Levitation in combat, Why walk when you can fly? Options Track this topic Email this topic Print this topic Download this topic Subscribe to this forum Display Modes Switch to: Outline Standard Switch to: Linear+

[Spookymonster]

A human mage with Magic-6 and Quickness-4 casts Leviate-43 on himself. This allows him a maximum movement rate of 4*6= 24 meters per turn when flying, 4 meters when walking, and 3*4= 12 meters when running.

Do his TNs still take running modifiers even if he's not on foot?

If so, how slow must he be flying to qualify as walking (cruising?) and therefore remove the penalty?

Would flying his full measure in a single turn still count as a free action?

[El_Machinae]

Actually, I'd say the penalty for shooting is because my head and arms are bobbying all over the place when I run. Ergo, it looks like levitation would be "cruising speed" (as long as the TNs are modified for maintaining the spell).

Maybe, going above walking speed would require a small TN modifier - in that it's a little more difficult to track the victim. On the other hand, since the mage is in charge of his speed, he should already know how fast he must track himself. Hmmmn

[DigitalMage]

Remember that the mage would get the +2 TN for sustaining the spell unless he uses a Sustaining Focus. I wouldn't use the TN modifiers for Running (less jogging about) but may do for Walking (still have movement which complicates things).

Alternatively you could work out TN modifiers based upon the shooting from a moving vehicle rules.

Relative Speeds...
Roughly equal +0
One vehicle up to 2x as fast +2
One vehicle up to 3x as fast +4
One vehicle more than 3x as fast +6
Target stationary TN is increased by 1 per 30 metres/turn of speed.

[Sphynx]

Well, there's no Canon answer to your question so I'll do my best at Interpreting the rules.

Yes TN's apply, but never the "difficult ground" unless there's a violent wind blowing. So, +4 TN if you're travelling full speed.

For the +2 (Walking) I'd personally House Rule it at his Force in meters (since the speed between walking and running is a base not a multiplier)

Flying a full measure is a Canonable answer at a Complex Action.

My Interpretation of the reason: That's true of any 'full movement' and part of the reason for the +4 TN since you're +2 for a 2nd Complex Action, and +2 for the actual movement since it's hard to aim from a moving target as suggested my the Vehicle Combat rules.

Sphynx

[Spookymonster]

[Sphynx]

I'd House Rule a yes to that. But realize, this is Interpretation and House Ruling, there's no Canon for anything except taking an Exclusive Action to move yourself your full distance. As for that being done by the 'driver', then it'd not even be a Free Action. ;)

Sphynx

[Spookymonster]

I'd probably rule that up to 1x Magic (floating) is the same as walking, regardless of force. Other than that, I tend to agree with Sphynx's rulings.

[Squire]

I'll tell you in one word why that's a Bad Idea.

Dispell.

Okay, let me add a few words....


AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh THUD!

[Sphynx]

Very very true, though that was NOT the question. ;)

However, I DARE you to try dispelling my Levitate, in a word: Ouch.

Okay, let me add a few words...

"What do you mean I have to resist 8M Physical Drain?!?"

Sphynx

[Spookymonster]

What about flying critters? I can't find anything in the books that indicates that flying critters are penalized for flying their full movement rate. Would that be considered a canon reference?

[Snow_Fox]

Remember, while you are levitating, that adds range to shots aimed at someone on the ground. Also flying around, you have no cover. and since the phrase "geek the mage first" seems to be on the first page of sec guards training mannuals this spell is adding to your chance of finding out if your Doc Wagon contract has expired.

[Spookymonster]

Once I start tossin' fireballs, I figure my cover as a mund is blown anyway. If I can get behind some good cover faster by flying than by running, I'll take my chances at drawing a little extra lead. If I can do it without burning a complex action, well... that's just gravy :).

Actually, what I'm thinking of is a mage with a Levitation sustained focus. He keeps the spell active 24x7, hovering a centimeter or so above the ground. He pretends to walk most of the time so as to not draw any undue attention (how many times a day do you look at someone's feet?). Being able to fly out of the path of danger (or avoid falling to his death) without burning a complex action could come in handy in a pinch. However, flying twice as fast as you could run, without suffering the same penalties, seems pretty unbalanced.

[Erghitz]

[Sphynx]

Of course, I've ran into people who could keep the drain stun instead of physical, but never someone that could hit the TN 12 enough times to dent the spell. Only the first 6 successes do anything and I've 24 successes. It'll take a hella lotta attempts, suffering 8M per attempt to reduce that much at all.

Sphynx

[BitBasher]

I'd just drug you and toss you on a semiballistic... gets rid of all those pesky sustained spells without needing for those "success tests: and such :rotfl:

[Sphynx]

How would you accomplish either of those?

[Erghitz]

ATGM with a needle in the front! :eek:

[BitBasher]

Well, since I'm the GM I have a plethora of options in that regard. Although I never get games as high as you play anymore, because I tend to think the coherency of the system tends to break down at around 150-300 karma depending on the character and the game structure.

[Sphynx]

ATGM with a normal round has a much better chance, very little chance of a needle breaking through my defenses, while an Power 18 has a good chance. :P

Fortunately, I play with a GM who's sole purpose in life isn't to run a GM vs the Players type of game. So, I don't have to worry about such things. I'll keep worrying about the real(and only) way to dispel them, me dying, which, as stated, can happen with a nice simple 9M Heavy Pistol. :P

Sphynx

[Talia Invierno]

... no one has mentioned conservation of energy (recoil knockback)? I mean, flying - what would you brace against?

[Game2BHappy]

If Quickened or Foci Sustained Levitation becomes unbalancing in your game, you can require that only when the caster is sustaining the spell can it be changed or modified (such as is required for levitation). When it is sustained by a Sustaining Focus or Quickening, the caster would not necessarily have that control.

To the best of my knowledge, there is no reason a GM couldn't interpret it that way. I wouldn't recommend doing that just to be mean to your mages - but it could help if the mages are making the game difficult for others.

[BitBasher]

Just for the record, my game isn't even remotely a Me vs the player game either :D

[ialdabaoth]

Back in the SR2 Anchoring days, we used to have a fun 'flying ring' Anchored Focus based on the Levitate spell, the Fling spell, and a modification of both called the 'Catch' spell.

The way it worked was, putting on the ring activated the Levitate spell, allowing you to hover weightlessly off the ground (but not control your movement). The ring then had a sustained version of the Fling spell anchored to a 'gesture' trigger (pointing your wrist out in front of you and leaning back like Superman), which would accelerate you forward to Force x 15 kph. Then a second gesture (bending your elbow and pulling your fist back towards you) would activate the 'Catch' spell, decelerating you back to 0 kph and holding you there. If you wanted to go in a different direction, just extend your arm fully in that direction and make a fist and ZOOM! off you go. When you want to stop, pull your fist back towards your body and you stop on a dime. We required a lot of Dodge tests to avoid painfully smacking into ferrocrete at 90kph, but other than that, it worked pretty nicely.

I suppose you could do the same thing in 3rd Edition with a stacked Sustaining Focus.

[Phasma Felis]

[Talia Invierno]

Anything canon on this, though? Bracing against recoil using muscles is instinctive. I can't see the same instinct being as readily applied in the average magician.