The Spell Energy Sphere

[darthauthor]

The Spell Energy Sphere from the "Book of Magic" page 140.

Great Spell if you are around a ley line.

Question #1:
Verify. "If you cast this spell in the area of influence of a Ley Line or Nexus, does the duration increase 50% to 100% respectively?"

Question #2:
"Can the spell do double duty as a lamp light? I imagine a floating ball of light and, well, light provides light?"

Question #3:
"Can you hang your hat on the glowing ball of light?"

Question #4:
"Can the spell be used to supply I.S.P. for psychics?"

Question #5:
"Can the spell be cast on the same person more than once? For example: An 11th level Ley Line Walker casts the spell twice on the same day on the same person, only because they are sittng on a Ley Line or Nexus can they afford to do this.

I see the spell as a real game changer, especially during the Tolkeen war.
I'd assign a high level Ley Line Rifter/Walker with this spell to a Ley Line and crank out energy spheres and gift them to every spell caster like they were ammo clips.

An 11th level caster would supply a Portable P.P.E. battery of 1,100 that would last 11 days; more if they get the duration bonus from a ley line.
Ley Line Walkers, Mages, Mystics, Necromancers, and Warlock would have 5 to 10 times their usual supply.

Then cast "Fly as an Eagle" on them to give the team a head start to the mission assignment or combat zone.

They magic users of Tolken all know this.
Why did Tolkeen lose again?

[ShadowLogan]

Q1: only applicable if it says on a Ley Line or Nexus

Q2: based on the description sort of, it could basically be considered a "ley line fragment" and IIRC Ley Lines do emit light...

Q3: It has a physical presence of some kind (else why else would it have MDC value) so I would say yes.

Q4: Normally No, but it is possible I suppose IF the ES-equipped person has the power/spell/ability to convert PPE to ISP since the energy is only listed as stored in PPE form. The "Restore P.P.E." Healing Psi-Power has a note at the end that reads: "P.P.E can not be turned into I.S.P." found in RUE (said no is absent when the power was introduced in WB12). There MIGHT be an exception(s) that have PPE converted to ISP, but off hand I don't know of any.

Q5: Nothing in the text limits how many Energy Spheres a character can have. You could have X-# of casters each cast an ES for one person.

As to why Tolkeen lost to the Coalition? While mechanically one can work out ways Tolkeen could win, even knowing stuff they should know, I think it comes down to several factors, but the most important one is Writer/Editor Fiat (ie it was written that way).

[darthauthor]

I don't know what you mean with you first answer.

Do you mean, "Unless the spell description of 'Energy Sphere' says it gets the Ley Line bonus, it does not get the 50% bonus to duration?"

[ShadowLogan]

Q1 in my previous post should read: " only applicable if it STAYS on a Ley Line or Nexus" (typo, spell check can only go so far still need to proof read). Meaning for the duration of the spell the ES remain on the Ley Line/Nexus, you can't cast it on a LL/N (w/n range) and then head over to the next town outside of the LL/N effects and still expect the buffs to remain in effect. This might be a personal interpretation/house-rule though as a case likely exists for the buffs to remain in effect regardless of if you stay on the LL/N or not.

[darthauthor]

Thanks for the clarifcation.

I feel it could be debated.
I imagine once the spell is cast and P.P.E. spent the spell is already in play and the terms and conditions of the spell in terms of duration are established and paid for.
So, I FEEL, one could cast the spell Energy Sphere, fill it with P.P.E. leave the Ley Line and get to keep the Energy Sphere for 1.5 days per level instead of 1 day per level.

Forum boards like these let us talk about and see the pros and cons of doing things one way or another.
It should be asked if it is cheating or unfair for the duration of a spell to not receive the benefit of a ley line boost once one leaves the area of influence.
I did not see it written in the books one way or the other that the benefits are conditional to exclusively being in the presence of a ley line for the entire duration of the spell.
I guess it never occurred to the write to explain what would happen if a mage cast a spell that lasted longer than their stay near a ley line.
In absense of perfect certainity of knowing one can only guess and reason what would be most fair, thinking through the consequences both good and bad of spells.

IS it really any more of a game changer to keep the duration of all spells cast by 50%, once one has felt the area of influence of a Ley Line?
It would only apply to spells that lasted long enough to leave the area of a Ley Line.
So spells with durations in terms of days.

As for the spell Energy Sphere in particular, it would only mean the sphere would last one more day for every 2 levels of the caster.

The most extreme I can a imagine is a demi-god or something granting you this Energy Sphere.
Feels a little rediculous when you have demi-gods on your side, like the adventure is stacked in your favor by the GM.

During the War on Tolkeen the most extreme I can imagine would be an Ancient Dragon (like a ruler of Freehold, I don't remember Dragon levels off the top of my head but I guess 25th level is possible).
So, instead of the "Energy Sphere" lasting 25 days, if you did not use it, in that first 25 days, then it would last 39 or 40 days?

Well, if somehow the ancient dragon stuffed that energy sphere with 2,500 P.P.E. it's a lot.
Of course, there is a war going on. I could see even as high a number as 2,500 being spent on "Armor of Ithan" on others, real fast.
I can see it in my head.
A support mage, supplying a squad or even a platton of soldiers with TW battery weapons.
On patrol, mage recharges their clips.
Maybe casts out some boosts like "Superhuman Speed" or such.
"Invincible Armor" (30) if they have it.
Casts it on them, before and to refresh it during battle.

Depending on the level of combat the energy will be spent in a week or 2.