We have a nice selection of spells that go largely ignored by many Magicians. High drain is the largest complaint and the fact that it's easier to shoot a gun than throw a Flamethrower spell.

It seems a bit restrictive. Though many of the combat spells with their elemental effects are hard to reproduce mundanely a similar enough effect can be achieved without drawing on magical resources. The larger array of Illusion and Manipulation spells are a lot more preferrable than a Mage that can cast Lightning Ball real well.

Most of the time only two spells are taken; Powebolt, a low drain, high efficiency spell, and Stunball the "sleep" spell. For flavour, a few take the Touch-range spells for their "cast all day at twice your Magic" capability.

So how about some more ways to blow stuff up? These are just fun ideas that aim to do the following:
- Minimize drain
- Offer an alternative to firearms
- Provide flexibility
- Not be "overpowered", might fail there though.


New Combat Spell Types


Spell Slinging (Indirect, Elemental)
Type: Physical (Elemental)
Range: LOS (Thrown Grenades - Standard: Force as Strength)
Duration: Sustained
Drain Value: (F/2) +3

The lance of fire, the coil of electricity, the whip of sound, even the toxic breath, all are fundamentally the same basic spell. The Magician draws and shapes mana and acts as a 'capacitor' for discharging it. The spell manifests itself differently for each mage, but all operate it in the same manner.

Note: Eyes glow, fists sparkle, mouths reek, etc., while the spell is sustained.

Each casting of the spell adds the Force of the spell plus the net hits as ammunition or 'charges'. Only one net hit is necessary for the spell to succeed and always has a minimum of Force + 1 charges. This is the number of times the caster can attack with one casting of Spell Slinging. The caster can attack in the same complex action when the spell is first cast. The -2 modifier applies as normal, except when attack with the spell.

Sustaining the spell automatically ends when the last charge is used. The mage can choose to end it any time before then as normal.

To attack with the spell, use the Indirect Combat Spell rules for single targets each time the caster wants to use a charge and attacks with a Simple Action. This is similar to using Agility + Pistols, for example, and incurs no additional rolls for Drain (apart from the initial casting to sustain the spell) and does not suffer from the -2 sustaining modifier.

However, unlike its one-shot cousins, Spell Slinging has a limited range, using the Thrown Grenades (Standard) for distances using the Spell's Force as the Strength. No other grenade rules apply. The dice pool modifier for range does not apply to the actual "attack" test but rather is removed from the Spell's damage value (which is the spell's Force, and net hits to the attack test, Magic + Spellcasting, add to it).

This spell cannot be sustained through a focus and cannot be boosted using any other focus. Must choose one Elemental effect when learning the spell.

Advantages
- Multiple uses through one moderately high drain spell.
- Simple Action to 'sling' the spell.
- At Force 3-4, Spell Slinging mimics the range of a Heavy Pistol.
- Indirect, so it's not just one chance to damage spell.
- Elemental effects are always fun.
Disadvantages
- Limited range. As long as you can see something naturally (or through non-electronic means) with a Powerbolt you can hit it. Not so here.
- Trackable; a stunball is invisible, but a shearing band of raging sound isn't so subtle.
- Even a Force 12 spell can't reach an Assault Rifle beyond 120 metres.
- Cannot be used with a Focus of any kind. The caster himself must sustain the spell, and that means a -2 on everything but attacking with this spell.


Elemental Trap (Indirect, Area, Elemental)
Type: Physical
Range: LOS (A)
Damage: Physical (Elemental)
Duration: Permanent (Lasts Force x 10 minutes)
Drain Value: (F/2) + 5

A twisted take on an old Manipulation favourite, Elemental Traps are 'delayed' Spells that combine the Elemental Wall spell archetype with the direct application of a Combat spell. However, instead of applying the Wall's effect vertically the spell is lain on the floor or draped across a wall or any other surface as long as the total square area is less than or equal to twice the spell's Force.

The area must be contiguous.

The caster specifies a simple condition to activate the trap. Movement near it, moving over it at a specific point in the area, voices ringing down the hall, a specific time (within the spell's time limit), etc. Nothing too fancy like waiting for a specific person, voice, or phrase. Can be remotely triggered or activated by a friendly Spirit astrally.

The spell is quite visible astrally even after it has been made 'permanent'. Can be dispelled like a sustained spell.

When triggered the Elemental Trap's effect engages the entire area and damages targets within Force - 1 metres from the edge of the the trap area, dealing Force damage and reducing the damage by 1 for every metre beyond the first from the edge. This spell cannot be overcast. Must choose one elemental effect when learning the spell. The spell dissipates after being triggered but leaves a very colourful astral signature.

Advantages
- Great patrol ambush spell, lay down the magical trap and tell it to blow up when someone approaches the end of its area of effect. Great 'car bomb'.
- Relatively low drain.
- Great distraction; set it to trigger in case an alarm is heard an offer a big explosion to confuse things, or slow down the likely approach of corp security with an Ice Trap.
- Damage area includes the surface it is 'painted' on.
- Probably too strong if extruded to less than a metre square in width; so limit that. You can run a 1cm line through an entire base and blow it up like that. If you could see the entire area that is.
- Beneficial effects possible; detecting fire the Water Trap triggers and extinguishes it.
Disadvantages
- High drain.
- Astrally visible, so much so that it makes other astral signatures look dull. Sets off all those semi-mundane Astral Projection measures.
- Can be triggered by friendlies.
- Laying it on the floor sounds like a good idea until you blast through the floor and cave it all in. Or maybe that's an Advantage?
- Elemental effects are fun but wild.
- Cannot be lain on moving targets.


Bombshell (Indirect, Area, Elemental)
Type: Physical
Range: LOS (A) (Thrown Grenade - Aerodynamic)
Damage: Physical (Elemental)
Duration: Instantaneous
Drain Value: (F/2) + 3

A magical grenade this spell attempts to replicate the mundane but bouncy effects of the common 'pineapple'. Whereas other Indirect Area Combat Spells can affect unseen targets this spell is meant to be thrown blindly across corridors or dropped down stairways unseen.

It has no real summoned form, but is given physical consistency to allow it to roll, bounce, and so on.

In game terms this means the caster selects an area to place the Bombshell, out of line of sight is possible but it must be within Force x Thrown Grenade (Aerodynamic) metres from the caster. The area would also be normally reachable by a normal grenade, GM's discretion. Bombshells do scatter, treated as an Aerodynamic grenade.

Bombshells dissipate the combat turn after they were cast if detonation does not occur. Free action by the caster can trigger it before turn ends. Does not harm a target if hurled into their face, unless that was the condition in which case the spell blows up like a normal Indirect Area combat spell.

Advantages
- Slightly lower drain than other Indirect Area spells.
- Delayed action gives greater flexibility.
- Elemental effects... yep.
- Reach normally unreachable places.
- Moderate drain value.
Disadvantages
- Scatter is a pain.
- Limited range.
- Visual 'trail' as the spell is cast, leaving a big 'shoot here' arrow.


Imbue (Direct, Touch, Elemental)
Type: Physical
Range: Touch
Damage: Physical (Elemental)
Duration: Sustained
Drain Value: (F/2) + 1

Favoured by martially-capable mages, Imbue grants an Elemental effect to a melee or projectile weapon of choice; be they gloves, arrows, or even cyber implants. Like Spell Slinging this grants a limited number of charges determined by the Force + net hits. However, this requires a secondary set of skills for whatever weapon is imbued; Blades, Unarmed, etc.

Even thrown weapons and arrows can be imbued. However, each thrown shuriken or loosed arrow consumes a charge. Bullets, for the sake of balance, cannot. Each time a charge is consumed an appropriate weapons test must be made.

The spell deals Force / 2 elemental damage (round down, yes that's right, round down) to the target on top of the weapon's normal damage. Cannot be reduced by armour but can be resisted as a direct combat spell. If the mundane attack fails the charge is wasted and does no extra damage on its own. The damage is cumulative with other effects.

Imbue does not have to be learned for each type of weapon. It can be applied to up two melee weapons the character is wielding (one in each hand), or Agility / 2 thrown weapons that have been readied. The weapon is imbued at the moment of damaging contact, or in a projectile weapon's case when it is released. Therefore, charges are not consumed when on the defense.

The spell is not learnt for one type of weapon, but for one type of Elemental effect.

Advantages
- Low enough drain for potential extra firepower.
- Extra, but not too extra, damage for normally low-damaging skills.
- Flaming swords. Electric shuriken. Blast Gloves.
Disadvantages
- Must be sustained to use and refreshed.
- Most mages don't like rubbing elbows with the Street Sam due to lower Body and armour.
- Those two combined means the normally squishy mage will have an even worse time surviving; specialist spell.
- The spell is not subtle. Swords are on fire. Shuriken are chittering with electricity, the Blast Gloves are positively howling.

...I think mundanes have enough to make their life in difficult in dealing with Stun/Mana/Power Bolt/Ball and Mental manipulation spells.

True enough, but this is decidedly less powerful than Control Thoughts. Or even many Illusion spells.

Umm, wouldn't Imbue as written above break the restriction against magical missiles and the like?

I distinctly remember reading fluff and rules saying no one had been able to make a magical missile.

Though I don't think I'd use these spells, I like the ideas. Combat spells are boring generally (especially since everyone just takes Direct spells, which are extra boring), so I like anything that will add some interest to Combat spells.

Though I know it breaks hard from canon to do so, I'm considering, if I run a brand new campaign in the near future, removing Direct combat spells from the Combat group. Health would gain touch-required direct damaging mana spells, and manipulation would gain the physical equivalents at higher drain. I'd probably make some other changes (like making mind control Illusion), but the goal would be promoting more interesting magic.

I hate Stunbolts.

All in all, though, I like these ideas, if not so much the excution.

..yeah, but Ingram Smartguns, Ares Predators, and Ares Alphas are also boring, yet almost ever character I've seen will choose them over the other selections because they're the best on the list.

I've seen quite a bit of variety in people's choices of guns in my group, so that comparison doesn't really work for me. Maybe other folks have seen little variety in gun choices, but that hasn't been an issue in my game.

I, personally, would like to see some more motivation to try more interesting things.

...actually I just did a PC who uses the Fabuki. no one in our group has ever chosen this weapon before, but for this character it fits nicely.

The Ingram Smartguns, Ares Predators, and so on are the standard for a good reason; they're solid weapons that pack a lot of punch for their price.But you know what? People still pack the other guns to be different.

Eryk, thanks. What would you change? I too was pretty bored with the Combat Spells, they're just all so samey with different elements. Meh.

I like some of these Ideas. Combat spells have the issue of being "magic missile" with options. It does damage at LOS. Options include stun, elemental effect, touch range, area of effect. It gets boring, when the other groups have much greater variation.

What you've got written, however, is way to verbose. it's not really a good idea for a spell unless you can get all the rules down in 2 paragraphs or less.

A few I've written before are:

Sustained touch spells. I called them "-blade", as in powerblade, flame blade, etc. as long as you sustain the spell your touch does the appropriate damage. Reach modifiers available for +1 drain, up to 2. Actually, it was "-fist" for reach 0 versions, "-blade" for reach 1, and "-spear" for reach 2.

Touch range area spells. "-nova". Emminates out from you, effecting everyone in the radius except for you. Not very popular with teammates.

I really like how you handled sustained ranged spells. I'd make the -2 apply even to the spell you are maintaining, however, and allow you to use a sustaining focus. First, it gives a solid reason why it doesn't just replace regular combat spells, and why bother creating extra rules? The sustaining focus acts as a mage's pistol. Hell, they are expensive enough anyway. That cuts out one paragraph. The thrown range thing is a bit weird. I'd make the range "Fx10 m" or somesuch, whatever the range is detection spells or the like. Extended version available. Again, making use of the existing ranges listed for spells.

I like the concept. I especially like having a wider variety in spells and having spells that make sense for starting characters and others that require some experience to use properly. I think something that looked like the following might be slightly better balanced.

Spell Slinging (Indirect, Elemental)
Type: Physical (Elemental)
Range: Self
Duration: Sustained
Drain Value: (F/2) +4

This spell creates a visible energy field around the caster which can be channeled outwards towards his enemies. The spell has a number of charges equal to the hits on the spellcasting test.

To make an attack with this spell use the Thrown Weapon skill with a range equal to (FxM)m. Base damage is (F)P.

You could have variations of the spell for touch attacks, AOE on impact, multiple elemental effects, added reach to touch, etc. I increased the drain by +1 because this is more powerful than a standard flame thrower spell.

That sounds good, but it doesn't address the one issue Spell Slinging did; no other combat skills other than Spellcasting was necessary. If you suddenly have to use Thrown Weapons you might as well have stuck with the Ares Predator.

Ditto for the number of charges, Force + hits might be too much but hits alone might be too little.

And yes, I am verbose when I'm trying to feel out new things. Well, I'm verbose all the time and the original post was actually edited hehe.

How about you get (force) charges then? Stays nice and constant. The initial casting test would only really be useful for dispelling it, then. Hmmm. I'll give it more thought.


::More thought Later::

The biggest problem with the slinging spell is overcasting. You overcast it once, and you get force + hits in overcasted missiles. And you still only have to resist drain once. Now you could try to fix this by adding a rule against overcasting, but we need to keep it simple and not make a spell that works totally differently from every other spell in the game. The more I think about it, the more I think this spell is inherently unworkable.

Here's an idea, however, for getting a similar effect.

Elemental Matrix (elemental)

This spell gathers an elemental charge into an astral focus that the mage can tap into to supercharge his spells. Any physical combat spell cast by the mage while the spell is sustained becomes an indirect combat spell with the elemental effect appropriate to the matrix (fire, acid, etc.). The elemental effect can even be added to another elemental spell, stacking effects. The spell can effect a number of combat spells equal to force+hits before it's charge is exhausted.

This spell essentially allows you to sling firebolts around while only taking powerbolt drain. You sorta pay the drain up front. Also, you have to sustain the spell, so you'll have those -2 dice off unless you have a combat sustaining focus. (Finally, a reason for one!)

Here's another new Idea:

Retribution

Popular among deulists and counter-mages, Retribution is a nasty surprise waiting for anyone who targets the recipient. The spell is sustained, creating a charge of energy, until the next time someone other than the caster targets the recipient with a spell. As soon as that happens, the charge travels up the astral link targeting a spell creates, and damages the caster of the triggering spell. This ends the spell. This spell is especially nasty against ritual sorcery, as each member of the ritual team will feel the full brunt of this spell.

Obviously, stun versions exist. Area versions are nasty surprises for anyone watching over the other mage. Physical versions would normally be pointless, as a spellcaster is always alive, unless combined with the area effect version. Despite being a touch range spell, I figured drain as if for a LOS spell, since the effect is ranged. Also, you'll notice that the mage can cast this on someone else. This leaves some nasty tricks open. First, if the spell is triggered, the sustaining mage is no longer sustaining, which lets them know the person they protected is under magical assault. You could also cast it on a wounded enemy as a nasty surprise for a healer mage.

::edit:: I took out the full spell descriptions, including drain values and what not, because you never know, I may submit this to be in a later book.

A simpler solution: Magic. Overcasting is still an issue since you'll get a lot of higher Force slinging done but it's a bit more bearable.

I like Elemental Matrix, although it becomes a bit more complicated there turning spells into something else. But what a nice way to add some oomph to boring spells.

What happens when you try casting one of those dual-elemental spells? Three elemental effects?

It can probably be a cousin to Imbue. I do like it.



Thoughts on Spell Slinging revision:
- Independence from Combat Skills.
- Moderate drain
- Reliable but not too high amount of charges.
- Comparable range to Heavy Pistols, Initiation or Overcasting required to get past 72 metres.


Spell Slinging (Indirect, Elemental)
Type: Physical (Elemental)
Range: Self
Duration: Sustained
Drain Value: (F/2) + 4

This spell grants the caster a number of charges equal to his effective Magic attribute. These charges can be released by the caster as a Simple Action at any target within LOS as an Indirect spell, using Magic + Spellcasting in an opposed test vs the target's ranged defense + counterspelling. The test does not suffer the -2 drain modifier for sustaining the spell nor does 'slinging' inflict drain after the initial casting.

Sustaining lasts until the charges are all used up or whenever the caster decides. Must specify the elemental effect when choosing the spell.

Maximum range is Force x 10 metres. EDIT: It's just easier this way.

Good, except what do hits on the initial casting of the spell actually DO?

Also, The overcast issue is a game-breaker. You only have to resist the overcast drain once, but you get (magic) uses of the overcast spell. That's effectively (magic-1) free overcast powerbolts. Even an increase in the initial drain won't balance that out. Go ahead and give it a try, but I think you'll find this prediction correct.

Yeah, I think that's gonna be a bit too powerful. I think perhaps overcasting shouldn't be possible for this spell.

Good point about the initial hits... no clue. Magic + hits = Charges?

It might just be the way we play the game, but generally we are either fighting a lot of grunts, in which their massed fire and tactics become a problem, but it we hit them with spell or bullet they usually drop in one or two shots depending on skill and overcasting, or we are fighting a very tough opponent, Prime Runner or GM made group of bad guys, and they usually have counterspelling AND nonconductive/fire resist/Insulation. So, indirect combat spells with a single target just usually don't come up unless an NPC uses it on us. My mage has Stunbolt and Lightning Ball and I would never take Lightning Bolt or Flamethrower or Acid Stream, they are just inefficient, I would much rather beat their hits with my spellcasting test and get F+whatever in damage rather than have them resist with Reaction, then Body+Counterspelling+half impact+4-6 from armor upgrades.

I see Spell Slinging as a viable alternative to indirect single target spells.


Chris

If you have to disallow a basic aspect of the magic system, then the spell is broken. Rather than disallow overcasting, the spell itself needs to be altered so overcasting isn't broken.

Here's some ideas:

1: damage equals magic rating, charges equals force+hits.
This would make overcasting get you more charges, but not more damage. Of course, it also means the damage doesn't vary at all. this would have a problem at the lower end, where a foce 1 spell would have a damage of (magic), but ths is more easily compensated for. Simply maake sure the drain code at orce 1 is higher that the drain for the equivalent single cast spell at force 6, and it'll be OK.

2: Damage equals hits, Charges equals force.

No need to ge magic into the equation. Has some of the same problems as overcasting, but less because you only get them with the dice to back them up. I mean, if you want to have a DV10 attack with this spell, you'll need to get 10 hits on the initial spellcasting test.

3: Rework the concept. I think, overall, the idea of a multi-use spell such as this is going to cause balance issues any way you slice it. Something sustained the modifies the casting of other spells, though... Lets take another look at elemental matrix.

If what we want is a combat mage slinging spells away without knocking themselves out from drain, then elemental effects are the real killer. You already can sling powerbolts all day. Drain of (f/2+1), so at force 6 it's a 4, and most mages can swing 3-4 hits on drain resistance. Manabolt is easier, stunbolt even easier. If you take drain on stunbolt you may as well retire. However, flamethrower has a drain code of (F/2)+3. At force 6 the typical mage would take 3 stun for that, and most people don't feel the added elemental effect is worth it. So style goes out the window in favor of staying concious.

So we've already got willy nilly fearless spellcasting for non-elemental spells. What we want is to have it for elemental spells as well. This is what elemental matrix is supposed to do. It lets you cast those fun elemental spells while only taking powerbolt drain. You take a little drain in the beginning, but it doesn't have that high a drain code. The real penalty is the necessity to sustain it. Instant stylish spellcasting.

Thanks DTFarstar.


I think I prefer the first option, double P. With Spell Slinging's limitations in range, perhaps Magic x 10 metres instead of Force, again to counteract overcasting, would be the better way to go.

But still, there's still the issue of drain. This introduces another set of problems too, namely having lower or equal drain to say Flamethrower for 1 charge for potentially more damage due to being based on Magic. Albeit at reduced ranges.

This is supposed to be a utilitarian spell, so increasing the drain seems to counter-act that.


One solution would be:
- Force as a maximum number of Charges from initial Hits
- Magic x 10m = Range
- Magic as the base damage value
- Drain = F/2 + 5
- Net hits on every use of Magic + Spellcasting to sling the spell adds bonus damage.

So we have two people with Magic 6, Spellcasting 6, one knows Fire Slinging the other knows Flamethrower.

Fire Slinger: Casts Force 1 Fire Slinging, getting 3 hits, granting him 1 total charge. Needs to resist 6 drain.
Flamethrower: To get the same effect he has to cast at Force 6 at 6 drain.

At 60 metres or less, the Slinger wins out. Greater than that and the Flamethrower does.

So in order to get 6 charges you'd have to cast it at Force 6 and get 6 initial hits. Too tough? It bypasses overcasting's damage effects adding only potential charges.



However, your second and third appeals to me as well. In fact, the more I think about it, the more I think Elemental Matrix would be the more viable solution. Spell Slinging is an entirely different animal, a 'summonable' elemental pistol.

Elemental Matrix is truer to the thread's name, it is really spicing up combat spells. It's a more elegant delivery method of elemental effects at low drain.

Oh, and I love Retribution! If it were only possible to store a specific spell as the 'retributor' effect; like Turn to Goo being sustained, or decrease attribute, etc. You could introduce the whole nest of negative effects as a defense.

The real problem with elemental effects is that the drain is prohibitively high. So what if we make the common SR trade off is Power vs. Profile. Have Elemental Matrix give caster the Negative Quality of Astral Beacon while the spell is sustained? You could also give it some fluff about drawing down a connection with a metaplane effect the caster' nebulous but well established standing spirits.

Also remember that Elemental Matrix is literally speaking a meta-magic. I think that my version of the spell could work as a such, especially if you play up the metaplane fluff.


I've got a totally different idea as well. What we are really after is cooler spells without ruinous drain. I'm thinking about creating Ethereal (Element) effects that have a primary effect just non-elemental spells that look like the spirit version of said element, and have a real secondary effect of the element. I'd SM lists the elemental modifier as +2 drain so give Ethereal effects +1. Thats almost all the flavor of elemental spells, virtually no power creep. What do you think?

In keeping with the minimalist approach, I'm reworking both Bombshell and Imbue.

Satchel lets you store that Fireball in a nice pretty package. After it deteriorates (Magic minutes) it blows up, so it's there for all your destructive needs. Can be mentally triggered. Can also be dispelled (although doing so just dispells the actual 'satchel' thus triggering the physical area effect spell).

Imbue no longer grants extra damage, it converts the damage you deal with a katana into a specific elemental attack. Need one for each elemental type, perhaps even for each class of weapon (blade, club, unarmed, each exotic, etc.).


Satchel (Indirect, Area, Elemental)
Type: Physical (Elemental)
Range: Self
Duration: Instantaneous
Drain Value: (F/2 if physical only) (+2 if Elemental)

Allows the caster to 'package' his next physical Area effect combat spell in an opaque, semi-solid sphere. He may only have one Satchel active at any one time. The Satchel can only contain combat area effect spells with the same or lower Force than its own. It deteriorates after Magic minutes.

Can be set with a simple trigger and timer effect similar to grenades. Can be thrown like a grenade with an airburst link for scatter (using Thrown Weapons skill).



Imbue (Direct, Elemental)
Type: Physical (Elemental)
Range: Self
Duration: Sustained
Drain Value: (F/2) + 1

Converts physical melee attacks made by the caster to an Elemental effect, unarmed or with melee weapons. Force + hits dictates the number of charges. The caster must make a normal melee test to deal damage, and the elemental effect is mitigated normally by armour upgrades (nonconductivity, etc).

I was thinking that you could raise the drain of any spell by 1 to give it a secondary elemental effect. I'll stat one for fun though

---

Ethereal Smoke Knockout (Direct, Touch)
Type: M • Range: T • Damage: S • Duration: I • DV: (F ÷ 2) – 2
Ethereal Smoke Stunbolt (Direct)
Type: M • Range: LOS • Damage: S • Duration: I • DV: (F ÷ 2)
Ethereal Smoke Stunball (Direct, Area)
Type: M • Range: LOS (A) • Damage: S • Duration: I • DV: (F ÷ 2) + 2
These spells channel magical energy directly into the target,
causing Stun damage and obscuring vision. Plums of ethereal
smoke erupt from the target causing stun damge
and limiting vision, inflicting the Heavy
Smoke visibility modifier against the target for one full Combat Turn.
As these are mana spells niether the damage or the smoke
effects not effect non-living targets
Ethereal Smoke Stunbolt affects a single target.
Ethereal Smoke Stunball is an area spell.
Ethereal Smoke Knockout requires the caster to touch the target.

---


Ethereal Fire Punch (Indirect)
Type: P • Range: T • Damage: S • Duration: I • DV: (F ÷ 2) – 1
Ethereal Fire Clout (Indirect)
Type: P • Range: LOS • Damage: S • Duration: I • DV: (F ÷ 2) + 1
Ethereal Fire Blast (Indirect, Area)
Type: P • Range: LOS (A) • Damage: S • Duration: I • DV: (F ÷ 2) + 3
These spells smack the target(s) with swirling jets of Ethereal Fire,
causing stun damage and igniting objects per fire damage (SR4 pg155)
Ethereal Fire Clout affects a single target
Ethereal Fire Blast is an area spell.
Ethereal Fire Punch requires the caster to touch the target.

---

No AP from the elemental effect, very manage about drain with flavor and visuals

---

Elemental Matrix
A magician who has learned this power can create a unique astral construct called an elemental matrix around her aura that changes all spells cast while active to that element. To active this power the magician rolls magic+arcana+ initiation grade. The test takes a full combat turn per hit used. The matrix lasts for up to magic minutes or until a number of spells equal to hit scored on the initial test are cast. All combat spells deal damage typed according to the type of the elemental matrix. Other spells produce an appropriate secondary mana or physical effect as per the original spell. As an example, secondary effect can serve to make illusion spells more convincing and negative health spells more detrimental, while many mental manipulation spells become useless.
Creating an Elemental Matrix draws down an aspect of the metaplane associated with matrix's type. This connection add the casters initiate grade to the rating of all astral signatures they create while the the matrix is active, as well as doubling there duration. In addition excessive manipulation of elemental energies may have reprocutions with local spirits. After the matrix dissolves the intense focus and concentration results in fatigue, drowsiness, and exhaustion, represented by Drain. The magician cumulative 2DV net hit used reguardless of whether or not it was used.
A magician need only take this power once, but can only create elemental matrices typed after planes they have personal visited via a meta-planer quest.

I just thought I would chime in again and say that I would can never imagine myself or any of my players taking that metamagic. I mean it has way too many specifics and a HUGE drain value. I mean you could accidently kill yourself by rolling too many successes.



Chris

New flavor without simple power escalation requires new rules. Can't have it any other way. This meta magic is almost exactly the same size as the two adept meta-magics that let you move your attributes around, both in text size and book keeping overhead. I don't even have to compare it to the meta magics with pages of rules like Ally spirit, Symbolic link, or even Anchoring.

About the Drain first you get to choose the number of hits used to create the matrix so in fact you take completely predictable drain. Assuming you are totally buff but not broken you are likely rolling in the neighborhood of 12 dice (6 magic + 4 arcana + 2 grade) so we are talking about 4 hits so about 8S drain really no that scary. Especially when you consider a combat mage really ought to be able to chuck stun balls and power bolt all day with little to no drain build up.

Do other feel it needs stream lining, tweaking or just isn't workable?

Weavermount:

First, what exactly is the point of "etherial elemental effects"? If they don't do the secondary damage of the elemental effect, then they literally do nothing. Oh, sure, your powerball looks like a fireball, but it does exactly what a powerball does for +1 drain.

Frankly, it's too late to change it, but the real issue is that the +2 to drain for elemetal effects jsut isn't worth it. It would have been worth it at +1 drain. But that would require refiguring several drain codes across 2 books, which isn't a viable option for the developers. I suggest house ruling down.

Second, your version of elemenal matrix is way, way to complicated. If you want the character to shine in the astral, just give them astral beacon (You don't need to do that for a spell version, mind you, since sustaining a spell already shows up in their aura.) DOn't make a new similar rule that takes up a paragraph. I wouldn't have it have any effect on non-combat spells, it's just too complex.

The rules must be simple, for two reasons. First, people are going to need to remember them. Second, You're going to have to apply them in a timely fashion to the game. (If you are a publisher, there's also the word count limit to worry about, but that ain't true for house rules.)

I've learned this one by example. If you look in the conversions at the top of this forum, you'll find the cyberware and Adept Power conversions I made when SR4 first came out. Compare those to what was put in augmentation and street magic. Take a close look at how I handled redlining verse how they handled it. Which one would bog down gameplay? Which one practically requires a calculator? Which one has a list of modifiers half a page long? Which one would you rather use?

Ah, I see the per hit used now. You might want to make that more clear, or maybe I'm an idiot. Not as bad as I thought. I might take it as a third or fourth choice as far as metamagics go. Centering, Shielding, Ally Conjuration and Channeling/Invoking are probably top of my list though Absorbtion helps ALOT when fighting enemy magi.


Chris

So I paired it down little bit. Took out the non-com spell part. Reused Astral Beacon exactly. In my games Power vs. Profile is an excellent limiter. I'd like to see a bit more options for trade offs along that axis, so I stick with the large signatures. Players should be able remember there meta-planer quests without difficulty so I feel that mechanic is better than forcing characters to buy a second tier meta-magic multiple times. So the rewrite is...

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Elemental Matrix
A magician who has learned this power can create an elemental matrix around her aura that changes the damage type of all combat spells to type of the elemental matrix. To active this power the magician rolls magic + arcana + initiation grade. The test takes a full combat turn per hit used. The matrix lasts for up to magic minutes or until a number of spells equal to hit used on the initial test are cast. All combat spells deal damage typed according to the type of the elemental matrix.
Creating an Elemental Matrix draws down an aspect of the metaplane associated with matrix's type. This level magical distortion makes the magician leave astral signatures as though they had the Negitive Quality Astral Beacon. The effect stacks with Astral Beacon. In addition excessive manipulation of elemental energies may have reprocutions with local spirits. After the matrix dissolves the magician takes a cumulative 2DV net hit used to build the matrix
A magician need only take this power once, but can only create elemental a matrixes typed after planes they have personal visited via a meta-planer quest.

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Question is it really that complex? To me "Initial Test + Tracking Charges and Duration + Resist Drain" is standard book keeping over head during combat. And the out of combat book keeping is the same as grenading willy nilly, fairly abstract unwanted attention. Do I have a blind spot for my baby some where? I just checked and my word count and book keeping is less an all the meta magics in ST except Channeling, and Great Ritual.

I think it is fine, I mean the language could be cleaned up a little bit, but I am not one to talk there. I usually type by stream of conscious rambling on here so.... blah, but no it looks pretty good. I can actually see me petitioning to take this about 3 initiation grades down the line from now in a game I am playing. (I have Channeling, need Ally Spirit, and at least Centering, preferably shielding too).

Oh, I might make it Magic x 10 minutes. Makes it a little more viable without being long enough to heal off the drain from it.



Chris

That seems more effective. The test itself, while complicated, is kinda par for the course with metamagics. You took both of my advices.

I still prefer it as a spell, but then again, who isn't partial to their own ideas?

You know, one side-addition to all of this would be a complimentary set of Health/Manipulation spells that would make targets more vulnerable to specific effects. Inflammabe/Conductive/etc. spells that could lower spell resistance, add dice, and so on.

And I agree, Elemental Matrix is nicer as a spell but as a Metamagic it does make more sense. However, it runs into the accessibility issue; it adds a creamy topping to vanilla ice cream, but you have to be an initiate to get that topping? I'm afraid it'll fall by the wayside compared to Masking/Quickening and so on.

I like the additional elemental effects for common spells. The problem there would be limiting it to one spell, but on the other hand you have a spiffier spell overall.

Quite nice.


The only thing that's really missing is a Sustained Area indirect combat spell. And even I think that may be too much.

Or perhaps it doesn't HAVE to be sustained... if Force determined the number of combat rounds the spell would remain active and it dealt Magic damage, it could be viable, right? It could be "permanent" but dissipates in Force turns afterwards. Probably stepping into the realm of Manipulation here though.

You are right about the accessibility. Here is an idea for an interesting albeit radical house rule:
Remove elemental spells altogether and give everyone elemental matrix for free. That way there are 6 main combat spells (Touch+LoS+AoE * Stun + Physical) and once you've been to a metaplane you can then chuck that elemental effect via an EM. That's just how elemental spells work. In my experience players don't take may combat spells because at then end of the day it really doesn't buy them that much. Stun Ball+Power bolt covers 90% of their needs and the idea of spending 5 karma on another combat spell really isn't that appealing. This would make more viable, and accessible. It would also give players the options to sling the marginally useful elemental spells without forcing them to waste karma on a mechanically sub-pare choice. While it may seem broken to give players fire ball, acid ball, and ice ball "for free" the mechanical benefit of having all these spells shrinks exponentially.
Personally, I like mages with and ace up their sleeve that they are really really loath to pull out, and feel like this would work

[EDIT] I know my order of operation is technically wrong, but is much more readable that way