Dispel and Detect Magic clarification.

[Wilfred_Death]

I have some questions about dipel and how it works and one about Detect magic - I have searched throught the forums but didn't find the info I recquire.

 

Suppose You have a Magic System where all Magic is Magic ( obviously ), but there are 4 Elemental Subdivisions ( Earth WInd Fire Water ).

An Earth magic user has Earth Special effect on all his spells.

 

I get confused by the rules where it says "to affect two powers of a given special effect simultaneously.+1/2.....

 

From The Given example it seems I am ok for the basic 'Dispel Magic' any Magic Affect +1/4.

So, say there was a Fire Mage fighting an Earth Mage and a Water mage, who both have their ForceFields on.

The Fire Mage casts Dispel Magic at the Earth Mage one phase and dispells his Earth shield, on his next phase he dispells the Water Mage's ForceField.

 

What if The Fire Mage had bought a Dispel Defined against Magical Water Effects only, What sort of advantage would that be?

 

Suppose The FIre Mage had Bought the +1/2 advantage above and that the Water Mage had been Levitating on a column of magical water. Would that mean that the Fire Mage could dispel any 2 effects and thus in this case cancel the ForceField and The water levitation in one casting?

 

If the Dispel was bought at the +2 Level does that mean he can switch All of one NPC's Spells off in one casting ( assuming he has enough points )?

 

I assume it is correct that if for some reason the FireMage bought Dispel Energy Blast , and suddenly thru a portal pops Sci Fi Guy with a Blast Gun, his Dispel would work versus that?

 

Detect Magic:

In the campaign I am designing at present, I wanted all characters with a background of 'Born a Mage' to have Detect Magic as a - power -.

The effect of this would be that when the D&D type adventurer walks past on the other side of the street, they can tell, 'ooh ! that guys got magic', When the guy in the next apartment starts summoning Demons, they 'Know' something is happening.

 

Later In their career, They learn a Spell : See Magic.

With this ability switched on ( a spell ) They can spot across the room a wand, and it's obviously full of Fire Magic. With A Magic Skill roll they can figure out it is a Wand of Fireballs.

I wanted this to be a form of Sight. However I aslso wanted the effect that

If there was an invisible to normal sight Imp in a room, normal people wouldn't see it ( It's invisible ), the mage Guy wouldn't 'see' it either but because it is radiating Magical Energy that makes it invisible, they can see a Blob of Mana and thus know there is a creatur there.

 

It's also intended That a Flash vs. Sight group would effect The mages regular sight and His 'See Magic'

 

Is that 7 whole points for the basic detect, and then another 5 ( less limitations ) for the see magic ? or is that too much ?

[lensman]

Re: Dispel and Detect Magic clarification.

 

Dispel begins by only being able to target one power, regardless of SFX, at one time. Thus you could buy it vrs. F.F. or Change Environmnet.

The confusion may start when the +1/4 advantage is applied that allows any one power, of a certain SFX, to be targeted, one at a time. Now with that advantage the utility of the power increases dramatically and allows a user to Dispel any one power, from Absorption to Transform, as long as it (the power which is the target of the Dispel) has a Magic SFX.

 

Q : I get confused by the rules where it says "to affect two powers of a given special effect simultaneously.+1/2.....

 

A : Extending your example for the “to affect two powers of a given special effect simultaneously.+1/2â€

A earth mage with Dispel bought with this advantage can target 2 Magic spells being used by one opponent, in one attack action. Say, both a force field and flight or Armor and HKA

 

Q : What if The Fire Mage had bought a Dispel Defined against Magical Water Effects only, What sort of advantage would that be?

 

A : It seems to me that Only vrs. Water Magic is a limitation. In which case consult the definitions found inConditional or Limited and apply it to your campaign. Water magic may be more or less prevelant than other magics.

 

Q : Suppose The FIre Mage had Bought the +1/2 advantage above and that the Water Mage had been Levitating on a column of magical water. Would that mean that the Fire Mage could dispel any 2 effects and thus in this case cancel the ForceField and The water levitation in one casting?

 

A : Yes.

 

Q: If the Dispel was bought at the +2 Level does that mean he can switch All of one NPC's Spells off in one casting ( assuming he has enough points )?

 

A : Yes.

 

Q : I assume it is correct that if for some reason the FireMage bought Dispel Energy Blast , and suddenly thru a portal pops Sci Fi Guy with a Blast Gun, his Dispel would work versus that?

 

A : This is a GM cal. Based strictly on the rules, if a Fire mAge buys Dispel – Energy blast he is not limited to a SFX, so he could Dispel Sci Fi Guys Blast Gun.

But fortunately GM’s can step in and say that SFX limits this, or not. A Dreadstar type campaign that mixes magic and Tech might allow such or a campaign ste in a ShadowRun world.

 

Q : Is that 7 whole points for the basic detect, and then another 5 ( less limitations ) for the see magic ? or is that too much ?

 

A : Don’t know how you are buying it. But you hit on exactly how it could work in your example. The Imp is Invis. To Normal Sight, not to the Detect: Magic. So you have to simply describe the level of detail one see’s when using Detect Magic. Like some senses, one does not see details, I believe Radar works like that.

Just beware of players who want to upgrade to Discriminatory or Analyze. Both those components would seem to grant much greater fidelity.

[Wilfred_Death]

Re: Dispel and Detect Magic clarification.

 

Thanks, That cleared up what I wanted to know about dispel.

 

AS for the see magic thingy, I went for 2 Different effects, that both fit into the campaign I am designing

 

A See 'Magic' Defined as Improving your Sight into the Magical Spectrum

sort of 'Octarine' vision which is 5 Base Points modified by usual spell limitations - used by PCs that learn magic.

 

And for "naturally gifted" mages the option to buy The power ( not a spell )

Detect Magic, Ranged, Targeting, Discriminatory Base pts 25 (?). Which is a 'better' power, - Of course i had to stack limitations on the starting affect to get it down to 4 points, and the limitations can be bought down later.

Advantages include that its not affected by Flash vs sight, doesn't count against maximum spells, will be able to 'see' most forms of invisible & etc