Post by Admin on Jan 29, 2012 19:39:01 GMT -5
Please note: part of what follows is an explanation for the PC Rules in game. What is said in this thread does not supercede site rules, and it is still up to the player to decided how much damage they take.
The Tiers of magic don't just represent a mage's strength when it comes to performing magic. The Tiers also represent a mage's personal energy field as well. Mages like to call this field "Magic Pressure." All living creatures - and some unliving ones - have this field. It is comparable to the natural field of electricity generated by the body. For many creatures, this field is so small it's practically nonexistent. Their magical energy just isn't strong enough. For a mage, however, this field is much more significant.
A mage's Magic Pressure increases in proportion to their Tier - that is, their magical strength. The stronger a mage becomes, the stronger their Magic Pressure becomes. A mage with Psychometry can sense a person's Magic Pressure at a distance when that person uses magic, though it takes time to learn how to sense and gauge it accurately. Nonmagicals, however, no matter what the level of another's Magic Pressure, remain insensitive and ignorant to it.
Magic Pressure is more important than just as a tool of gauging threat level, however. As a natural field of magic surrounding their being, Magic Pressure actually inhibits the magic of others. Two mages cannot easily work magic directly on the other's body - a Fire mage cannot just snap his fingers and set the other aflame, a Telekinetic mage cannot just throw the other, etc, etc.
Such mages, if they wish to affect the other directly, enter into a contest of wills - of steeling themselves against the other's magic while trying to break through the other's. The defending mage has a 'home field advantage' so to speak, and is usually able to rebuff such magic with only minor concentration if they know a spell is coming.
A difference of a few Tiers between such mages is enough to completely shift the scales however. A mage that is two Tiers higher than another is almost never overcome by such spells. A mage that is three Tiers lower than another is almost always overcome by such spells. Specializations have no effect on this, because specializations do not actually raise a mage's Tier.
The same mages can just skip this and shoot things at each other instead. Even if one mage has a much stronger Magic Pressure, he will still take damage and might even catch fire from a fire blast to the face, or be launched across the room if hit by a telekinetic wave. Most magic battles will usually operate in this manner, with each respective mage throwing spells at the other.
However, depending on how strong the mage's Magic Pressure, taking a fire blast to the face may not hurt as badly as it should. This is because the stronger a person's Magic Pressure, the more this energy field cushions them from harm. What should be a lethal attack for most nonmagicals may only cause a minor injury for some mages. Mages of the highest tiers are able to endure more punishment and shrug off more threats, and so even in their advanced age, these mages are extremely durable.
The Tiers of magic don't just represent a mage's strength when it comes to performing magic. The Tiers also represent a mage's personal energy field as well. Mages like to call this field "Magic Pressure." All living creatures - and some unliving ones - have this field. It is comparable to the natural field of electricity generated by the body. For many creatures, this field is so small it's practically nonexistent. Their magical energy just isn't strong enough. For a mage, however, this field is much more significant.
A mage's Magic Pressure increases in proportion to their Tier - that is, their magical strength. The stronger a mage becomes, the stronger their Magic Pressure becomes. A mage with Psychometry can sense a person's Magic Pressure at a distance when that person uses magic, though it takes time to learn how to sense and gauge it accurately. Nonmagicals, however, no matter what the level of another's Magic Pressure, remain insensitive and ignorant to it.
Magic Pressure is more important than just as a tool of gauging threat level, however. As a natural field of magic surrounding their being, Magic Pressure actually inhibits the magic of others. Two mages cannot easily work magic directly on the other's body - a Fire mage cannot just snap his fingers and set the other aflame, a Telekinetic mage cannot just throw the other, etc, etc.
Such mages, if they wish to affect the other directly, enter into a contest of wills - of steeling themselves against the other's magic while trying to break through the other's. The defending mage has a 'home field advantage' so to speak, and is usually able to rebuff such magic with only minor concentration if they know a spell is coming.
A difference of a few Tiers between such mages is enough to completely shift the scales however. A mage that is two Tiers higher than another is almost never overcome by such spells. A mage that is three Tiers lower than another is almost always overcome by such spells. Specializations have no effect on this, because specializations do not actually raise a mage's Tier.
The same mages can just skip this and shoot things at each other instead. Even if one mage has a much stronger Magic Pressure, he will still take damage and might even catch fire from a fire blast to the face, or be launched across the room if hit by a telekinetic wave. Most magic battles will usually operate in this manner, with each respective mage throwing spells at the other.
However, depending on how strong the mage's Magic Pressure, taking a fire blast to the face may not hurt as badly as it should. This is because the stronger a person's Magic Pressure, the more this energy field cushions them from harm. What should be a lethal attack for most nonmagicals may only cause a minor injury for some mages. Mages of the highest tiers are able to endure more punishment and shrug off more threats, and so even in their advanced age, these mages are extremely durable.