BASE TIME TABLE Drain Level Base Time

Light 5 turns

Moderate 10 turns

Serious 15 turns

Area Effect

Under most circumstances, spells only affect a single tar- get. Certain spells can have an area effect, which means they affect all valid targets within an area of effect. Area-effect spells cannot affect individuals who cannot be seen, even if they are within the area designated for the effect. Magicians also may not selectively ignore valid targets within the area of effect, including themselves. The base area of effect can be centered anywhere within line of sight and has a radius equal to the cast- er’s Magic Attribute in meters. Extended area-effect spells (see p. 56) have a radius of Magic x 10 meters. Spellcasters may reduce the area of a spell by withholding dice (see p. 181, SR3).

Health spells may not produce an area effect because they must be focused on a specific organic system.

If an area-effect illusion or manipulation spell is sustained, the affected area may be moved with a Complex Action, as long as it remains within line of sight. Characters who “drop out” of the affected area are no longer affected by the spell; characters who are “enveloped” by the area must make a Spell Resistance Test against the effects of the spell as appropriate.

For detection spells that provide a subject with a new sense, area effect refers to the range of the sense (usually a

radius of Magic x Force in meters). Extended area detection spells have a radius of Magic x Force x 10 meters.

Because they do not depend on line of sight, elemental manipulation spells affect all targets within an area of effect (see p. 182, SR3).

Elemental Effects

Elemental manipulation spells use the elements of nature to inflict damage. The primary damage they cause is deter- mined by the Damage Code of the spell. They also produce secondary “elemental effects” that may affect the environment or cause further damage.

The gamemaster must determine the appropriate secondary effects for a spell based on the spell and the situation. For exam- ple, a Fireball might start fires, cook off ammo, ignite fuel tanks, and set fire to armor and clothing all over the blast zone. An Acid Stream could melt surrounding material into smoking sludge.

If, after applying the primary damage of the spell, anyone is left standing and in some way vulnerable to the secondary effects, roll 2D6 to determine the effect for any non-living tar- gets. If the spell had a Deadly Damage Level, the result must be greater than or equal to the target’s Object Resistance Rating (p. 182, SR3). If the spell’s Damage Level was Serious, add +2 to the

Object Resistance. If the spell causes Moderate damage, add +4 to the Object Resistance. An elemental spell with a Damage Level of Light does not cause secondary effects.

Acid

Primary Damage: Anyone in full-body armor treated to resist toxic materials (such as a firefighter’s suit) takes no dam- age. Acid creates a cloud of thick, choking fumes: add +4 to all target numbers for those in the affected area (double the actual area of the spell to reflect the size of the fume cloud) for the rest of the turn. The affected area is also con- sidered treacherous ground for the rest of the turn.

Secondary Effects: Any-thing hit by an acid effect can be melted into sludge, or at least badly pitted and burned. Vehicle tires flatten. Armor can be reduced by –1 to both Ballistic and Impact values by being melted and burned. If the Acid attack was Deadly, even firearms can be corroded into junk.

Blast

Primary Damage: Blast effects increase their Damage Level against manifested earth elementals and gnomes by one level, striking with the impact of rushing air. Characters struck with a Blast effect are subject to the Knockdown rules associ- ated with melee combat (p. 124, SR3), with the Force of the spell substituting for the Strength of the attacker.

Secondary Effects: Broken glass, shattered plaster and so on. Unreinforced walls and structures can be badly damaged by the Blast effect.

Fire

Primary Damage: Fire increases its Damage Level by one level against water elementals and undines.

Secondary Effects: Fire can ignite flammable materials. Highly flammable materials (gasoline, dry wood, paper, explo- sives and ammunition) add –1 to their Object Resistance. If clothing ignites, the wearer takes damage at the end of every turn until the flames are extinguished. The damage is 6M at the end of the first Combat Turn he is on fire. Increase the Power of the damage by +2 per turn thereafter.

Treat exploding ammunition, grenades and so on as a weapon hit; armor does not reduce the damage. Combat Pool may be used to help resist the damage as the singed target tries to hurl the exploding material away.

Vehicle fuel may explode. Add +2 to the vehicle’s Object Resistance unless the fuel is exposed to open air.

Ice

Primary Damage: Ice increases its Damage Level against fire and water elementals and salamanders and undines by one level. Anyone in heated armor or clothes takes no damage. The area

affected by ice is treacherous ground until the end of the turn. Secondary Effects: Any moving vehicles must imme- diately make a Crash Test. They may also stall. Liquids may freeze solid. Normal plants wither and die instantly.

Light

Primary Damage: The brightness of the light causes the target(s) to suffer a flare effect penalty (see Vision Modifiers, p. 112, SR3) for one Combat Turn after the attack. Creatures with an allergy or vulnerability to sunlight may take additional damage from the attack.

Secondary Effects: The light beam can ignite flammable materials, and the intense brightness may overload optical scanners.

Lightning

Primary Damage: Heat and impact are the effects of light- ning. A character in insulated armor or clothing is unaffected. A character who is not grounded (levitating, for example) may also escape the spell effects. Lightning increases its Damage Level by one level against air elementals and sylphs, ionizing and dispersing them. Characters struck by lightning are subject to Knockdown, as if struck in melee combat (p. 124, SR3).

Secondary Effects: Lightning can short out electrical equip- ment. Modify the equipment’s Object Resistance by –1 against these effects. It can destroy metal firearms and touch off their ammo. Vehicle engines may short out, and their fuel may ignite. Add +2 to the vehicle’s Object Resistance unless the fuel is exposed to open air.

Metal

Primary Damage: Creatures with an allergy or vulnerabili- ty to iron take additional damage.

Secondary Effects: The metallic shrapnel can shred unpro- tected targets and may reduce the value of armor by 1 point. The fragments may confuse some types of sensors and scan- ning devices.

Sand

Primary Damage: Sand produces tearing, abrasive dam- age. It increases its Damage Level by 1 against air elementals and sylphs by smothering them.

Secondary Effects: The fine grit may jam and damage machinery or weapons that are not fully sealed against the environment.

Smoke

Primary Damage: Smoke does Stun damage, but continu- al inhalation can eventually overflow the Condition Monitor and cause Physical damage when targets pass out.

Secondary Effects: The thick smoke limits vision, imposing a +4 modifier on visibility for the rest of the turn.