Combo Spells?

So, I had a thought - would it be possible to create a Formulaic Combo spell? A Combo would combine 2 seperate effects which go off simultaneously.

The reason was, I was thinking about how a Mentem ninja Magi might encounter a guard as they crept into somewhere they shouldnt be. Ideally he'd use Call to Slumber to knock them out, and then use Loss of but a Moments Memory to neuralyser them, so when they awake, they dont remember encountering an intruder. Course the problem is that the guard is asleep and cant make eye contact with the mage. So ideally, you'd want both spells to hit him simutaneously, Comboing the effect, Exalted Charm-style.

Anyone gone down this road? While the example I use is Mentem Form based, I could see combos of other Forms being useful- quickly turning your robes to steel with MuAm whilst invoking Wizards Step MuIm. Could save your life if a fight kicks off and you dont have 2 rounds to cast spells.

Has AM gone down this road before?

SJE

The quick answer is no: a hermetic effect must be a single definable effect. Sometimes, this effect can do two things at once, especially muto spells (i.e. spells that turn self-affecting defensive magic into fire, thus cancelling the effect and damaging the protected individual.)

There could be some leeway with requisites. A flambeau might devise something like "Pilum of cleansing flame," a Cr(Pe)Ig(Vi) effect that creates a fire that damages demons with might score, corporeal or not.

The easiest way to make this happen is to make an enchanted device with linked triggers. A Greater Enchanted Item, or Talisman, can hold multiple effects. With a + 3 cost to one of them, you can link one effec to another, so that it goes off when the first goes off, allowing you to cast mutliple effects at once.

I'm right in thinking that a fast cast specialist could shoot off 2 spells per round? If thats so, I could see combos as not being about essential game balance and perhaps something that could be created by a Magi willing to put in the resources to do so.

SJE

Could you possibly make the spell Touch Range and simply wipe their mind with a mere brush of a finger?

Fast cast can do it, if he has a lot of Quickness+Finesse. Specifically, he needs to beat the opponent's initiative with his first roll, and then beat it again with a second roll at -6 penalty. And of course he then has a -10 penalty to his casting totals, and if he wants to use formulaic spells he needs to have them mastered for quick casting (or he can use spontaneous spells).

Anyway, the easiest answer to our ninja's problem is for him to invent a different version of Memory Loss, one with Range Touch :slight_smile:

There are several examples of spells doing "two things at once" - like "The Crystal Dart" (which changes earth into a crystal dart and then flings it to the target), or Creo spells with a Rego requisite to control what you have created. Generally speaking, it's always two things that produce a single "result" - I cannot find a more formal way of specifying it. So you can't really cast a spell that creates a lightning bolt while changing you into a wolf.

On the other hand, if you have time to prepare, you can use Rego Vim to temporarily "suspend a spell" (see the "Create a conduit or container" guideline) and release it when you cast a second one.

But in your case, why don't you simply give a Diam duration to Loss of but a Moment's Memory? The guard will not only forget that he saw the Magus, but will keep forgetting for two minutes - more than enough for the magus to sneak by without leaving an obvious trace of something amiss.

this is the easy way to do it

I had several thoughts on how to go about this here:
forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?t=560736
The more explicitly developed material is on the second page