Toward a consenus... of agreeing on where we disagree
This is a well-known debate; and as so many other debates over rules the preferences and the rules as written are get mingled, bordering on abuse - whether intentional or not.
Preferences are a dear thing - and maybe that is why we all at times tend to enterpret preferences into the rules rather than first aknowleding the rules and then making them subject to our preferences. Maybe this is actually more prone to happen when in a discussion with opponents rather than when just thinking them over. Just as preferences are a dear thing, they are also an elusive thing - but they do not become more or substantial by having RAW support, yet the RAW is often twisted and turned to find even the slightest phrasing that might support ones preferences.
It is evident that people have very different preferences when it comes to wards, but in the process the RAW is becoming unclear - and that is a disservice to both the rules as to readers of the thread who are newcomers to the game.
I hope we can agree on these points from the RAW:
That if there were any doubt about the RAW on wards and penetration in the core book, this was explicitly closed with the earlier mentioned passage in HoH:S (p.114), just as the editor two years ago stated that "As the rules stand, neither Wards nor Aegis are given special exceptions from the rules, so both have to penetrate Magic Resistance, just like any other spell."
That wards cannot make use of Arcane Connections to boost their penetration (HoH:S p. 112). [color=darkred][EDIT: with the exception that wards with Target: Circle can use an Arcane Connection if the warded subject is within the circle.]
That wards against beings with might need to have a level at least equal to the beings Might Score.
That wards can be created with either ReVim or a specific relevant form.
That wards can be either Ring/Circle or cast directly on a person - according to the raw there are no differences in their effeciency.
That wards are not unique in having one target but having to penetrate against something/someone else than the target itself. I mention this because the wards have been claimed to be unique in this regard. A few examples: An intellego spell cast on a Target:Sense - the magic is succesfull at once but penetration is noted to keep score of future resistance from beings with MR; A dagger created with non-ritual creo magic - the magic works at once, but the penetration is recorded in case the dagger should ever be used against someone with MR; a spell is used to sharpen a sword - the magic works at once but penetration is recorded in case the sword should be used to attack someone with MR. In all three cases the spell has one target but the penetration only becomes an issue the moment the effect interacts with a third party.
Can we agree on this being the rules as they are representated in the books? If not, then why not?
If we can agree on this being the rules in the books as is, I next suggest that we look at these rules as a clean slate and discuss what we prefer rather than what is 'right' or 'wrong'. The same somewhat goes for broken - in terms of a whether a game is broken it is all in the eye of the beholder.
If we can agree on those being the RAW, next I then hope that we can better exchange preferences without too much reliance on 'scripture'...
Sounds reasonably?