Indirect vs direct combat spells, Direct almost always the better choice? Options

[Jack Kain]

One major complaint with magic is how easily a mage with manaball or manabolt can crush a huge group of enemies. Now rather then debate all that lets compare direct combat spells to indirect.

Indirect combat spells are elemental in nature.
They are resisted first with reaction, should the mage manage to score even one hit they are then resisted by body+half impact and any armor modifications vs that element.
Counter spelling is of course available if its at hand.
And if your still in a tight spot Edge.
Vehicles resist with there armorx2

The elemental spells only real advantage is a secondary effect.


A Direct combat spell is resisted solely by body or will power + counter spelling if available. And in most cases Edge as your dice pool is already pathetic.

The only weakness if a direct combat spell needs to have a high enough force to overcome a nonliving things objects resistance.
However if the mage can’t score 4 hits on force 4 powerbolt.
I doubt he’d have been able to do much better with an elemental spell. Plus once you overcome the object resistance the object doesn’t get to resist the damage at all.


To sum up the resist for direct combat spells
At maximum you have body or willpower+counterspelling+edge
3 sources of defense.
Now if you get enough hits you negate the attack completely but then again if you get enough hits on your dodging you can negate the indirect spell to.
Now lets look at indirect
Reaction,+Counter spelling,+body,+half-impact,+armor modification,+edge.
Up to six sources for your defenses.

Now indirect has a HIGHER drain then direct combat spells.
Despite the fact that in 9 out of 10 situations, A direct combat spell is the better choice.


So my idea to level things out a bit is.
Take the drain on all DIRECT combat spells and increase it by 2.
Then take the drain on all INDIRECT combat spells in decrease it by 2.

This pretty much switches there drain values and might actually make a magician choose a indirect combat spell instead of a direct combat spell.