Sunlight Shaman spell

Discussion on playing Earthdawn. Experiences, stories, and questions related to being a player.
Sharkforce
Posts:527
Joined:Thu Feb 28, 2019 8:39 am
Re: Sunlight Shaman spell

Post by Sharkforce » Sun Jan 26, 2020 7:47 pm

the spell would help in dealing with hostile illusions placed on the caster as well as beneficial ones. for example, the phantom flame spell would normally cause damage for 2 or more rounds. a shaman with this spell on them would gain the benefit to spot the illusion if they were to attempt to put the fire out, for example, as that would trigger a sensing test.

there are other hostile illusion spells, and i'm sure there are some hostile illusions that creatures can put on you as well. the sunlight spell will deal with those.

and, of course, the part about being real sunlight is *not* restricted to the caster only, so if you're ever fighting ghouls, this is the spell for you :)

Aegharan
Posts:439
Joined:Sat Oct 14, 2017 2:58 pm

Re: Sunlight Shaman spell

Post by Aegharan » Sun Jan 26, 2020 7:52 pm

Re @Telim-Tor: That doesn't count for every light source. If you carry a torch and try to hide behind a bush, your opponent might get a hefty bonus, yet still not a +20, although that depends on the torch.

The sunlight spell makes you yourself emit sunlight. So much light that you are hard to miss at a distance. So much light, that your true position an hardly be hidden by spells like Displace Image or Notice Not.


@Sharkforce I'm not sure if I would go about it the same with Phantom Flame.. That would be VERY powerful FOR a third circle spell...

Sharkforce
Posts:527
Joined:Thu Feb 28, 2019 8:39 am

Re: Sunlight Shaman spell

Post by Sharkforce » Sun Jan 26, 2020 11:26 pm

Aegharan wrote:
Sun Jan 26, 2020 7:52 pm
@Sharkforce I'm not sure if I would go about it the same with Phantom Flame.. That would be VERY powerful FOR a third circle spell...
hmmm... yeah, looking closer, it only gives the bonus to things that try to conceal you. still, it might help with a spell like switch.

Tellim-Tor
Posts:18
Joined:Sat Jul 20, 2019 6:01 am

Re: Sunlight Shaman spell

Post by Tellim-Tor » Mon Jan 27, 2020 6:50 pm

Still going nuts with this one.
The spell also says i can Cast it on a target other than me.

So i can Cast it on a Wall, and If the Wall got an Illusion on it, i as an onlooker get the +20.

Or Casting it on an Illusionist with monstrous mantle, i get attack +20 for sensing purpose.

Panda
Posts:172
Joined:Mon Nov 28, 2016 5:30 am

Re: Sunlight Shaman spell

Post by Panda » Mon Jan 27, 2020 7:03 pm

Correct, but to cast it on another target, you need an external ability to do so. Such as the Fifth Circle Wizard Karma ability. The range is "Self", meaning without such an ability, the only target is the caster. That text is in case of such an ability, the static Difficulty isn't used.

You're overthinking this and focusing too much on the ancillary Sensing effect. If the caster can't change the range from "Self" and doesn't have any illusions on them, it doesn't do anything.

Bonhumm
Posts:435
Joined:Wed Oct 11, 2017 9:43 pm
Location:Right behind you

Re: Sunlight Shaman spell

Post by Bonhumm » Mon Jan 27, 2020 7:09 pm

The descriptions states:

'Illusions also fail to conceal the target, granting any onlookers a +20 bonus to associated Sensing tests'

Thus, in my opinion, I think the 'conceal' part is key here; the bonus would apply only to things that conceal (i.e. hide) a target. Thus I'd say the +20(!) bonus would apply against spells like like 'Nobody Here, 'Notice Not', 'Cloak' and possibly 'Innocent Activity', 'Phantom Warrior' and 'Displace Image, NOT other illusions like 'Monstrous Mantle' or 'Best Face'.

But even IF it applied to any illusions, lets not forget that the whole point of illusions are that you BELIEVE they are illusions. Even IF casting Sunlight on a target using Monstrous Mantle would give the +20 bonus.... why would you cast that spell on the target IF you have no reason to know or suspect that there is an illusion in effect?

Sharkforce
Posts:527
Joined:Thu Feb 28, 2019 8:39 am

Re: Sunlight Shaman spell

Post by Sharkforce » Mon Jan 27, 2020 9:29 pm

Bonhumm wrote:
Mon Jan 27, 2020 7:09 pm
The descriptions states:

'Illusions also fail to conceal the target, granting any onlookers a +20 bonus to associated Sensing tests'

Thus, in my opinion, I think the 'conceal' part is key here; the bonus would apply only to things that conceal (i.e. hide) a target. Thus I'd say the +20(!) bonus would apply against spells like like 'Nobody Here, 'Notice Not', 'Cloak' and possibly 'Innocent Activity', 'Phantom Warrior' and 'Displace Image, NOT other illusions like 'Monstrous Mantle' or 'Best Face'.

But even IF it applied to any illusions, lets not forget that the whole point of illusions are that you BELIEVE they are illusions. Even IF casting Sunlight on a target using Monstrous Mantle would give the +20 bonus.... why would you cast that spell on the target IF you have no reason to know or suspect that there is an illusion in effect?
nothing about the illusion forces you to believe it is not an illusion. you can still think that something is (or at least may be) an illusion and not be able to see through it, and use spells to help with that. in fact, there are a few spells in the illusionist spell list that are very specifically designed to help you see through illusions when you make sensing tests.

this spell (if you have a way to cast it on others) is not really any different; you think that wall might be an illusion, but your best efforts have not been able to reveal it as one. it feels real, so you can't just walk through it, and it looks real, so you can't see through it, but you have this spell that you can cast which you know makes it easier to see through an illusion, so you decide to use it.

even after using the spell, you could potentially still believe the wall is a (very convincing) illusion even if it doesn't let you see through it, for that matter. of course, it is also entirely possible that the wall you just got a step 30 or 40 sensing test against and didn't see through any illusion is still there for you because it is in fact a real wall, too; the spell doesn't tell you one way or the other, it just lets you *try* to see through any illusions that are there.

and incidentally, i'd say monstrous mantle probably is concealing the target, at least to some extent. the bonus to physical defence doesn't make much sense to me unless it is.

Tellim-Tor
Posts:18
Joined:Sat Jul 20, 2019 6:01 am

Re: Sunlight Shaman spell

Post by Tellim-Tor » Wed Jan 29, 2020 7:02 pm

You are all Sure that a Shaman cant Cast a spell which contains the Passage :"If this spell is cast on a target other than the spellcaster, the Difficulty is the target’s mystic defense" in a other Person than himself?

I mean i get the Intention of the Pack spells, but If a spell Like daylight should only ne Cast on self, why this Text? Why the confusing Illusion Part. Just say: the caster immits sunlight. Would be straight and simple, and of course the Wizards Special ability would still Work.

Thanks
TT

Sharkforce
Posts:527
Joined:Thu Feb 28, 2019 8:39 am

Re: Sunlight Shaman spell

Post by Sharkforce » Wed Jan 29, 2020 7:50 pm

Tellim-Tor wrote:
Wed Jan 29, 2020 7:02 pm
You are all Sure that a Shaman cant Cast a spell which contains the Passage :"If this spell is cast on a target other than the spellcaster, the Difficulty is the target’s mystic defense" in a other Person than himself?

I mean i get the Intention of the Pack spells, but If a spell Like daylight should only ne Cast on self, why this Text? Why the confusing Illusion Part. Just say: the caster immits sunlight. Would be straight and simple, and of course the Wizards Special ability would still Work.

Thanks
TT
the text is there because the difficulty of casting it on someone else should be greater than the difficulty of casting it on yourself. when you cast it on yourself, your mystic defense is not trying to stop the spell from happening. when you cast it on that thief who is trying to run away, their mystic defense is trying to stop the spell from happening. without that text, you could theoretically put the spell on something with a mystic defense of 50 and only need to beat a 6, completely bypassing their ability to resist magical effects.

Tellim-Tor
Posts:18
Joined:Sat Jul 20, 2019 6:01 am

Re: Sunlight Shaman spell

Post by Tellim-Tor » Wed Jan 29, 2020 8:25 pm

Sharkforce wrote:
Mon Jan 27, 2020 9:29 pm
this spell (if you have a way to cast it on others) is not really any different; .
My question is about this Statement regarding sunlight Spell.
I know the mechanics behind mystic defense. The sunlight Spell hast a range of self, and does also inklude the Passage about mystic defense.

I Just wanna be Sure that even with a Passage Like Cast on Other target vs mystic, a self range Spell cant be targeted on Others. Than i would consider IT as a Bug, or fault by Design.

Post Reply