Topic: Spell failure and applicable modifications from T-4.6

[Hubbaman]

We had a discussion last evening in our group concerning which modifications to use when you have a spell failure. It's obvious that you will add everything on the second part of the table, other modifications, but what do you use on the first part?

It just seems strange that if you concentrate on a spell on a higher level than your own, you won't add anything because you always end up with a negative number. It does not make sense that if you concentrate on a spell on 9 levels lower than your own you get a much higher number to add to your fumble than if you concentrate on a spell 20 levels higher than your own.

Any thoughts about this? Do I just missunderstand what to add?

[Rasyr-Mjolnir]

Yeah, the wording is all confusing and messed up there..

Essentially, what you are supposed to do is to total all appropriate modifiers from Table T-4.6.

So a -20 and a -25 and a +10 and a -15 == a total modifier of -50

Then depending upon the degree of failure, you apply a multiple of this to your spell failure roll.

By subtracting a negative number, you are actually adding that number to the roll, so that subtracting that -50 means you are actually adding either 50, 100, or 150, depending upon the severity of the spell failure roll.

Is that any clearer?

[Hubbaman]

Thanks, that makes more sense, but what do you then do if you end up with a positive number? Does that make the failure smaller? How do you use that compared to the severity of the failure?

[Rasyr-Mjolnir]

It doesn't matter what the total of all of the modifiers from Table T-4.6, you subtract it from the Failure roll.

If the total of the modifiers was positive (which is likely to be very rare), then yes, that will make the failure less severe. If the modifier IS positive, treat the multiplier as a divider (i.e. if the results says 2 times the mod, if the mod is positive, make that into "modifier divided by 2").

If the total of the modifiers was negative, that will make the failure roll more severe.

Remember, the wording is based on the concept that the total modifier WILL be a negative, so that means that you have to make adjustments accordingly.

[Hubbaman]

aaah, now it all fits. Then it is total madness til try a spell on a level much higher than your own and you will probably not get a sever failure on a low level spell.
Thanks for the clarification and the quick response.