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talbot_mage [2023/08/08 19:22] – [Stunbolt & Drain] khai | talbot_mage [2024/04/26 17:06] (current) – [Talbot's Musings on Hermetic Magic] Auto-combat clarification khai | ||
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===== Talbot' | ===== Talbot' | ||
- | There are a lot of reasons for the non-awakened to be leery of magic. Perhaps the biggest one is that spellcasting is not obvious, especially when the spellcaster is invisible. A perceptive runner will notice when a potential adversary aims a firearm or baton at you, but your first indication of offensive magic may be when you start bleeding out of your ears. | + | There are a lot of reasons for the non-awakened to be leery of magic. Perhaps the biggest one is that spells like stunbolt and manabolt are not obvious. A perceptive runner will notice when a potential adversary aims a firearm or baton at you, but your first indication of offensive magic may be when you start bleeding out of your ears. |
- | Flipping the roles around, what this means for the spellcasting runner is that in cases where adversaries are not aware that they are in fact adversaries, | + | Flipping the roles around, what this means for the spellcasting runner is that in cases where adversaries are not aware that they are in fact adversaries, |
NOTE: Spellcasting alone does not initiate combat, meaning it does not put you in initiative rounds. Outside of initiative, you have a half second delay (IRL time) between spells.\\ | NOTE: Spellcasting alone does not initiate combat, meaning it does not put you in initiative rounds. Outside of initiative, you have a half second delay (IRL time) between spells.\\ | ||
- | NOTE: Technically, a target that takes damage | + | NOTE: If you deal damage, you enter combat and so your character will respond accordingly (drawing |
+ | NOTE: Mobs can become alarmed if they notice your spellcasting. A higher magic rating and a lower spell force makes the spellcasting harder to notice, but a lower spell force is also easier to resist.\\ | ||
+ | NOTE: In combat, spell casting is queued. Each time you send a CAST command, your spell is added to the queue. On your action in the combat loop, if there' | ||
+ | ==== Attack Spells & Drain ==== | ||
+ | While manabolt and powerbolt deal physical damage, stunbolt deals mental. This means that using stunbolts, a spellcaster needs to deal twice as many boxes to mortally wound a target, first filling their mental track before overflowing into their physical track. However, stunbolt has the advantage of lower drain. Spell drain codes are calculated as (F/2 + modifier)(drain level), i.e., casting a stunbolt 6 at deadly has a drain of (6/2 - 1)(deadly) = 2D. Let's take a look at the odds to completely resist the drain for stunbolt, manabolt, and powerbolt, all cast at force 6 and deadly, compared | ||
- | ==== Stunbolt & Drain ==== | + | ^Spell |
- | While manabolt and powerbolt deal physical damage, stunbolt deals mental. This means that using stunbolts, a spellcaster needs to deal twice as many boxes to mortally wound a target, by filling the mental track and then overflowing through the physical track. However, stunbolt has the advantage of lower drain. Spell drain codes are calculated as (F/2 + modifier)(drain level), i.e., casting a stunbolt 6 at deadly has a drain of (6/2 - 1)(deadly) = 2D. Let's take a look at the odds to completely resist the drain for stunbolt, manabolt, and powerbolt, all cast at force 6 and deadly, compared to drain resist dice (willpower + spell pool). A trauma damper does make this significantly easier. | + | |Stunbolt |
- | + | |Manabolt | |
- | ^Spell | + | |Powerbolt |
- | |Stunbolt | + | |
- | |Manabolt | + | |
- | |Powerbolt | + | |
+ | Another attack spell that is often recommended is waterbolt. While stunbolt/ | ||
+ | ^Spell | ||
+ | |Waterbolt 5D |2D | ||
+ | |Waterbolt 6D |3D | ||
==== Improved Invisibility ==== | ==== Improved Invisibility ==== | ||
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For the not-so-subtle runner, improved invisibility is a very potent buff, as adversaries who are fighting you but can't see you suffer a +8 TN blind fire penalty. If they have ultrasound, they suffer a penalty of (8 + the force of your stealth spell)/2 (round up), max +8. That said, it's not a stand-alone solution; if you don't have the dodge or melee dice, then they can still luck into landing the occassional hit, and without soak and armor, a hit with just a single net success can still do a lot of damage. | For the not-so-subtle runner, improved invisibility is a very potent buff, as adversaries who are fighting you but can't see you suffer a +8 TN blind fire penalty. If they have ultrasound, they suffer a penalty of (8 + the force of your stealth spell)/2 (round up), max +8. That said, it's not a stand-alone solution; if you don't have the dodge or melee dice, then they can still luck into landing the occassional hit, and without soak and armor, a hit with just a single net success can still do a lot of damage. | ||
- | ==== Archetype Comparisons | + | ==== Heal/ |
- | Unlike a shaman, a hermetic mage's spells are limited by the quality | + | The heal and treat spells can recover one box of physical health per success, to a maximum equal to the force of the spell. But the number of successes we can expect is highly dependent on the TN, which is set by 10 - (target' |
+ | NOTE: The treat spell can only be used in the same mud-hour as when damage was taken, in exchange for lower drain.\\ | ||
+ | NOTE: Heal/treat spells, as well as biotech treat, will work on physical drain damage. | ||
- | Where the hermetic has the advantage is their elementals, which have the ability to sustain spells associated with their element. A shaman is not able to sustain the various beneficial spells (beyond what can be handled by the available force 3 or 4 sustaining foci) without having to deal with prohibitive TN penalties in subsequent actions. Thus, a hermetic is better at using their magic in a self-supporting role. Along with the weakness in offensive spells, it makes sense for high-tier mages to approach situations they find dangerous in the same way as a street samurai (i.e., shooting large firearms loaded with APDS from outside the room).\\ | + | ==== Buffs ==== |
- | NOTE: Elementals cannot sustain health category spells.\\ | + | |
- | NOTE: A mundane street samurai can reach rating 12 with firearms and melee skills and so is generally better at killing (except when opponents are spirits/ | + | |
- | NOTE: In a team situation, a shaman is better at support magic, as they can sustain force 12 spells on teammates while the hermetic is limited to force 8. While the shaman would take sustaining penalties, that doesn' | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ==== Buffing Up ==== | + | |
// | // | ||
+ | |||
+ | A mage's greatest strength is their ability to sustain more and higher force buff-type spells on themselves through the use of elementals.\\ | ||
+ | NOTE: Elementals cannot sustain health category spells. | ||
The effectiveness of most sustained spells is from the number of successes you achieve, where the force only serves to cap the number of successes you may use (notable exception: armor). So, it's common for spellcasters to recast such spells until they reach that maximum number of usable successes. This leads to the question: how should you split your spell pool between casting and drain resistance so as to both maximize your chance of reaching maximum effective successes while also minimizing your time spent recovering from drain?\\ | The effectiveness of most sustained spells is from the number of successes you achieve, where the force only serves to cap the number of successes you may use (notable exception: armor). So, it's common for spellcasters to recast such spells until they reach that maximum number of usable successes. This leads to the question: how should you split your spell pool between casting and drain resistance so as to both maximize your chance of reaching maximum effective successes while also minimizing your time spent recovering from drain?\\ | ||
NOTE: Drain power is calculated from half of force (round down), plus a modifier and damage level depending on the spell.\\ | NOTE: Drain power is calculated from half of force (round down), plus a modifier and damage level depending on the spell.\\ | ||
- | NOTE: Heal/treat spells and biotech treat work on physical drain damage. | ||
This depends on too many details to explore here. That said, when outside of combat, you can cast a spell every half second, so let's take a look at how many drain resistance dice (willpower + spell pool) it takes to have around a 90% chance to not take any drain, i.e., around 10 attempts per rest. Let's also aim for enough spellcasting dice (sorcery + spell pool + foci) for around a 10% chance of hitting the effective successes cap. These numbers assume the caster doesn' | This depends on too many details to explore here. That said, when outside of combat, you can cast a spell every half second, so let's take a look at how many drain resistance dice (willpower + spell pool) it takes to have around a 90% chance to not take any drain, i.e., around 10 attempts per rest. Let's also aim for enough spellcasting dice (sorcery + spell pool + foci) for around a 10% chance of hitting the effective successes cap. These numbers assume the caster doesn' | ||
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|Combat Sense | |Combat Sense | ||
- | ==== Specific | + | ==== The Optimized Mage ==== |
- | === Notable Spells | + | In Awakened Worlds CE, effective magic rating is capped at 20. But for mages, what you get for raising your real magic rating higher than 10-15 (depending on build) is relatively minor. You get an extra spell pool die for every 3 points of int+magic (where your total magic is capped at 20) and an extra rating point of foci that you can have active at the same time per 0.5 points of real magic before risking foci addiction. |
- | ^Spell | + | Note: banishing has never been worth using (except for some very niche scenarios) in any edition of Shadowrun, and is no different in the mud. |
- | |Armor | + | |
- | |Combat Sense | + | === Foci === |
- | |Improved Invisibility | + | The assumption here is that you won't use a focus to sustain any spell that can instead be sustained by an elemental. |
- | |Stealth | + | |
+ | Important for Spellcasting and Combat: | ||
+ | * Power focus - This is by far the most efficient way to increase your spell pool (rating 4 = up to 5.5 spell pool dice, depending on existing attributes). | ||
+ | * Spell category focus - This adds its rating to the casting test for spells of the specified category. | ||
+ | * Specific | ||
+ | * Sustaining focus (Willpower) - Assuming max effective successes, the spell force is added to your willpower, thus increasing your dice pool for drain resistance tests; also +1 spool / +3 will; also increases TN for opponent manabolt/ | ||
+ | * Sustaining focus (Reflexes) - This increases your initiative, allowing you to take actions (including spellcasting) faster and more often when in combat | ||
+ | * Spell defense focus - This adds its rating to your dice pool for spell defense | ||
+ | |||
+ | These foci could be worth having active, depending on your build: | ||
+ | * Sustaining focus (Body) - The extra damage resistance dice may be relatively minor vs +8 cpool from elemental sustained combat sense; beta grade dermal sheathing is more efficient at +1 bod / 0.21-0.315 magic lost vs +1 focus rating / 0.5 magic; can be useful for increasing opponent powerbolt TN, but only if you don't already have 11+ body. | ||
+ | * Sustaining focus (Strength) - Specifically for non-monowhip melee builds. | ||
+ | * Weapon Focus - For builds that rely on melee offense; not needed for melee defense (you' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Being able to have these foci active, on top of everything above, is generally unneeded except for bragging rights, niche cases, or maybe pruns: | ||
+ | * Sustaining focus (Intelligence) - Cultured cerebral boosters are more efficient at +1 int / 0.2 magic lost vs +1 focus rating / 0.5 magic; +1 spool / +3 int; +1 cpool / +2 int (minor vs +8 cpool from elemental sustained combat sense); +1 hacking pool / +3 int. | ||
+ | * Sustaining focus (Quickness) - Cultured muscle toners are more efficient at +1 qui / 0.15 magic lost vs +1 focus rating / 0.5 magic; +1 cpool / +2 qui (minor vs +8 cpool from elemental sustained combat sense); +1 armor ratings from worn armor / +2 qui (minor vs +8 cpool from elemental sustained combat sense) | ||
+ | |||
+ | Being able to have these foci active, on top of everything above, is only really relevant for convenience or maybe pruns: | ||
+ | * Additional Spell Category / Specific Spell foci - You can only cast one spell a time, so you can deactivate whatever non-applicable spell category / specific spell foci as needed to avoid foci addiction. | ||
+ | * Sustaining focus (Charisma) - Only relevant when conjuring, so you can deactivate casting foci as needed to avoid foci addiction. | ||
+ | * Conjuring focus - Only relevant when conjuring, so you can deactivate casting foci as needed to avoid foci addiction. | ||
+ | |||
+ | These are not worth the space they take up, except maybe in pruns: | ||
+ | * Expendable foci - In the mud, there' | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==== Archetype Comparisons ==== | ||
+ | Unlike a shaman, a hermetic mage's spells are limited by the quality of their library. There are no sorcery libraries with a rating greater than 8 available in Awakened Worlds CE. That restriction causes hermetic attack spells to be very unreliable when facing off against certain top tier opponents. Example: a force 8 stunbolt with 24 dice vs 16 willpower gives less than 4% chance of success, whereas a force 12 stunbolt in the same situation gives a 20% chance of success. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Where the hermetic has the advantage is their elementals, which have the ability to sustain spells associated with their element. A shaman is not able to sustain the various beneficial spells (beyond what can be handled by the available force 3 or 4 sustaining foci) without having to deal with sustaining penalties in subsequent actions. Thus, a hermetic is better at using their magic in a self-supporting role. Along with the weakness in offensive spells, it makes sense for high-tier mages to approach situations they find dangerous in the same way as a street samurai (i.e., shooting large firearms loaded with APDS from outside the room).\\ | ||
+ | NOTE: A mundane street samurai can reach rating 12 with firearms and melee skills and so is generally better at killing (except when opponents are spirits/ | ||
+ | NOTE: In a team situation, a shaman is better at support magic, as they can sustain force 12 spells on teammates while the hermetic is limited to force 8. While the shaman would take sustaining penalties, that doesn' | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==== Spell Lists ==== | ||
+ | === Buffs Sustainable by Elementals === | ||
+ | ^Spell | ||
+ | |Armor | ||
+ | |Combat Sense | ||
+ | |Improved Invisibility | ||
+ | |Stealth | ||
+ | |Levitate | ||
+ | |Light | ||
- | === Highly Recommended Spells === | + | === Other Highly Recommended Spells === |
- | ^Spell | + | ^Spell |
- | |Stunbolt | + | |Stunbolt |
- | |Waterbolt | + | |Waterbolt |
- | |Decrease Intelligence | + | |Decrease Intelligence |
- | |Heal |as with all other spells, wound penalties apply | | + | |Heal |as with all other spells, wound penalties apply | |
- | |Levitate | + | |
|Increase Willpower | |Increase Willpower | ||
- | |Increase Reflexes +3 |once in combat, spellcasting follows initiative rules; force 1 is enough | + | |Increase Reflexes +3 |once in combat, spellcasting follows initiative rules; force 1 is enough |
- | |Increase (everything else) |qui to layer armor, qui+int+wil for cpool, bod for soak, cha for conjuring, str for melee... | + | |
- | ==== Miscellaneous Tips and Reminders | + | ==== Miscellaneous Tips and Thoughts |
- | * In character generation, spell points should generally be used for spells. Once in-game, learning spells takes significantly more effort compared to picking up the karma to bind foci or buying conjuring materials. | + | * In character generation, spell points should generally be used for spells. Once in-game, learning spells takes significantly more effort compared to buying conjuring materials or earning |
- | * In character generation, spell points should not be purchased at 25k nuyen per point. | + | * For the purpose of bonding foci, 1 spell point = 1 karma. For the purpose of learning spells, 1 spell point = 1 karma + convenience of not having to find/ |
* Melee is defended against by melee, so pick up a melee skill. | * Melee is defended against by melee, so pick up a melee skill. | ||
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* Speaking of essence dependent spells, the mud does allow you to use a decrease attribute spell to reduce the TN for an increase spell for the same attribute, after which you can release the decrease spell. | * Speaking of essence dependent spells, the mud does allow you to use a decrease attribute spell to reduce the TN for an increase spell for the same attribute, after which you can release the decrease spell. | ||
- | * It is perfectly ok to use elementals (and thus sustained spells) at less than max force. Summoning force 5 elementals instead of force 8 will result in 2.4 times as many services (on average). Force 5 elementals also require fewer conjuring materials, so in total, you'll be able to support 3.8x as many spells for the same amount of nuyen. Just force 5 combat sense (with 10 spellcasting successes) and force 5 armor are enough to put your combat pool and armor ratings on-par with or better than most street samurai. | + | * It is perfectly ok to use elementals (and thus sustained spells) at less than maximum |
- | * The odds of a mundane elite guard beating the spell resistance check vs a force 5 imp invis (with 5 spellcasting successes) is 9%. This means if you know you're walking into a fight, go ahead and cast that (and sustain with a water elemental) because it means at least 9 out of 10 will suffer | + | * The odds of a mundane elite guard with 8 dice beating the spell resistance check vs a force 5 imp invis (with 5 spellcasting successes) is 9%. Against force 6 (with 6 successes), their odds are 0.04%. This means if you know you're walking into a fight, go ahead and cast that (and sustain with a water elemental) because it means everybody (except for dual-natured creatures) suffers |
* Autorun Johnsons ignore stealth spells (as well as invis spells). The stealth spell also does not cause guards to aggro, so it's perfectly ok to keep it active at all times. If you use the stealth skill, the spell makes it much less likely for opponents to beat the perception check. NOTE: sneaking works when moving between rooms; stand in a room long enough and opponents will spot you without needing a perception check. | * Autorun Johnsons ignore stealth spells (as well as invis spells). The stealth spell also does not cause guards to aggro, so it's perfectly ok to keep it active at all times. If you use the stealth skill, the spell makes it much less likely for opponents to beat the perception check. NOTE: sneaking works when moving between rooms; stand in a room long enough and opponents will spot you without needing a perception check. | ||
- | * When fighting against high force spirits, allocate your spool to defense/ | + | * When fighting against |
- | * For dangerous | + | * Against particularly strong critters with particularly |