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talbot_mage [2023/10/02 22:41] – Added sections on heal/treat and foci 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, | + | NOTE: If you deal damage, |
- | NOTE: This page presents opinions from a mechanical optimization point of view | + | NOTE: Mobs can become alarmed if they notice your spellcasting. A higher magic rating and a lower spell force makes the spellcasting harder |
+ | 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 ==== | ==== 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, | + | 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, |
^Spell | ^Spell | ||
- | |Stunbolt 6D | + | |Stunbolt 6D |
|Manabolt 6D | |Manabolt 6D | ||
- | |Powerbolt 6D |4D |2% | + | |Powerbolt 6D |4D |3% |
- | Another attack spell that is often recommended is waterbolt. While stunbolt/ | + | Another attack spell that is often recommended is waterbolt. While stunbolt/ |
^Spell | ^Spell | ||
- | |Waterbolt | + | |Waterbolt |
- | |Waterbolt | + | |Waterbolt |
- | |Waterbolt 5D |4D | + | |
- | |Waterbolt 6D |5D | + | |
==== Improved Invisibility ==== | ==== Improved Invisibility ==== | ||
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==== Heal/Treat ==== | ==== Heal/Treat ==== | ||
- | 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' | + | 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: 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. | NOTE: Heal/treat spells, as well as biotech treat, will work on physical drain damage. | ||
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==== The Optimized Mage ==== | ==== The Optimized Mage ==== | ||
- | 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 magic (until your real magic + power focus hits 20), another dice or two of cpool and being able to wear another | + | 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 |
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. | 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. | ||
=== Foci === | === Foci === | ||
- | You can have 1 rating point of foci active per 0.5 points of real magic before risking foci addiction. | + | The assumption here is that you won't use a focus to sustain any spell that can instead |
Important for Spellcasting and Combat: | Important for Spellcasting and Combat: | ||
- | Power focus - by far the most efficient | + | * Power focus - This is by far the most efficient |
- | Spell category focus - add rating | + | |
- | Specific spell focus - add rating | + | |
- | Sustaining focus (Willpower) - add force number of dice directly | + | |
- | Sustaining focus (Reflexes) - so you can cast spells | + | |
- | Spell defense focus - add rating | + | |
These foci could be worth having active, depending on your build: | These foci could be worth having active, depending on your build: | ||
- | Sustaining focus (Body) - the extra damage resistance dice is relatively minor when you already have +8 combat pool from an elemental sustained | + | * Sustaining focus (Body) - The extra damage resistance dice may be relatively minor vs +8 cpool from elemental sustained |
- | Sustaining focus (Strength) - for non-monowhip melee builds. | + | |
- | Weapon Focus - for builds that rely on melee offensively; not really | + | |
- | Being able to have these foci active, on top of everything above, is only really relevant | + | Being able to have these foci active, on top of everything above, is generally unneeded except |
- | Sustaining focus (Intelligence) - cultured | + | |
- | Sustaining focus (Quickness) - cultured | + | |
Being able to have these foci active, on top of everything above, is only really relevant for convenience or maybe pruns: | 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. | + | * 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. | + | |
- | This foci is not worth the space it takes up, except maybe in pruns: | + | These are not worth the space they take up, except maybe in pruns: |
- | Expendable foci - in the mud, there' | + | |
==== Archetype Comparisons ==== | ==== Archetype Comparisons ==== | ||
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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' | 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' | ||
- | ==== Notable Spells | + | ==== Spell Lists ==== |
=== Buffs Sustainable by Elementals === | === Buffs Sustainable by Elementals === | ||
^Spell | ^Spell | ||
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|Light | |Light | ||
- | === Other Recommended Spells === | + | === Other Highly |
^Spell | ^Spell | ||
|Stunbolt | |Stunbolt | ||
- | |Powerbolt/Waterbolt | + | |Waterbolt |
|Decrease Intelligence | |Decrease Intelligence | ||
|Heal |as with all other spells, wound penalties apply | | |Heal |as with all other spells, wound penalties apply | | ||
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* 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 karma to bind foci. | * 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 karma to bind foci. | ||
- | * In character generation, spell points should generally not be purchased at the cost of 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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* It is perfectly ok to use elementals (and thus sustained spells) at less than maximum force. Summoning force 5 elementals instead of force 8 will increase number of services by a factor of 2.4 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 force. Summoning force 5 elementals instead of force 8 will increase number of services by a factor of 2.4 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. | ||
- | * 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 |