Spell Contradictions?? and questions...

Games Discussion Ars Magica
1

While on various spells, I was checking the "Guidelines" and noticed a possible contradiction...
Help!

Page 160

Perdo Vim Guideline:

I take this to mean a level 10 spell, will reduce the might by 20...???)

Okay, part two:
Same page:

"Demons Eternal Oblivion"
.....

This seems to say a level 10 spell reduces Might by 10.
The Guidline says level+10, so it should be 20. Is the spell an exception, or is it within the guidline?

Also: Whats the base effect for that spell??? I don't see any base level, then it says +2 for Voice. Does this mean the spell must be a minimum level?
I have always taken this at face value, but I am interested in designing new spells, so it will help to know what it Should be...

:confused:

2

All guidlines are for range personal, duration momentary, target individual.

A caster could develop a level 10 spell that would reduce his own might by 20 (if for some reason he had a might score).

Demon's eternal oblivion is range voice. Raising a spell from range person to range voice is a two magnitude boost => 10 levels. Ergo a level 20 DEO spell would have a level calculation of (base 10, +2 range range voice). At base 10 the spell lowers that might of the target by 20.

There is weirdness when you use low level spells because of the issues of changing Ranges, Durations, and Targets below level 5 but IMHO this is why they're called spell guidelines rather than spell rules.

3

I just read that as level of the base effect +10 - as Erik suggests.

This, if applied literally, does lead to some silly consequences at very low levels ...

Wave of Infernal Oblivion PeVi 5
Reduces the target's (up to 10 entities) Might by 11 so long as the spell penetrates the creature's magical resistance.
[B: 1, R: Voice +2, D: Momentary, T: Group +2]

... but I don't think anyone at Atlas claims infallibility. Storyguides and Troupes are intended to 'sweeten to taste' I believe.

For instance, I could suggest that up to base level 5, the Might is reduced by the level x2. Which makes ...

Wave of Infernal Oblivion PeVi 5
Reduces the target's (up to 10 entities) Might by 2 so long as the spell penetrates the creature's magical resistance.
[B: 1, R: Voice +2, D: Momentary, T: Group +2]

... the spell a bit more reasonable.

4

So...

Popping the Faerie Bubble:

Level:30

(Base 20, +2 Voice)

Would reduce a Faeries Might by 30...

:question:
and

Crashing the Faeries Party

Level: 40
(Base 20, +2 voice, +2 Group)
Would reduce a group of Faeries Might by 30?????

(Penetration is assumed)
:question:

5

If you can penetrate the faerie's magical resistance ... yes.

6

I'd suggest dividing the +x by five, and adding it as magnitudes - 1->3, 2->4, 3->5, 4->10, 5->15

V.

7

An excellent suggestion ...

8

I missed your reference here...please explain
:question:

9

No real reference, we're making up rules.

What he's doing is adding 2 magnitudes to the effect for each level of base effect below 5.

B: 3 gives effect of 5 (3 +2 magnitudes = 5

B: 4 gives effect of 10 (4 + 2 magnitudes = 10)

It gives a smoother progression through the lower base effects than my suggestion.