Spell Threading (Meta-Magic) Options

[Ravor]

Although in the non-Shadowrun setting I'm going to be starting up shortly I'm planning on giving this to all Mages, I think it might be a useful Metamagic in a straight Shadowrun game although I think it needs some serious tweeking in order to be balanced.


Spell Threading is the art of capturing Magic into a stable Spell Matrix that is fueled by a portion of the Mage's own Magic. In order to make use of it a Mage casts a spell, taking Drain as normal, but instead of releasing the spell into the world he instead binds it around his own soul (It's not possible at this time to bind a Matrix into another's soul/Magic, but you can bet people are researching the idea, and whether or not that would allow Mundanes a form of Magic.) to be released at a later time without Drain.

However, until released, each Threaded Spell is treated as a Broken Geasa and must be cast at the same Force it was Threaded with using the Mage's new Magic Score. (Yes, that means that if you have Magic (5) the first Threaded Spell can only be Force 8 at most, with the second Force 6, ect...)

Any ideas on balancing this?

Thanks,

*EDIT*

I am also assuming that a Mage could simply release any number of held Spell Matrix(s) without actually having the spells go off if he was in a bind and suddenly needed his full Magic, or if he wanted to use one of his more powerful Threaded Spells and couldn't because he Threaded enough spells that he couldn't cast the Force required.

Or perhaps only allow him to release the Spell Matrixes one at a time?

[Cheops]

You might want to try something like Spell Matrices equal to Initiate Grade. Place any spell one spell in each matrix without force. When the initiate casts the spell he chooses the force at which to cast it (using normal rules). The initiate gets a number of dice equal to initiate grade to resist drain. Prereqs: Anchoring, Quickening, Filtering, Cleansing.

This way it still fits in with the basic rules more or less, requires less bookkeeping, and still makes it relatively difficult to get for the amount of power you get from it. Remember, any of the higher end ED stuff should still be a ways away. Although with the way that Street Magic was written that may not apply anymore.

Horrors, and False Men, and Legendary Items oh my!

[Aaron]

I might still be dense from too much New Year's Eve party, but how is this not Anchoring?

[Ravor]

Well, basically instead of paying Karma to set up the Anchor, you tie up a point of Magic and can have more of them active at any given time if you are willing to weaken yourself so.

I had forgotten about the Anchoring Meta-Magic after seeing what a Karma Sink it and Quickening were. :oops:

So instead of a 'new Meta-Magic', what do people think about 'balance' if Quickening and Anchoring could be used by tying up Magic instead of Karma if a Mage choose?

[Aaron]

It seems to me that it would be trivializing delayed spells. The game fluff and the mechanics both seem to say that magic that lacks direct influence by some entity's will is a Big Deal, especially when performed on the fly.

On the other hand, it's your non-Shadowrun game. You could use twelve-sided dice and rule that only Scientologists can use magic. Knock yourself out.

[Cheops]