Theurgy side effects in TA

[secretID]

The book says that they represent a god's punishment for stealing power. Does that mean that it's a GM call whether it occurs? Does it occur when the skill roll fails? It doesn't appear that they're meant to occur every use. Thanks for any help.

[Lord Liaden]

Re: Theurgy side effects in TA

 

Mechanically, the Turakian Age Theurgy spells are built with the Limitations, Requires A Skill Roll and Side Effects. That means the listed Side Effect only occurs when the caster fails a Skill Roll, but occurs automatically if he does fail. Conceptually, failing the roll represents the god noticing that the caster is attempting to tap the god's power without permission, and the SE is the god's punishment for his presumption. The GM doesn't decide whether or not this occurs, unless there's some metagame reason for him to overrule the outcome of the Skill Roll.

[secretID]

Re: Theurgy side effects in TA

 

Mechanically' date=' the Turakian Age Theurgy spells are built with the Limitations, [i']Requires A Skill Roll[/i] and Side Effects. That means the listed Side Effect only occurs when the caster fails a Skill Roll, but occurs automatically if he does fail. Conceptually, failing the roll represents the god noticing that the caster is attempting to tap the god's power without permission, and the SE is the god's punishment for his presumption. The GM doesn't decide whether or not this occurs, unless there's some metagame reason for him to overrule the outcome of the Skill Roll.

Thanks! I didn't know that RSK + SE automatically means that.

[Lord Liaden]

Re: Theurgy side effects in TA

 

Side Effects are commonly bought in conjunction with RSR or Activation Roll, in which case they occur just when the dice roll fails. However, you can buy Side Effects at a higher level of Limitation if it occurs every time a character uses a Power it applies to.