Astral Hazing for a Magician, Seems like a bad idea, right? Options

[Neraph]

Astral Hazing doesn't surround you, it creates an effect that is. It is probably possible to attune that ambient count, I've never said it wasn't. You are always corrupting the astral space around you, when you move it stays. So yes; the effect it creates is ambient by definition, but the thing causing it isn't.



It generates a background count, it isn't a background count by itself. Now the other key thing is that it says it is a domain in her own right, which is not the same as "is a domain." You can't say everything that applies to a domain applies to it because of the ambiguous wording. Even if it does count as being a site, there are no rules for competing for a site against some already in place domain. You can compete on a site against other magicians trying to aspect the site. If the site is already a domain made by some other force, how do you handle the contest? The rules are only talking about un-aspected sites or fighting over a site with another magician. Nothing about pre-aspected sites.

Of course I understand what you're saying, please don't insult my intelligence just because I disagree with you. I'm not arguing against it being possible, I'm saying it is not covered by the rules and either way you do it is basically a house rule/hand wave.

More about domains:


If the event that causes the mana pool is corrupting astral space, how would that benefit anyone? Also because the domain is created by the Astral Hazing and not your body, it wouldn't matter what you do to it. You change the site to make it pool the mana aspected to your site. In this case the background count being made is tainted, there is no way to make it not tainted.

I'm officially not sure what your problem is now. If your problem is that I'm using the term Astral Hazing to refer to the backround count created by it, just replace Astral Hazing with BC wherever it causes a problem.

Are you absolutely sure about that? I thought the force is subtracted once, not twice like you say. You still can cast spells at force 2 (4 if you overcast) but you have a higher drain?

You are correct. I can't remember where it is, but somewhere is an example of a guy casting a spell on a moon research base, and the BC only affects his magic, not the force of the spell he cast as well.

[Draco18s]

Are you absolutely sure about that? I thought the force is subtracted once, not twice like you say. You still can cast spells at force 2 (4 if you overcast) but you have a higher drain?

Having read the rules over it's not clear. If the magician is inside the BC and the target isn't, the mage's magic is reduced by the rating of the BC. If the target is inside and the mage is not, the spell is reduced in force by the BC's rating. There's no rules for both outside, but BC between (likely nothing for all direct spells, indirects are another matter--the may or may not be effected) or both inside .

At least as far as I'm recalling at the moment.

[cracky]

I'm officially not sure what your problem is now. If your problem is that I'm using the term Astral Hazing to refer to the backround count created by it, just replace Astral Hazing with BC wherever it causes a problem.

Let's look at something else then.

By its nature, the background count in a domain is aspected.
The cause for mana pooling or traveling along a domain is also the
source of its aspect.

The thing causing the Background Count is the source of the aspect. The source in a regular domain has to do with the physical objects in the area, this is why you have to move them around for geomancy. The source in astral hazing is something different though, the source of astral hazing is it feeding on your emotions and tainting astral space around you. Changing your body will not change the source, so it can't count as changing a site. As long as you are generating a tainted background count it can't be beneficial, and according to Astral Hazing you are always generating a tainted background count.

The closest thing you could call the 'site' would have to be your genes, and you would have to alter them somehow to make the cause of the background count different just like changing a normal site would do.

[Neraph]

The thing causing the Background Count is the source of the aspect. The source in a regular domain has to do with the physical objects in the area, this is why you have to move them around for geomancy. The source in astral hazing is something different though, the source of astral hazing is it feeding on your emotions and tainting astral space around you. Changing your body will not change the source, so it can't count as changing a site. As long as you are generating a tainted background count it can't be beneficial, and according to Astral Hazing you are always generating a tainted background count.

The closest thing you could call the 'site' would have to be your genes, and you would have to alter them somehow to make the cause of the background count different just like changing a normal site would do.

Actually, the BC is being caused, not by your genes, but by thoughts and emotions pooling around you (possibly also caused by you). So, with proper mental and emotive training, you would be able to better coincide with your given tradition. For example, a shaman thanking the Great Spirit before each meal (maybe even before each bite), and giving apologies to every enemie's spirit that he kills.

But basically, I thought that:
1) The Astral Hazing is caused by your body.
2) Changing your body looks cooler than thinking differently. Also, changing your body would cause others to think differently about you, further changing the general "mood" of whatever location you are in.

I honestly think you're reading way too far into this.

[cracky]

Actually, the BC is being caused, not by your genes, but by thoughts and emotions pooling around you (possibly also caused by you). So, with proper mental and emotive training, you would be able to better coincide with your given tradition. For example, a shaman thanking the Great Spirit before each meal (maybe even before each bite), and giving apologies to every enemie's spirit that he kills.

But basically, I thought that:
1) The Astral Hazing is caused by your body.
2) Changing your body looks cooler than thinking differently. Also, changing your body would cause others to think differently about you, further changing the general "mood" of whatever location you are in.

I honestly think you're reading way too far into this.

That's a good point, I thought of the emotions being a site too. I decided against mentioning it though because the background count doesn't fluctuate based on your emotions. Since the trait is a genetic one, I went with that. You could make a good case for the emotional thing though.

I agree the body idea is cool, like maybe full body tattoos and what not.

I probably am reading too much into it. I'm not against it though, I'm just trying to say that by the book it's not really covered at all.

[Ravor]

Personally this is a case where I think the "proper" solution is to throw heavy objects at the head of whoever tried to pull it off at the table. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cyber.gif)

[Neraph]

That's a good point, I thought of the emotions being a site too. I decided against mentioning it though because the background count doesn't fluctuate based on your emotions. Since the trait is a genetic one, I went with that. You could make a good case for the emotional thing though.

I agree the body idea is cool, like maybe full body tattoos and what not.

I probably am reading too much into it. I'm not against it though, I'm just trying to say that by the book it's not really covered at all.

I was thinking even more than full tattoos, like what Nightcrawler did in X-Men 2. Scarification, tattoos, and implants. For example, a Christian tradition branding crosses into his skin, and scarring his hands and feet as if he were crucified, as well as tattooing some scriptures on himself (although all of that is clearly against the Bible - look in Leviticus - for the sake of an example I gave it).

Besides, Astral Hazing is not genetic; it is an Awakened anomoly. You are not reborn into a CZ, you are made one. Although I see your reasoning if gained from SURGE...