Alternate Core Documents

[Kkat]

Also, I need to say that a Ward should NOT be able to do anything that a Bypass spell can do. So, it might be able to protect against EFS, but it won't allow a melee weapon to pass through a shield like it wasn't there (or a missile).

Wards aren't Failsafe either. They don't dispel magical spells, they only prevent the spell from having effect beyond the surface they are inscribed on. A hallway with an anti-teleport ward on the floor wouldn't prevent a unicorn from teleporting down the hall; it would prevent the unicorn from teleporting through the floor into the room below. Likewise, a window with an anti-illusion ward would prevent a caster from being able to target someone on the other side of the window with a Compulsion spell.

It might be a good idea to limit Wards to effecting spells from certain spell groups (Manipulation, Illusion and Perception). There is precedent for Defense spells to have effects limited to other spell groups, and this would eliminate a lot of foreseeable headaches.

I'm not entirely sold on the condition degradation idea, although it has some merit. And I agree that there needs to be something in place to explain why every building ever wasn't (or, at least, still isn't) warded to Tartarus and back.

[Seraph-Colak]

A lot of places likely didn't see the need for spell wards as the highest form of magic they'd likely seen the zebras utilize was cloaking and the zebras being the enemy and all was who you would be considering when making your defenses.

Also I think it would be a great idea to tie an alarm of some sort into the wards. No use putting them up if someone can break through without waking you up.

[Viewing_Glass]

Wards aren't Failsafe either. They don't dispel magical spells, they only prevent the spell from having effect beyond the surface they are inscribed on. A hallway with an anti-teleport ward on the floor wouldn't prevent a unicorn from teleporting down the hall; it would prevent the unicorn from teleporting through the floor into the room below. Likewise, a window with an anti-illusion ward would prevent a caster from being able to target someone on the other side of the window with a Compulsion spell.

It might be a good idea to limit Wards to effecting spells from certain spell groups (Manipulation, Illusion and Perception). There is precedent for Defense spells to have effects limited to other spell groups, and this would eliminate a lot of foreseeable headaches.

I'm not entirely sold on the condition degradation idea, although it has some merit. And I agree that there needs to be something in place to explain why every building ever wasn't (or, at least, still isn't) warded to Tartarus and back.

Hrm... sorry, I mean like Bypass. But you got the gist of it. As for the idea why every building ever wasn't warded, permanent wards can easily be explained as being an expensive lost art, similar to permanent spell matrixes. The wards a unicorn can create now last, at most, POT days or POT Weeks.

Though, the Great and Powerful Ward should be able to be permanent... hrm. That also helps explain why every building wasn't warded (since the Great and Powerful Spells are difficult to learn, so outside a unicorn whose special talent was Warding, only the likes of Twilight Sparkle learned it ).

[TyrannisUmbra]

Another question: should buffalo be removed from the core document, and relegated to supplemental rules systems?

The Buffalo doc found in this thread is actually pretty amazing. Also for reasons, I have to plug my batpony stuff

As for the idea why every building ever wasn't warded, permanent wards can easily be explained as being an expensive lost art, similar to permanent spell matrixes. The wards a unicorn can create now last, at most, POT days or POT Weeks.

Though, the Great and Powerful Ward should be able to be permanent... hrm. That also helps explain why every building wasn't warded (since the Great and Powerful Spells are difficult to learn, so outside a unicorn whose special talent was Warding, only the likes of Twilight Sparkle learned it ).

This makes a lot of sense. Though I personally hate spells that last weeks -- it takes all the fun and interaction out of casting a spell if you only have to do it once every 20 sessions.

[Viewing_Glass]

Though I personally hate spells that last weeks -- it takes all the fun and interaction out of casting a spell if you only have to do it once every 20 sessions.

I agree more or less Tyrannis on this point with a few exceptions (Such as the bonds of friendship, which actually has rules on how the spell is broken).

In regards to removing Buffalo from the Core Document, I think it should be done. At least, until we get some more canon regarding them.

Continuing back to wards with long lasting durations, those should be placed on buildings, windows, etc. (Things that DO NOT move with the character, or are otherwise attached to the ground). For instance, a tent staked to the ground could be warded, but the moment you removed the stakes (The things attaching the tent to the ground) the ward is broken.

[Ghostpony]

I agree more or less Tyrannis with a few exceptions (Such as the bonds of friendship, which actually has rules on how the spell is broken). However, for wards with long lasting durations, those should be placed on buildings, windows, etc. (Things that DO NOT move with the character, or are otherwise attached to the ground). For instance, a tent staked to the ground could be warded, but the moment you removed the stakes (The things attaching the tent to the ground) the ward is broken.

I agree with VG on this one.

[Kkat]

A couple modifications:

The following note has been added to Teleport:
Note: Teleport cannot deliberately target an already occupied space. Any attempt to do so will result in the spell failing with the caster losing the strain. Mishaps from failed Survival checks for a Teleport are unpredictable and potentially grisly.

The following clarification has been made to Jinxed, so that it cannot be misread that the trait does not replace opponents' critical failure chance with your own:
Both you and your enemies suffer double the normal chance for critical failure.

The Buffalo have been removed as a core playable race. The following note has been added to the Races section: With GM permission, some alternate races such as Buffalo or Baby Dragon may also be available, but these are not covered in the core rules. Additionally, all information about buffalo shamanism has been removed from the Shamanism section. Instead, this note has been added: Of the other races in the world, only the buffalo also have shamans, and the nature of their understanding and interaction with the spirit world, as well as the spirit favors they receive, significantly differs from that of the zebra.

The last line of Pin, which was confusing and bizarre, has been removed entirely. It has been replaced with: Neither you nor your opponent can take a movement action during a pin.

Sniping: Firing at extreme range has been changed such that there is an additional -5% penalty for every +450 ft. of range.

The Buffalo doc found in this thread is actually pretty amazing.

At a glance, this looks a whole lot better and more fleshed out that anything we had been working on for the race, so I'm good with making that the go-to "splatbook" for people who want to play buffalo.

[Kkat]

Flight!

A section has been added in Gameplay for Flight rules. In addition, the combat maneuvers section has been expanded, including a section under Movement Actions regarding penalties for adverse conditions and encumbrance, and new Advanced Combat Maneuvers of Catch and Escape.

One aspect of flight that has been routinely discussed is the in-combat speeds of pegasi flight. It has been suggested that pegasi flight speeds in combat be restricted compared to the out-of-combat speeds they can attain, ruling that pegasi cannot build up to their full flight speed in a combat situation. Any thoughts and opinions on this?

[Viewing_Glass]

You could remove the x2 multiplier on flight speeds for Pegasi in combat, though that would make doing the Sonic Rainboom in combat impossible.

[Thanqol]

One aspect of flight that has been routinely discussed is the in-combat speeds of pegasi flight. It has been suggested that pegasi flight speeds in combat be restricted compared to the out-of-combat speeds they can attain, ruling that pegasi cannot build up to their full flight speed in a combat situation. Any thoughts and opinions on this?

I'm totally fine with pegasus combat flight speed being where it is (after a certain point it just becomes 'I go wherever I want on the battlemap'), I'm way more concerned about the out-of-combat/strategic mobility of pegasus ponies. Overland flight speed for pegasus ponies is so crazy good that if anypony's ever low on ammo or water it's always like twenty minute flight at supersonic speeds to the nearest town.

It can kind of wreck the pacing is what I'm sayin'.