Focus Magic Path

[m-danson.livejournal.com]

Please note that these two paths are both considered Focus Magic Paths.

Focus Magic Path (trained)

ALL warlocks who want to remove magic from a shared pool must use this path. This path does not impose Fealty Bonds on anyone. Any Focus who wishes to use a shared pool must first add magic to that pool. (ie must buy in) The Focus acts as the 'container' for the pooled magic and this makes this type of magic risky. The higher requirements do not reflect an "elite" status but rather the force of will and experience needed not to accidentally fry one's self. (see Focus Magic Path (untrained) for consequences of not having the proper requirements)

Requirements:

* Common Magic Path
* EGO = 18 (roll -13)
* Magic Skill Focus (EGO) = 3/2 reqired skill roll (RSR for all spells using a joint pool)
* Research (INT) = 3/2 required skill for learning new spells

Notes:

* Learning the Magic Skill Focus requires training (ie teacher, source of information, or successful use of untrained focus which satisfies the GM)
* Difficult spells will require extra time, require complimentary skills, and/or have negative modifiers to the research roll in order to learn them.
* All spells bought through the Focus Magic Path (trained) require the limitation Overload Risk (below). Common Magic Path spells may be cast as Focus spells by using the Magic Skill Focus RSR and applying the Overload Risk limitation temporarily (does not decrease cost since the spell is actually a common spell but it means that you don't have to buy the spell twice).

Overload Risk [side effect; -2 limitation]
- happens on a critical failure of the RSR roll
- Energy Blast on Focus (1d6/5AP; for total AP being used in spell being cast)

Focus Magic Path (untrained)

This allows a Warlock not trained in the Focus Magic Path to attempt to focus a joint MPP. It requires no training. This is VERY risky. Many mages go BOOM.

Requirements:

* Common Magic Path
* Uses Magic Skill Common as the RSR
* Adds a -1/20AP to RSR roll (ie more powerful spells are more risky)
* Must have bought into the joint MPP
* Spells may not be purchased as Focus Magic Path (untrained)
* The following limit is added to ALL common spells cast using this method but it does NOT reduce the cost of said spell:

Overload Risk [side effect; +0 limitation]
- happens on a failure of the RSR roll
- Energy Blast on Focus (1d6/5AP; for total AP being used in spell being cast)

Banned Magic

Teleport, Desolidification, Duplication, Extra-Dimensional movement, FLT, Mind Scan, Stretching

Special Magic

This stuff needs a good reason that convinces the GM. For example, it is needed to simulate an effect that is allowed but which can not be implimented using allowable powers, or is needed to impliment the race packages. Uses of these require permission each time. Others may be added if I discover something broken.

Absorption, Missile Deflection, Transform, Growth, Find Weakness, Lack of Weakness, Extra Limbs, Shrinking, Summon, Density Increase, Drain, Multiform (not in a were), Transfer, Clarisentience

Charges

Comments

[nightstriker.livejournal.com]

Unless I read things in the book wrong the -1/20Ap means taht the spell is more likely to succeed, and as such less likely for the side effect to occur. Again unless I am reading things wrong.

[m-danson.livejournal.com]

You are reading it wrong. That is a -1 penalty to the RSR roll for every 20AP that is in the spell being cast.

So casting a 40AP Lightening bolt (energy blast) using Focus Path (untrained) would result in an RSR penalty of -2 so that a warlock with a 12- roll would have to roll a 10- in order to not be hit with a 8d6 Overload (energy blast) due to spell failure.

[nightstriker.livejournal.com]

Nope that is how I was reading it...though I did not give as much context as I was seeing in my head. I meant that it was less difficult than a -1/10 AP. Though from the e-mail I just received form you, it is more difficult than a -0, RSR limitation.

[m-danson.livejournal.com]

Oh. Then yes you have it right... I thought you were comparing it to something different than you were.

[nightstriker.livejournal.com]

Nope as I said I was leaving out information from the picture in my head...somtehing I am working on improving...among many other things.

[ironphoenix.livejournal.com]

I assume that the overload risk is on critical failure (triple-six) only, given the -0 limitation status. Otherwise, this would be an extremely severe limitation!

If not, expect a huge amount of extra time to be spent on this kind of magic! A 200 AP effect would be at -10, so a mage with 18 EGO would be rolling at 3; to get this back to a 13 would require 10 levels on the time chart, starting from a half-phase. Lessee: phase, turn, minute, 5 mins, 20 mins, 1 hr, 6 hr, 1 day, 1 week, 1 month. If you want a 17, add 4 more levels, and we're into several years. And 200 AP is small potatoes compared to what a prince regularly handled.

Also, I assume that one has to research and/or construct the spell in question and spend CP for a suitable MPP slot.

Finally, RSR @ -1 per 20 AP is a -1/4 limitation; where does this figure in?

Details, details... this is where HERO can get a little bogged down.

[m-danson.livejournal.com]

I think you are mixing up Focus Magic Path (trained) and Focus Magic Path (untrained).

If you want to study and be a 'prince' via the relatively safe route you take Focus Path (trained) by meeting the requirements:

In Focus Magic Path (trained) you have the Overload Risk (-2) as a limitation to all spells you buy as part of that path. Overload Risk (-2) occurs on critical failures only. The mage may also cast spells bought as part of Common Magic Path using the shared magic pool by casting it using the RSR Magic Skill Focus (NOT Magic Skill Common as you normally would) and having the Overload Risk (-2) added to the spell at the time of casting. Because Overload Risk (-2) was not bought as a limitation on the original spell the spell cost does not change.

If you do not have the Focus Magic Path (trained) and you wish to perform take AP from a shared pool and perform magic with it then you can consider a FAR riskier (aka "Hail Mary" approach) and act as a Focus Magic Path (untrained) where:

To cast magic using the Focus Magic Path (untrained) you do not need any training, all you need is to be a Common Magic Path warlock. You cast your Common Magic Path spell using your Magic Skill Common RSR but you draw from a joint pool. The Overload Risk (-0) limitation and the -1/20AP RSR limitation are added to any spell cast at the time of casting and are not bought as part of the original spell. The Overload Risk (-0) occurs on ANY failure and the -1 per 20Ap is added to the RSR (Magic Skill Common) every time a spell is cast using this method.

The Focus Magic Path (untrained) is merely the method that untrained warlocks have a chance at channeling magic without training. If you want safe and reasonably reliable go get training. If you want to do little stuff or "death isn't a bad risk given the alternatives" magic then the untrained path exists.

Many people blow themselves up with Focus Magic Path (untrained).

If you still don't understand I'll try explaining in person.

[ironphoenix.livejournal.com]

I think you're right, that I was getting confused between the two; part of what may be causing that is the -2 SE limitation for the Trained version which only occurs on crit. fail versus the +0 SE limitation for the Untrained version which occurs on any failure. Why is the untrained one a +0 limitation, not a -2 or more limitation?

[ancalagon-tb.livejournal.com]

keep in mind, you can put more skill ranks in your magic skill - you roll on your skill, not your ego.