Success & Abysmal

[Albert Sales]

The wonderful aspect of AREA OF EFFECT. To my
understanding, unless the Mage has specific power
(innate, fanatical, or natural ability in fire,
or creature power, etc) the spell succedes if any
targetted MDV is hit. However, the mage would be
unaffected, and would not cause any gain of EP/
MEP. This, I derived from the gains section in
book one. It is vague, but there is a similar
reference. As to the abysmal, no. In the gains,
No EP or MEP in cases of spells that suffer
abysmal failures. Since you can't get points for
highest MDV and no points at the same time, it
would be contradictory.
   HOWEVER, if the mage DID have specific power
in FireBall, he can cause the caster to suffer
his own spell, as well as gaining EnL and Cast
Ability. see resistances section of book two.
   NOW, to make my interpretation a point of
contention, does this mean that a mage with a
really tough friend avoid abysmal failures by
having his friend in the area a NOT resist? And
what of those poor scenery objects that would be
DESTROYED if not for the presence of a single
creature with extremely high MDV? Are they saved
or do they save the caster?
   SOME EXCEPTIONS MAY NEED TO BE MADE, but as a
general rule, hitting "over there" should be a
bit safer than hitting hat sentient point of
resistance. Throwing rats in with your fireballs
is rediculous, but getting a mages guards makes
sense. Some spells are really awkward with this,
like Lightning Swarms. What happens if you cast
it with nobody around you to block a passage
while your friends escape? Do the MDVs of those
who enter matter? Since they do, but only to see
if they are, themselves, affected, why would it
be more difficult to put it up when they are
close enough, and just not hurt them?
   This is one I would LOVE to see Richard's
input on, specifically, but am also interested in
how everyone has handled this.

--- Alex Koponen <akoponen at MOSQUITONET.COM>
wrote:
> So what happens when a Wizard casts a fireball
> at an enemy Mage with high
> MDV and his low MDV bodyguards, then rolls
> success vs. the bodyguards but
> the Mage's high MDV makes the fireball casting
> roll an Abysmal vs the Mage?
>
> Does the spell work and just doesn't do damage
> to the Mage?
>
> Does the spell both work against the bodyguards
> and also Abysmal?
>
> Does the spell only Abysmal?
>
>