Magic Drain Test Options

[Asmiv]

Can somebody tell me in a very simple logic on how do we test for magic drain after casting a spell...and does the level of damage affects the drain test.

Especially those manabolt and similar combat spells..

Thks!

[mfb]

halve the force of the spell, then add the drain modifier. resist using Will + Spell Pool + any Sorcery/Conjuring dice you held back. for damaging and healing spells, the base Drain Level equals the Damage Level you're causing/curing.

[RedmondLarry]

Tutorial on spellcasting Drain Codes.

Examine the most basic combat spell with the simplest drain code, Manabolt. Its drain code is "+0(Damage Level+0)". To calculate the drain for a Force 6 manabolt, you start by dividing the force in half (round down) and then add the first modifier. (6/2) + 0 results in a target number for resisting drain of 3. The damage level for Manabolt drain is the same as the Damage Level you picked when casting the spell, not shifted up or down (the "Damage Level + 0" part of the drain code). So if you cast a Force 6 Serious Damage Manabolt, you resist 3S drain. Rolling Willpower (and perhaps part of your Spell Pool) you'll need Six dice at 3 or better to take no damage, which can be accomplished with 9 dice about half the time. Safer to use 10 or 11 dice. At force 5, you would resist 2S drain, because of the rounding down. This would require six dice of 2 or better, which can often be accomplished on 7 dice, but safer to use 8 or 9. Many beginning magicians will only cast Manabolt for Moderate Damage, to make it easier for them to resist the drain.

In the short notation I use on my character sheets, I call this a "+0 +0" drain code.

Consider Stun Ball, which is -1(DL+1) . The magician will have to roll 2 or better for his drain test for any force from 1 through 7 as long as he casts it at Serious base damage or less. At force 7 here's the calculation: (7/2) round down is 3, minus 1 is 2. The Drain Level is one level higher than the damage he's trying to do to the target. So a 7S Stun Ball will have 2D drain. A 1S Stun Ball will have -1D drain, but you'll still need eight 2s to take no damage.

In the short notation I use on my character sheets, I call this a "-1 +1" drain code.

If you cast Stun Ball at Deadly, the drain code indicates you have to resist one level higher than Deadly. A special rule handles this: for each level it tries to go above deadly the TN is instead raised by 2. So a 7D stunball will have a 4D drain , and a 3D stunball will have a 2D drain code.

An example of a tough drain code is Increase Reflexes+3, with a +3D drain code. Cast at force 1 the drain is 3D.

[Asmiv]

:D Many Thanks Chummers!

[gknoy]

:notworthy:

You guys answered the question I had been meaning to ask. Thanks, OurTeam! =D

[Dashifen]

[mfb]

er, wouldn't it be easier to just have the competition stop gathering in convenient, ----ball-sized groups?

[Beast of Revolut...]

There should be some kind of bonus for having modified target numbers below 2. Like, for every point the modified TN is below 2, you get one automatic success on the drain test.

[RedmondLarry]

The advantage of a drain target number below 2 is when you cast while already sustaining one or more other spells. When Spellcasting, there is a +2 penalty for the success test and the drain test for each spell you are already sustaining. For example, "Invisibility, Elf-only" would be easier to cast on 3 Elves, one after another, than a regular Invisibility spell.

[mfb]

right. the total TN can't go below 2. so, sustaining/multiple-casting/astral perception/whatever mods can be ignored.

[RedmondLarry]

nit: astral perception doesn't give a penalty to either spellcasting or drain tests.

[mfb]

doesn't it? i thought it gave a +2 TN to all tests.

[Anymage]

+2 TN for all purely physical actions. (Although damage resistance isn't affected even if your physical body gets punctured by a wholly physical bullet.) And since both magical actions and damage resistance tests bypass the penalty, drain resistance definately does too.

[hobgoblin]

gah, didnt know i could hold back sorcery dice to help in drain, and i definetly didnt know i could split conjuring the same way that one seems to be able to split sorcery...

[Anymage]

By the rules, you can't set aside sorcery dice to help against drain. You can virtually do this, since spell pool dice can go either way, but pure sorcery has nothing to do with it.

Conjuring, on the other hand, you can do this for. Probably because while the sorcerers have spell pool as a swing, conjurers have *only* their conjuring dice to roll.

[mfb]

er, huh. i thought you could, but now that i look for a page reference, i can't find any.

[Dashifen]

[hobgoblin]

looks like i need to read over the basic magic rules, again. how many moresmall things did they mess with?

[RedmondLarry]

42

[hobgoblin]

thanks ourteam, that somehow makes sense ;)