Spell Law: Shield Mastery

[azato]

I am trying to do a conversion of some of the RoleMaster spell lists. I know this is a basic question BUT....

I want a spell that 'ensures' that a missile attack against the spell caster will miss. I want it only to work against one missile. Does the following make sense?

a.Desolidification (40 pts)
i.Instant (-1/2)
ii.Magic Roll (-1/2)
iii.Only vs. Missile attack (-1/2)
iv.Instant (-1/2)



If I wanted a variation that would put negative OCV against the shooter, how would I do that?



Any other thoughts on the matter would be appreciated.

[Captain Obvious]

I am trying to do a conversion of some of the RoleMaster spell lists. I know this is a basic question BUT....

I want a spell that 'ensures' that a missile attack against the spell caster will miss. I want it only to work against one missile. Does the following make sense?

a.Desolidification (40 pts)
i.Instant (-1/2)
ii.Magic Roll (-1/2)
iii.Only vs. Missile attack (-1/2)
iv.Instant (-1/2)

This would work, but without the Affects Solid Advantage on his STR and his other spells (or maybe a naked Advantage), the spellcaster wouldn't be able to affect anyone else. I might bump up the Limitation if the spell only affects one missile attack.



If I wanted a variation that would put negative OCV against the shooter, how would I do that?


Check the Skill Levels description. There are rules there for imposing penalties on others.

[azato]

How about this - a spell that when the first person takes a swing at the character the recipient of the spell gets a DCV bonus?

1.Blade Turn
a.DCV +4 (20 pts) (35 AP) (13 TP)
i.Trigger (+1/4)
ii.Useable simultaneously (+1/2)
iii.Instant (-1/2)
iv.Only vs. melee (-1/2)
v.Magic Roll (-1/2)
vi.Cost End (-1/4)

[azato]

Another problem is this - I don't want to do a charge but I want an effect to last for a specific amount of time before being recast (say a segement or a turn). What would be a reasonable limitation?

[Thia Halmades]

Entropic Shield [Abjuration; Luck Domain]: Desolidification (affected by Any non-ranged attack) (40 Active Points); Activation Roll 8- (-2), Only To Protect Against Ranged Attacks (Protects against arrows, rays, bolts, etc.; does not affect massive rounds; -1), 1 Continuing Charge lasting 5 Minutes (-3/4), Requires A Faith Roll (-1/2), Spell (Luck Domain; -1/2), Cannot Pass Through Solid Objects (-1/2), Gestures (-1/4), Incantations (-1/4)

In this case your Desolid is just a Special Effect; you can always take away from the power as you see fit; in this case, "Only to Protect Against Ranged Attacks." I knew there was a reason I put all of these together. :D For the effect you want, just take off "Activation Roll" and voila; you're immune to missile attacks.

[NuSoardGraphite]

If I remember correctly Shield Mastery imposes a -100 penalty to any single missile attack aimed at the character (or rather, the character can choose a single missile attack for the penalty to apply to).

Bladeturn is the same (-100) but is vs Melee attacks.

That said how about this writeup:

Shield Mastery: Negative Skill Levels -10 OCV (50)
--Ranged (+1/2) 75 Active
--Gestures (-1/4) Incantation (-1/4) Requires Skill Roll (-1/2)
--Actual cost: 38pts. Magic Skill Penalty -7. Endurance: 8

Imposing a -10 OCV penalty to any single ranged attack pretty much garuntees that it'll miss.

[Thia Halmades]

It does in fact help to know the effect you're attempting to simulate. NSG is correct; if you're trying to 'slap a penalty' on an attack (-100? Good heavens, how did this system function?) then you want tto assign PSLs to the user. If you don't "care about feel" then you can go ahead and use Desolid.

[azato]

If I remember correctly Shield Mastery imposes a -100 penalty to any single missile attack aimed at the character (or rather, the character can choose a single missile attack for the penalty to apply to).

Bladeturn is the same (-100) but is vs Melee attacks.

That said how about this writeup:

Shield Mastery: Negative Skill Levels -10 OCV (50)
--Ranged (+1/2) 75 Active
--Gestures (-1/4) Incantation (-1/4) Requires Skill Roll (-1/2)
--Actual cost: 38pts. Magic Skill Penalty -7. Endurance: 8

Imposing a -10 OCV penalty to any single ranged attack pretty much garuntees that it'll miss.

Shield = -25%

Blade Turn=-100%

Aim Untrue= Automatic Miss

[azato]

Here is the basic paradigm I am working from:

1. Initially try to remain true to the write up. This is all subject to change.
2. As the "levels" progress, the AP increases.
3. Work with, at least initially, lower AP costs).
4. Don't unbalance the game mechanics.

[azato]

If I remember correctly Shield Mastery imposes a -100 penalty to any single missile attack aimed at the character (or rather, the character can choose a single missile attack for the penalty to apply to).

Bladeturn is the same (-100) but is vs Melee attacks.

That said how about this writeup:

Shield Mastery: Negative Skill Levels -10 OCV (50)
--Ranged (+1/2) 75 Active
--Gestures (-1/4) Incantation (-1/4) Requires Skill Roll (-1/2)
--Actual cost: 38pts. Magic Skill Penalty -7. Endurance: 8

Imposing a -10 OCV penalty to any single ranged attack pretty much garuntees that it'll miss.

I forgot to add that I do like the write-up but I may use a lower penalty to lower the AP cost.

[NuSoardGraphite]

ah yes. Its been many years since I've played RM.

for a -25 shield, I would use a -3 OCV penalty.

Also, if you want to lower the Active Point penalty to the magic skill roll, use the -1/20ap limitation which is -1/4 instead of -1/2.

[Lord Mhoram]

In my conversions of the stuff (very rough, I wasn't going for exact, but feel)...

Anything that negated attack bonus, I just treated as a +DCV.

As for spell duration, anything over a turn or two isn't going to be all that much of a lim, it will be near full combat -1/4 or so.

[azato]

ah yes. Its been many years since I've played RM.

for a -25 shield, I would use a -3 OCV penalty.

Also, if you want to lower the Active Point penalty to the magic skill roll, use the -1/20ap limitation which is -1/4 instead of -1/2.

The low points do not so much have to do with the magic roll as is has more to do with limiting the power of spells. I also do not know what effect this will have on character costs. I do not want magic to be too cheap, but I do not want it to be prohibitive either.

[azato]

In my conversions of the stuff (very rough, I wasn't going for exact, but feel)...

Anything that negated attack bonus, I just treated as a +DCV.



I think I may like that better. It does not mean an automatic miss, but it seems to be a cleaner mechanic.

[Coyotecloudchas]

To me it depends on the visual effect:

1) For a warding motion with the hand, +HTH levels only to Block would make sense.

2) For something that looks like a glowing kite shield or if can ward off many attacks at once, then +DCV would be appropriate.

3) If its a mystical barrier, then Force Field, Armor, or Force Wall would be best.

[NuSoardGraphite]

To me it depends on the visual effect:

1) For a warding motion with the hand, +HTH levels only to Block would make sense.

2) For something that looks like a glowing kite shield or if can ward off many attacks at once, then +DCV would be appropriate.

3) If its a mystical barrier, then Force Field, Armor, or Force Wall would be best.

Well, it was to simulate the ability of a Monk to defend himself from any attack. +DCV would be just as good as Negative Skill Levels. In Rolemaster, characters had what was known as the "Defense Bonus" which was points from a characters Quickness, magical armor, special abilities, active spells etc, that added together to determine how much was subtracted from the attackers roll to hit. It was not uncommon to achieve a -100 and some powerful NPC's had upward of -300! This is essentially the same as DCV, thus any Rolemaster bonus to Defense Bonus would add to the characters DCV, so to be accurate, Shield Master should probably add +3 to DCV. Such a spell would look like this:

Shield Mastery:
Defensive Skill Levels +3DCV (15)
--Cost Endurance (-1/2) Gestures (-1/4) Incantation (-1/4) Requires Skill Roll (-1/2) Cost: 6 real points. End=2/phase. -2 to Mentalism Skill Roll.

Would it be acceptable to make such skill levels Persistant and still have them cost Endurance?

[Frenchman]

Would it be acceptable to make such skill levels Persistant and still have them cost Endurance?
Sure, but I fear you must add Uncontrolled (+1/2) to them, or continuing charges.
Personally, I find that particular rule to be rather irksome. There should be something in between Persistent and 'Power fails if I cease burning end for it, even if it is from being stunned or something in a segment in which I do not have an action.' I have occasionally suggested a +1/4 "in-between" that allows the power to remain persistent for (at various times) up to one phase, extra phase, or one turn.

[shnar]

(-100? Good heavens, how did this system function?)

Relatively simple, it was a D100 system. You rolled D100, added your Offensive Bonus (weapon skill) and subtracted their Defense Bonus (quickness + any parry) and compared the results on a chart. For the most part, over 100 meant good damage (many hits and criticals, which is what Rolemaster was reknowned for), under 100 mean little or no damage.

-shnar