Re: (TFT) Healing spells in TFT.

["Charles Gadda" <cgadda@earthlink.net>]

> Re Charles' "illogic" argument (copied below)
>
> I don't mean to argue that there shouldn't be any healing spells in TFT.
> However I think GMs can either add them, or not, without deserving to be
> accused of illogic.

Mostly, though not completely, wrong. In fairness, the root problem is with
the canon rules - but going beyond that, the GM has a responsibility to
address inconsistencies such as this. If they fail to do so, then they are
illogical whether they like it or not, and they will deserve to be accused
of such. Does this mean one "must" have healing? Nope, as I will explain
below. But the issue does need to be addressed.

I am only a messenger! Do not blame me if you do not like the tidings! They
are what they are!

> The nature of magic is to be somewhat mysterious, nebulous, and fickle.
The
> whole argument could be fairly dismissed by the GM on such grounds.

Utterly wrong! At least in TFT - excluding the current healing discussion
and a few other minor areas - TFT magic is quite the opposite of
"mysterious, nebulous, and fickle!" It is pretty well structured and to a
large extent obeys a certain underlying set of laws and logic. Were this not
so, an IQ 8 wizard should be able to randomly cast 20 die Wizard Wrath bolts
around - since all is random and capricious. But canon TFT certainly does
not allow for that - and even D&D follows *some* degree of logic. The only
system I know of that would even approach this contention is an optional
rules proposal for GURPS that allowed players to use cantrips and improvise
magic on the spot (with GM moderated results) - very fluid and freeflowing
but requiring a LOT of roleplaying experience all around to make it even
remotely workable. Going back to TFT *Nothing* supports such a claim at
least in an intentional overarching sense. Therefore, within the logic of
the system as presented magic is not fickle, and behaves within certain
norms. Further, the logical implications of the Revival spell show that
healing MUST exist in canon TFT, like it or not.

So, no, the GM may not "fairly dismiss" *anything* on such grounds, for they
are a foundation of quicksand. Using such an argument is really GM fiat
complete with "you can't have it Nyah Nyah!"

(as an aside, I'm coming down quite hard on you here - but your statement is
so spectacularly wrong I need to call you down on the carpet *right now*. It
isn't that your destination -keeping me from mandating healing- is
unreachable, but this particular path be strewn with landmines - take
another way around!)

But didn't I say that healing was not required more than a moment ago? Ah,
yes - the obvious solution, for those who simply cannot stand the idea for
reasons I cannot at all fathom, is to eliminate the Revival spell! This
instantly plugs the logic hole! Yes, this is fiat as well, but it can be
much more easily justified since it does not impose any sort of logic hole,
and in fact eliminates a couple.

For another approach, just look at what Erol did for Etan - I would never
use it in a 1000 years, but it does work, more or less.

Here is an alternate suggestion: eliminate all aspects of healing from
wizard spell lists. Instead, certain magical objects of great power handle
all magical healing in the game. To raise the dead one might go on a quest
to seek the Sacred Stones of Kar'Ok T'Nur, which have powerful healing magic
within, and also open a conduit to the Otherworld to summon the body's
spirit back. Other stones may bring simple healing. Or, one might allow
priests the ability, through long ceremonies and perilous Soul Quests to the
other world to bring back the dead - or heal. Lot of room for expanding
these ideas. Note that none of them need or likely would be easy or
unbalancing.

So, yes, there are ways around the problem. But canon TFT as is has a
serious logic hole that mandates addressing.

> The GM  should also not feel obligated to add spells to a magic system
because a
> player argues that it should exist.

Precisely true - but when confronted with a situation like this, the GM is
obligated to think through the situation and resolve the logic hole,
whatever it is. How it is handled is a mark of the GMs skill.

Let me give a tangental example:

Long time ago I was in a Star Trek RPG, playing the captain of a starship.
The GM had a number of iniquities, though he did come up with good
scenarios. Anyway, in this scenario we had acquired a particular piece of
technology called an "Optical Transporter" that could go right through a
ship's shields! Neat, eh!

Of course, the GM only thought of it as a plot device to allow one to
infiltrate a ship. What I did with it was rather... unexpected...

Towards the end of the mission, we were surrounded by a Cardassian task
force many times our size and firepower. So I did what to me seemed logical
but caught the GM totally unprepared: I simply dismantled the Photorp
warheads on a number of torps and beamed them into the Warp Cores of the
surrounding ships! The only residual danger to my ship were the overlapping
shock waves from the newly formed novas in my immediate facinity...

To his credit, he did not invoke fiat and disallow this - he full well
realised that he had majorly f******* up in allowing such technology in the
first place. I believe that a treaty was quickly signed between the
Federation and the Cardassians to ban such technology in the aftermath of
this little border incident...

Fiat is a bad way to handle things - not only from a standpoint of fairness
but also to maintain suspension of disbelief and all that good stuff, that
can really make or break a campaign. And the best way to avoid fiat
situations is to identify and resolve logic holes ahead of time, before they
become a problem and require the ham-fisted  "Hammer of Thunor" approach to
resolution.

> Actually, I don't think there is a much actual disagreement here.

There really isn't, except on a couple of very specific points noted
previous. Be well!
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