From: ward1@husc8.harvard.edu (Lester Ward)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
Subject: Shadowrun: Controlling magicians
Date: 7 Apr 92 04:59:51 GMT
Article-I.D.: husc8.ward1.702622791

In all the current talk of making magicians less powerful, I have yet to
hear of any ideas which do so without changing the rules.  Oh.  Except
for the "hunt down his locks from astral" idea.  I have these, which
are attempts not so much to control magicians, but to make a more realistic
world.

1)  Economics of Talismongering.  No talismonger is just going to create
a power focus in the hopes that someone will come and buy it.  Their 
enchanting skills are akin to artistry.  They do commissions, and that takes
time and nuyen.  Presumably, their clientelle and demand is limited, so
they can afford to be choosy.  How many of them can there be?
   An obvious counterpoint to this is selling of looted foci.  All I can
say is make sure you know your Talismonger really, really well.  "She sells
you a rating 1 power focus.  It looks like a little demon...."

2)  Totemics.  Being a shaman requires real dedication.  Be real demanding
on shamanic player's roleplaying.

3)  Formulae.  Learning spells requires a teacher or a formula (or even a
unique invention).  Spell formulae should probably be akin to gold.  Teachers
even more so.  In addition, it is usually corporate entities who invent
various occult formula; they have a vested interest in making sure that
these to not fall into commoners hands (and there is a run in itself).
Hermetic magic contains lots of infighting and prestige struggles at the
high levels (like particle physics) and shamn don't have conventions or
publish in trade magazines.
   The point here is not that shadowrunners cannot get certain spell
formulae, but that it is extremely difficult.  Some spells more than
others.  Fashion would be pretty common, as such things go (although
whoever invented it would be a fool to make it publically available),
while Increase Reaction +4 would be suicidal to get.

4) Legality.  Mass destruction is usually frowned apon by law enforcement
agencies, weather it be from fire-bombings or fireballs.  Magic is usually
easier to track.

5) Temporal Logic.  Many magical activities take a really long time to
complete.  Enchanting and spell invention come to mind.  In the past
four months of real time in our campaign, a maximum of three weeks has
passed.

6) Theorectically....  Use magical theory checks extensively.  In game
terms, this forces a magician -- at the very least -- to not spend
karma or initial skill points on other things.  Want to initiate?  How
do you know about initiation?  (Roll Magical Theory).  Failed the roll?
(Yet another shadowrun, or at least two karma points for an auto-
success).

7) Magical incedence.  Base how common magical ability is in your
game world on how many magicians are in your group.  Granted, the percentage
of magic in runner teams is probably much higher than average, but the
same should be true of corp hit teams.

8) Sun Tzu.  Magic is power.  Runners know this. That's why most teams
shoot the odd looking, non-gun holding enemies first.  Kill the mages,
the rest will be easy.  Corp hit team strategists can rely on years
of data from many hit teams to determine effective strategy.  You can
bet if the runners figure it out, the corps have known it for a long
time.

9) Ritual.  Very few runner teams are organized enough to use ritual
sorcery effectively.  Corp teams don't have that problem.  They are
also not as limited by expense (although no manager will authorize
massive expenditures unless the runners are really being pests).

10) Research.  Alluded to before, most corps spend huge sums on magical
research.  If a new magical item/spell/ritual/spirit is developed, it
is likely to come from here.  Now to feild test it....

11) Unknowns.  What if the elemental Bob keeps summoning is really the
same entity over and over again.  What if this entity has an existance
outside being summoned and bound.  How is Bob treating this entity?

12) Oh the humanity.  Magicians are, to put it mildly, different.  They can
harness great power that few understand.  In a logical society, this would
gain them great respect.  On this planet, however, it gains them much fear
and loathing.  On an evolutionary scale, it's only been a few seconds
since the Salem Witch Trials.

13) The Iliad.  For all their power, magicians have some glaring weaknesses.
A magician in a blindfold is useless on the physical plane.  On the astral
plane, they are outmatched by nearly all natives.  It is nearly impossible
to hide magic from another magician.  They burn karma, often on items that
can be made easily useless.  It is easier to kill magicians on the astral
than any other major entity in any other place.
   Magicians are only as smart as the players who play them.

Wordman

"Marriage has driven more than one man to sex."
                                -- Peter De Vries
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