Sigil Rann in Combat

[Arazmus]

We just want to know the procedure so that we're doing it correctly. The rules are somewhat vague. Is the procedure as follows?:

Character uses Stone Arrow Ogham ( way of Empathy 5 Sigil Rann 6 circle 3) rolls a 7 on the summoning roll to beat the difficulty by 1. Rolls 2d10 for damage getting a 3 and a 5 for 8 damage. Victim (stamina 10 with protection of 3) rolls his resistance vs difficulty 17 (3rd circle) makes it halving the damage to 4. 4 + 1 (margin) minus 3 (target's protection) for a total of 2 damage.

[Clovis]

You've got it all right, except that the success margin does not influence the Damage, which is based on the Circle only. For example, here, with a Stone Arrow of the 3rd Circle, you will deal 2d10 Damage, whether your total is 17 or 20.

So the Damage would be:
2d10: 3 + 5 = 8
Successful Resistance: 8 / 2 = 4
Protection: 4 - 3 = 1

[StripelessTiger]

...except that the success margin does not influence the Damage, which is based on the Circle only.

Oh! Really?

Hmmm, yea...I think that point could due to be clarified a little better in the book then. Is there any place that is specifically stated, because I thought the Margin always factored into the "success" or rather "degree of success" for every Domain roll.

EDIT:
Speaking of which, how would you handle a spell Critical Hit then? Still a flat bonus of 5 points of damage?

[zcthu3]

...except that the success margin does not influence the Damage, which is based on the Circle only.

Oh! Really?

Hmmm, yea...I think that point could due to be clarified a little better in the book then. Is there any place that is specifically stated, because I thought the Margin always factored into the "success" or rather "degree of success" for every Domain roll.

EDIT:
Speaking of which, how would you handle a spell Critical Hit then? Still a flat bonus of 5 points of damage?

Book 1 (on p.232) indicates you can use Margins of Success or failure outside of combat but that the

margin has no direct impact in terms of rules

. Basically, if you roll higher than your target number, it is a more solid success, but how much better is really left in the hands of the player and GM as it is a narrative effect. The only time that isn't true is on physical combat rolls (as described in the combat section) as in those instances there is a stated mechanical effect. As magic damage works differently to weapons (Xd10 rolls rather than a formula of Damage + Margin of Success), we just assumed it used the normal resolution rules from p. 232, and worked like Clovis indicated, i.e. margin of success was irrelevant to damage from spell casting (as spell casting works differently to physical combat).

As for a 'critical success' on a spell casting roll, that is covered in the Demorthen Arts chapter: a natural 10 allows you to choose one factor of the spell and increase it one level at no cost; so if you were casting Stone Arrow at 3rd Circle (2d10 damage) and rolled a 10, you could make the damage 3d10 (as if it were 4th Circle). See Summoning a Power on p.250 of Book 1.

[warwolf1969]

This is interesting, it will mean players will want to push their magical abilities to get a better success. After all if the success value has no effect on damage you might as well go for the next rank and hope to pass by 1 rather than a lower rank and pass by 5 say. As the damage potential is increased by a high factor. Was this deliberate or just a side effect of how the system was made.

[zcthu3]

This is interesting, it will mean players will want to push their magical abilities to get a better success. After all if the success value has no effect on damage you might as well go for the next rank and hope to pass by 1 rather than a lower rank and pass by 5 say. As the damage potential is increased by a high factor. Was this deliberate or just a side effect of how the system was made.

No idea, but remember that higher circle effects have a higher rindath cost. I know our Demorthen character tended to use lower Circle effects that he was sure he could pull off rather than risk wasting rindath.

[Clovis]

As zcthu3 mentioned, you must remember that trying for a higher Circle costs more Rindath (and might simply be overkill, compared to what you want to achieve). Moreover, if you roll a 1 and the result isn't a success, the Rindath is simply wasted, as is mentioned on page 250. Most often, easy does it!