[RQ-Rules] Re: Fireblade

[Nikk Effingham]

It should do 3d6 plus damage bonus. It is a powerful spell. However, it can't 
be stacked with truesword, nor bladesharp, can't impale, if you use slash 
special rules I wouldn't let it do that either. It also costs 4 magic points to 
cast (doesn't it?) which makes it a hefty spell for beginning characters to (a) 
learn (4 points is a lot to begin with, plus you'll have to be in a cult that 
teaches it - how many are there of those?) (b) cast. If you've got an average 
character with, say, 13 magic points he'll probably have about a 50/50 chance 
of casting spirit magic anyway whilst in armour, so it could take two or three 
tries to knock it off. And that's a heck of a lot of SR. At the level where you 
characters have access to a few mp matrices, an allied spirit to cast the spell 
for them etc... it does become rather good, but not much better than a 2d8 
greatsword. It's like a Greatsword with, what, Bladesharp 4 cast on it. So it 
isn't grossly overpowered. At higher levels it sucks. 

If your PC is lopping of limbs it's because RQ combat has a lot of lopping off 
limbs. If he's charging through the enemy like butter, then you've misjudged 
how powerful your group have become. Increase the level of the enemies ability 
to fight, and increase the rewards they get for defeating them accordingly.

Just my two clacks.