Topic: Quick question, casting while stunned?

[Ruffie]

We’re about to go into a session and the mage is (finally) reading up about all the things he can do.. to make him a more effective killing machine.

And..

Can you cast spells while being stunned?

[technobabble66]

Technically it's just a -50 to the SCR, i believe.
But as omnipotent GM, it's up to you as to whether you allow a spell to be cast when stunned.
My group doesn't allow it - the idea being you're too scattered to focus enough to do it. But it's up to you - it's really just the -50 penalty, I believe. For my group, anyone specialised in spell casting can easily overcome a -50 in most spell lists so the penalty itself is not enough, hence the blanket "not allowed".
But tbh if the circumstances were desperate, i'd probably allow it but with an additional penalty to make it more risky, maybe a -50...
For my crew, that would ~ make it a -25 roll for SCR under "desperate" circumstances.

[MisterK]

RMSS states (section 18.2.9) that "while stunned, a character cannot attack and can only parry with half of (their) offensive bonus. The only other allowable actions are movement and manoeuvers (modified by at least -50)."

- slightly restriclive interpretation : no spellcasting at all, unless the spell is Subconscious [Spell Law indicates that Subconscious spells can be cast while stunned at no penalty]
- slightly liberal interpretation : if the spell requires a BAR or EAR, it cannot be cast (no attack). If the spell only requires a SCSM, it can be cast with *at least* a -50 modifier.
- very liberal interpretation : if the spell requires an EAR, it cannot be cast. If the spell does not require an EAR, it can be cast with *at least* a -50 modifier to SCSM (optionally to SCSM *and* BAR).

Personal choice : I've gone thus far with the slightly restrictive interpretation. I *could* go with the slightly liberal one, since the Spell Law text about subconscious spells indicates that they can be cast *with no penalty*, suggesting that other spells can be cast with the standard penalty. I would *not* go with the very liberal interpretation.

[Hurin]

One last thing to note that might not be immediately obvious: stun relief spells are 'subconscious', which means you can cast stun relief spells while stunned.

[MisterK]

One last thing to note that might not be immediately obvious: stun relief spells are 'subconscious', which means you can cast stun relief spells while stunned.

Otherwise, those spells would not be very useful, given that a significant number of them are 'self'

[Hurin]

One last thing to note that might not be immediately obvious: stun relief spells are 'subconscious', which means you can cast stun relief spells while stunned.

Otherwise, those spells would not be very useful, given that a significant number of them are 'self'

Oh yes, it is entirely necessary, it's just not always obvious.

[technobabble66]

But tbh if the circumstances were desperate, i'd probably allow it but with an additional penalty to make it more risky, maybe a -50...
For my crew, that would ~ make it a -25 roll for SCR under "desperate" circumstances.

I should clarify because i reread this and it bugged me it might not make sense.
What i meant is to make it a penalty like -75 to -125, such that the raw roll ends up having ~ a "-25" on it.
(ie: the spell casters' list bonuses tend to be ~ +75 to +115, so a "big" -50 penalty still only means they need to not fumble and they'll pass, so i'd probably look at a -100 (maybe) so there's at least a chance of needing something on the roll higher than 5 to pass.

And apologies - i replied assuming this was referencing RMU, not RMSS. My bad!

[MisterK]

Yeah, in RMSS, the list bonus to SCSM is much lower than that (the developed bonus is equal to the number of *ranks* in the list).

[jdale]

RMSS and RMFRP are mathematically the same although RMFRP has an additional bonus.

In RMSS, you roll 1d100OE + 50 + your skill bonus in the list (basically the number of ranks) + any mods. Full success is at 111.
In RMFRP, you roll 1d100OE + your skill bonus in the list (same as above) + any mods. Full success is at 61.

So the difference is just that RMFRP moves that +50 from a modifier and instead bakes it into the table. The skill bonus is each case is your list ranks (but diminishing returns above 20 ranks) + realm stat + list type + other mods.

In RMU, you roll 1d100OE + your ranks in the list + realm stat + list type + any mods. Full success is at 1.

So, effectively, the bonus you are adding is basically the same across all the systems.

Personally, I read the RMSS rule "the only other allowable actions are movement and maneuvers" as no spellcasting, but using the term "maneuver" here is a bit ambiguous since everything is technically a "maneuver" in RM, even a "spell-casting static maneuver." In RMU, you just take a penalty from being stunned which is pretty straightforward.

[Arigon]

Backpedal to RM2 which is the only version we play with in my group.
We have all the other rules, including the playtest rules for the new version.
We have tried them all, and the group and myself all prefer RM2. While it is odious until you implement the RMC-VI Unified Skill List, once that happens, it is smooth sailing.

Anyway.

Casting the stun relief and body renewal spells, anything which is both instant and self is a no brainer and should be allowed. Their entire purpose is to mitigate that situation, and is why that class pays for those spells.

As a house rule, I have implemented Adrenal Moves as a method of mitigation of stun for non spell casters and or spell casters without those lists. That system works well.

Just throwing something randomly out!

Peace

[Hurin]

As a house rule, I have implemented Adrenal Moves as a method of mitigation of stun for non spell casters and or spell casters without those lists. That system works well.

I'm curious: why not just use the Stunned Maneuvering skill?

[jdale]

Stun Relief is explicitly allowed, but it's an exception.

The RMSS Mentalism Companion adds a Spell Concentration skill which would allow you to concentrate on a spell while stunned, so that's similar to adding an adrenal skill (same category in RMSS).

[Hurin]

Stun Relief is explicitly allowed, but it's an exception.

The RMSS Mentalism Companion adds a Spell Concentration skill which would allow you to concentrate on a spell while stunned, so that's similar to adding an adrenal skill (same category in RMSS).

Yes, but the poster was talking specifically about RM2.