Topic: Questions from all over

[rdanhenry]

Darkvision does not need a light source and works even in Utterdark. Nightvision works with any light source, so even a tiny glow will do the job without allowing normal vision. I am not aware of any spell in Rolemaster that allows for seeing outsight the normal visible spectrum.

[nomad]

4) How would you make a light source that only provided light for night sight or dark sight?

Open Mentalism Brilliance list; Glow 2nd level spell.

[providence13]

Open Mentalism Brilliance list; Glow 2nd level spell.

Good job nomad.
states Nightvision in the description.

[markc]

 All sight requires some form of radiation to reach the eye or sense organ.

 Low Light and Darkvision are commonly infra red so an IR type torch would work but their is no IR light spell.

 Dark Sight is commonly called Thermal Vision and depends on objects giving off or absorbing radiation to give contrasts.

 So the trick is to create a light source that only illuminates the spectrum you want.
MDC

[providence13]

Low Light and Darkvision are commonly infra red so an IR type torch would work but their is no IR light spell.

Ah, but there is friend. Magician Base Fire Law.
Warm solid..... Glow
Heat Solid..... Light I
at least IMHO.

[providence13]

Also, if you want a weak flashlight, a  "hot rock" could be used for IR signaling..
not my idea, but a good one.

[rdanhenry]

Darkvision in Rolemaster is not infravision. It explicitly works without any light whatsoever. You can see normally in absolute (even magical) darkness. Infrared vision would not allow you to do that.

[Fidoric]

I thonk that infrared vision should work with utterdark has such a vision perceives differences in temperature rather than visible wavelengths. For that reason, I think that a powerful heat source would be rather a hindrance for infrared "vision" as it would decrease the temperature variations.
Nightvision works as a light amplification device rather than a thermal camera.
Darkvision, working with no light at all, seems more akin to a thermal device.

[providence13]

OK. So Nightvision must be ambient light illumination akin to modern goggle/rifle scopes because Glow allows the spell to work "properly"; but not enough to allow much movement in the dark.
I hope this last bit is for normal vision. Otherwise, Nightvision working "properly" doesn't allow much mobility in the dark.


Just because you can't see it, doesn't negate it as an IR Light Spell.
(But I know this is just semantics..)

[markc]

 IIRC Night Vision does not work in darkness it requires at least some light.

 I tend to think of Dark Vision as somewhere beyond the IR spectrum but I can change that idea if anyone has any better ideas or comments about Dark Vision.

MDC

[rdanhenry]

If Darkvision were infrared vision it would be essentially useless in one of the key cases where it is contrasted with Nightvision -- in underground darkness. There's little thermal variation. You would not see normally. You would see yourself and other warm-blooded animals and die horribly, never seeing the undead coming at you down a corridor you couldn't distinguish from the walls because the underground environment had long ago reached thermal equilibrium. You'd probably be able to keep to one direction as your footprints are likely visible, but that's about it.

[pastaav]

Can not darkvision be purely a magical ability?

[rdanhenry]

Can not darkvision be purely a magical ability?

I don't see how it can be anything else.

[Dark Schneider]

1) Is there a magic item or metal that adds OB for directed spells and/or elemental "ball" spells?

I see no problem creating one with the alchemy General spell (not the weapon one), so you could add 5, 10, 15 to bolts, or 2, 4, 6, etc to balls with no problem IMO.

3) On Spell's looks:
  a) Do all shield spells have the same look, except for a different color? [I think the color is tied to the realm]
  b) Can a spell that has been visually altered with Spell Artistry be learned as the base casting form of the spell?

a) I think you can only see the "color" using "power perception" skill, if not it will have neutral color (white, gray, the one you want to use).
b) I think not.

4) How would you make a light source that only provided light for night sight or dark sight?

I think there is one for that in mentalism, a tenuous light that only allows to see if you have night vision. You could insert it in essence and channeling light spell lists too, or allow to use the Light spells in that way directly, I think a greater effect could be always be used to simulate lesser effects.

[markc]

DS;
 1) I guess that is the problem I have with it as General is for skills not OB skills. I do understand that Directed Spell is a special case but to me it just seem funny.

MDC

[providence13]

"I think there is one for that in mentalism, a tenuous light that only allows to see if you have night vision."
Open Essence-
Physical Enhancement 1)Heatvision: as Nightvision (100' as normal daylight) except caster can see varying degrees of heat on surfaces and objects. Can't see through things, but can move around. Can't read or map.

Also consider 20)Vision: Allows all "vision" spells on List under 15th lvl to operate at the same time.
Watervision,Nightvision, Sidevision, Heatvision, Darkvision all on one target.

So, there is a precedent for heat/infra vision and it can be used with other forms of vision enhancement.

[rdanhenry]

"I think there is one for that in mentalism, a tenuous light that only allows to see if you have night vision."
Open Essence-
Physical Enhancement 1)Heatvision: as Nightvision (100' as normal daylight) except caster can see varying degrees of heat on surfaces and objects. Can't see through things, but can move around. Can't read or map.

Also consider 20)Vision: Allows all "vision" spells on List under 15th lvl to operate at the same time.
Watervision,Nightvision, Sidevision, Heatvision, Darkvision all on one target.

So, there is a precedent for heat/infra vision and it can be used with other forms of vision enhancement.

That also makes it absolutely clear that heat (i.e., infrared) vision is not the same thing as Nightvision or Darkvision.

[mocking bird]

4) How would you make a light source that only provided light for night sight or dark sight?

You can also use light control to dim light to natural darkness that while technicall does not create a light source it does create an area where enhanced vision is necessary.