RuneQuest Quickstart Strike Rank for spells

[Psychman]

Reading through the Quickstart, I was puzzled by the Strike Rank modifiers for spells. Preparing a spell adds 5 and preparing a new spell also adds 5. How does this work? The text also says that while casting a spell just uses the Dex strike rank magic points in excess of 1 but subsequent spells need 5 SRs to be prepared, even if the same spell. 

 

I am unclear on what this means. Is a "subsequent spell" the next spell, however long since the previous spell, or just if that spellcasting is started in the same round? Also, with "spell preparation, how many can be "prepared" at one time? 

[Psullie]

18 minutes ago, Psychman said:

Reading through the Quickstart, I was puzzled by the Strike Rank modifiers for spells. Preparing a spell adds 5 and preparing a new spell also adds 5. How does this work? The text also says that while casting a spell just uses the Dex strike rank magic points in excess of 1 but subsequent spells need 5 SRs to be prepared, even if the same spell. 

I am unclear on what this means. Is a "subsequent spell" the next spell, however long since the previous spell, or just if that spellcasting is started in the same round? Also, with "spell preparation, how many can be "prepared" at one time? 

Generally you are assumed to have already prepared your first spell. So with a DEX SR of 2, you could cast Strength (2) on SR 3 (first MP cost is free of SR) then prepare a second spell taking you to SR 8 and cast Mobility (1) on an 8, 5 more SR will take you to 13 so you couldn't cast spell number 3

Rolling over SR's to the next round is typically avoided for simplicity, however some very complicated spells could take more than 12SR to finish, in this case the spell will trigger in the appropriate round. The games master could also suggest circumstances where the caster in not prepared, and their first spell would DEX +5 SR.

Usually only one spell at a time, but there are exceptions when one spell effects another like Extension.

[Psychman]

Thanks for that. I began to piece it together as I wrote the post, but clarification is always good. The same with the same spell? So the first Disruption would be on SR2, for example, the next on 7?

[Psullie]

39 minutes ago, Psychman said:

Thanks for that. I began to piece it together as I wrote the post, but clarification is always good. The same with the same spell? So the first Disruption would be on SR2, for example, the next on 7?

Yep