Useless above force one,, Or how I learned to stop worrying and ask Dumpshock... Options

[knightofargh]

Just recently started running a SR3 game with my local group and need a quick clarification on a couple of spells. Yes I run SR3 and not SR4, I have all the necessary books (including 3 copies of BBB). I have my reasons, mostly not wanting to spend a ton of money on a new edition as well as some issues with how the fluff has been treated.

So here's me asking Dumpshock to not flame me and step into the RAI WABAC for SR3. In return I'll probably start posting session logs of this campaign for posterity and for others to plunder at will.

Is there any reason to ever take Heal/Treat or Invisibility at higher than Force 1? I can't see any benefit to the higher force based on RAW. Heal/Treat cure success # of boxes based on a TN of 10-Essence while Invisibility increases the TN for perception by the number of successes. Since Force = TN for casting and drain, I can't see a reason to ever cast above Force 1.

Note: I have GM'd multiple systems over the years but haven't had a steady SR group since 1998. In that group I ran intermittently while mostly playing optimized sniper/heavy weapons characters. Magic users were mostly in the hands of folks that knew the mechanics so I didn't familiarize myself with them much.