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The Dresden Files => DFRPG => Topic started by: Tush Hog on July 02, 2010, 07:50:24 PM

Title: Magical shutdown?
Post by: Tush Hog on July 02, 2010, 07:50:24 PM
How to handle it? Like when Ebenezer shuts down Mavra.
 
Title: Re: Shutting down someone's magic
Post by: WillH on July 02, 2010, 07:57:24 PM
A persistent block.

Title: Re: Magical shutdown?
Post by: Tush Hog on July 02, 2010, 08:00:55 PM
Sorry :-[

I was posting another question and I inadvertently modified this instead. Back to original now!
Title: Re: Shutting down someone's magic
Post by: Crion on July 02, 2010, 08:07:05 PM
I'm curious about this as well, as I'm always curious about the limits of Thaumaturgy.

First options that came to mind:

--Sticky Aspect to block magic use (although I can't see that lasting long; see "Harry Binds the Loup-Garou" on YS298)
--Enough shifts for the equivalent of being "Taken Out" (but won't this cause them to be taken out?)
--Create a "Thaumaturgy Block" with enough shifts to make it nigh-impossible to cast (See Weapons Grade Entropy Curse on YS296: specifically the idea of "a challenge equal in shifts to the power of the spell")


Again, just kicking around an idea. I'm sure someone might have a better idea. . .
Title: Re: Magical shutdown?
Post by: Deadmanwalking on July 02, 2010, 09:19:48 PM
No, it's clearly a Block. One powerful enough to keep their magic from working.
Title: Re: Magical shutdown?
Post by: DFJunkie on July 02, 2010, 11:07:23 PM
Yeah, just allocate shifts to power and duration, brew 'em up, and you're ready to roll.  I'd think it would work just like a normal block: every shift of power increases it by one point, every shift of persistence adds another exchange, so it would cost you 10 shifts to set up a Fantastic (+6) block lasting four exchanges. 

Of course, to target a specific caster you'd need your symbolic link.  IIRC, Harry had something belonging to Kravos when he shut his magic down.  I think the reason Eb could do without when locking down Mavra is that undead magic is substantially different than mortal magic, and he was able to shut down Blampire spellcasting without affecting Harry, though that's just my theory.
Title: Re: Magical shutdown?
Post by: JosephKell on July 03, 2010, 01:07:32 AM
Yeah, just allocate shifts to power and duration, brew 'em up, and you're ready to roll.  I'd think it would work just like a normal block: every shift of power increases it by one point, every shift of persistence adds another exchange, so it would cost you 10 shifts to set up a Fantastic (+6) block lasting four exchanges. 

Of course, to target a specific caster you'd need your symbolic link.  IIRC, Harry had something belonging to Kravos when he shut his magic down.  I think the reason Eb could do without when locking down Mavra is that undead magic is substantially different than mortal magic, and he was able to shut down Blampire spellcasting without affecting Harry, though that's just my theory.
That is if you do it as an evocation.

I assume McCoy was doing it as thaumaturgy, which makes it last a lot longer (I think the default duration for thaumaturgy is until next dawn).  But the reason he had to "continue to maintain it" was because he didn't have anything to tie it to her (still seems like a cop out).  The whole thing seemed sort of faked to be honest.  Just a way to get McCoy and Kincaid to freak out on each other.  And to reveal the Blackstaff.

DFJ's theory is better than any I came up with.
Title: Re: Magical shutdown?
Post by: JustinS on July 03, 2010, 03:37:02 AM
Possibly a thaumaturgy effect to let him persevere and  affect magic that he can then counter with countermagic. Possibly with some extra maneuvers stacked up to tag.
Title: Re: Magical shutdown?
Post by: Krico on July 03, 2010, 03:59:04 AM
Joseph, you've also got to consider that Mavra would have been resisting it. If it's just a straight block and go, she was probably powerful enough to undo it unless he was continually channeling power into it. I would think you could potentially attempt to counter-spell the effect.
Title: Re: Magical shutdown?
Post by: Belial666 on July 03, 2010, 07:49:34 AM
It's just a Ward against black magic. Since it's on the building and it affects everyone inside, no need for a symbolic link to a person. And since Mavra's whole magic is black while most of Dresden's magic is not, it works nicely.