From: ward1@husc8.harvard.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.archives
Subject: Shadowrun FAQ: Magic
Followup-To: rec.games.frp.misc
Date: 14 Sep 1992 08:39:53 -0400
Organization: UUNET Communications
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: rodan.uu.net

                   ****************************************
                   *              SHADOWRUN               *
                   *      Frequently Asked Questions      *
                   *                Magic                 *
                   ****************************************

Post Name: ShadowFAQ -- Magic
As of: July 1, 1992
Version: 0.4
Compiled by: Wordman (ward1@husc.harvard.edu)

This post contains FAQ (frequently asked questions) and standard house 
rules about the Magic portion of the Shadowrun gaming system.  Posted 
simultaneously with this post is a post titled 'Shadowrun: FAQ General' 
which contains more information on what the point of this list is, where 
it came from et cetera.

Outline
I.  Reaction spells
II. Spell locks
      1. grounding
      2. vs. quickening
      3. karma costs

*******
M1: How do Increase Reaction spells work?
*******
VANILLA:  Each level of the spell adds to the casters Reaction and gives 
him an extra die for initiative.  The number of successes scored is 
irrelevant.

HOUSE:  For ways to control this spell, see the Reaction section of the 
FAQ Combat post.

*******
M2: How does grounding spells into a spell lock work?
*******
VANILLA:  Spells and spell locks behave like living things on the astral 
plane.  When the come in contact, they fight.  If the spell wins, it 
grounds into the lock.  Spell locks fight with a rating of 1 (regardless 
of what force the spell they are locking was cast at or how many 
successes were made during the casting.)  If the attacking spell was a 
mana spell, the astral portion of the lock is destroyed, and the spell 
it was locking dissapates; the lock itself will have to be rebonded, but 
is intact.  If the attacking spell was a physical spell, it grounds into 
the lock (in real space), destroying it.  If the attacking spell was (in 
addition to being a physical spell) an area spell, the spell effects 
those around the lock in a normal way.

*******
M3: What is the difference between spell locks and Quickening?
*******
VANILLA:  Only Initiates can use Quickening; any full magician can bond 
a lock.  Locks have and astral rating of 1; quickened spells have a 
rating equal to the force they were cast at (actual force, not how many 
die were used).  Quickened spells have no physical component.

*******
M4: Can anyone pay the karma for bonding a spell lock?
*******
VANILLA:  No.  The same magician must a) cast the spell to be locked, b) 
lock the spell, and c) pay the karma.  The magician does not have to 
lock the spell TO himself, however.  There is an astral link between the 
caster and the lock.

*******
M5: The rules for First Bonding in the Grimore (pg. 48) allow PCs to 
bond powerful foci for nearly no karma if enough Arcana and Orichalcum 
is used.  How can that be stopped?
*******
VANILLA:  Remember First bonding only applies to foci that have never 
before been bonded by anyone: foci just produced, generally specifically 
by and/or for the bonder.  Second, Arcana and Orichalcum are really 
expensive (weather the cost is measured in nuyen or time).  Making foci 
can take a long time.

HOUSE 1:  Apply the modifiers to final cost of the foci, not to the base 
cost.  That is ((base*rating)-modifiers), not ((base-modifiers)*rating).  
In other words, bonding a power foci rating 3 using 4 units of 
orichalcum would cost
(7*3)-4 = 17, not (7-4)*3 = 9.

HOUSE 2:  Keep the rules as is, but make the First Bonding mean bonding 
the magic to the focus, not the focus to the magician.  In other words, 
the First Bonding makes the focus a focus (gives it it's astral presence 
and abilities), then the focus needs to be bonded to the magician as per 
the tables on the next page (pg49).

*******
M6: Which are better, Shamans or Mages?
*******
VANILLA: Just the facts:
_category_______________________Shaman_______________________Mages_____
Spells Cast                                 identical
Sorcery Bonuses       Totem dice, always avail         elemental service
  Category                  By totem only             by elemental type
Sorcery Penalties              by totem                      none
Conjure                    Nature Spirits                 Elementals
  Time of summoning          One action                 Force * hours
  Length of service    Until sun rises or sets         continuously
                       or until services used     or until services used
  Abilities                  Limited                     Extensive
  Range          Limited to domain summoned in           no limits
  Types               restricted by domain           by materials used
Initiation Extras   Grade added to totem dice
                  Great Forms can cross domains
Astral Quests            to totem plane          to all elemental planes