Author Topic: Detailed explanation of casting a spell?  (Read 1331 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Malleable

  • Initiate
  • *
  • Posts: 123
  • OIC Points +0/-0
Detailed explanation of casting a spell?
« on: May 08, 2016, 09:43:03 AM »
I thought I had this down, but lately we have had some confusion on how spell casting works - particularly what goes into each of the spell rolls.
So I understand how to determine if a spell is 'Automatic'.  And if its automatic then you don't need a Spell Casting Static Maneuver Roll.

So say I have already made my SCSM or the spell was automatic, how does the Basic Spell Attack Roll go.

Do you add:
Profession Bonus
Stat Bonus
Race bonus (never seen it, but...)
Item bonus
Skill Rank bonus (number of ranks in the spell list)
Talent bonus

I guess I always thought you went to your skills list and had the sum of these things - basically your Total skill in casting the spell.  Then you would subtract any penalties you might have due to: 75% or less of total spell points, armor, hands, voice, etc...
But in reading the Basic Spell Attack stuff it doesn't list Stat bonus or Profession bonus. 
It sounds weird that you have a Total, with all this stuff, but it only is used for SCSM rolls - which after a while you aren't using most of the time?

Thanks,
Mal

Offline jdale

  • RMU Dev Team
  • ****
  • Posts: 7,099
  • OIC Points +25/-25
Re: Detailed explanation of casting a spell?
« Reply #1 on: May 08, 2016, 10:25:35 AM »
You don't add your total bonus in the spell list, you don't add stats or profession bonuses. This is more like Ambush where you are getting a small bonus to a table where normally there are few modifiers. One of the reasons for the table is that it preserves a chance for a spell failure on attack spells, even when no SCSM is needed.

Personally, I'm not a fan of the BAR. It adds an extra roll and table lookup. As is typical for adding extra rolls, it slightly broadens the range of possible outcomes but ultimately increases the chance of an average result. I've proposed getting rid of it entirely: http://www.guildcompanion.com/scrolls/2002/oct/simplifyingresistancerolls.html  And in fact RMU does get rid of it (although the details are different from the above).
System and Line Editor for Rolemaster