Time Modifiers for spellcasting

[languagegeek]

Does anyone use the table from the corebook: “Difficulty and Haste Modifiers” (p31) for spellcasting? For example, if bladesharp 2 takes 1 CA to cast, would taking extra time to carefully get the words/gestures just right give the caster a skill check bonus? So taking 2 CAs (or maybe 2 rounds) would give a bonus 20% to the common magic skill check.

I'm looking for a mechanic that lets the spellcaster slow down and take their time to improve the chances that the spell works. I seem to remember something like this but it could very well be from a different game.

 

[Deleriad]

It has been ruled that this is indeed possible. I do find it a little OTT as it does mean that it is extremely easy for a spell-caster to get +60% to any cast chance.

Note also that it has also been ruled that changes to the cast chance for sorcery spells do NOT change the 'effect' of the spell. E.g. if you know Diminish SIZ at 45% allowing you to shrink someone by 10 SIZ, adding +60% to make the cast chance 105% does not allow you to reduce SIZ by 22 points: it still only shrinks by 10.

 

[languagegeek]

It has been ruled that this is indeed possible. I do find it a little OTT as it does mean that it is extremely easy for a spell-caster to get +60% to any cast chance.

I was thinking in terms of...

Alf the Adventurer heads to the temple for healing, he’s dragging his shattered leg behind. Upon entering the temple, he finds the priest on healing duty and requests help. The priest casts the spell... [damn it, hold on, bad dice...]. The priest casts the spell... [jeez]... And so on. Instead the priest can her time and cast the spell with little chance of failure.

 

[Dan True]

I would surely allow it. This way you can also make sure that complex rituals and spells, outside of the normal rules, succeeded - because you took your time, doing everything as supposed to.

- Dan

 

[Mixster]

! -40% to cast a sorcery spell in half the normal time, and -80% to cast it instantly.

Would this make the things you can do with the sorcery skill more powerful? Like adding more damage to a wrack spell cast using more time?

 

[Deleriad]

! -40% to cast a sorcery spell in half the normal time, and -80% to cast it instantly.

Would this make the things you can do with the sorcery skill more powerful? Like adding more damage to a wrack spell cast using more time?

No it doesn't work that way. 8) Changing your cast chance with a particular spell (by taking more or less time for example) doesn't change the effect of the spell. Otherwise whenever you were casting sorcery outside of combat you could simply take 10 times as long to add 60% to your cast chance and increase the effect massively.

 

[Ultor]

The way to boost effects beyond normal is to get other magicians to help you using the Concert skill. See the excellent volume Spellcom for those rules.