Re: RQ Spell Power?

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From: Andrew Bell (bell@cs.unc.edu)
Date: Sat 18 Aug 1990 - 09:56:33 EEST


In volume 2, number 7, Adrian Joseph writes:

>... one very important point about battle magic (all magic I think) is
>that it's visible (at least) when cast.

I don't remember spell casting being particularly obvious; this may be a local variant, but I don't believe it's standard. It should be fairly easy to tell someone's got a fireblade on their sword, but telling if someone has bladesharp or bludgeon on shouldn't be so easy. I would also be loathe, even with visible effects, to tell viewers how many points the spell is. Thus you see someone casting a spell on their weapon; how many points of dispel do you use? You're going to spend more power eliminating that spell most of the time, or you're going to risk wasting magic points and time on useless casting. You're better off with dullblade in this case.

The best time to use enhancement spells, also, is when you outnumber your foes. For example, when fighting a giant, he can't take the time to dispel all your spells even if he has DM. You can also use enhancement spells when fighting unintelligent or non-spellcasting foes, and any spells that affect you (strength, vigor, etc.) should require an overcoming roll to dispel.

Don't forget, also, the missile-affecting spells. Speeddarted arrows are much more likely to penetrate armor, and multi-missiled arbalest or heavy crossbow bolts can be devastating. Firearrow also dramatically increases the damage of arrows.

In RQ III the change in the distribution of spirit magic means that very few characters even have dispel magic, so the situation is much different there.

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