Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: Re: SRII: Some questions and Comments.
From: wildcard@vax1.mankato.msus.edu
Date: 2 Oct 92 11:13:19 -0600
Organization: Mankato State University

In article <BvEovo.H0E@ecf.toronto.edu>, elder@ecf.toronto.edu (ELDER J David) writes:
> 
> Here are my questions.
> 
> 1) Phys Ads can increase their abilities at a later time by expending
>    points later on ... if they have purchased the ability at the 
>    beginning of the game. However, where do these points come from?
>    Magic Rating is fixed at 6 and is decreased by Essence loss. 
>    Karma cannot be used to increase the Magic Rating. Does this
>    mean that Adepts can use Power foci to increase their abilities?
>    Can spells be cast upon adepts which would increase their magic 
>    rating? 

In first edition, a supplement called the Grimiore (forgive the spelling)
allowed for any magical character to increase their magic attribute. 
Supposedly within the next few months, they will be releasing a second edition
version of this.  Look for it.
> 
> 2) Targetting of area of effect spells. It repeatedly says that a 
>    mage must see the target for him to be affected by a spell. And
>    so - targets out of his line of sight are not affected. This
>    doesn't seem to make sense in conjunction with the descriptions
>    of how the spells work. Mana spells discharge energy into the 
>    target's aura which then radiates outward... what would stop this
>    from affecting bystanders that the mage can't see. Similarly,
>    manipulation spells cause a real energy discharge ... wouldn't
>    this affect an invisible target between the mage and the designated
>    target? Even if the mage can't see him? If as in their example
>    it can be stopped by a wall ... then it should be stopped by
>    any other physical prescence. (See the example about firing
>    spells with mirrors.) 


I would say you need to make your own decision on this.  Be creative.
 
> 3) Possible misprint. Mana combat spells ... three of the four 
>    Manabolt, ManaMissile ... are listed as physical and I think 
>    they should be Mana spells - otherwise what real difference is there
>    between these and the Power series of spells?

Not a misprint.  Mana spells do physical damage, but resist against willpower
instead of body.  This is the key difference between mana and power.

> 
> 4) How can a sleep spell ever actually sleep someone. It appears that
>    the caster would need 4 more successes than the target to cause 
>    a deadly stun and thus put the target uncounscious. However, a
>    manabolt would only need 2 more successes to stage it to deadly
>    physical (The drain in the two cases would be about the same 
>    F/2 vs F/2 -1 ) and the spells are resisted by the same characteristic.
>    So, moral of the story is that it is easier to blast someone than sleep
>    someone? And if it isn't too easy to blast someone - it must be damn 
>    hard to make them go to sleep. 

Sleep is desgined to do mental damage, but not necessarily put them out.  It is
just as hard to kill someone outright with a powerbolt or such.  The name of
the spell is kind of misleading.
> 
> 5) Increase reflexes or Wired reflexes at a +3 dice level ...
>    does this give (Reaction) + 4d6 for initiative?

I think the ratio is +1 die per level.
> 
> 6) Telekinetic manipulations... they list a value of 50kg/point of body
>    for mass and this seems unrealistically high would 50 lbs + 50 lbs/point 
>    be more realistic? 
>    i.e. 100 to 350 lbs (Could be ~50kgs to ~175kgs) instead of
>         110 to 660 lbs 
>      as the normal human range.
>    (P.S. I know 1kg = 2.2 lbs ... no flames please.)

Again, I would say this your call.  Interpret as you wish.
> 
> I am planning on running a session this weekend as an intro to the
> game for some friends. Does anyone have any simple introductory
> runs that I could borrow ... I can make up my own but I'd like to see
> what ideas are out there.
> 
> Thanks
> 
> David
> 
> 
> -- 
> David Elder                                University of Toronto
>                                            Institute for Aerospace Studies
> elder@bullet.ecf.toronto.edu               Fusion Research Group 
> stange@gpu.utcs.utoronto.ca 

Good luck with your game.  I hope some of my comments helped.

Th Foss
"Never cut a deal with a dragon"
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc