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[SR4] Levitate and Fling

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Angier

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« on: <07-26-11/1358:16> »
Hey there. Just a quick question.

"Levitate"'s description says that Objects flung by this spell are handled according to ranged combat rules, just like the spell "Fling".
Does that mean that one could fling objects with Levitate as well thus making Fling superflous. The way I read it it looks like objects flung by Levitate are much slower than those thrown with Fling but the fact that the spell description talks about "flinging" objects made me suspicious, especially since both do around the ame amount of damage.
What's your way to read the description?  :o

Shinobi Killfist

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« Reply #1 on: <07-26-11/1459:59> »
Yes you can throw objects with levitate but I don't think it follows the same exact rules as fling. I think all they are saying is like the fling spell you use normal ranged combat rules when throwing an object at people.  Levitate is more of a bulk throwing instead of a precision throw, fling makes sure the pointy end hits first like you had the throwing skill.  Fling might not be superfluous but it is totally useless.  Lets assume you got a nice 6 magic, you throw something with a str 3, lets say it is a throwing knife you hit for 2dv.  You would be hard pressed to come up with a spell that does less damage than that.  Any I use special coated poison whatever  plan you have is better done with magic fingers.  Fling is just one of the many poorly designed spells in SR. 

Angier

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« Reply #2 on: <07-27-11/2112:26> »
It is THE Spell to throw Grenades or get important things out of reach of opponents fast without keeping yourself busy too much with it as a mage. Yes it's uses are way more limited than Levitation or Magic Fingers but it HAS them.

Charybdis

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« Reply #3 on: <07-27-11/2240:04> »
I don't have the books handy, but aren't the drain and duration on these spells different?

Something like:
- Fling is Immediate spell with Drain (F/2)
- Levitate is a Sustained spell with Drain (F/2) +1 (and a threshold modifier)
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Shinobi Killfist

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« Reply #4 on: <07-27-11/2324:09> »
Same drain, levitate is sustained fling is instant.  Fling is a pile of worthless covered in fail sauce. 

Angier

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« Reply #5 on: <07-28-11/1517:23> »
Question is if I could "fling" a piece of concrete or glass with Levitate as well. If yes, Fling becomes worthless. If not... there is the use of spell at least for me then.

Shinobi Killfist

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« Reply #6 on: <07-28-11/1734:53> »
How? I can cast magic fingers and throw the same piece of concrete if for some bizarre reason I need to throw an object.  The problem is since it is only a throw/attack and not something with general utility like levitate I am not only comparing it to levitate but to power bolt or clout even and it fails in comparison. 

Angier

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« Reply #7 on: <07-28-11/1800:48> »
Throwing objects with Magic Fingers has a -2 modifier on it. It's not the question IF you can cirumvent Sling but if Levitate makes Sling obsolete.

JimJungle

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« Reply #8 on: <08-01-11/0136:39> »
Hold on now, I think we need to look closer at the rules for Fling. It does not state what types of objects can be Flung, just limit on wieght. Therefore, theroretically, you could Fling gasses, and liquids, not just solids. A CS gas grende just exploded next to you? Fling the gas right back at the thrower. This spell is useful for poison users. Also, you could use it to disarm opponents. Also good for throwing items not intended to do damage, like tracking bugs and such.

Wayfinder

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« Reply #9 on: <08-01-11/2355:09> »
A quick look at the rules points to two major differences.

Point 1: Fling is an instant spell and Levitate is a sustained spell. I might be confusing my editions again, but I believe that sustained spells take effect at the end of a combat turn and that Instant spells take effect during your action phase.

Point 2: The description for Fling gives hard crunchy numbers for the Strength and Damage of the spell, but the description for Levitate is very specific that damage is completely Gm discretion and there is no calculation for Strength at all.

So my take on the rules is that Fling would be used as an indirect combat spell with hard crunchy numbers. Levitate, however, does damage only if your GM says it does. If I am remembering my rules correctly then Fling also happens a lot faster than Levitate.

As for if it is comparable to a combat spell ermmmmmm no. Combat spells are for combat and nothing does as much damage as a combat spell.

(Side note the drain value for either spell is the the same.)

UmaroVI

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« Reply #10 on: <08-02-11/0647:08> »
No matter how you slice it, Fling is just spellcruft. Whether Levitate can do useful things, or do useful things and let you imitate a terrible, terrible spell, doesn't really matter.