Re: (TFT) Healing spells in TFT.

["srydzews@ix.netcom.com" <srydzews@ix.netcom.com>]

I was getting all hepped up to argue with Charles about the TFT system
necessarily implying a healing spell.  In fact, I had a lengthy post ready,
but then I realized something and deleted the entire post.  I think he's
more right than wrong, and the reason is healing potion.  

This focus on the Revival spell as the crux of the argument is misplaced. 
The Revival spell is indeed an esoteric matter that has much more to do
with necromancy and spirits than physical healing.  So I don't see its
existence as implying an IQ 10 'Cure Light Wounds'.  But that healing
potion is another matter entirely.  It's the cheapest, easiest potion to
make, and does nothing but physical healing.  

Does every potion necessarily have a corresponding spell?  No.  But
alchemical potions are indeed magical, and their effects should generally
correspond to those sorts of effects possible to spells.  Really, a healing
spell should be possible, and to judge from what a snap it is to make
healing potion it probably shouldn't even be too difficult.  

Now of course what spells exist is ultimately up the GM.  But TFT is pretty
logical in its spell lists as compared to, say, D&D (why no 5th level magic
missile analogue?)  Having healing potion dramatically undercuts the logic
of not having healing spells.

But this doesn't mean I'm putting a straight 'healing' spell (and by that I
mean a straightforward X fST heals Y ST spell) in my game. Call me Mr.
Fiat, but I'd sooner see healing potion stricken from the lists than a such
a thing  introduced--in my game.  I'm not telling anyone else how to run
theirs.

There is a simple way to reconcile the contradiction, and I would adopt it
if pressed on the matter by the players: make healing potion a chemical
rather than alchemical potion.  This may sound a bit odd at first but
consider that master physikers can make the stuff already.  Pardon me, I
don't recall doctors commanding mighty mystical powers. 

There is almost another way to deal with this, a 'logical' way even: since
no TFT spells use material components, postulate that the only way to
produce a magical effect that requires components is with a potion, and
that certain categories of effects (such as, oh, maybe HEALING) require
components by their nature, and hence exist only as potions.  Alas, the
existence of the certain other magics in both spell and potion form are the
fly in that ointment.




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