Sustained Spell Adjustment

[ich.pdf]

Is there a way to add a temporary adjustment for sustained spells to reflect the -2 per sustained spell on any action?

[ShadowWalker]

It's in the faq as something to be done in the future.

[ich.pdf]

ah... sorry, my question was imprecise again.

What I meant was: Is there a generic adjustment that affects all actions and tests (save damage resistance I think), so that it can be used to reflect the sustained spell effect. I m not absolutely sure but I think the Sustained Spell Mod affects the same tests as the Injury Modifier (is it called injury modifier in English? I hope you know what I mean). The same question should arise for spell effects like chaos etc. that are applying negative mods to all tests.

[Mathias]

I hadn't taken a close look at sustaining yet, since I haven't had time for that project yet. So, let's go to the text.

Sustaining a complex form: "–2 dice pool penalty on all actions per complex form you’re sustaining." (pg. 251)

Sustaining a spell: "you take a –2 dice pool penalty to all tests while it is sustained." (pg. 282)

Damage: "Wound modifiers are applied to all tests not about reducing the number of boxes you’re about to take on your Condition Monitor (such as damage resistance, resisting direct combat spells, toxin resistance, and so on)."

So none of them are exactly identical.

An adjustment for complex form sustaining can be created pretty simply, since "all actions" is a modifier that already exists - for an example of it in use, take a look at the code on the phobia qualities - they apply a "-1 to all actions" (or -3 or -6, depending on the severity) in certain circumstances.

The same way tmAction is a holder for a modifier that all things that are actions will look up, and add any bonuses, penalties, or situational modifiers on that to their own dicepool, tmAll is a holder for "all tests". For an example of that one, check the Vomeronasal Organ metagenetic quality, which applies a penalty to all tests while in the presence of an overwhelming odor.

So you'll need separate adjustments for spell sustaining and for complex form sustaining, but they can be created in HL at this point.

For completeness, I'll list the other modifiers like those:
tmAll - all tests
tmAction - all actions
tmDamageRs - wound modifiers
tmMatrix - all matrix actions
tmSprint - all actions except the running test (this one's applied while your character is sprinting)
tmMagic - "all tests linked in any way to magic (such as spellcasting, summoning, and skill tests that use active adept powers such as Killing Hands or Improved Sense)." - used for applying the penalties for being in a background count.

[ich.pdf]

Hey Mathias,

thanks for your help. I will try to create an adjustment that reflects my understanding of the rules.

I looked up the german rules text and it states the same. However, I think this is not the intended meaning. I think I read somewhere that you get the opportunity to ask CGL for clarifications on rules from time to time. I would strongly suggest to ask for a clarification on this, because:

The way the rules are written now there is a clear intention visible to handle TMs and Spellcaster in the same way. Why not in sustaining there respective "Spells"?

The way the rule is written right now, sustaining spells would apply its modifier to damage soak rolls. Here as well is a clear intention that those rolls are never modified (save the opportunity to modify the relevant values for the dice pool like AP and Armor). There is even a logic behind it. All resistance rolls are "passive". No one does anything, so distraction of a sustained whatever will affect your defense roll (Rea+Int) but not your damage resistance, toxin or pathogen resistance or whatever.

That is why I thought sustain mods are equal to wound modifiers.

(I am still not sure how composure, judge intentions or other tests of that category should be treated.)

Just to clarify: I am totally ok with you taking all the rules absolutely literally. In the end, you are responsible product and you have to be able to justify your decisions and the only way to do so is waving (or throwing :-D ) the core rule book. But I don't think it makes sense this way and CGL should say something ^^.

So far, I will house rule it and try to implement an adjustment. Thanks for all the modifier names ;-)

PS: Reference to reddit, where the discussion arose as well:
https://m.reddit.com/r/Shadowrun/com...sistance_test/