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From: mr-frog@sdamos.UUCP (Dave Pare)
Newsgroups: net.games.frp
Subject: fire shield
Message-ID: <47@sdamos.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 12-Jan-85 16:30:08 EST
Article-I.D.: sdamos.47
Posted: Sat Jan 12 16:30:08 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 15-Jan-85 01:17:48 EST
Organization: UCSD Phonetics Lab
Lines: 34

:

Since our characters like to research new spells, and are
fairly high level, we determined that the "fire shield" spell
set a terrible precedent.  Higher level versions could be
incredibly nasty -- take for example, a fifth level version with
range which you could cast on your friendly fighter.  How about
a seventh or eighth level version with which a mage could affect
one person per level.

Now consider magic items like this.  Medallions of Fire Shield,
rings of Fire Shield, wands and scrolls of Fire Shield, etc.
Physical attacks will become past tense -- no fighter with any
intelligence will want to attack hand-to-hand as he'll be effectively
killing himself.

If you disagree with me, just remember that Fire Shield has
no savings throw.  In general, only seventh level spells
and over have no save; the exceptions are few and far between.
Oh yes -- has anyone ever run into a case where the attacker
"sharpnessed" or "vorpaled" a mage who had a fire shield?

Another use of high level fire shield...suppose the mage
summons monsters, throws the spell on them, and orders a charge.
The dragon bites one of them in half -- what happens to the dragon?
Interesting situation...  There's all kinds of good (nasty)
things you can do with higher level versions.  And just
think -- if you can do it to them, they can do it to you...

So, we just got rid of the silly spell...and it solved a lot of
problems, precedence-wise.


Dave Pare