Players donating magic points to other players

[Mograg]

Can Player-Investigators willingly donate magic points to other Player-Investigators to power a spell? Is there a specific ruling on this in the core book (or elsewhere)?

Thanks,

Brian C.

[Roucheau]

I could find no official reference to the lending of magic points between characters. However, I have never heard of this being allowed and I would never allow it myself. Magic Points are a representation of an individual's magical allotment and it just feels wrong to allow them to be shared. The one exception to this I know is that certain spells allow multiple people to contribute to the casting, but that is not the same thing as transferring points from one PC to another.

[Mograg]

I guess that is what I was thinking about...Player Investigators each chipping in some magic points to a single spell to allow a single Investigator to "pull the trigger" and effect the spell. As opposed to donating magic points to a single Investigator who then has these points stored for later use.

So it would seem that the qualifying factor would be the individual spell description, yes?

- Brian C.

[Malik]

As above, I'm aware of no official ruling. I would however allow it. The players would have to have skin to skin contact and it might cost a small sanity cost (probably 1:1 with MP channeled) but I would certainly allow sharing to cast individual spells. As opposed to many of the bigger rituals which specify they need multiple casters and take from them all anyway.

[Roucheau]

So it would seem that the qualifying factor would be the individual spell description, yes?

On this you are right on the money. The spell descriptions clearly explain which spells allow the contribution of magic points most of these work like you mention with one person being the trigger as you say and all the others just contributing to the spell.

[bastthecatgoddess]

Maybe you can use a dumb downed version of the "4-in-one" spell from the elric! role playing game, just with POW and sanity lost (And maybe you learn all spells the other people who the spell was cast on know, for a short time anyways).

[wombat1]

I agree with Roucheau's second post on this. If a spell specifically allows multiple characters to contribute magic points to power the spell, it can be done, otherwise not. I seem to recall that in other variants of the BRP system, most notably the Avalon Hill version of Runequest, one could 'tap' characteristic points or magic points voluntarily or involuntarily, and while there are some spells that also allow variants of this, that is not the same thing as a voluntary transfer of magic points. One could, in that system, also find or create magic objects that could store magic points temporarily or permanently, and these could then be used like batteries to power a spell.

[eternalchampion]

Hi Mograg,
What you describe reminds more of “ceremonial magic”, meaning a rather lengthy casting procedure that could allow, or demand, others to act as contributors and tanks of magic points. As the other people said that is usually described in the spell reference, but you could also create your own spells or procedures. You could have a look at the monograph “Myhtos magic” for more ideas on that.

[patrick1971]

If they can, I'd say they lose SAN points... What we're talking about is basically giving part of their essence, be it through blood sacrifice, ritual or just drained straight out of the body...

[Danharms]

You can find rules in Cthulhu Dark Ages for group casting, which might be along these lines.

[Fredde72]

Sounds like fun.

If my players wanted to act like crazed cultists, chanting in groups in the woods, sacrificing babies, I would allow it.

However, every 2 transfered MP costs 2 SAN and only "helps" the caster with 1 MP. There is no such thing as a free lunch..

Then if they have to be touching skin-to-skin or touching in other ways , or dancing backwards around the campfire, let that be there choise and you tell them afterwards if it worked >

/ Regards, Fredrik

[The_Tatterdemalion_King]

I'd allow it for certain spells, especially Contact or Summoning spells. Usually this kind of thing requires a ritual fetish which includes some sort of identifying feature like fingernail clippings, or transmission via a magically-potent bodily fluid or pieces of flesh. (Touching skin? This is warping reality here, not groping toward second base!) Mechanically, I'd require an additional Occult or Cthulhu Mythos roll to do the transmission right—a sort of 'sub-spell.'

You could also convert SIZ of flesh consumed into MP, if they're really desperate.