Spell linking, Did I miss something or is this loose writing? Options

[WeaverMount]

SM 60

Unless the anchor has a linked
Detection spell, it can only target someone
or something in direct physical or astral contact
with it. If a Detection spell served as the
trigger, it can aim the anchored spell at any
valid target it detects within range.

So yeah, this is the only reference to linked spells I could find. How do you link spells, or is this just squidy fluff? Do you cast a spell on a spell? Do all spells in your aura have access to the data from detection spells on your aura? Are anchored spells so lame we don't care?

Side note, I'm going to have to brake down and ask, what is the mark-up for attributing a quote on DS?

[Abbandon]

Anchored spells have triggers...... one of the trigger types is a detection spell trigger.

"Do you cast a spell on a spell?" yes. In the black box on pg60 of SM for detection spell triggers it says you have to quicken a detection spell to the anchor or anchor foci. It says you have to pay for this with a trigger cost but it doesnt EVER mention what the trigger cost is. I would assume a trigger cost is just the cost of quickening the spell. They MAY be talking about how you have to pay 1 karma per force of the spell in the anchor and since a detection spell has a force that would make it that much more expensive..

like stunball 6 + detection enemy 6 = 12 karma for the anchor?? + whatever you have to spend to quicken a detect spell to the anchor.

"Do all spells in your aura have access to the data from detection spells on your aura?" Say what?? Anchors are linked to your ass and can be used to track you or be used as a sympathetic link to blast you with magic..... Are you asking about what can a detection spell on a anchor see?? look up the detection spells..


"Are anchored spells so lame we don't care?" Yeah they totally sucks. Who wants to cast any of these spells on people who touch or go somewhere you dont want them to:
-combat spells
-Decrease attribute
-confusion
-control emotions
-Ignite
-levitate
-petrify
-poltergeist
-turn to goo

or beneficial spells
-increase reflexes
-health
-stabilize
-mask
-armor

[Abbandon]

Ok after reading pg190 BBB on quickening I would say the trigger cost for spells is just their normal quickening cost. Stunball 6 + Detect retards invading my house 6 = 12 karma total.

A couple of notes.... quickened spells get bonus dice = to their quickening cost. So you are effectively doubling the spells dice pool when anchoring it. When the stunball 6 activates it will roll 12 dice. I cant remember.. are hits limited to your magic attribute or spell force?? Either way dont forget that. However... Dont forget that you can also dump EXTRA karma into quickened spells somehow...i forget right now... So you could potentially triple the spells dice pool although force = max hits still.

I was going to say that you could use this to say cast a weaker spell like instead of stunball 6 use stunball 3 and it would get 6 dice, but then your limiting your max hits. And also it would be easier for other people to dispell..

The damn book doesnt say anything about how to unravel an anchor spell. If it has 50 triggers on it do you see each trigger indidivually looking at it? Can you try to dispell each one seperately? Can I just dispel the single nasty spell?? Do I have to make a dispel test vs the whole freaking thing at once

[WeaverMount]

yeh, guess your right. Casting a spell on a spell just doesn't feel like in synch with the system. Also I would like some mechanics for what exactly linking entails. It could make for some find ideas, but alas we wont have that. Maybe SR5.

As for you examples of what you could do with an anchored spell, yes all that would be cool. Not however appreciably cooler than an unbound spirit of man on a remote task which is free rather than costing karma, intelligent, can try casting multiple times on multiple targets, doesn't leave your signature hanging around indefendantly, and doesn't require a substandard meta-magic. And if for some reason you have something you need to defend so bad you are willing to pay karma but for some reason still isn't you number one priority, put the spirit on a long term service, again cheaper and better, and without the meta magic.

[Abbandon]

Anchors are for things you want to protect when your not around or leave a nasty surprise in. Having a spirit gaurd your house or bike is one method but where is the mage? Wouldnt he rather have the spirit there helping him out?

Also you could make up these anchors before a run so you dont have to cast spells during.

Hmm wouldnt a bunch of armor/anchor necklaces be dope for your team mates. As soon as they put them on they are freaking tanks for as long as they wear them/ or until the necklaces get nuked by an enemy mage? Sure you can use spells or spirits to do just about everything an anchor can but anchors are for situations where you dont want to be there or have a spirit there. if you dont like them dont use them ? lol.

What do you think linking is doing or suppose to do? Are you trying to think of ways to use linking outside of anchoring metamagic?? The only place you see spell linking is when making an anchor. Whats is confusing you about it? You put one spell in suspension and an infinite amount of triggers on it. They said the triggers are placed on an anchor afterwards so it would probably look the same as a mage with a bunch of active spells on him.

[WeaverMount]

Did you even read my post? I'm not confused about linked spells. I just said I didn't like the feel of loose mechanics, or casting spells on spells. I also said that they could have gone further with the concept of linking.

On the note of paying karma for defense, I think it's a waste. If you don't cool; have fun. If you care to defend your position please establish how long term service isn't head and shoulders better than anchoring?

[Abbandon]

Hey I barely know how to defend myself with my fists and a gun little lone matrix programs and spirits and spells lol.

But while we are talking about anchors... What would it take to spot an anchor? What would it take to try to hide one?? *dives into the rules*

Open anchors:
Immedeately obvious, pg182 assensing/astral perception.

Hiding anchors.....
If you have extended masking: street magic pg 60-61 extended masking
Assensing + Intuition vs masking characters Intuition + magic + initiate grade

Guess taking anchors without extended masking would be pointless.

[WeaverMount]

I didn't look to hard, but I couldn't find out how hard it is to spot a spell in under 90 seconds and gave up

As for hiding them it's extended masking on that infamous page 60 in SM

[hyzmarca]

I didn't look to hard, but I couldn't find out how hard it is to spot a spell in under 90 seconds and gave up

As for hiding them it's extended masking on that infamous page 60 in SM

Anchors are not very useful for a magician but they are amazing for a mundane who wants to be able to use magic and smart mages charge out the wazoo for it.

The classic anchor is a bullet barrier spell triggered by a detect gunfire spell worn on the person of a VIP who doesn't want to get shot and who has the money to pay for portable self-deploying magical ballistic armor.