spellcaster fumbles

[Lyman R. Hampton]

As both a player and GM since the beginning of P&P, my feelings are that the
most dangerous opponents are character class NPC's or even PC's. Creatures
are tough, but with even just decent stats and some influence, a character
class noble or barbarian leader can undo almost every character's best laid
plans.

----- Original Message -----
From: Alex Koponen <akoponen at MOSQUITONET.COM>
To: <POWERS-AND-PERILS at geo000.CiTG.TUDelft.NL>
Sent: Saturday, June 24, 2000 4:16 AM
Subject: spellcaster fumbles


> > PS. I think it might have been fun playing a mage in P&P, but
> > then again I'm not sure. The first mage in the party did
> > fail his spells very often, and he fumbled a few times
> > while Vindor was in the party, plus Vindor heard many "old
> > war stories" about previous fumbles made by the mage PC.
> > I think that if an RPG rules system makes spellcasting too
> > prone to failure and fumbling, spellcaster characters won't
> > get the respect they deserve. Of course going to the other
> > extreme, having spellcasting always be reliable (like AD&d
> > does it) is equally problematic, but I believe a happy medium
> > can be found (such as Quest RPG, for instance).
> >
>
> To play a spellcaster in P&P it really helps to know the rules. In general
> young spellcasters don't become old spellcasters if they use hostile magic
> against creatures with MDV (magic defense value) as this is when fumbles
are
> most likely. There are various tricks to improving the odds of having
spells
> succeed besides simply being higher level and having more skill in the
> particular spell, but in general only very experienced spellcasters can
> confidently rely on their spells working against creatures and not causing
> embarrasing and potentially fatal fumbles.
>
> Spellcasters can cast spells on themselves with a fair assurance of
success
> even as apprentices as their MDV helps in this case. This might affect
your
> choice of spells. Spells such as Purification, Luck, and certain magic
items
> (in particular staff or wand) can really help the odds of success, but
going
> against MDVs really hurts your odds. When relatively inexperienced it is
> often better (certainly safer) to cast Invulnerability on a friend than
> Astral Flame on an Enemy.
>
>         Alex
>