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Frater Inominatus
If someone makes their grade one initiation using an astral quest, what rating is the quest? Grade one = Rating two (Minimum two)? Or something more difficult. I'm leaning toward something more difficult. Any thoughts?
mfb
technically, it would be a rating 1 quest, but all the TNs would be 2 because 2 is the minimum TN. of course, unless the character has help from a spirit with the Astral Gateway power, or a similar method of accessing the astral plane, you can't do an astral quest as a grade 1 ordeal.
Frater Inominatus
That makes initiating rather easy doesn't it? I mean you are supposed to be delving in to deeper understanding of the nature of magic and all that. If the quest is a rating two, then any two-bit hack could initiate, right?

I was leaning toward 5 + Initiate grade as the quest rating. That forces PCs to be serious about initiating and reduces the, "Oh look Ive got 26 Karma! I think I'll initiate. They will have to advance their character a bit before initiating.
Velocity
From Magic in the Shadows: "The rating of the astral quest is twice the desired grade of initiation." (emphasis mine)

Since the mage is unlikely to do this as their first quest (for the reason mfb mentioned), that means that their target number will be at least 4, if not higher.
mfb
oops, forgot that. so, yeah, the rating of an astral quest for grade 1 will be 2. on the other hand, any free spirit with half a brain (or the metaphysical equivalent thereof) is going to charge karma for the use of its Gateway power, so it works out.
LinaInverse
QUOTE (Frater Inominatus)
That makes initiating rather easy doesn't it? I mean you are supposed to be delving in to deeper understanding of the nature of magic and all that. If the quest is a rating two, then any two-bit hack could initiate, right?

I was leaning toward 5 + Initiate grade as the quest rating. That forces PCs to be serious about initiating and reduces the, "Oh look Ive got 26 Karma! I think I'll initiate. They will have to advance their character a bit before initiating.

Considering that you can't initiate before attempting Grade 2, 5+Grade attempted is unreasonably harsh. As for making it too easy to initiate, someone with 26 karma is going to do it, regardless of the ruling of Astral Quest, considering that you don't have to Quest to Initiate. There are about 6 other Ordeals that work just fine. I've done about 8 or so Astral Quests for a number of reasons; even a Rating 4 quest is not trivial if it's roleplayed right.
blakkie
QUOTE (Frater Inominatus)
That makes initiating rather easy doesn't it? I mean you are supposed to be delving in to deeper understanding of the nature of magic and all that. If the quest is a rating two, then any two-bit hack could initiate, right?

I was leaning toward 5 + Initiate grade as the quest rating. That forces PCs to be serious about initiating and reduces the, "Oh look Ive got 26 Karma! I think I'll initiate. They will have to advance their character a bit before initiating.

First off, what LinaInverse said. The Astral Quest is for a reduction in cost, not a requirement for Initiation.

Secondly, exactly what are you expecting in the way of "advance their character a bit before initiating"? I'm not sure what exactly your goal is?
nick012000
QUOTE (mfb)
technically, it would be a rating 1 quest, but all the TNs would be 2 because 2 is the minimum TN. of course, unless the character has help from a spirit with the Astral Gateway power, or a similar method of accessing the astral plane, you can't do an astral quest as a grade 1 ordeal.

Unless they're a Totem Way adept, in which case their totem takes them along.
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