Shiningbrow

Personally, I found Jeff's response regarding this (quoted earlier) to be rather rude... "You are confusing...". No, using the same word for two quite different meanings is not us who "is confusing". It's the writers and editors not keeping things straight for the readers. And, in particular, expecting readers to draw the same conclusions that the word is being used with a different meaning with zero reason to do so!

If it's a problem, then fix it! @jajagappa has already suggested a few,, and others have suggested the possible difficulties that are inherent in the system. You could also add in money. At the moment, IIRC, getting a Rune Spell is free. Change that. 50L is a HUGE investment for most NPCs. Even a noble would baulk at that! (But, it's going to be cheaper in the long run than the Priestess Blessing your personal crops every year for 20L per ... Unless you decide that's what the tithing pays for). Also, when coming in for your worship service, remember your donations/tithes.

Given that there are only about 30 spells listed, and only a couple with offensive uses which are using only a couple of Runes, it's blatantly obvious that the RQ:G book doesn't list all possible spells - either currently available, or have ever existed. As you said - no Rokari optimised spells. I started this thread because I wonder whether a PC needs to research (create) a certain spell themselves... Or if it's already out in the world and known by someone who could teach it. LM would be an obvious starting point (just going by what we have in the books). Black Arkat also gets a mention, but not enough detail. @Jeff's response is quite valuable - it says that vastly better spells were out there, many lost, some re-discovered or re-created... And many not (yet). The question is more for RP purposes. Could the PC cast Geomancy to find a specific spell? Or is it just easier to research oneself? A Passive, Touch Logician doesn't seem that unbalancing, or difficult to acquire/create. (Unless, you create a version that can be cast multiple times in the same person, but for a different skill... ).

Professional sorcerer - yes. Lhankor Mhy - no. To bad LM is the only cult mentioned in the cults section, where the sorcery section mentions a few other cultures/cults. LM only has 1 Rune and 1 Technique taught to students, whereas Malkioni get 3 Runes and 2 Techniques... 1 Time is Spirit (handy), one is an Element (again, handy!). And Chargen rules allow for saccing POW to have more.

Apologies... I was still thinking of what started this tangent - spirit dogs. Given the range of spirit magic, wouldn't Summon Brontosaurus 10 a bit... Ummm - not sure of the right word here 😛 odd??? Silly?

I'm not sure that's true... In fact, I would have thought the opposite - they all keep their secrets to themselves. And thus, technique-wise, most spells that do the same thing are actually cast via a different formula. Even in the cult of the god of knowledge, there are cliques and factions groups with opposing values.

Spirit brontosaurs... Just to be pedantic 😛

Only by current rules. And even then, LM rules. Which is why I'd really like to see a "Western" book come out soon, or a larger write-up on sorcery. (And I presume I'm not the only one!)

I've thought about it previously, and it's tangentially arisen... If a sorcerer (easiest example to use) wants a new (perhaps slightly altered), does the spell already exist in Glorantha? Or will they be forced to always research it themselves? E.g., it seems silly to me to think that no-one has come up with non-Active versions for all of the current spells the require them. Or touch/ranged versions, so those Self spells (Logician) can be given to someone else (with the concentration requirement as well, obviously!) This is a YGMV question, not a rules question....

Slow! Combined with Mobility on the opposition. Half movement will suck on a person who needs to be in melee range! Especially if their foe is way faster. And in @Dissolv's scenario above, probably very standard spells for bandits, outlaws and others needing to survive in the woods.

Going to be trying a full campaign of BW soon... I hope!!

I haven't seen rules for how drugs, stress, pain, or even unconsciousness affect such spells, which I think is important. So, if the LM isn't getting the required results (because the target is actively resisting), then other means could be used to lower that resistance or take the target's mind off it. Perhaps that's a question that should be raised? Do drugs, alcohol, (sleep? Sleep deprivation??) etc lower a person's resistance (e.g., on POW v POW rolls, Fast Talk/Orate rolls)

While @soltakss was beibeing specific about his game, don't forget that God-Talker is a "Rune Master" now, which is basically a higher level Initiate. And after you've got your first RL rank, there's not a huge benefit (over God-Talker) now. A kind GM might give you multiple Allied Spirits...

I agree with the above comments, and would also add that in the specific example above, and experience check would have been quite appropriate, given the PC would have needed to STFU, control their breathing, focus and concentrate, all while hopefully not being seen...

Lhankor Mhy respectfully disagrees.

OIC... Sorry. No. @gochie wrote "This said, tons of animals/beasts rape in real life... So yeah. Still not convinced it's chaos only. " So I was running with that idea with regards Beast Rune.

Well, when GaGoG comes out, there's the possibility that Sword Sages of LM will have those spells and Runes available at character creation... But, yeah, I wasn't meaning starting characters, but obviously more experienced PCs.

Well... For 3 points you can take out the BBCG (Big Bad Chaotic Guy) ... IF it doesn't have up a Shield, and Countermagic, and Reflection, and doesn't have a similar Chaotic Feature, and doesn't have a ton of POW... and you can never be Resurrected... And you run the risk of not being able to cast any spells for a time (1day/week or 1 week per season)... (or eat vegetables...)

I'm not sure, but it sounds like you're using the word "friend" (or in this case, "mate") very loosely, and/or misunderstanding my position. I'm not suggesting the Storm Bully will attack the Humakti and Orlanthis or Vingan (yes, I don't accept this sub-cult thing!) that have been together for the last 8 years on adventures. I *am* suggesting that Legolas might have needed to steer clear of Gimli if he went Berserk in Moria... At that point, they were on the same team, but still with a lot of animosity, resentment, past (cultural) hates. In RQ terms, if there's a Lunar in the party (e.g., Etyries merchant who's paying for bodyguards), they'd be a valid target. Maybe the "godless" sorceror who the Bully just can't get their head around (who's been playing for the last 6 weeks)... I think the re-writing of the description fluff was intentional, to match the general idea (blind rage).

Yep... I was going to point this out... Don't discount that Issaries priest in combat! Or the Lhankor Mhy... Who's got 6 buff spells active, can disappear, and Tap your soul away in seconds...

Like opening a can of peas...

The way I see it is that it's basically "parrying" or "dodging", but MPs are lost instead of HPs (thus disagreeing with @David Scott's Critical above - it doesn't make sense that just because *you* attack with a physical weapon, *it* has to hurt HPs instead... After all - how?) Why is this a 4 point spell??? The "variable" tag for this is supposed to be because you can dump as many MPs as you want into it...

Given you need POW to be able to cast Spirit magic, and undead (e.g., vampires) can't cast Spirit magic, that makes a lot of sense!

Ummm. I'm not seeing the significance of this. It doesn't relate to my thought/post. (Unless you've read in something that I really wasn't suggesting) Edit: given that brood have the Beast Rune, doesn't that mean their rape is not Chaotic? (Accepting that animals do...)

No, actually... It doesn't. What it does actually say is: "all but the strongest loyalties are forgotten." Which is significantly different... Because sometimes you've got to tolerate those you'd rather not. Just because you're in the same party, working for a similar cause, in no way makes you "friends", and certainly not of the "strongest loyalties" variety... (could be a good way to find out who your *real* friends are 😛 ). Especially if there's always been an undercurrent of resentment and antagonism (with a few snide remarks and barbs thrown in), kept in check only by a party leader or other figurehead (or by some other command).