Grounding Spells through Foci, Can it still be done? Options

[Mugzy]

After looking in the SR3 ruls and MiTS, I can't seem to find any instance where a mage from astral space is able to ground a spell through an active foci, provided the spell is a non-targeted, area of effect spell, and using the foci's rating as the resistance factor. Also, the Grimoire 2 alluded to being able to ground through quickened spells, as they were open "vorticies" to astral space, using the spell's rating as the resistance factor.

If I recall correctly, in 2nd Ed, this was a good reason to get masking to mask those foci, and to put a balancing factor on the quickened/locked spell guy, as it would destroy the bond between the mage and the focus, requiring a re-bonding.

I think I remember SR3 saying something about open vorticies to astral space, but not saying anything about grounding spells through foci directly.

Anyone have any info on this? If not, anyone have any house rules? All the games Ive seen about are mage heavy, and this is a great balancing factor to that, being as magic is supposed to be rare.

[Bigity]

This can't be done anymore except with house rules.

All you can do in 3rd edition is to attack the foci or spells themselves, but it won't carry through to the physical plane.

[Fortune]

Grounding of any type as described in earlier versions of Shadowrun does not exist in SR3.

And good riddance!

[Jrayjoker]

So, what is the real balancing factor that is supported by canon? If a mage isn't making him/herself a target then what is the drawback to anchoring/quickening a bunch of spells all the time?

This post has been edited by Jrayjoker: Jan 4 2005, 03:42 PM

[Tarantula]

[Jrayjoker]

So, how bad is that. If I want to play that then I will. There are plenty of other ways to get killed and a lot of them are more likely.

I don't have my books here, what are the drawbacks of focus addiction?

[toturi]

Wards, malicious spirits, FAB, to name a few. Otherwise the karma costs keep things manageable

Quickening doesn't add to Focus addiction, Anchoring does.

[Namergon]

About karma cost : anchoring is much more expensive, and the drain is suffered when the spell is triggered, another new drawback.

[Kanada Ten]

[Jrayjoker]

Too true KT

I like mine to be a bit less evil, but certainly Karma drainers so the mage has a harder time advancing any skills, etc.

[Canid13]

If I think my mage players are getting a little too OTT I slap a nice fat background count on them or have an NPC attack a focus.

Mostly though, my mage player is sensible with his use of magic.

[Jrayjoker]

There sure is a lot to keep track of in the astral world, isn't there.

Liek I said before, I don't have my books. Does it specifically state anywhere that it is now impossible to ground through a focus?

[Canid13]

I think it does in the main rulebook when it's talking about spellcasting and targeting for spells. Could be in the focus/astral object section though.

[Mugzy]

I, for one, see the need to slap the mages around every once in a while. A manabolt is just as deadly as a .45 slug, and mages that I know tend to expect to get away with more.

If I remember, grounding was only an option when using a non targeted area of effect spell, becasue specific targeting between planes was impossible.

[bitrunner]

i, for one, am sorry to see grounding go...

for one, it seemed to fit with the magical concept of "as above, so below", and so if something was dual natured, like an active focus, you could ground a spell through it...the whole point was that you were creating a "bridge"....

why is it that you can possess someone and affect the mundane world, but not ground anymore??

i liked nothing better than having a team protecting a mage in the center, only to have an astral mage drop a manaball down through the link - frying out the focus in the process... (note that you should have to defeat the focus, and any left over damage/successes would then transfer to the mundane world)

i'd at least like to see this return as a metamagic ability...

[Jrayjoker]

I'm with bitrunner. The mage casting the spell also has to resist physical drain for casting while astral, a disincentive if I ever heard of one.

[Mugzy]

Bit, thats brilliant. A Grounding metamagic technique would be a great way to put a little caution into the focus heavy spellslinger.
The concept of a bridge is still there to an extent it seems, but grounding seems to have been mysteriousley omitted altogether, with no reference saying you can or cant shove an AoE spell through

[GrinderTheTroll]

[Jrayjoker]

Ouch to the limit on movement. I suppose you could make a lot of headway, potentially more than your movement allowable (including multiplier), if you were wired to the gills and had three initiative phases and were a dwarf.

bitrunner, should we start an email campaign to Wizkids/FanPro to get a new metamagic technique in the next magic book?

[Cochise]

[Fortune]

[Cray74]

[Jrayjoker]

I would argue that the ubergun would be as visible under the coat as a lightly masked anchor or quickened spell in the astral. And what benefit does a random spirit gain by blasting an anchored/quickened spell, about as much benefit as a second runner does in trying to grab the gun. The only active danger is in combat I would think.

[Kanada Ten]

[Jrayjoker]

Hey, if someone is actively screwing with you and trailing you on the astral, then fine. When I am on a run I tend to act a bit paranoid and check things like that out all the time. Also, if soemone knows I am coming and send a spirit or mage to screw with me before I get there, so be it. I can back off and replan with the new information. Not having a spell erupt around me in a van on the highway is a good thing, and I can do the same thing back to my opponent.