Light spell, really poor?
- Thread starter Harshlax
- Start date
It's 1 metre per point of magnitude, and lasts 5 minutes.
I'll agree, it's arguably poor. In our game, I find someone's constantly having to recast it as we explore darkened areas. Plus, many points of magnitude need to be invested before the spell becomes useful; 1 or even 3 metres isn't very far.
The old battle magic light spell gave 12 metres of illumination and lasted 10 melee rounds for 1 POW.
I'll agree, it's arguably poor. In our game, I find someone's constantly having to recast it as we explore darkened areas. Plus, many points of magnitude need to be invested before the spell becomes useful; 1 or even 3 metres isn't very far.
The old battle magic light spell gave 12 metres of illumination and lasted 10 melee rounds for 1 POW.
Mongoose Pete
Mongoose
The Progressive trait in the header was left out by accident. It was meant to be progressive as the spell description itself indicates.Harshlax said:
Given thet getting any useful utility use out of Light means significant spend of mp, what would the design team, and other luminaries of the boards think of my making Light a 1 pt non progressive spell with duration 5 min, and illuminating a 3metre radius, identical to a torch or basic lantern?
are there any obvious problems or potential abuses to that, that you can see?
are there any obvious problems or potential abuses to that, that you can see?
I'd probably go one step further, and make it a progressive spell with duration being 5 mins/magnitude. It's essentially the same as your idea, only without the inconvenience of constantly having to recast it. That way, there are still many advantages to using more mundane forms of light but at the same time magical light is still available as a backup without needing to be constantly recast.
How much does a sling and a pocketfull of stones cost compared to a Disruption spell? You don't have to provide oil for the Light spell, and it doesn't go out if you drop it in a pool. Cast it on your shield, and you don't even need to use a hand to carry something that you can accidentally set fire to yourself with.kintire said:
The effect is kind of bizarre, though. The area is illuminated, but outside it is not. From a physics point of view, that means that the light stops completely when it gets to the edge. Which means, anyone outside of the lit area cannot see the illuminated area, because the light doesn't get to them. Of course, a fantasy world does not have to obey the laws of physics. "Light" and "sight" may well be separate, independent effects in Glorantha.
On the Discworld, for instance, light is not very fast. You can see the light of dawn spreading across the landscape - your sight is near enough instant, but the spread of the dawn light is not.
I really need to stop thinking so much.
These are Common Magic spells we're talking about here. They aren't supposed to be powerful, game-changing abilities. If you want something more punchy, use Divine or Sorcery (although I don't recall a divine magic equivalent of Light - Gleam and Extension maybe?).kintire said:
I didn't realise that this was a competition, or that I had some particular "goal".kintire said:
I think Light is well worth the money. Sure, it doesn't mean "I never need to buy a lantern ever again", but if you do get captured and all your kit taken off you, or if you got caught out in a thunderstorm or fell in a lake and soaked everything, you have something to fall back on. Well worth 100sp, in my opinion.kintire said:
kintire said:
Exactly, which is what prompted me to try and make light useful vs torches.
Re disruption, it seems quite good vs a sling as even at 2 mag its 1ca to do 2d3 damage ignoring armour. Enough to create a target location for an upcoming fight. Does it need to do more than that?
Incidentally, its not said explicitly, but is it right to say that common magic doesn't require a free hand to cast? Thats how I read the absence of a comment. Sorcery seems to require at least on hand free (or is that 2?), Divine also doesn't mention gestures, nor does Spirit magic.
Moving the goalposts is a rhetorical technique where you change the terms of the discussion half way through without notice: eg "light should be useful" to "Light should be a powerful, gamechanging ability".
I
That seems rather... situational.
To be fair to disruption, it IS quite useful against heavily armoured targets.
Not having to carry a lantern and oil and keep it dry and lit would be very significant. As it is, being able to create a light from nothing in a couple of seconds is a pretty damn powerful ability. It's also a perfect subject for Zistorite mass-produced items. (Are there any rules for Common Magic enchantments, either permanent or matrix-style?)kintire said:
Mongoose Pete
Mongoose
Common Magic are useful, but brief minor charms. They are not supposed to undermine the socio-economics of the society and/or world.
