Editing Samsara:Ultramundane abilities (section)

==Making the Magic Happen==
If an ultramundane ability can be used automatically, then it can be treated like any another ability.  Some folks can just fly and that’s all there is to that.  In this case, the ability mod would be used when an actor is attempting to do something difficult with that ability.  The flying guy can always fly, but he might need to roll STA + SPD + Flight to dodge heat-seeking missiles being shot at him.

But frequently, these abilities are envisaged as having to be engaged somehow.  Spells must be cast and might always be miscast.  Telepathy exerts an awful strain on the psychic and might lead to psychic feedback.  And you don’t even want to think of what might happen when try your necromantic summoning ritual and forgot which protective symbol to draw.

If ultramundane abilities do not automatically work, then engaging them means a contest between the wielder and the effect he is trying to create.  This can be either a simple or full contest.  Overall difficulty might be a factor in the decision: if the Archmage is trying to magically light a torch, this should probably be a simple contest; while trying to banish the manifestation of Death might be a full contest.  

But, as mentioned earlier, narrative needs should probably dictate the choice.  If a psychic is trying to telekinetically bring his scotch and soda to him that can be a simple contest whether he is a master of the craft or just beginning his telekinetic studies.  It’s a simple contest because the stakes are nearly-nonexistent and watching the struggle play out over several turns is not particularly interesting.  However, if he is trying to telekinetically grab a vial of poison that is teetering on the edge of the city’s water supply, then that can be a full contest.  Even if he is the world’s greatest telekinetic.  Even if he can do this in his sleep at home.  In-game, the explanation could be that he’s under stress, but you don’t need an in-game justification: this is the climax of the story; the heroes either save the day or the town is ruined.  And you’re going to let one measly roll determine this?  Imagine if this were a movie: this scene would take several minutes to play out, as the vial rolls back and forth, closer and closer to the brink and the sweat starts pouring of the hero’s face.  See it?  That’s why it’s a full contest.

In either case, the effect to be produced, the spell to be cast, the ritual to be performed, is given a Contest rating.  How this is determined depends upon the mechanics being used for these abilities (see the following sections).  The GM could simply assign a rating based on difficulty.  Or, if the system, builds effects mechanically, then that will determine the number.  The contest then plays out like any other.  If the character wins, the power is engaged, although he might have suffered some checks.  If he loses, the power doesn’t engage.  Maybe nothing happens (Simple Contest with Simple Failure result); maybe he took some severe checks and is in bad shape (Full Contest); maybe something terrible happens (Simple Contest with Spectacular Failure result or Full Contest based on the nature of the powers i.e. totally losing a Full Contest while trying to summon a demon might result in bad things happening rather than just failing to summon one).

A further complication comes from transitive effects; that is, trying to cast a spell on someone.  Does the target get a chance to resist?  If so, then you should add in their relevant modifiers as a bonus to the Contest rating of the effect.  The GM will have to adjudicate what the relevant modifiers are, based on mundane actions in the same sphere.  For example, Mandragore the Mage is trying to mind-control a guard.  The Mind Control spell is determined to have a Contest rating of +11.  The guard would resist any attempt at persuasion with WIL + RES, so that becomes his modifier and is added onto the Contest rating of the spell (of course, the guard may only be represented mechanically with Contest rating if he is an unimportant character, in which case you don’t have to determine the appropriate abilities; just add his Contest rating onto the spell’s Contest rating).

One might determine that if the caster fails in his attempt only because of the target’s modifier, that the spell was successfully cast, but the victim shook it off or dodged or what have you.  If he fails by more than that, he failed in casting in the first place.  This distinction may or may not be a useful one to make, depending upon the nature of magic in your campaign and whether or not failed castings have any backlash upon the wizard.