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Wands

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Sphinx

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« Reply #15 on: <06-02-18/1835:02> »
Offer an optional 10% karma discount on enchanting and binding when the focus takes a form that's thematically appropriate for the tradition. Hermetics, for example, could be: wand (spell focus), staff (spirit focus), amulet (power focus), ring (metamagic focus).

Marcus

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« Reply #16 on: <06-02-18/1927:31> »
That is also a very good idea, Sphinx. I'm gonna write my wand Martial Art just cause i like the idea, and it's just to nerdy an idea not to do it. But I will use your idea as well.
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Marcus

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« Reply #17 on: <06-02-18/2337:48> »
Yes I know it will only ever be a house rule thing, right next to the Monster the GM made up Himself. But for your reading enjoyment I give you----- (Drum sounds)


Olwa Túrë or Wand Mastery-
The newest thing in the magic subculture is wand dueling embodied by a martial art style Wand Mastery or Olwa Túrë for the elves among us. While it's critiques (Which are Many) often refer to it’s practitioners as twig jocks. The Style's technique have been shown to increase elemental combat spell effectiveness by a meaningful amount when employing a so called "Combat Wand". It has also served as a critical component of the new hit Trid Show Wizard’s Duel (Now on Season 3). In which practitioners attempt to disarm their opponent wands. Of course to use this school practitioners must have a "Combat Wand" an Active Combat Spell Focus that is a wand.

Techniques:
Wand Precision- By changing the origin point for elemental spells from eye or other body party to the wand tip, casters quickly achieve greater precision. When casting an indirect ranged combat spell using their wand combat focus, the spellcaster adds +1 die to the Spellcasting+Magic [Force] vs Intuition+Reaction opposed roll.

Mana Mastery- As an Olwa Túrë Initiate or Istar increases their mastery of wand use, they soon learn to more effective channel mana through their wand focus. When casting an indirect ranged combat spell using their wand combat focus the caster +1 DV to the Spell, it does not increase armor penetration or effect the force of the spell but add one hit the drain difficulty. 

Bending of the Wand- Olwa Túrë teaches that the best way to defeat your enemy is to not get hit by their attacks.  (See run and gun 135, Bending of the Reed, +1 die when using the dodge interrupt action)

Wandjutsu- As any Combatant knows if your weapon isn’t in your hand it does you little good.  Through constant, repeated drilling Istar Master quick drawing their wand with lightning speed. (It also helps that Olwa Túrë teaches it’s practitioners to carry their wands up their sleeves). A Caster’s may draw wand combat focus that is sheathed up their sleeve as a free action when casting combat indirect spell.

Diswanding- The True Master of Olwa Túrë known as a Cururnir can use their magic to disarm their opponents while otherwise leaving them uninjured. Mastery of this technique allows the caster to attempted a Blast out of Hand action with a non-AoE ranged indirect Combat Spell, and reducing called shot penalty by -1 (To a -3 Penalty, see SR5 Core Page 195) regardless of success or failure the spell causes no damage. (This Technique can only be learned by the martial artist after they have master all other styles techniques)

 
« Last Edit: <06-02-18/2355:20> by Marcus »
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Kendaan

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« Reply #18 on: <06-03-18/1005:11> »
Brandishing a Wand in a fight is also the best way to tell everyone you're a mage...

I'm surprised "Geek the Mage" hasn't been mentioned yet!

All the part aboutagic in the books start with the advice, don't look like a Mage.

Unless the GM purposefully make NPC ignore player brandishing a Wand (which would kinda break suspension of disbelief), wands would be strictly reserved for non combat situation (so probably ritual casting/binding/enchanting which are the only ones that will never happen in a fight)

No amount of bonuses would be worth having g a big neon sign saying "shoot me"

Marcus

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« Reply #19 on: <06-03-18/1239:45> »
Brandishing a Wand in a fight is also the best way to tell everyone you're a mage...

I'm surprised "Geek the Mage" hasn't been mentioned yet!

All the part aboutagic in the books start with the advice, don't look like a Mage.

Unless the GM purposefully make NPC ignore player brandishing a Wand (which would kinda break suspension of disbelief), wands would be strictly reserved for non combat situation (so probably ritual casting/binding/enchanting which are the only ones that will never happen in a fight)

No amount of bonuses would be worth having g a big neon sign saying "shoot me"

LOL But it's what makes the game interesting :)
« Last Edit: <06-03-18/1328:37> by Marcus »
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Reaver

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« Reply #20 on: <06-03-18/1336:32> »
Brandishing a Wand in a fight is also the best way to tell everyone you're a mage...

I'm surprised "Geek the Mage" hasn't been mentioned yet!

All the part aboutagic in the books start with the advice, don't look like a Mage.

Unless the GM purposefully make NPC ignore player brandishing a Wand (which would kinda break suspension of disbelief), wands would be strictly reserved for non combat situation (so probably ritual casting/binding/enchanting which are the only ones that will never happen in a fight)

No amount of bonuses would be worth having g a big neon sign saying "shoot me"


SHHH!!!!!!

(You are revealing the master plan!!)
Where am I going? And why am I in a hand basket ???

Remember: You can't fix Stupid. But you can beat on it with a 2x4 until it smartens up! Or dies.

Marcus

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« Reply #21 on: <06-03-18/1341:23> »
Brandishing a Wand in a fight is also the best way to tell everyone you're a mage...

I'm surprised "Geek the Mage" hasn't been mentioned yet!

All the part aboutagic in the books start with the advice, don't look like a Mage.

Unless the GM purposefully make NPC ignore player brandishing a Wand (which would kinda break suspension of disbelief), wands would be strictly reserved for non combat situation (so probably ritual casting/binding/enchanting which are the only ones that will never happen in a fight)

No amount of bonuses would be worth having g a big neon sign saying "shoot me"


SHHH!!!!!!

(You are revealing the master plan!!)

You're both no Fun! LOL.
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Marcus

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« Reply #22 on: <06-03-18/2055:21> »
What do you think of the Style? Too cheesey? Not Enough Cheesey? Needs more Salt?
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Mirikon

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« Reply #23 on: <06-06-18/1536:11> »
OK, late jumping in on this, but here's my .02 nuyen. Under the rules, there are three ways you can include wands without any houseruling whatsoever. First, they would make a nice power or centering focus, depending on tradition. Second, a Geas forcing them to use a wand or suffer a penalty to their rolls is perfectly acceptable for many traditions. Third, using a wand as the lynchpin for alchemical preparations.

Well, there's actually a fourth, though it gets away from spellcasting. A mage of a Possession Tradition could have a wand as a prepared vessel, allowing them to easily fill it with a spirit and unleash the spirit's powers. A mage with an Ally Spirit could have their spirit have the relatively innocuous form of a wand, for any number of reasons.


Of course, if they introduced Spell Matrices from Earthdawn, then a wand would make an excellent way to hold the physical matrix of a spell, allowing you to 'channel' through it to use the included spell.
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Gorstavich

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« Reply #24 on: <06-06-18/1906:57> »
Of course, if they introduced Spell Matrices from Earthdawn, then a wand would make an excellent way to hold the physical matrix of a spell, allowing you to 'channel' through it to use the included spell.

Think of the crowd we are dealing with, Mirikon.  If matrices were a thing, we'd be up to our artificial eyeballs in gunblades.
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Marcus

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« Reply #25 on: <06-06-18/1916:50> »
Think of the crowd we are dealing with, Mirikon.  If matrices were a thing, we'd be up to our artificial eyeballs in gunblades.

Sigh, don't tempt me.

PS Honestly No One has an Opinion on my MA Style? Was it really that bad?  The board isn't famous for being nice so, I'm little concerned.
« Last Edit: <06-06-18/1936:41> by Marcus »
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Bamce

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« Reply #26 on: <06-06-18/2000:57> »
Between foci and fetish's and all the other various magic run things, Why do you need even more?

Marcus

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« Reply #27 on: <06-06-18/2305:33> »
Between foci and fetish's and all the other various magic run things, Why do you need even more?

Well that wasn't really what i was asking but I'm very happy to answer. This is a modern RPG, the need for new content is never really ending. Magic books sell, so more magic content is useful. That said I don't think my little house rules will ever actually see print so those are both kinda moot points. But Wands are a popular prop in the fantasy of Wizards and so are something folks in the groups that enjoy playing mages will like. This is something that would increase the danger for mages (As it would visibly identify the mage to the Opfor), but would offer a benefit for doing so. Also it's rare you can add something that makes magic less lethal, and have people consider getting it. It's also not the first magic based martial art, there was one in FA. So this just more options. For all those reason I think it's reasonably solid set of house rules.
« Last Edit: <06-07-18/0131:49> by Marcus »
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Reaver

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« Reply #28 on: <06-07-18/0245:33> »
Think of the crowd we are dealing with, Mirikon.  If matrices were a thing, we'd be up to our artificial eyeballs in gunblades.

Sigh, don't tempt me.

PS Honestly No One has an Opinion on my MA Style? Was it really that bad?  The board isn't famous for being nice so, I'm little concerned.

Honestly?!?

Ok. Remember, you asked.


As I was reading those rules, in my head, I had this running image of some pasty-faced Harry Potter reject/fan jumping out in from of a large security troll, while brandishing a wand like one would a knife. The troll looks down, sighs, "An other one." He mumbles as he promptly grabs the flailing mage, takes the wand from him, turns him ass over kettle, and inserts the wand before tossing the brat over his shoulder.




You asked.
Where am I going? And why am I in a hand basket ???

Remember: You can't fix Stupid. But you can beat on it with a 2x4 until it smartens up! Or dies.

Marcus

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« Reply #29 on: <06-07-18/0750:32> »

Honestly?!?

Ok. Remember, you asked.


As I was reading those rules, in my head, I had this running image of some pasty-faced Harry Potter reject/fan jumping out in from of a large security troll, while brandishing a wand like one would a knife. The troll looks down, sighs, "An other one." He mumbles as he promptly grabs the flailing mage, takes the wand from him, turns him ass over kettle, and inserts the wand before tossing the brat over his shoulder.


You asked.

LOL I did indeed.
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