[PnP] Enhancement

[Panthera Altaica]

--- On Thu, 5/21/09, Scott Adams <longshot at darktech.org> wrote:

> From: Scott Adams <longshot at darktech.org>
> Subject: [PnP] Enhancement
> To: "The Powers and Perils Mailing List" <pnp at abroere.xs4all.nl>
> Date: Thursday, May 21, 2009, 8:53 PM
> 
> I'm surprised again by v2 and Richard...
> 
> Read abelow especially the NOTE
> 
> 
> 
> ENHANCEMENT
>      This is used to enhance dead and
> inanimate material that has 
> natural magic value, as determined by the Referee or
> specified in 
> the Natural Magic section.
>      Success brings out the enhanced
> value. Failure destroys 1/2 
> the material and does not bring out the enhanced value.
> Abysmal 
> Failure destroys all of the material. Material destroyed in
> this 
> way is destroyed only in the sense that it can never be
> enhanced.
>      The amount of material the Caster
> can affect with one spell 
> depends on the type of material, as follows:
> Plant derived or liquid
> (EL+1)*2 doses
> Gem, metal
> 1 item
> Other material
> EL+1 doses (If it is consumed in use).
> 1 item (If it is not consumed)
>      Once material subjected to this
> spell has been enhanced it 
> is enhanced forever. A Dispel/Banish spell can eliminate
> the 
> enhancement. The material is destroyed, as specified above,
> when 
> this is done.
> 
> 
> NOTE — Enhancement is not possible without knowledge of
> the
> specific enhancement rites for the material. This knowledge
> is 
> learned educationally. The Referee may allow the characters
> to 
> start with knowledge of the enhancement rites of 1D6
> materials. 
> Shamans learn 2D6 rites in addition to knowledge of
> materials 
> they gain as detailed in Book One.
> BMC
> 6
> 
> With that note.  It adds good balance to the
> spell.  Means a mage can't just enhance everything they
> find in the forest.  But my question is does one need a
> NEW enhancement spell to learn 1-6 more or how much is a
> "rite".  Can a mage go to a herbalist store and ask the
> rite for a Diamond from a old guy?  The cost isn't
> clear.  

I would use a Bit Of Knowledge(BoK from Circe).  which are kinda like maneuvers from GURPS but not tied to a skill.

So making a sword uses your Blacksmithing skill and your sword BoK.  While fighting with a sword uses you Fighting skill and the same sword BoK and appraising a Sword uses your appraisal skill and the sword BoK.  

BoK help with my experience based skill learning.  You can't go out and kill bunnies for until you get great at it and then go kill a dragon.  You would be learning not only fighting but also Bunny BoK and the Bunny BoK combined with your fighting would be high that you could increases ether(Because you learn by failing like in Call of Cthulhu)    But you would be great at raising Bunnies even with a low Animal raising skill.

Thou my variant of PnP is for use with a Computer Augmented Table-Top gaming. So the computer handles all the math and the Game Master just works on the story.  

Though I like heavy situationist rules.  I play pretty free form and the rules are just there to settle the 'I shot you first, not I shot you first. I had on armor. I had armor piercing bullets' problem.

Kinda reminds me of the Silence Of The Lambs scene where the two entomologist are playing chess with live bugs. "If the beetle moves one of your men, does that still count?" "Course it counts. How do you play?"