Laertes' new spell -is this ok?
Laertes spent two weeks of the last season helping out Mestitia. I decided he would learn a spell in his remaining time, but I was alarmed to read the new study interruption rules: 4 days over the usual 10 days of personal time allowed each season translates into a lab penalty of -18 in AM5! So, it's going to be a low level effort. Guardians of the Forest includes the following spell:
In Christ's Footsteps (ReCo 5; Per, Conc, Ind). Allows the caster to walk on water. (Base 4, +1 Conc).
Laertes can manage a level 10 spell, so could I extend the spell to cover snow and ice by bumping it by a magnitude? I presume this would also get over the usual slipperiness problem with ice, as it already covers water, which is even less of a friendly surface than ice....? Also, I presume the Conc duration allows walking in the same way as Endurance of the Berserkers allows fighting and Tongue of the Folk allows talking without concentration rolls. So, the new spell would be:
Repel Neptune's Embrace (ReCo 10; Per, Conc, Ind). Allows the caster to walk on top of water, snow and ice. (Base 4, +1 Conc, +1 multiple Aquam forms).
It looks ok to me. I have no problem with not needing to make concentration rolls whilst walking although would say that any more lively movement (base 4 says 'move a target slowly') should require them. Base 4 also says 'movement in one direction' with base 5 'move a target slowly in any direction'. Does this mean you will need to walk in a straight line?
Re: Laertes' new spell -is this ok?
It looks OK to me too, however I'm not sure why you've designed the spell as it is with the "+1 multiple Aquam form" increase.
The following spell would be more versatile and fits better within the AM5 canon.
The Unhindered Journey (ReCo 10; Per, Conc, Ind)
Allows the caster to walk slowly over any terrain in his path be that water, snow, ice, uneven surfaces or holes in the ground.
(Base 5 "Move a target slowly in any direction, even if the target is unsupported", +1 Conc)
Since the magic is moving the person, I believe in either versions of the spell you'd be limited to a walking pace.
However I agree that no concentration rolls would be needed and the Duration of Conc only effects how long you could keep the spell active.
Either way both seem fine to me. Hope you don't mind me putting an alternative forward.
Re: Laertes' new spell -is this ok?
I really just want a spell to allow Laertes to walk on snow, ice and water. I don't mind the walking (not running) restriction as long as Conc rolls aren't required as long as he's just walking (cf. The Trackless Step). I think the "in only one direction" restriction shouldn't apply; if it does, maybe the +1 magnitude could get rid of that?
Simon's alternative is much more flexible, but I just want to walk on Aquam surfaces for paradigmatic reasons. Simon's version actually allows slow flight, which seems very powerful for a 2nd mag spell!
Re: Laertes' new spell -is this ok?
Hey I'm just trying to offer ideas that are within the AM5 Hermetic guidelines.
A personal range "Rise of the feathery body" is only 1st mag after all. I think "flight" is a slight exaggeration, as the speed you could travel would be rather limiting.
Really it's just an extension of the aforementioned spell. As for keeping in paradigm, there are references to levitation and people traversing obstacles in their path, such as walking over chasms.
Still if you wanted to limit the terrain you can walk over to water based obstacles, I'd be happy for your original spell to allow you to walk slowly without the need for concentration rolls and allow for changes in direction.
Re: Laertes' new spell -is this ok?
Thanks for the suggestion, Simon. I'm not having a go, I just don't want a float through the air spell. I prefer the idea of being able to travel across Aquam surfaces
Can I get a troupe ruling shortly, as I'd like to update my character sheet. Ta.
Re: Laertes' new spell -is this ok?
In my view, if Laertes wishes to limit the effect to aquam-based terrain (rather than a generic float-above-the-surface spell) then that's not only fine, but should potentially have some small benefit because of the limitation (e.g. a limited ability to run). Here's my suggestion.
Repel Neptune's Embrace (ReCo 10; Per, Conc, Ind). Allows the caster to walk on top of water, snow and ice. Running across the surface is possible, but requires concentration rolls to maintain the spell. (Base 5, +1 Conc).
I personally don't see a need for an aquam requisite for this effect. Edited by: Badger101 at: 24/11/06 7:57
Re: Laertes' new spell -is this ok?
Without a book to hand I can't comment on the spell specifically but I am curious as to how using this spell would enable you to cope with slopes. Thoughts?
Re: Laertes' new spell -is this ok?
Let's not get overly literal here - I think slopes (snow dunes, for example) should not pose a problem. In the same way that you can fight (without conc roles) using EotB and walk with problems using TTS, I think you should be able to travel over "sloped" Aq surfaces. Otherwise, waves would render the spell useless.
I'd be very happy with a ruling that dodging an arrow or casting another spell while walking across Aq surfaces would require an appropriate conc roll.
You would be able to traverse 'slopes' as easily as you could if the surface was a firm, dry road. Obviously, such travel might be tiring and some slopes (e.g. a vertical wall of ice) would still not be traversable. However, I think we're getting overly picky here about what is a fairly simple effect in AM5.
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