Ok, so I know I've been asking a lot of questions lately. Please bare with me.
What is the deal with LOS in magic? Apparently it's mandatory but Detection spells don't seem to use it. (After all what's the point in trying to detect life if you can only detect life forms you can see?) Do illusion spells like Invisibility and Mask only affect people (or technological devices) the caster can see? If someone sneaks up on you are they unaffected by your spell? If you fail to notice a camera in the corner of the room are you out of luck? If a magician casts Mask or Invisibility on a fellow runner and that runner nips around the corner, who can see through the illusion?
Sub-question:
If I want to use the spell Foreboding (p171 Street Magic) do I have to wait until I can see people to cast the spell? If I cast it when no one is around will it only affect people later if they are in the area of effect and I can see them? Does the area of affect have to be directly in front of me ie in my LOS, or can I be the centre of the affected area? If I wanted the spell to affect people trying to sneak up behind me would I have to make a whole new spell that has the target mechanics of mask with the general effect of foreboding?
Eg.
Horrific Visage
Type: M • Range: T • Duration: S • DV: (F ÷ 2)
The Horrific Visage spell requires the caster to touch the subject. The subject assumes a different physical appearance (of the same basic size and shape) chosen by the caster. This alters the subject’s voice, scent, and other physical characteristics as well. Anyone who might see through the disguise must first successfully resist the spell. Simply make one Spellcasting Test and use the hits scored as the threshold for anyone that resists at a later point. Any character that does not resist the spell who wishes to stay in the same area as the subject will suffer a –1 dice pool modifier to all actions for each net hit scored by the caster, representing their shaking, fear, and nervousness, for as long as the spell is sustained. At the gamemaster’s discretion, characters who suffer a dice pool modifier greater than their Willpower may be unable to stay in the area, or may simply curl up into a gibbering ball.
I think this is the root of your questions.
| QUOTE |
| Do illusion spells like Invisibility and Mask only affect people (or technological devices) the caster can see? |
LOS isn't needed for every spell.
Some have a range of touch, so theoretically, a blind mage could cast it (heal for example).
Direct combat spells need LOS for you to be able to affect the target.
Indirect combat spells only need LOS to where the spell goes off, then anything in the target area is affected.
Sustained spells that affect others, like Improved Invisibility, affect any who come into effective range of the spell. For Imp Inv, it is LOS, so, any tech device or living creature that can "see" the spell cloaked target, has to make it's resistance checks. If it fails, then they can't see the target. If they pass, then they can see the target. So, a guard on patrol that keeps entering and leaving the area of effect of the spell, get's to keep making resistance checks.
For other spells, like detect living beings, any time one enters the area of effect of the spell, resistance is checked, to see if the spell detects them. Or affects them for spells like foreboding.
Does that clear it up a bit for you? Or have I just muddied the waters?
I get it. I'm going to have to make a new spell to get the effect I want.
| QUOTE (Mistwalker @ Mar 14 2007, 03:06 AM) |
| Sustained spells that affect others, like Improved Invisibility, affect any who come into effective range of the spell. For Imp Inv, it is LOS, so, any tech device or living creature that can "see" the spell cloaked target, has to make it's resistance checks. If it fails, then they can't see the target. If they pass, then they can see the target. So, a guard on patrol that keeps entering and leaving the area of effect of the spell, get's to keep making resistance checks. |
I'm sure this has been asked before, but what happens when the target runs out of LOS? Is the spell broken or does it remain sustained? And what happens when a target moves outside the bounds of an area spell?
| QUOTE (ShadowDragon) | ||
That's a strange interpretation. Quite frankly that's a little silly. Suppose I know there's someone invisible near by because I can hear him. Can I blink 10 times and get 10 resistance checks? How is that any different from the guy on patrol? What about the spell silence? It's LOS, so am I only affected when I see the person who's silent? LOS is ONLY required between the caster and the target, not the rest of the world. Sustained spells work identically to combat spells in this respect. |
| QUOTE (Tomothy) |
| I'm sure this has been asked before, but what happens when the target runs out of LOS? Is the spell broken or does it remain sustained? And what happens when a target moves outside the bounds of an area spell? |
*hits head against wall*
Invisibility doesn't have an area of effect. It effects one thing: The person or object made invisible. LOS has NOTHING to do with the guard on patrol.
| QUOTE (ShadowDragon) |
| *hits head against wall* Invisibility doesn't have an area of effect. It effects one thing: The person or object made invisible. LOS has NOTHING to do with the guard on patrol. |
| QUOTE (Mistwalker) | ||
Invisibility has a range of LOS. So, that guard, when he comes around the corner, does a resistance check, fails, continues on his rounds, leave the area of effect (goes around the corner). The next time he comes around the corner, he gets a new resistance check. The guard at the desk, talking to his buddy, would only get one resistance check, even if he turned his head away to make a snappy comeback to his buddy, losing sight of the invisible char, as he is still in LOS. Does that help any? |
Okay so I have a question about vehicles. If I cast orgy on a sign towards the end of a runway so that passing planes are in the area of effect as they take off and land would they be effected? I remember something about vehicles limiting something from earlier ed but I can't remember (I think it had to do with driving a car through a mana wall or something like that but I think my example is funnier).
By RAW, you try to resist invisibility only once with willpower and counterspelling if available (or intuition + counterspelling for imp invis). According to page 201 under the description for illusion spells, "if the spell is not completely resisted, the character is fully affected by the illusion <period>" Not until they come into range of the invisible person again, not until they return to "LOS"; they are fully affected.
If you fail that roll, you can attempt a perception test vs their shadowing or infiltration every chance you might hear or see signs of the invisible person.
LOS Theoretical:
I cast Stunball, a indirect, mana based, AoE spell, at a van that contains five people.
Does it affect only the people I can see? Or can I cast it directly in front of the windshield, even though said windshield is mirrored and there's no way for me to see the occupants, and affect everyone in the van? If it requires a living target, what if I can see the driver? Will it just affect just him if he's the only one I can see?
I see explicit statements for direct combat spells affecting everything in their AoE, but all i can find for indirect is that I have to see my "target" in order to cast one. Is that anyone I wanna affect in the AoE, someone who is the center of my AoE, or just some point in space?
| QUOTE (ShadowDragon) |
| By RAW, you try to resist invisibility only once with willpower and counterspelling if available (or intuition + counterspelling for imp invis). According to page 201 under the description for illusion spells, "if the spell is not completely resisted, the character is fully affected by the illusion <period>" Not until they come into range of the invisible person again, not until they return to "LOS"; they are fully affected. If you fail that roll, you can attempt a perception test vs their shadowing or infiltration every chance you might hear or see signs of the invisible person. |
| QUOTE (Crakkerjakk) |
| LOS Theoretical: I cast Stunball, a indirect, mana based, AoE spell, at a van that contains five people. Does it affect only the people I can see? Or can I cast it directly in front of the windshield, even though said windshield is mirrored and there's no way for me to see the occupants, and affect everyone in the van? If it requires a living target, what if I can see the driver? Will it just affect just him if he's the only one I can see? I see explicit statements for direct combat spells affecting everything in their AoE, but all i can find for indirect is that I have to see my "target" in order to cast one. Is that anyone I wanna affect in the AoE, someone who is the center of my AoE, or just some point in space? |
| QUOTE (Mistwalker @ Mar 14 2007, 11:47 PM) | ||
You have to be consistant in applying the rules. So, if I apply your interpretation to Mass Agony, anyone who was in the area of effect, would suffer the illusion spell, even if the spell's area of effect had moved, or if they had moved out of the area (perhaps carried). To me, that doesn't make sense. Spells have an area of effect. If you move out of the area of effect you are no longer affected by the spell. If you move back into the area of effect, you get a new resistance check. |
FanPro clarified maters in the faq
| QUOTE |
| When casting an Indirect Combat spell, do you need to see the target? Or can you cast at a target completely behind cover since they use ranged combat rules? You do need the see the primary target of the spell. However, as noted in the errata, Indirect Combat spells will affect other targets that are unseen by the caster as long as they are caught within the spell's area of effect. Note that the same ruling for grenades applies to Indirect Combat spells cast "at the ground" -- if the attempt is to catch targets in the spell's effect radius, treat it as an Opposed Test, no matter where the spell is actually aimed. |
| QUOTE (ShadowDragon) |
| It's perfectly consistent because invisibility is NOT an area of effect like mass agony. Invisibility has an effect on the individual target only. Understand now? |
No, that's your houserule.
| QUOTE (ShadowDragon) |
| No, that's your houserule. |
Because you're making a spell that by RAW is not labeled as an area spell, and makes no sense as an area spell, into an area spell.
Then what do you call a spell that once cast on a single target, can affect people and or tech several kilometers in either direction?
| QUOTE (Mistwalker) |
| Then what do you call a spell that once cast on a single target, can affect people and or tech several kilometers in either direction? |
Actually, we need to get the terminology straight. Indirect illusions are cast on a subject. The Target is the whomever gets to make a resistance test.
The subject is whom or what the spell is cast on. The target is whomever or whatever may suffer the effects of the spell. In most cases, such as direct combat spells, the two are the same. In others, such as detection and indirect illusion (and maybe indirect combat), the subject and the target(s) are different.
When a magician casts invisibility, it is cast on a subject. It then targets anyone who interacts with the spell via the subject. Such interaction may simply be sensory. For example, any person who sees an invisible subject is the target of the spell. Likewise, anyone who can be seen by a subject benefiting from a vision enhancement spell is a target of the spell and gets a resistance test.
It may also be physical. Anyone who stands in the same area as a fireball spell is a target of the spell, for example, and anyone who stands in the same area as a silence spell is a target of the spell.
| QUOTE (Mistwalker) |
| Then what do you call a spell that once cast on a single target, can affect people and or tech several kilometers in either direction? |
That is why I said it may be semantics
Since anyone who can perceive the subject, has to be, by definition, in LOS, it just adds to the confusion.
I think the whole discussion took a semantics detour when it came to determining if a target who can perceive the subject leaves and arrive at a place where the target can again perceive the subject, does that target get a new resistance check?
Silly me, I prefer rules to be general and constant.
If you go thru a Fire Wall and successfully resist, taking no damage, then go thru that wall again, I believe that you should again have to resist taking damage.
Same for leaving and re-entering the range of dection spells.
And, once again
, for Invisibility or Improved Invisibility, within reason. Blinking, looking away, etc.. should not trigger a new resistance check. But, a guard on patrol, who comes around 30 minutes later, I feel, should get another resistance check (well, as long as he is alert and actually looking around, and not just going thru the motions
)
| QUOTE |
| Silly me, I prefer rules to be general and constant. |
| QUOTE (ShadowDragon) | ||
Your reasoning would be correct if invisibility was an area effect spell like fire wall or mass agony. It is not. Therefore, the rules as myself and others are explaining are general and constant. Your houserule, however, is not consistent. What exactly is the difference between the guard who blinks or looks away and the guard who returns 30 minutes later? A time limit? |
When to resist Invisibility is a game balance issue, not a magical rules issue. By logic, resistance tests should occur constantly. That doesn't work out too well, however.
As it is, you might as well ask when a guard gets to make a perception test to see a character who is using infiltration or shadowing. The answer is the same in both cases.
| QUOTE |
| Your interpretation, well, if I push it a bit: cast Improved Invisibility and walk into a dark bar, and have a chance of being perceived by the off duty and drunk as skunk guards. Sustain the spell, have spirits sustain it while I sleep in my apartment across town. And then, 4 days later (and 4 services from a spirit or just a sustaining focus) I can walk right by that same guard crew, who are now fully awake, alert and professionally doing their job? To me, that seems ludicrous, but it also seems to be fully supported by your interpretation of the rules. |
| QUOTE |
| As for when there should be a new resistance check, once the target is out of perceiving view of the subject? I have already stated that blinking, looking away, turning and talking to a buddy shouldn't cause a new resistance check, as you are still in perceiving range (which happens to be exactly the same range as LOS). But, as with a lot of rules, it boils down to the GMs call, as there are too many variables for a single ruling to cover them all. Personnally, a security guard on patrol, who is half asleep, just going thru the motions, probably wouldn't get a new resistance check either, but, part of the Secret Service guard detail for the President, who is sweeping that area again, I would say that they get a new resistance check. |
| QUOTE (ShadowDragon) | ||
The mage who lets the guards fail their resistance check ahead of time is spending a lot of time, effort, and resources (to bind the spirits and to find the guards drunk in a bar) for this trick. The mage can't even be certain these are going to be the same guards on that shift, or if he is he did a lot of legwork first. Because of all the work involved, I see no problem with allowing it. I like it when my players are creative. |
| QUOTE |
| I like my rules to work both ways, for PCs and NPCs. I know that most players would be just a tad bit upset if a GM pulled something like that on them, cries of foul, railroading, etc.. |
| QUOTE |
| Not counting that I think that that interpretation would make certain spells, like Invisibility out of proportionaly powerful. |
| QUOTE |
| Hmm, and what happens to this sustained spell when one of the targets, after sobering up, goes to astral perception for some reason (or a mage looks at him), will there be a line of magic going back to the cast spell? some way of tracking it astrally? |
| QUOTE |
| Hyzmarca, I agree, it is a game balance issue, and I believe that the way I do it, is similar, if not the same to your way of when a guard get's a new perception test for infiltration/shadowing, they get a new resistance check. Your description is much neater and shorter than mine wink.gif |
I think that we will have to agree to disagree on this subject
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