At least in my campaigns it's illegal to set people on fire , it doesn't matter if magic is used, I don't know how your DM runs things though so I won't judge ... Generally speaking though, it doesn't matter if you set someone on fire with a can of gas and a zippo, a WWII surplus flamethrower, or a force 24 fireball, the cops (and most juries) tend to frown on that sort of behavior.

don't forget...it's not murder unless they have a SIN.

Just to echo the sentiment, it's illegal to know a spell to safely knock on an assailant, but legal to know a spell that could, potentially, set someone on fire.

It's legal for me to own, and even use, a ballpoint pen, but that doesn't men it's legal for me to stab someone in the eye with it.

Ignite doesn't kill people, Mages kill people!

-- Commission to ban Mages.

It's just like our gun laws today. It is illegal to possess a fully automatic weapon, or a shoulder mounted rocket. Because these are devices that are defined as having no purpose but to kill people.

It is legal to own a handgun, a rifle, and even a semi-automatic weapon, because these devices have purposes other than killing people. They *can* kill people, but also can do other things.

Combat spells by definition are created to hurt/kill people, and nothing else.

I suspect One Less Deer is illegal under the idea that knowing One Less Deer can pretty easily allow knowing One Less Human.

And also because defining legality codes for every single possible spell is annoying.

I could easily see the general rule of Combat == F being broken in certain aspects. However, I can just as easily see things like "Wreck Battlefield Earth" redone using Manipulation principles.

I think this spell should not only be legal, but highly encouraged.


Well, Levitate has the famous 'levitate someone x meters up and drop them', which can essentialy do more damage than a manaball.

Im still a little weird with all combat spells being forbidden. There are plenty of pretty hefty guns that are only R. I mean, an argument might be 'well, guns are used for selfe defense and hunting.' Could a combat spell be self defense? And who goes hunting with an SMG, AR, or full-auto shotgun(all R legality?)

Ok, answer to that: some critters nowadays NEED a FA Shotgun or AR to take them out, true. A manaball would be effective also, though. I think a critter hunter should be able to get a permit for combat spells.

I dunno, i dont see why combat spells couldnt be R. While guns HAVE other purposes as mentioned...you could use spells for the same thing. Mages going hunting? I agree, might be more humane than a gun!

I suppose i think of it like Guns: used for self defense(scaring away or hurting/killing people), hurting/killing people, hunting, security, etc.

Combat Spells: Self defense, hurting/killing people, hunting, security.

Elemental Manipulation Spells: As above, but also include electrocution, setting things on fire, and melting them to sludge.

Well, houserules are easy enough. And, as mentioned, there is nothing said that EVERY place has to have forbidden combat spells.

Pretty much.

owning a gun is not illegal (unless you lack the permit, which can be traced etc...) so like you pointed out it is "Restricted
it is also a physical piece of evidence that 100% of the investigation teams can investigate.
it is however "Forbidden" to conceal a firearm without special permit, and even then it is illegal when inside of a structure where the owners prohibit it. which is pretty much everywhere.
even when concealing a weapon it is your duty to inform those in authority anytime you come in contact with them that you are indeed concealing a weapon.
but you cannot know a mage can cast a combat spell until he does.

outside of rational thought like has been pointed out people fear things that they don't understand treating it with violence and prejudice.

There was a thread about spitits a day or two back that went into great detal about how expert testimony from forensic magicians who will assense the signature will have you hung.

Note: My reference does not imply agreement.

But you'd know where he isn't pointing his spell.

Not necessarily. Many runners walk a grey line.

There's also a heap of difference when you're buying a fake SIN and fake license. If you get stopped carrying 5 R Firearms and you whip out your Security Consulant license, you get a glare, and told to move on. The assumption that all runners are breaking the law all the time isn't true at all. I know that I personally consider my equipment list fairly carefully in that regard - if I take something that's F (beyond a fake SIN/License), it's either something easily concealable, something I can afford to throw away, or I go whole hog, and pick up *all* the stuff I want that's F.

I do think the argument relating a spell to a concealed weapon is an interesting one.

Additionally, I think this dovetails nicely in to Emergence. This is precisely the sort of thing that I suspect will hit TMs as well. They do the same thing a hacker does, but they do it with their minds. A commlink is no concern, a TM freaks people out.