On Sun, Oct 26, 2008 at 4:06 PM, Jerry Dunsmore <JLDunsmore@...> wrote:
> Isn't magic a combination of some "Talent" and a mage's will? If so could
> the effect of magic on technology be based on the belief's of the mage? A
> firearm from today seen by someone 100 years ago would seem like magic. A
> computer hundred years from now will seem like magic. This fits with the
> idea that older technology is more 'concrete'. The majority of the world's
> belief paradigm affects how magic truly works or doesn't. So its a
> combination of all the world's reality paradigm, all those that wield magic
> and a mage's own belief in magic. What works for one mage may not work for
> another. Harry even says that in one book talking while warding a building
> using blue modeling clay. Saying that blue was how he learned it, or some
> such. So now we could have a mage that has an unmovable belief in
> technology. His workstation is his laboratory, his spells are programs, his
> spell books are pdas and his wand is a light pen. He makes nanite colonies
> suspended in fluid by combinding metal filings, mathematical equations,
> binary programming and tachyon crystals that give him a superhuman strength
> for a short while. Tada! Your techno mage. Use normal technology with
> something 'beyond' like tachyon crystals. Now I know this has never shown up
> in Harry Dresden, but I think it possible. Then you have a traditional mage
> and a techno mage working side by side. The Traditional mage's stuff stops
> working if only the Techno mage is there and vice versa.. in a battle
> between them.. it becomes.. basically a battle of wills.<

Which is why I gave the mechanics suggestion of it being a
drawback/flaw. Granted, maybe it's one that pairs with taking a
sorcery stunt and the "exception" is the technomage... but it seems to
be best handled as a flaw that adds negative aspects or limits the
number of dice that can be used for tricky dealings with tech or maybe
even has the cell phone blow up on a -4.

But as to coming up with an explanation, I wouldn't even bother - most
GMs will come with their own that makes sense to them. If they really
need an explanation in black and white, they're probably rules
lawyers and won't like the Fudgey goodness to begin with.

That's just me while wearing my game designer hat. Ask me another time
while I'm wearing my ceremonial magician hat and I might have a
different focus, y'know...