Well, here's the spell idea:

Automeme
Type: M(Health) Target: 10-Essence Duration: S Drain: ?? (+1S?)

The Automeme spell enhances the brain of a voluntary metahuman subject, creating an automeme: a semi-independent part of the brain that can think independently of the rest. This automeme is not capable of the complexities of consciousness that the whole brain is capable of, but it is capable of taking over minor and redundant "background" processes, freeing up the brain's processing power for more important cognitive tasks.

In effect, the Automeme spell acts as a sort of magical Encephalon, and like an encephalon grants Task Pool (and for the same uses). The amount of Task Pool granted to the subject is equal to half the total successes on the spellcasting test, up to a maximum of half the spell's Force or 2, whichever is smaller. If the mage is casting the spell on himself the maximum is either half the spell's Force or 3, whichever is less, to reflect the fact that his mind if more fundamentally compativle with his own spell. In any case, the hard limit is not because a more powerful Automeme is impossible, but that a more powerful Automeme just doesn't have any appreciable effect.

Note that the Task Pool granted by the automeme overlaps (does not stack) with the Task Pool granted by an actual Encephalon, as they both do the same thing. Automeme does not grant any other benefits of the Encephalon other than the Task Pool, and the Task Pool granted still is not compatible with mgic, magical perception tests or magical skills.


How's that look, balance-wise and flavor-wise? I'm thinking of adding in more restrictions, like people with extensive neural implants receive TN modifiers or something, but I thought I'd toss this out to get some initial reactions. Oh yeah, and how's the Drain look?

(Edit: changed as per suggestion. I had originally put that in there to combat the inevitable "You're making a magic spell have conscious thought! Illegal!" argument, but I realized that it doesn't matter anyway as the automeme isn't conscious itself either.)

There's no such thing as an "unused" part of the brain (unless you are talking about scar tissue left after anoxic injury/trauma). When they say that you only use 10% of your brain, it's quite a misnomer... for most tasks, your whole brain is involved, but only 10 to 25% of it is "blinking" at a time as the impulses travel through your head. Yes, you can isolate individual components as you do specific tasks, like raising a cup or thinking about music. But all of those work in concert, typically, when you are doing any task. Most of those PET (and other modalities) studies are done using sensory and motor isolation, not to mention that a typical scan isolates you in a big machine anyway.

In general, when it comes to magic, it's probably a good idea to dispense with any sort of scientific explanation. Simply state that the spell gives Task Pool and leave it as a "magical augmentation of a metahuman mind".

Heh, I guess I deserved that. And yes I am well aware that we use 100% of our brains IRL; in fact I'm usually going off on people for making that same mistake. I was more interested in the effect than the explainnation. In fact the "We use only 10% of our brains" thing was invented back on the 1910s-20s by illusionist hacks who were looking for a way to "explain" their mysterious powers. "After all, we only use 10% of our brains; imagine what you can do with the other 90%?" It was a fun lie to believe, because it ment that everyone had the potential to be super-people.

Anyway, comments on the balance? Is the Drain Code right?

The drain code is roughly on par with the "other pool enhancing spell", Combat Sense, so I'd say it's okay. I'm not sure the 10 - Essence target number really applies in SR3... it would more likely be a set number or a number derived from Intelligence, as 10-Essence is only used for offensive Health spells (decrease attribute, cause allergy, etc.) and magic that heals damage boxes. I'd hesitate to make the TN as "Intelligence", because that would mean stupider characters get more of a benefit from the spell, or are easier to make "smarter" (like Increase Attribute: Intelligence), so perhaps just the standard TN of 4 for a Voluntary Health Spell. As long as there is explicit language that prevents stacking of Task pool with non-magical sources, I think it's balanced.

Hrm ... If you just want a spell that increases a "pool" like suggested by hahnsoo, then mimic Combat Pool and you're fine. Get's rid of the limits too btw. (that's a hint, note some dry sarcasm should be dripping here as well)

Personally I like the idea of the spell, but agree that the target number for the casting is irksome. If I had the books here at the house, I'd try to help figure this one out.

One suggestion I do have however to use in general. When attempting to create a spell to mimic some other pre-existing game device/prop, do so with caution. Mimicking some things like Wired Reflexes/Reaction Enhancers, you are really just augmenting an attribute or similar mechanic. When attempting to mimic more complicated devices like the Encephalon, you are likely to have to utilize multiple spells/abilities to create the end similarity. Magic in Shadowrun tends to be very singular in purpose per spell formulation.

Well, arguably Task Pool is more useful than Combat Pool, which is why I have all the restrictions in place. Also this is meant more as a "first draft" of the spell, as written by the character, so a few more restrictions than necessary will be all to the good IC-wise.

And yes, I definately won't be trying to mimic the other (arguably more powerful and useful, as it has the potential to save dozens of Karma points) function of the Encephalon, just the task pool part.

And please don't think that I am trying to say "don't do this"... I am just curious how stuff like this could be made to work. I'm *always* curious about how to make stuff like this work.

Hm. I looked at the spell design rules (p. 50- MitS) and I can't decide if this is a spell "affecting body processes", in this case cognition, which makes the TN 4, or one that "affects the inner workings of the body," which would make the Target 10-Essence.

Looking at the Drain Code, it seems that the one I should be using is +1M, as per the Increase Attribute spells. I guess that makes sense, but does anyone think it should stay +1S?

I also have a seething hatred for the "Self-only" modifiers as used in the spell design rules; they serve only to aid munchkinism in Drain, and ensure that a mage can only help himself and be less useful to the rest of the team.

Looking at the spell design rules, indeed, it either doesn't fit (no appropriate base drain level) or it goes by attribute (Base M drain). I'd still think of it as a +1 S drain spell, analogous to Combat Sense. It "feels" right, but that's purely a subjective feeling.

Well, combat sense is "only" S, so +1M is only a very small step down from that. It also has a much more combat-heavy use than task pool, so I guess it can be said to be more useful.