Magic House Rules, Enhancing Flavor, Removing Problems Options

[Nifft]

Here are some house rules which I'm considering using. I'll try to explain my reasoning for them; if the rules suck, or don't match the reasoning, please let me know. Thanks.

Default = SR4/20A.

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Removed:

• Analyze Device - problem spell
• Shapechange - problem spell, just take Critter Shape
• Increase [mental attribute] - because Drain should be a problem
• Ignite - just take Flamethrower
• Hush
• Control Thoughts, Mob Mind - problem spell
• Mind Probe - problem spell

Moved:

• Silence -> to Manipulation
• Influence -> to Illusion
• Control Emotions, Mob Mood -> to Illusion

(Why: it seems to me that affecting minds is the job of Illusions, and Silence is an area denial spell like Mist, Shadow, or Ice Sheet.)

Added (from Street Magic):

• Borrow Sense, Animal Sense, Eyes of the Pack
• Diagnose
• Mindnet (+Extended)
• Enabler
• Healthy Glow - functions to remove or suppress bruises, abrasions, cuts, and other bodily evidence of recent combat
• Chaff/Flak
• Foreboding
• Calm Animal, Calm Pack -> as Illusion
• Alter Memory -> as Illusion
• Element Aura
• Fashion
• Makeover
• Mana Static
• Mist
• Sterilize

(Why: part of the reason I wanted to take nice things away from Manipulation was so I could give it other nice things. Street Magic has a bunch of sweet Manipulation spells.)

Indirect Combat Spells - You can create a version of these with a range limitation of 10 yards to reduce the drain by -1. (Why: I want to encourage the use of Indirect combat spells. I'm not sure this is sufficient.)

Direct Combat Spells - This fascinating branch of magic is actually a hybrid of ritual and tactical spellcasting. These special rules apply:

• When attacking a foe with both a body and a spirit, you need both a "tactical" link (line-of-sight) and a "ritual" link (fresh blood, hair, favorite emotitoy) to target an enemy at range. For Touch spells, the Unarmed roll counts as establishing both links.
• When targeting something with only a body (like a Drone), you only need a "tactical" link, but you must deal with object resistance.
• When targeting something with only a spirit (like a Spirit, or a projecting Mage), you only need a "tactical" link.
• If the spell requires a "ritual" link, you must roll the lower of Spellcasting or Ritual Spellcasting.

(Why: I want to make Direct combat spells more tactically interesting, and I don't want them to remain strictly better than Indirect combat spells. Now they're more potent as plot elements and fight-enders than as boring staples used every single fight.)

Critter Form:

• Your 'ware must fit your chosen form. If you have man-sized cyber-eyes, you can't turn into a seagull.
• Each spell turns you into a specific, recognizable individual.
• You can choose Human (or any base meta-type) when learning this spell. Humans have a 3 in all physical attributes; meta-types adjust accordingly (i.e. Troll Form base critter would have Bod 7, Agl 2, Rct 3, Str 7).
• Your new form's attributes are the lower of the critter's attributes or your own attributes, except as noted below.
• Net hits provide a bonus to one physical attribute chosen when you learn the spell (typically, the critter's highest physical attribute). Troll Form, for example, could provide a bonus to Body or Strength, but not Agility or Reaction.
• You are always limited by the augmented maximums of your own base form.

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'Ware for spellcasters. You cannot target spells using cyberware enhancements, period. Bioware works fine. (Why: clears up a lot of corner-cases with occular drones / sonar / etc., and gives bio-eyes a reason to live.)

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I think these changes handle all the problems I've seen crop up both in theory and in practice of playing Shadowrun 4e. If I've missed anything -- including problem spells in the core book, or not importing a super-awesome spell from a splat -- please let me know.

Also, I don't have any particular rules changes in mind for Adepts, as they haven't been much of a problem in my limited experience. The option of allowing +1 PP in place of a Metamagic seems fine.

Thoughts? Thanks, -- N