Spellcasting notes

[Brian Gmail]

A few items from the main HoR list about changes to importuning, and
spellcasting in general, in 4th edition. Some of you may already know
this, and some of you may have read it on the main list, but if not,
some good things for shugenjas (and judges) to know.

==========

Importuned spells must now be used in the NEXT HOUR, not within the
next day. This is a huge change from 3rd edition to 4th.

You use the spell slot, cast commune (must be successful), spend time
talking with the kami (5 min per rank of spell), make the Importune
Roll (must succeed). You may then try to cast it ONCE in the next
HOUR. You must roll on the modified TN (15+spell masteryx5) and
succeed to cast the spell. Failure at this step still counts as your
"try" and if it times out or you fail you still loose the slot from
the initial commune. Yes casting the spell takes a second slot.

Granting this ability to all Shugenja made them much more flexible,
made Spellcraft more important, and generally made shugenja a bit more
powerful. However, these restrictions help keep things in balance, and
therefore are important to maintain.

Also note that you can no longer spend Void to cast "extra" spells,
nor can you "Master Cast," and the Free Raises for Innate (memorized,
etc) spells are gone (even if you have the scroll).

[David Haller]

Yes, that's how I've been playing it - it's certainly more balanced
than the previous edition.

To clarify the "void" aspect, you *do* have additional spell slots
equal to your Void Ring, so someone with Void 3 has 3 "generic" spell
slots per day to use.

It's worth noting that Void shugenja get NO Void slots *beyond* the
standard "extra" ones granted by Void, so in effect Void shugenja can
ONLY cast a number of Void spells daily equal to their Void Ring
(contrast this with a Water shugenja with Water 3 and Void 3, who
could cast 6 Water spells per day).

DCH

[Brian Schoner]

> To clarify the "void" aspect, you *do* have additional spell slots equal to
> your Void Ring, so someone with Void 3 has 3 "generic" spell slots per day
> to use.

Right, I thought that was still the case. I think the point the
original poster was making is that you used to be able to spend a Void
point to get an extra spell slot, and now you can't.