Mercurial Magic and Patron Spells
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- MajorLeeAwesome
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Mercurial Magic and Patron Spells
Should Patron Spells have a different mercurial effect than the Invoke Patron spell they are used in place of, or should they be the same? Thanks.
- GnomeBoy
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Re: Mercurial Magic and Patron Spells
Should they have them at all, since they are channeled directly from the Patron, a being a vastly superior knowledge and skill?
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Gnome Boy • DCC playtester @ DDC 35 Feb '11. • Beta DL 2111, 7AM PT, 8 June 11.
Playing RPGs since '77 • Quasi-occasional member of the Legion of 8th-Level Fighters.
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Gnome Boy • DCC playtester @ DDC 35 Feb '11. • Beta DL 2111, 7AM PT, 8 June 11.
Playing RPGs since '77 • Quasi-occasional member of the Legion of 8th-Level Fighters.
Link: Here Be 100+ DCC Monsters
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- MajorLeeAwesome
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Re: Mercurial Magic and Patron Spells
The straight answer you're looking for is:MajorLeeAwesome wrote: ↑Fri May 06, 2022 1:27 pm Should Patron Spells have a different mercurial effect than the Invoke Patron spell they are used in place of, or should they be the same? Thanks.
This is not specified by the rules. You are encouraged to make up your own decision. Make them share the same mercurial is fine. Giving them separate mercurial effects is also fine.
- GnomeBoy
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Re: Mercurial Magic and Patron Spells
So my point is that power loaned from the Patron maybe doesn't have Mercurial at all. It makes sense, depending on how uncontrollable you see magic in your campaign. If the Patron does something, do they also suffer Mercurial effects? If someone answers that "no", I'd think Invoke and others would not also.MajorLeeAwesome wrote: ↑Fri May 06, 2022 7:23 pmIf invoking your patron has it, I would think these would as well...
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Gnome Boy • DCC playtester @ DDC 35 Feb '11. • Beta DL 2111, 7AM PT, 8 June 11.
Playing RPGs since '77 • Quasi-occasional member of the Legion of 8th-Level Fighters.
Link: Here Be 100+ DCC Monsters
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Gnome Boy • DCC playtester @ DDC 35 Feb '11. • Beta DL 2111, 7AM PT, 8 June 11.
Playing RPGs since '77 • Quasi-occasional member of the Legion of 8th-Level Fighters.
Link: Here Be 100+ DCC Monsters
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- MajorLeeAwesome
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Re: Mercurial Magic and Patron Spells
That would make sense if the patron was the one initiating the magic, but they aren't. You are.GnomeBoy wrote: ↑Sat May 07, 2022 10:40 amSo my point is that power loaned from the Patron maybe doesn't have Mercurial at all. It makes sense, depending on how uncontrollable you see magic in your campaign. If the Patron does something, do they also suffer Mercurial effects? If someone answers that "no", I'd think Invoke and others would not also.MajorLeeAwesome wrote: ↑Fri May 06, 2022 7:23 pmIf invoking your patron has it, I would think these would as well...
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Re: Mercurial Magic and Patron Spells
...Or is Invoke Patron actually invoking the Patron to step in and offer assistance, as the term implies...?
I'm not saying anyone has to define it that way, but if you do then Mercurial effects may make less sense.
I'm not saying anyone has to define it that way, but if you do then Mercurial effects may make less sense.
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Gnome Boy • DCC playtester @ DDC 35 Feb '11. • Beta DL 2111, 7AM PT, 8 June 11.
Playing RPGs since '77 • Quasi-occasional member of the Legion of 8th-Level Fighters.
Link: Here Be 100+ DCC Monsters
bygrinstow.com - The Home of Inner Ham
Gnome Boy • DCC playtester @ DDC 35 Feb '11. • Beta DL 2111, 7AM PT, 8 June 11.
Playing RPGs since '77 • Quasi-occasional member of the Legion of 8th-Level Fighters.
Link: Here Be 100+ DCC Monsters
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- Raven_Crowking
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Re: Mercurial Magic and Patron Spells
When Toth Amon loses the Ring of Set, he can no longer invoke Set until he recovers it. This matches at least two possible Mercurial Magic results, and puts me firmly in the camp of using them.
SoBH pbp:
Cathbad the Meek (herbalist Wizard 1): AC 9; 4 hp; S 7, A 7, St 10, P 17, I 13, L 8; Neutral; Club, herbs, 50' rope, 50 cp; -1 to melee attack rolls. Hideous scar.
Cathbad the Meek (herbalist Wizard 1): AC 9; 4 hp; S 7, A 7, St 10, P 17, I 13, L 8; Neutral; Club, herbs, 50' rope, 50 cp; -1 to melee attack rolls. Hideous scar.
- GnomeBoy
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Re: Mercurial Magic and Patron Spells
Maybe I haven't been clear on where my camp is... I think it makes sense when it makes sense, and doesn't make sense when it doesn't make sense.
"Mr. Wizard, HEELLPPP!!" is different than being invested with something/power and doing it yourself, and that differentiation between Wizards in the same campaign makes their choices of Patron more significant.
It ain't gotta be one size fits all.
"Mr. Wizard, HEELLPPP!!" is different than being invested with something/power and doing it yourself, and that differentiation between Wizards in the same campaign makes their choices of Patron more significant.
It ain't gotta be one size fits all.

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Gnome Boy • DCC playtester @ DDC 35 Feb '11. • Beta DL 2111, 7AM PT, 8 June 11.
Playing RPGs since '77 • Quasi-occasional member of the Legion of 8th-Level Fighters.
Link: Here Be 100+ DCC Monsters
bygrinstow.com - The Home of Inner Ham
Gnome Boy • DCC playtester @ DDC 35 Feb '11. • Beta DL 2111, 7AM PT, 8 June 11.
Playing RPGs since '77 • Quasi-occasional member of the Legion of 8th-Level Fighters.
Link: Here Be 100+ DCC Monsters
bygrinstow.com - The Home of Inner Ham
- Raven_Crowking
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Re: Mercurial Magic and Patron Spells
No worries friend!
The rules bend to you (and me), not the other way around!
What makes the most sense to YOU is absolutely how you should do it!
I was just saying what made sense to ME (and why)!
SoBH pbp:
Cathbad the Meek (herbalist Wizard 1): AC 9; 4 hp; S 7, A 7, St 10, P 17, I 13, L 8; Neutral; Club, herbs, 50' rope, 50 cp; -1 to melee attack rolls. Hideous scar.
Cathbad the Meek (herbalist Wizard 1): AC 9; 4 hp; S 7, A 7, St 10, P 17, I 13, L 8; Neutral; Club, herbs, 50' rope, 50 cp; -1 to melee attack rolls. Hideous scar.