Summoner: Too Powerful?, The INs and OUTs Options

[Seven-7]

Ok, here's a sheet I made using Frank's idea on summoning. I've only playtested it a bit, so give your comments (Yes, I know, not much fluff but I'm working on that), this template assumes 2 things, A) Your GM will allow the Aztec Tradition (Hermetic works good too), and B) He'll allow the Aztec god of death as your Mentor Spirit (Dark King can replace this):

400BP
Name: Kortez
Race: Dwarf
Type: Mystic Adept (Aztec)

-Attributes
B:7
A:2
R:3
S:3
C:2
I:2
L:3
W:7

E:1
M:6

-Skills
(G)Sorcery 2
(G)Stealth 2
Summoning 7(Spirit Of Man)


-Qualities
Focused Concentration (1)
Mentor Spirit (Mictlantecuhtli/+2 Ritual Spellcasting/+2 Spirit of Man/-4 Spirit of Beast/May not wear armor)
Aptitude(Summoning)
Astral Beacon
SINner (Criminal)
Combat Paralysis

-Spell
Powerbolt
Heal
Inc Bod
Inc Will

-Foci
Summ 3
Power 2

--------------
Step One: Choose Spirit Type (Spirit Of Man)
Step Two: Choose Spirit Force (F12)
Step Three: Opposed Test Magic+Summoning+Misc vs Force (6(Ma)+7(Su)+2(PoFo)+2(MeSp)+2(Spec) vs 12(For))
Step Four: Calculate Net Hits (Average 4-8)
Step Five: Calculate Total Force Hits (Average 2-6)
Step Six: Note Services: Net Hits (Average 2-4 Services)
Step Seven: Calculate Drain: Spirit Hits*2, Min 2 (Average 4-12P)
Step Eight: Damage Resistance Test: Willpower+Body Hits-DV Boxes (7(Will)+7(Bod)+3(SumFo)+1(FocCon), average around 4-8)

I think I got all of it.


Edited: Found out Mystics gotta choose powers or slinging...Quite annoying, but its just -6 Damage Resistance Test dice. Damage doesn't matter here as your F12 Spirit of Man throws 24 dice for his F24 Heal spell. Wee.

This post has been edited by Seven-7: Jan 27 2006, 02:28 AM

[Ryu]

Yes, you got everything. Nice case study.

Yes, Force 12 is to powerful, as is reliably being able to summon such things.

[Seven-7]

Thanks!

I would like to add, now that I think about it, starting off...Thats a basic mage but -5BP because he's a Mystic instead of a Magician. Odd.

[ogbendog]

beware of summoning and binding big spirits. we had a mage die trying to bind a force 7. the dm rolled 9 successes on 14 dice. even with edge the mage died

[Brahm]

[FrankTrollman]

[runefire32]

Just to note i think his math is a bit off.

19 dice averages 6.333 hits. We'll round to 6 and we'll give it two hits either way on average for a range of 4-8 hits.

A force 12 spirit on average is going to get 4 hits. Giving it leeway 2 either way in turn, on average it will get 2-6 hits.

So on average the summoner would only get 2 hits. with a range of -2 to 6 hits.

So drain wise we're looking at a range of 4P to 12P drain.

With 17 dice gives us 5.66 so we'll round up to 6. Again giving it a leeway of 2 either way we come out with 4-8. The summoner will take damage on a range from 0-8 Physical.

Or is my math flawed there...

[emo samurai]

The only way for him to really pull this off without his head exploding is to have a bound spirit aid with casting and to have a focus of about force 8.

[September]

This is why it's good to get free spirit's true names.

[Seven-7]

Couple of things:

I didn't do a average thing, its just what I experianced with my own rolling of the dice, so thanks for writing those up, when I get to a less crappy comp I'll edit the post and change them. Oh, and I forgot the +1 dice on the Drain from Focused Concentration.

Second, the rules dont talk about Spirits really carring who Summons them, or a lot more Mage ganger kids would be dying I suppose ;). If your Gm decides that then...well you probably either need to not play anything with Conjuring or get used to summoning F2-4's.


Thirdly, like Frank said, if you ever try and Bind the spirit you should be slapped. Hard. Otherwise its as simple as the steps I wrote. Whats the Physical box formula? I cant remember, but 7bod should get you a butt load of Boxes. On a side note, you dont really need bound spirits. This guy has 24 Reaction with the Dodge skill at 12, He's also got Confusion and the ability to cast all your spells (4x3:12) which includes the Inc. Stat. stuff. All without having to leave the comfort of your home.

[Angelstandings]

[mfb]

[Brahm]

That is why i tacked the bit on at the end, and really only the GM knows and selects the spirits entire agenda. Having the same general goal doesn't assure compliance. Just like the Monty Python skit about the different branches of the same church.

Just ask any dead Insect Shaman.

[Seven-7]

[FrankTrollman]

[Angelstandings]

Thanks for clearing that up :D Another question regarding:

>> Willpower+Body Hits-DV Boxes (7(Will)+7(Bod)+3(SumFo)+1(FocCon), average around 4-


It looks like he's using foci for his version of the drain resistance test... Is this also something specific to that tradition? As far as I know, there's nothing (not even wound modifiers) than modify the dice pool for drain resistance.

[Seven-7]

[Glyph]

The thing that I am wondering about is this: do spirit skills have the same maximum of 6 that metahumans get? That would cut down on the cheese, but high Force spirits would still remain powerful (since they would still have those buff linked Attributes).

The book doesn't say either way, though, and you could just as easily argue that a being of quicksilver and pure magic could do things like dodge, attack, and manipulate magical energy much more efficiently than a frail, meat-bodied metahuman could.

[FrankTrollman]

[Seven-7]

Frank and Seven, breaking systems one archetype at a time...

[runefire32]

[Angelstandings]

[mmu1]

[Azralon]

[hobgoblin]