[Mason]

What? Review your terms, man. I said RATHER than increase the Drain of Direct spells by the net hits used, i just increase the Drain F/2 =whatever normal +2 more. Indirect spells like Lightning bolts remain unchanged.

[Zilfer]

What? Review your terms, man. I said RATHER than increase the Drain of Direct spells by the net hits used, i just increase the Drain F/2 =whatever normal +2 more. Indirect spells like Lightning bolts remain unchanged.

gotcha gotcha. Sorry read that perhaps a bit toooo quickly. xD

[Mason]

I apologize, I sounded quite snappish with my response.

[Zilfer]

I apologize, I sounded quite snappish with my response.

No worries, yeah I myself though "INDIRRECT" (man it sounds so backwards to me) stuff like fireballs and lightning. The net hit's add to the drain seemed waaaaaaay to much drain for anything. Casting a fireball that does 1 damage or 1F if i'm reading magic section correctly still takes 6 drain! For a measely 1 damage. o.O' considering a 9 nice soak pool that my mage has that's not likely to cut it. If i'm lucky 2-3 drain. XD

I"m thinking i'm going to leave the Net hits as an optional thing for each DM to decide in our group for themselves but I won't be doing that.

[Mason]

Net hits increasing Drain applies to Direct spells only. Non Direct spells, such as any elemental spells, are called Indirect spells and that rule does NOT apply. They have enough Drain as it is.

[Zilfer]

Net hits increasing Drain applies to Direct spells only. Non Direct spells, such as any elemental spells, are called Indirect spells and that rule does NOT apply. They have enough Drain as it is.

Is that how it goes.... oh how do they say it.... RAW?

Which i've still no idea what RAW stands for. I'll get it eventually.

Rules Aniversery World? Donno anyways thanks for the clarification!

I remember reading somewhere that the rule was optional maybe that was for combat spells, and the direct is manditory?

[Critias]

Net hits increasing Drain applies to Direct spells only. Non Direct spells, such as any elemental spells, are called Indirect spells and that rule does NOT apply. They have enough Drain as it is.

Is that how it goes.... oh how do they say it.... RAW?

Which i've still no idea what RAW stands for. I'll get it eventually.

Rules As Written (versus Rules As Intended).

[Mäx]

I remember reading somewhere that the rule was optional maybe that was for combat spells, and the direct is manditory?

It's completely optional rule.
It was mandatory in the first pdf version of SR4A, witch lasted for somethink like a week before it was changed to optional, as we pointed how fraking stupid rule it is and how it really doesn't work as intended(limit/equalize the power of direct combat spells compared to the indirect ones).

[Mason]

Yeah, I just up the Drain of Direct a bit.

[Zilfer]

Yeah, I just up the Drain of Direct a bit.

that indeed makes it more fair.

I'll have to think about doing that for my group as well, we'll see. I'm the only one who really plays a mage though... or at least one that casts a lot. <.< and i'm the only one brave enough to overcast though it seems 6 Edge might be the reason for that.

[ARC]

Net hits increasing Drain applies to Direct spells only. Non Direct spells, such as any elemental spells, are called Indirect spells and that rule does NOT apply. They have enough Drain as it is.

That being said, I myself have misread that rule, I think most people do for a little bit then they either have it pointed out or reread it themselves.  Ask the poor mage who fireballed himself to death with drain.

[Zilfer]

You can easily do that as is! XD


Though I do have a question.... when it says net hits does that mean just the net hits you exceeded over the person you take in drain? Take this example


Say i'm sleeping a whole room of people. most only have 2 Will power so i need possibly 3 net hits to generate 1 let's say one rolls 2 hits. So that means I need 3 hits for a total net hit of 1.

Well now there's also another guy in the room resisting with i donno lets say 10 just to make it a round number. He scores say half hits. 5.

Now I need to increase the net hits to 6 in order to effect him. Just to have 1 net hit on him.

<.<

So my question comes into play now. This is a Stun ball btw.

Do I apply drain as (F/2) -1 I believe it was and then add in +1 for the highest net hit of the guy with 5 hits to resist? Or do I add in +4 net htis since i'm using a total of 6 hits and the highest guy with 2 will power got 2 hits?

Or do I add in all the net hits together? (i'm doubting this one....)

Anyways Net hit's is relative to each person rolled againsted it.... how do I determine drain in that situation?

[Mason]

Use the highest applicable Drain you get from any one target. Whoever resists the least determines the Drain.

[Zilfer]

Use the highest applicable Drain you get from any one target. Whoever resists the least determines the Drain.

Ah i see... well i think that's a little unfair if there's like Willpower 6 guys running around with a Willpower 1 guy but you know whatever. XD

[Mason]

That is one of my favorite things to do as the GM is to toss a Willpower 1 guy into the AOE of Direct spells and toss the opposing mage in at the same time. Players almost ALWAYS want to hit all valid targets in the area, so they use enough to get the mage and are blasted by Drain. The team mage gets the epic "slaughter everyone" moment and then the team gets to mop up while the mage finds cover and clutches at his throbbing head. Helps keep Direct Combat mage in check while everyone else does their thing.

I usually do this midway through the adventure, and then allow a spot for people to recover from Stun at least once (which mages are usually pretty good at) before the end game,

I don't usually get Direct spell spammers though. People in my group tend to like Manipulations and elemental attacks/manifestations. My real trouble is controlling adepts and Critical Strike/Martial Arts combos.