Spell Manoeuvres

[Deleriad]

As far as I know, spells with the Resist (Evade) trait can generate Combat Manoeuvres just like any other Ranged Attack. This leads me to wonder whether it would be cool to add Spell Manoeuvres to other resistable spells. So, if you successfully cast a spell at an opponent who fails a Resilience or Persistence roll then as well as the spell taking effect, you also get a spell manoeuvre against them. (Clearly spells like Bladesharp don't have the resist trait so aren't part of this).

If there are multiple targets (or people in the area of the spell) then the same manoeuvre would have to be selected against all.

As a first pass I've come up with the following. Some SMs are generic while others are limited to just one type of spell or only if criticals are achieved. Not all SMs will be useful in all cases. E.g. Using Choose Location with a Befuddle is a bit pointless. Finally the caster does not have to choose a SM: handy when trying to cast a resistable spell on an ally.

Bash Opponent (Evade only)
Bypass Armour (crit only)
Choose Location
Disarm Opponent (Evade only)
Maximise Damage (critical only)
Sunder Magic (critical only)
Soul Blast
Weaken (Resilience only)
Stun Location (Resilience only)
Scramble (Persistence)
Susceptible (Persistence)

Sunder Magic. One spell affecting the target of less Magnitude than the attacking spell is dismissed. If the caster can see spells on target then the caster can choose, if not it affects the highest Magnitude spell it can manage. (This may occasionally be helpful to the target).

Soul Blast. As well as the usual effects, the spell strips the target of 1D3 MPs (to a minimum of zero).

Weaken. The target gains a level of Fatigue from the wracking effect of being malignly enchanted.

Scramble: The target cannot cast magic for their next 1D3 Strike Ranks. This includes spells fired as a defensive reaction.

Susceptible: Target's Persistence when used to resist this spell from this caster is reduced by 5% for the rest of the target's life. This is stackable and, if the modifier is enough to reduce the target's Persistence to zero then the target may start to suffer the spell's effects at random even when the spell is not effect.

 

[SetentaeBolg]

It's an interesting idea. I think spells are fairly powerful already, but making them slightly more powerful in an interesting way is a reasonable idea. I think the manouevres possible would have to be quite tightly reigned in to prevent them becomes too advantageous.

With reference to the manouevres you've listed above, their power scale seems generally ok (except Sunder Magic, but I've not thought about any of them in detail) but one issue is that Scramble should probably say that the target cannot cast magic for their next single Combat Action, making it broadly analogous to the Combat Manouevres that stagger the enemy to prevent them attacking.

 

[Deleriad]

It's an interesting idea. I think spells are fairly powerful already, but making them slightly more powerful in an interesting way is a reasonable idea. I think the manouevres possible would have to be quite tightly reigned in to prevent them becomes too advantageous.

With reference to the manouevres you've listed above, their power scale seems generally ok (except Sunder Magic, but I've not thought about any of them in detail) but one issue is that Scramble should probably say that the target cannot cast magic for their next single Combat Action, making it broadly analogous to the Combat Manouevres that stagger the enemy to prevent them attacking.

Well Sunder Magic is a critical only but I see your point.* I must admit that I am taken by the idea at the moment. I also like the reverse angle which is, that if you make your resistance roll but still lose the opposed roll, then at least your successful resistance has protected you from a SM so the resistance roll has done something.

I have vaguely wondered about whether you can get defensive SMs analogous to defensive CMs from parries.
E.g. spell caster fails their roll and you make your resistance roll. Should this give you a defensive SM (e.g. bumping up your resistance against the caster, overextending them, being able to riposte with a spell or something). I think it's a step too far in generic terms, but if I were running a magic duelling type campaign e.g. something like Ars Magica, I would be very tempted.

*Unlike combat there's an "always on" critical effect for spell casting based on the magic system.

 

[Loz]

Are these intended for Common Magic only? If applied to the higher forms of magic, Sorcery and Divine specifically, Spell Manoeuvres could create utterly unstoppable magicians.

 

[Deleriad]

Are these intended for Common Magic only? If applied to the higher forms of magic, Sorcery and Divine specifically, Spell Manoeuvres could create utterly unstoppable magicians.

Scary is good. Getting a manoeuvre against multiple targets through using manipulation may have sorcery spell users rubbing their hands together.

As a rules question: do spells with an evade trait where the target fails (or chooses not to) evade currently generate a CM? A reading of the rules on missile attacks would seem to imply that they do. For example, Multimissile 4 fired against an opponent who fails an evade (or shield parry) could generate 5 combat manoeuvres as written.