Mana ( END ) Reserve Help?

[Wilfred_Death]

In my campaign all magic users have two extra stats Mana and ManaRec.
They use these to power spells in much the same way as END for regular stuff.
Most Spells have compulsory Extra Mana ( END Cost ).
Even spells that take 0 Mana to maintain require an initial burst of Mana to startup. This all works fine.

Now I'm trying to design these 'Mana Crystals' that function as an ancillary Mana ( END ) reserve.

Checking through the rules about END reserves it says something about 'user must choose whether Power can draw on END reserve or Personal END, if power can do both it's a +1/4 Advantage.......

I don't want to use that as it would increase the AP of all spells without increasing their effectiveness. Also later, I was going to build some of these crystals as semi-sentient items.

The Game Effect I wanted for these Crystals is this:

1. A Quality Crystal Has about 50 Mana Capacity.

2. The Person possessing it can, when they cast Spells, use their own Mana, the Crystals, or any combination of both. This 'Control' is subsumed in the RSR Power Magic Skill roll required for spells, as they focus the Mana for the Spell through the crystal.

3.The User can also replenish their Personal Mana from the Crystal as a Zero Phase action.

4.The Crystal Has a REC rate of about 8, BUT It can Never Recover Mana by itself.

5.The Crystal Recovers Mana, only when the User Feeds Mana into it.
A Process Requiring : RSR Power Magic Skill roll, Gestures, Incantations Extra Time 1 Minute. At the End of which time the Crystal gets back it's REC in Mana and the User loses that ammount of Mana ( which they can recover normally )

6.The Crystal can only hold 1 Type Of mana ( Fire Element Mana being different From Water Element Mana )

Normal END reserves are 'too cheap' for this campaign setting. However I don't want these things to be too expensive. ( In Character Points )

I was wondering if The Crystal Need to Have AID Powers to function as I described?
Also I've gone Blank again and can't figure out how to Build one.

I'd be grateful for suggestions ?

Most of the descriptions For END reserves in the books are for 'batteries' that power your Power Suit, and it gives descriptions for how you can 'plug them in' to recharge the END reserve.
However I haven't seen one where 'you' put your END into the 'Battery'
Would you need AID / Transfer for this ?
If so I can give the Crystal the power with Usable By Other advantage.

I'm kind of stumped.......
I think for now I'll just tell the Players "They work this way" and cost 1,000 Monetary units...

[Hugh Neilson]

I'm kind of stumped.......
I think for now I'll just tell the Players "They work this way" and cost 1,000 Monetary units...

No harm in that approach, or in just saying that END from such a reserve can sub for normal END without the usual +1/4 advantage on spells.

The Game Effect I wanted for these Crystals is this:

1. A Quality Crystal Has about 50 Mana Capacity.

2. The Person possessing it can, when they cast Spells, use their own Mana, the Crystals, or any combination of both. This 'Control' is subsumed in the RSR Power Magic Skill roll required for spells, as they focus the Mana for the Spell through the crystal.

So far, END battery works.

3.The User can also replenish their Personal Mana from the Crystal as a Zero Phase action.

4.The Crystal Has a REC rate of about 8, BUT It can Never Recover Mana by itself.


hmmm...maybe the Crystal has an END Healing ability, with the side effect that it loses its own END. Healing a standard 4 CP of END should be pretty affordable, even if you buy down the time between healings.

5.The Crystal Recovers Mana, only when the User Feeds Mana into it.
A Process Requiring : RSR Power Magic Skill roll, Gestures, Incantations Extra Time 1 Minute. At the End of which time the Crystal gets back it's REC in Mana and the User loses that ammount of Mana ( which they can recover normally )

You could force the characters to buy this ability as a Heal spell, but given the limits will reduce the cost to a negligible amount, you could just say all spellcasters can do this as a 0 point ability.

6.The Crystal can only hold 1 Type Of mana ( Fire Element Mana being different From Water Element Mana )

One more limitation.

Normal END reserves are 'too cheap' for this campaign setting. However I don't want these things to be too expensive. ( In Character Points )

Just spend money is even cheaper. You could always rule that (since these replace a personal stat) these get purchased at some ratio other than 10 END for 1 point to set the cost at a level you consider reasonable.

[Wilfred_Death]

That's Great!!!:thumbup: Thanks.

So I can build the Crystals like so:

Mana Reserve Crystal
50 Pt END Reserve 0 REC, Focus etc etc
Plus:
Healing Mana ( END ) 2D6 , Focus etc - The crystal can do this on you
Costs Mana - Mana comes From END Reserve

And Just Say All Spell Casters Know this Spell: ( as Part of their 'Power' )
Healing Mana 2D6 ( or whatever )
Only vs Mana Crystals
RSR Magic SKill
Gesture, Incant, Extra Time
Increased Mana Cost

Once again Thanks
:thumbup:

[Markdoc]

A very simple approach: let the players buy extra END via a focus.

This extra END will use their own REC, so they can either charge up the focus, or their own END and of course, if they are not holding it it does not recharge, since it has no REC of it's own.

Since this is their own END, they can use it as you suggested - meaning they can draw from it for normal END.

The only drawback is that this very cheap, so player can buy lots of extra END :)

cheers, Mark

[Wilfred_Death]

A very simple approach: let the players buy extra END via a focus.

Didn't think of that.

This extra END will use their own REC, so they can either charge up the focus, or their own END and of course, if they are not holding it it does not recharge, since it has no REC of it's own.

But it ( The Focus ) doesn't just get END if they take Recoveries?
That's one thing I wasn't sure about.

Since this is their own END, they can use it as you suggested - meaning they can draw from it for normal END.

As Long as they have to go through "An Involved Effort" to put Mana into the Stone it's OK, and that's what stumped me, so for now I'll think I'll go with Hugh Neilson's approach.

The only drawback is that this very cheap, so player can buy lots of extra END :)

Well yeh, END reserve is too cheap for this thing as it stands.
But The 'Above' build left a 50 Pt END reserve costing 5 Real Points
and in my campaign 'Costing' 579 Bronze Pennies ( 1 BP = Laborers Daily Income )
Which is about right, for ths game setting.

The Current Spell list has Spells using about 10 - 80 Mana ( Increased END Cost ), Maximun 'Human Mana' is 50 pts. So these stones allow Mages to cast say 3 More Combat Spells, and should be good value.

[Curufea]

You could also add to the crystals - independant and usable by others.

[Markdoc]

You could also add to the crystals - independant and usable by others.

Actually, since it's a focus it doesn't need UBO - you simply define it as "universal", which costs nothing.

cheers, Mark