Topic: The spell Magic Shield - What stacks?

[ArchonOfBattle]

The description for the spell Magic Shield from the Warrior Mage sphere does not mention anything explicitly regarding what it does and does not stack with.

Given that it is described as "treated as a normal shield in all other respects", I would not expect it to stack with an ordinary shield. But what about the defensive bonus from the weapon style Shielding Weapon from Martial Law?

- Of course, since this is magic, it could stack with anything :-)

[Rasyr-Mjolnir]

The purpose of the spell is to allow the Warrior Mage to have a free hand for spell casting and still get the benefits from a shield.

If that spell stacks with any other bonuses or does not stack with them, that is a decision for the GM to make.

[ArchonOfBattle]

But the Warrior Mage can wield a regular shield and cast spells anyway if his weapon is also his Focus Item, correct?
Focus Item as per the main book talent under "Special Starting Items", cost of 5 DP.

[Rasyr-Mjolnir]

Yes, but not every Warrior Mage will do that however.

[GMLovlie]

The warrior mage doesn’t get shield training for free (I believe), so that’s another few dps for a talent, which can be as easily spent in the magic shield spell. a spell which is more useful than a clunky object strapped to ones arm. Although I think the idea for a double-benefit of this stacking with normal shields and how this can make you into a proper tank.... as.... something... well I’m not keen on the idea as a GM, but I know that as a player I would love it, and then as a GM I can have a lot of fun with that... So it might become a balance-issue, but I’d try it out.

As for stacking with the shielding weapon style, well, for some reason I just want to say "sure"... its seems plausible in my mind, but then that could still be questionable, to say the least.

[Ecthelion]

Personally I'd allow the Magic Shield spell to stack with the DB bonus from a Shielding Weapon, but I'd not allow it to stack with a normal shield. The latter is probably simply because I come from RM where the (magic) Shield spell states that it can't be used in conjunction with a normal shield.

[Right Wing Wacko]

And the spell doesn't weigh anything...

But there is no way I would let it stack with a "normal" shield.
And, as has already been mentioned, WM's don't get Shield Training. And to be quite honest, I would rather spend my DP's on the Shield spell... it is much more lighter, easier to conceal, leaves a hand free, and is almost always available.

IMO... for what it's worth...

[Viktyr Gehrig]

I wouldn't allow Magic Shield with Shielding Weapon or Weapon & Shield unless it required the use of one hand and the Shield Training talent. On the other hand, if it didn't work this way, it would be the perfect place to introduce a spell like Mystic Shield-- like Mystic Blade and Mystic Bow-- that works the same like Magic Shield, except for as described above.

I can actually see a very interesting Warrior Mage or Shadowblade character built around those three spells, assuming they were added to the appropriate Spheres. I'd probably combine it with Mystic for a character like Psylocke from the X-Men or a D&D 3.0 Soulknife.

[Karizma]

I wouldn't allow Magic Shield with Shielding Weapon or Weapon & Shield unless it required the use of one hand and the Shield Training talent. On the other hand, if it didn't work this way, it would be the perfect place to introduce a spell like Mystic Shield-- like Mystic Blade and Mystic Bow-- that works the same like Magic Shield, except for as described above.

I can actually see a very interesting Warrior Mage or Shadowblade character built around those three spells, assuming they were added to the appropriate Spheres. I'd probably combine it with Mystic for a character like Psylocke from the X-Men or a D&D 3.0 Soulknife.

I'm digging "Mystic Shield"!

[GMLovlie]

May I ask why you wouldn’t allow magic shield to work in conjunction the shielding weapon style?
And why would or should the shield training talent have anything to do with a magic, more or less autonomously levitating, energy shield?

Mystic shield is a good idea, but that would basically just be a strap on your arm that becomes a magical shield when the spell is activated... no? for this spell, I can see the use for a shield training talent, but then again, seems like such a waste (of dps), but I guess there is flavour to consider too..

[Rasyr-Mjolnir]

May I ask why you wouldn’t allow magic shield to work in conjunction the shielding weapon style?

Personally, I wouldn't allow it simply because the magic shield moves on its own, not at the direction of the caster. This means that it will automatically move to intercept attacks, which is part of the idea behind the Shielding Weapon style (i.e. they will interfere with one another's operation).

[GMLovlie]

First off: Would you let someone using the two-weapon combo or paired weapon gain defensive benefits from magic shield?

I can see your reasoning, and since we’re are dealing with none-too-realistic concepts like magic and stuff I can see a sort of rationality behind it, for balance issues and such. But I want to point out, for my own rationale, that a skill and style of martial arts, is somewhat different than magic, which performs its functions on its own, after being activated (at least in the case of the magic shield spell).

Whilst you say they would interfere with one another’s operation, and I can imagine this, I can also, as easily, imagine and see that the magical shield would in no way interfere with the "operation" of the shielding weapon style. The magical shield basically tries to stop objects, originating from an external source, from damaging the target of the spell. It is stated nowhere that this is anything but magical energy, thus its a logical observation (as far as logic can apply to magic) that this magical energy shield can be a "one-way" defence mechanism, hence it will not impede or interfere the caster, even if he/she is using two weapons. The protected character can, if you will, cut through his own magical shield to hit the guy in front him (I mean magic shield scaled up to wall shield would be something like that wouldn’t it? at least in my mind).

So, if using two weapons, and a combat style that focuses on defence (shielding weapon style, and perhaps blade barrier style?), makes magic shield useless, it follows that one should not be able to parry whilst using magic shield either, as this is the same function that both the spell and the shielding weapon style provides. No?