Back when bholmes4 had asked what was to stop someone from using massive spellburn to get a good result on the
patron bond spell. Well, that thread (
http://www.goodman-games.com/forums/vie ... 67&t=15311) is in a locked forum now, but I recently had the answer turn up in play (
http://unseenservant.us/forum/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=757).
One player, having an elf PC and 4 weeks downtime, decided to reduce Strength, Agility, and Stamina to 3 by spellburn, and then use the remaining time to heal, thus allowing the best possible spell check for
patron bond. Unfortunately, the die roll for spellburn was 13 - the caster "develops a bleeding sore
that will not heal until he pays back the aid of the power that assisted him." So, I have ruled that the spellburn will not even start to heal until the PC completes a specific transaction for the newly acquired patron.
Even if the chances of true disaster are small, spellburn is not a sure thing. There are reasons to use it; there is no certainty in the outcome. While I am sure that the player will appreciate the long-term benefits if he survives the short-term drawback, it becomes clear that one is gambling each and every time one attempts something so drastic.
Kudos, Mr. Goodman, for making magic feel dangerous and unpredictable!