Forum > Rolemaster
Magent Shadow Assassin spell question
MisterK:
--- Quote from: pastaav on August 12, 2022, 02:06:21 PM ---My take on the magent spell is that it does not have a fixed duration because it covers the assassination attempt and not a specific time period. The actual masked time period is determined by how long time is needed to satisfy the shadow/unseen/false assassin effect. The balancing factor is that the spell is strictly limited to assassinations so you cannot use it to for instance steal a book...unless you manage to also perform an assassination while you steal the book.
--- End quote ---
Where have you seen that the spell effects are limited to assassinations ? The spell text certainly contains no such limitation, it just says "all deeds".
rdanhenry:
Death's Delving is an 18th level spell, but it is on an Open list and would typically be cast under circumstances where a magic ritual would be practical. Death's Tale is on a Base list, but only 6th level. Death's Memory is another Open list spell, at 16th level. These are just spells that explicitly show someone's killer. There are other forms of retrosurveillance. If you want to get away with murder in the long run, you really want to scramble all the virtual video cameras that other spell-casters can put there retroactively.
Note that in RMU, Shadow Assassin doesn't help against the Bard's The Reaper's Tale spell, since it doesn't rely on visuals. The higher-level Unknown Assassin spell will protect against this as well.
pastaav:
--- Quote from: MisterK on August 13, 2022, 12:05:05 AM ---Where have you seen that the spell effects are limited to assassinations ? The spell text certainly contains no such limitation, it just says "all deeds".
--- End quote ---
The name of the spells is very clear if you ask me.
MisterK:
--- Quote from: pastaav on August 14, 2022, 01:03:14 AM ---
--- Quote from: MisterK on August 13, 2022, 12:05:05 AM ---Where have you seen that the spell effects are limited to assassinations ? The spell text certainly contains no such limitation, it just says "all deeds".
--- End quote ---
The name of the spells is very clear if you ask me.
--- End quote ---
Spell name does not define intent. Description text does, and the description text only means that "deeds" are covered by the spell - for all we know, it could be useful if someone wants privacy when doing their... business. The list is called "Disguise Mastery" and provides obfuscation/illusion spells - Assigning a specific intent goes against 'freedom of use' of the spells within the technical parameters.
There could be one way the "varies" duration makes sense, and it is if there is an actual tangible objective involved - killing X, stealing Y, spying on Z, or whatever - and all actions pertaining to that objective are covered by the spell. But it makes it a bit too powerful to my personal tastes, as well as very difficult to judge properly (when the Magent travels to the place where he plans to do the deed, are all actions during the travel covered by the spell ? If not, which ones are ?). I'd rather assign a duration, and given the other spells on the list, 10 min/L seems in line with the overall intent.
EltonJ:
It's intent is to hide a deed in the shadows when someone uses scrying on you. The duration varies because it's to obscure the deed in shadows when someone uses scrying. The spell covers any deed the magent does when he doesn't want to be seen.
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