Circle Magic

[Starmage21]

If you break the shape of the circle, it becomes broken, but putting it back together again might be sufficient for the "repair a circle" option, rather than having to redraw the whole thing.


That said, circles are already mostly permanant. Once it's been inscribed, and the mage pays the large ppe activation cost, the circle will last indefinitely. It even states in he book that perishable components will stay magically fresh. There are however others, where a permanancy ward would be useful.

Furthermore, it only takes 5ppe and a recitation of the power words to use a circle once it's been activated. If I create a gargoyle summoning circle and use it to summon a gargoyle, then later step out of it, the circle stays there. If I wanna use it to summon another gargoyle, I just pay 5ppe and recite the power words again and the circle is ready to go.

[azazel1024]

There are a couple of circles that appear to be unbreakable. The circle of immortality being one of them. The description appears basically that it cannot be destroyed, period. This would include attempts to destroy the ground it is inscribed on. I would take this to mean you could excavate the circle and move it maybe, but the integrity of the circle cannot be harmed/deactivated.
-Matt

[Cinos]

In order of asking;
A: I like it, it's nifty, and great for villains, it struggles a bit as a PC tool other then summoning, due to it's intense need for planning.
B: I'm not sure what you mean; Does the caster have to touch the surface to maintain / evoke it? Or must the Circle actually touch something, in which case, yes, as it's hard to draw chalk / gold / silver onto nothing.
C: If it's a rotating circle like you'd cook pizza on, sure, no reason you couldn't, If you mean a rotating sphere, no, because the majority of a circle is drawn on the inner areas of the circle, as shown in their pictures, without those you have no circle.
D: Permanent Circles are a bit vague, I would rule a permanence ward would give a generous duration, but just slapping a ward into a circle isn't sufficient, they're two different forms of magic, despite their similarity. You can't just slap a Dark Ward into an elemental Circle and expect to control shadows. There are ways to get circles to be permanent, but I'd make it more complex then "get diabolist, get bone'.
E: I would rule it in this way, the creation of the circle when the majority of the work is done however, is hampered as normal. This is largely due to the external nature of both magics, unlike Wizardry, Elementalism or Mysticism which is largely internal, requiring the transition out, hampered by metals.

[Starmage21]

I didnt see your edit.


The reason mages dont wear metal armors usually is because it interferes with the dynamics of PPE. If youre wearing metal armor, and try to cast a fireball the PPE isnt released from your internal stores like its supposed to, so the spell doesnt happen. The same principle applies to Circle Makers (because Diabolists can be taught to make protection & power circles even though they start with none).

It has been known for Summoners to wear armor until it's time to make a circle, then they just take it off, and put it back on once the circle is activated.

[JuliusCreed]

What are your thoughts on Circle magic?

Does Circle magic require physical contact with the surface the circle is inscribed on?

Yes. The circle maker must be standing within the circle in order to activate it.

Can parts of a circle be inscribed on large, slow rotating, surfaces and activated once all the surfaces are properly arranged (given of course the components are all touching and complete the circle)?

Nothing canon on this that I am aware of. From what I can figure you're trying to set up a circle on a huge area with sections of rotating floor, each section with a part of the circle drawn/inscribed on it, then turning theses pieces of floor like a combination lock to assemble a magic circle. My guess is each section of floor would/could have several different pieces of different magic circles that could each be assembled with the proper combinations. I can't really say this would or would not work. The logistics behind a magic circle require the circle itself to be whole/unbroken. The system I think your describing would have inherrent breaks in the design between each of the rotating plates, and thus would not work. On the other hand, the rules are just guidelines and you could have some ancient room designed for just such a purpose. Overall, GM's call on the whole thing, but I could go either way with it.

I've read that Circles can be made permanent by use of the Permanence ward. In regards to this application: Is the Ward/Circle destroyed or broken once the surface it’s inscribed upon is destroyed or broken?

I do not know... more research needed here. Give me some time to consult my books.

I realize that there are exceptional people (NPC's ect.) that could bend or seemingly break the rules of Science or Magic. However any thoughts on general uses are appreciated.

-Edit-

Also; is it safe to assume that, like the Diabolist, wearing non natural materials does not hamper the Circle Mages' ability to activating circles as long as they are touching the circle with their bare hand?

No. it's never safe to assume anything. seriously though, I don't think a Summoner can activate a circle while wearing metal armor. The armor disrupts the flow of mystic energy throughout the Summoners body, not just his hands. And, if i remember correctly, a Summoner's hands don't really have to make physical contact with the circle's surface to begin with. He just stands in it and invokes the proper power words to activate his creation. ( Still need to find my frakkin' book! I'll edit if I can find anything canon later)

[The Dark Elf]

Ok so without the books to hand.....

Does Circle magic require physical contact with the surface the circle is inscribed on? No, but you do have to be in the circle area to activate it (whichs means you can be floating etc.)

Can parts of a circle be inscribed on large, slow rotating, surfaces and activated once all the surfaces are properly arranged (given of course the components are all touching and complete the circle)? No, because the circle would only be aligned at a split moment in time and it would take longer than that to say the power words (unless you play slightly differently to me, ie. its the moment you finish the last word)

I've read that Circles can be made permanent by use of the Permanence ward. In regards to this application: Is the Ward/Circle destroyed or broken once the surface it’s inscribed upon is destroyed or broken? If it's permanent it cant be destroyed so yeh thats a tricky one. unsure of an answer. Maybe the surface cant be destroyed - would that give you a mobile circle? One of the Yin slot Tri fang adventures had a floating platform with a circle on it. Interesting...

Also; is it safe to assume that, like the Diabolist, wearing non natural materials does not hamper the Circle Mages' ability to activating circles as long as they are touching the circle with their bare hand?I play they have to be in the circle so this wouldnt matter.

Again, these answers are off the top of my head without referencing.

[JuliusCreed]

From what I can figure you're trying to set up a circle on a huge area with sections of rotating floor, each section with a part of the circle drawn/inscribed on it, then turning theses pieces of floor like a combination lock to assemble a magic circle.

Yes, thank you, I have a bad habit of not completing my thoughts. Sometimes even in conversation ^_^;

No worries. I tend to finish people's thoughts anyway. But like I said, from a technical standpoint, the circle wouldn't work because of the intrinsic breaks in the circle between the rotating plates, thus keeping the circle from being truly complete like it's supposed to be. But, then again, it's really the GM's call. If he says it works, go with it.

[X'Zanthar]

What are your thoughts on Circle magic?

Does Circle magic require physical contact with the surface the circle is inscribed on?

Can parts of a circle be inscribed on large, slow rotating, surfaces and activated once all the surfaces are properly arranged (given of course the components are all touching and complete the circle)?

I've read that Circles can be made permanent by use of the Permanence ward. In regards to this application: Is the Ward/Circle destroyed or broken once the surface it’s inscribed upon is destroyed or broken?

I realize that there are exceptional people (NPC's ect.) that could bend or seemingly break the rules of Science or Magic. However any thoughts on general uses are appreciated.

-Edit-

Also; is it safe to assume that, like the Diabolist, wearing non natural materials does not hamper the Circle Mages' ability to activating circles as long as they are touching the circle with their bare hand?

1st question: Think of the circle as a sphere, you have to be in that area to activate it unless otherwise pointed out in the rules.

2nd question: As stated, no, the circles cannot be mixed and matched, especially once activated, that would break it. Think of a pentagram keeping a demon out and you scratch it, bye bye.

We have some smart cookies in our game group and came up with a teleportation system which utilized a teleport circle made on a solid piece of wood (usually about 6' round) mounted on a device (dwarf made) which could be then rotated like a CD changer to another teleport circle so you could "dial up" different locations so not to have a huge floor covered with circles. The system was complex and such, but once in place allowed our summoner (and party when allowed) to move far distances quickly. He made something similiar for some of his summoning circles as I recall.

3rd question: Yes, a permanency ward will make it hard to destroy (greater rune weapons sometimes did break one, but that is not cannon).

We made a circle of knowlege once with a preserved tongue of a 15th level wizard we defeated and it was made permanent and left open, but is in a very hard to get spot and most of the new characters do not know about it.

4th question: Yea, a circle can be activated while wearing armor, but not made.

Also, not having my books and it has been awhile, but the 1st edition summoner circles could be CLOSED or OPEN and thus could keep people out if not named in the closed circle. Not sure if it translated over to the older editions.