Adepts and Foci, Adepts, Power Foci & Spell Category Foci Options

[Mr.Sinister]

I have an Adept I created using the info provided in the SR3 sourcebook. My GM limits us to what is found in that sourcebook for character creation to keep us all on the same level at first. We use material available in other books (like Cannon Companion, Man and Machine, Magic in the Shadows, etc) as supplements for things we can gain as rewards through our adventures.

Anyway, on to my questions...

I know the SR3 sourcebook specifically states that my Adept can bond and use weapon foci. This being said, it's obvious that my Adept can perform the bonding ritual to use foci (spending time+karma). Is it possible that my Adept can then bond a Spell Category Foci (SCF)? I know I can't cast spells, so the additional dice for the casting/drain test does not apply, however, the SCF can also supply dice for spell defense against spells of that same category. Can my Adept use a SCF only for spell defense, ignoring the uses for actual spell casting?

Along those same lines, can my Adept bond a Power Focus, also ignoring the casting/drain dice and use it only for spell defense? Since the Power Focus also adds to the owner's Magic rating, can I then use that additional boost in Magic to gain additional Adept Powers only while in possession of the Power Focus?

I've looked through the SR3 sourcebook several times and didn't find anything relating to this being possible or not. I've also looked at the FAQ section on the shadowrun.com website with no luck (only info there was about creating foci, which I assume applies to talismongering and therefore does not apply to my questions).

Any help? Thanks!

-Mr. Sinister

[Jrayjoker]

IIRC you can only bond foci at character creation with spell points. Therefore the physical adept cannot bond foci immediately. (If the Physad can bond foci it must be with magic points directly, and therfore limit the number and level of powers he can choose at startup). I do not have my books here, so I may be talking out of my butt.

With regard to bonding power foci and spell foci, I have always ruled that the spell foci was a no no because the physad has no concept of casting spells, but the power foci is a great question. I'd love to hear a canon answer too.

[lorthazar]

deleted due to continuity error

[Bigity]

Isn't the Sorcery skill required for Spell Defense anyway?

[RedmondLarry]

Sorcery skill is required for Spell Defense, as Bigity says. A regular Adept can not have it. From the online FAQ:

[Jrayjoker]

Now that the accuracy of my butt has been verified, I will retire to the water closet to partake in some target practice.

[Mr.Sinister]

Well, this is not good. Who do I petition for a rule change? :D

So, basically, my Adept with a Willpower of 6 can't do anything to help his chances against a Mage who casts a single Manabolt at 5M rolling say 11 dice? Even if this Mage gets 4 successes it will bump the damage up to Deadly, and I'll need to match or beat 4 successes of a target number of 5 using only 6 dice allocated to my Willpower.

I was hoping that I could spend some cash and karma on the Foci to help this seemingly uneven situation.

Can spell damage be reduced based on number of successes towards the resistance test or is it "all or nothing" of the full brunt of the spell?


Is there nothing that can help me out or should I just kill the character off and make a cyber-mage?

Thanks guys,

-Mr. Sinister

[lorthazar]

if he has got astral perception and sorcery skill he can attempt to engage the spell in physical combat if the GM is kind. Plus i believe in the Companion they stated that All adept get the spell points but Adepts can only spend them on initiation at creation or weaon foci.

[Frenzy]

ie KILL THE MAGE FIRST!

[Jrayjoker]

Your physad with 6 Will is still in pretty good shape. The odds of him hitting are 11/6 and the odds of you resisting is 12/6. Your odds are better overall I think. And once he casts at you, geek 'im. Odds are you are faster, tougher, and a better shot.

This post has been edited by Jrayjoker: Jan 11 2005, 09:25 PM

[Mr.Sinister]

[Mr.Sinister]

[LinaInverse]

[Jrayjoker]

Mr.S,

you have two numbers per die that succeed, so 2 chances per die, six dice. I should have written 12/6, btw.

[Mr.Sinister]

True, but even if I win initiative and attack another foe, I can still be dropped instantly. Let's face it, a Mage can wear armor, increase his body, use an armor spell and be better at taking bullets than I can - then he can drop me in an instant. with one spell. So, initiative doesn't mean much.

This seems out of balance to me.

[Mr.Sinister]

[Jrayjoker]

Thank goodness the mages are very rare, then! Wait, I have never played a game where the ratio of mages to mundanes/physads was less than 1:5. Hmmm, seems like a lot more than the one in a million I recall from SR1 (or was it 2?).

[Jrayjoker]

Also, Mr. S...I am no statistician, so I may be incredibly wrong on how I interpret odds on dice rolls.

[Mr.Sinister]

[James McMurray]

The defesive power of mages is the reason we're implementinga house rule that any dice pulled from one pool also subtract from other pools. That way if that mage dumps all of his spell pool into blasting you and soaking the drain, he doesn't still have his entire combat pool for defense. We'll use the rule for a few sessions and see how things work out.

[Jrayjoker]

Interesting. Other than for game balance what is the rationale? Concentration, focusing will takes a simple action, what?

[James McMurray]

The rationale is that there's only so many different things you can focus on in 3 seconds.

But of course we didn't really bother with a rationale. If a rule makes things more balanced, reasons for it aren't that big of a deal in our group unless the rule is a fundamental concept about the world. i.e. changing dice pools to come from a communal bucket is not a fundamental change. Making it so that shamen lose their totems in a campaign where totems have been around would require some rationale.

[Mr.Sinister]

Ok, back to one of my other questions...

Can an Adept bond a power focus to increase his magic rating and then gain additional Adept Powers while he is in possession of the focus?

[mfb]

no. that's what Infusion foci are for.

[Mr.Sinister]