working together in the Lab

Games Discussion Ars Magica
1

Two magi decide to work together on an invested device for the good of the covenant.
The primary researcher adds the assistants magic theory and int score to his lab total.

The rules state that the bonus for shape and material cannot exceed the magus magical theory score (AM p. 99)

Whose score do you use.
The primary researchers (most likely)
The highest score (the more skilled magus working on shape & material)
The lowest score (the lesser skilled magus holding the others back)
or The total sum of scores (working together in perfect harmony)

Im hoping for a bit of debate here.

2

I would say the lesser skilled Magus is holding the others back. Usualy there more chefs the more mess and I woul think the same would be true for magi to.

3

Primary.

The Primary is the one doing the work. The helper is nothing more than a battery.

4

I agree with Urien. THe rulesaresetupsothat the primary researcher is using his lab total with a bonus from the others. So if we're using the primary researcher's numbers we should use the primary researcher's numbers.

I'm not enamered of explaining more house rules to my players than I absolutely have to.

5

But this question raises another... If one Verditius aids another Magus, can he still add his Philosophiae or Craft scores? Use Elder Runes? What if one Verditius aids another Verditius?

6

I'd definently say you use the primary researchers score in Magic Theory. And that it isn't modified by the assistant in any way.

7

The rules are pretty straight forward use the numbers for the primary researcher and add a bonus of the INT + MT of the assistants. From a rules as written perspective I just don't see any confusion.

Now if you feel that the written rules are lacking and that modification would make the game (or just your game) better, then I think that there is the potential for a pretty rich discussion.