'm thinking a thrown thunderbolt. I would allow the shaman to
> resist with his best appropriate magical ability. Unless he has a
> few big spirit to throw, the thunderbolt is going to be more useful
> over the course of, say, a battle. Just trying to think it through
> in my head.

Any feat that a theist can use can be equaled by a spirit - a Spirit of Thunder and Lightning is just as effective as a feat of "Thrown Thunderbolt". The main difference is that the Devotee's own ability is used with a feat (and can be increased by use of HP) while the Spirit's ability is used instead of the shaman's (and can't be improved).

> I like the magical contest stuff - you know, stinging hail, blast of
> air that kind of stuff. I take my inspiration here from soem of the
> gwandor campaign write ups. Slightly variant, but very very cool.

Again, all entirely possible with spirits (Storm ones, for those specific abilities).

> Release several at a time? How does that work. A spirit released
> from a fetish only can augment, not add its value to the skill
> rating, ie.
>
> Shaman has jump 17 and a spirit of Jump 10M2, he can use the spirits
> skill as an active ability or as an auto augment of +5. But it is
> not 10M2 + 17 = 7M3

He doesn't need to add them together. If going into hand-to hand combat, our shaman (normally Fist 6) can release his Sakkar spirit (Deadly Claws 12w), and Rhino spirit (Tough Skin 19), and Burning Eye Spirit (Flaming Eye Beam 17w), transforming himself from a meek, mild-mannered spirit specialist into a Eye-flamin', Claw-sportin', Thick-hided combat monster. He uses the Burning Eye as his primary ability, and puts the other two into his AP pool (17W +an additional 51 AP!)

Or, he can release the Eye-Burner and simply keep the other two as Auto Augments for a 3w2 ability rating.

Finally, as a variant you might want to look at, use the spirits as "Summoned monsters":
Release several and have them all attack at the same time. We'll use your storm ability list, above: He releases his Spirit of Thunder and Lightning 15w, Stinging Hail 18 Spirit, and his Blast of Wind 3w spirit. Now, granted the don't add to each other, but he can have them all attack at the same time, giving his enemy Multiple Opponent penalties! While his Theistic opponent can get off one attack per round, the animist is getting off three (the Spirits stick around for the duration of combat), *and* can do something else at the same time!

RR
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