Re: Magic in Glorantha?

From: bethexton_at_...
Date: Wed, 04 Feb 2004 22:44:00 -0000

• In HeroQuest-RPG_at_yahoogroups.com, "Oliver D. Bernuetz" <bernuetz_at_m...> wrote: >>
  > > I don't think there is a "the magic wears off effect" The magic
  > > affected his words and presentation, not your mind. So he was
  > > supernaturally glib, and so persuaded you. Other than perhaps
  > having
  > > noticed that he was using magic, I don't think there is any way
  you
  > > could tell this.
  > >
  > I disagree on this one. Or rather I agree with you if you're
  saying
  > he's using his feats to augment his mundane skill then yes he's
  just
  > affceting his skill.
  >
  > But if he's using it as a magic feat the effect ends when it ends,
  > there's no lasting effects (beyond a potential duration). If he's
  > using the feat as an active ability he's using that ability
  directly
  > on me as a magical ability, e.g. Convince Buyer 5W versus my
  > resistance of 14. Otherwise he's using his Bargain 10W versus my
  > resistance of Stubborn Bugger 5W (It's normally 15W but I gave
  myself
  > a -10 mod). He can augment his Bargain by +3 and it's still not a
  > magical ability.
  

A difference of interpretation here. The way I look at it is, if a Humakti uses his sword breaker feat against you, when the magic wears off, your sword is still broken. Likewise, if an Issarian uses his 'convince seller' on you, when the magic ends, you are still convinced that you should have sold to him. The magic is NOT mind control, it is his ability to channel the incredible persuasiveness of Issaries.

But that is my interpretation. I view the use of feats as something like a low scale hero forming, you take on some amount of that aspect of your god. Issaries magic is communication, not mind control. So when you use his magic, you are very glib, in a way that mortal defenses won't help you with. But it is still fundamentally "CONVINCE seller" just with supernatural convincing.

But I see no reason this can't be a YGWV thing.
>
> Only mundane abilities and those augmented with magic have lasting
> effects, as long as the effect normally would. I think people use
> augments for the most part because: 1) they provide longer lasting
> effects; 2) in cases like persuasion magic, stealth etc. they're
even
> less obvious; and 3) an augmented mundane ability is many cases is
> better than a given magical ability (I said in many cases okay?
> There's going to be lots of exceptions).

Hmmm, I differ about magical affects being any shorter lasting. Magical healing and hurting last as long as their mundane counterparts, why would any other permanent magical change last less long?

Also, I figured hero light was proportional to the score of the magic you used, whether it was to augment or as an active ability. Again others may differ.

>
> Now here's a good question, Can you augment magic with mundane
> abilities? Can I use my Jump Skill to augment by Jump Tree Feat?
> (My head hurts...)

In HW you couldn't, but in HQ it specifically says that you can.

--Bryan