I consider the Parma to have that wonderful range of 'Self', that is, the range of Body + all accoutrements that could be considered Arcane Connections, i.e. clothing, foci/talismans, and other 'you-own' items intimantly associated with you. Going out of your way to define clearly what 'Self' means in your troupe is worth the trouble, so that you can use the difference of Body vs. Self to tell what happens to a mage's clothing during transformations/magic of all kinds.
So, to be short, use the game's ranges as much as you can, and then modify those ranges as necessary for your troupe. Insert Robbie's First Mantra here.
Just to stir up trouble-- When you use Touch to cast a spell on someone, is the effective 'area' on that target as if they had cast a Self spell, or Body spell? For example, if I cast Ward Against Heat and Flames on myself (a Touch/Near ranged spell), it would be Self range in terms of effect, right, not just Body? Or does the +15 Soak from flame only apply to my Body? I would say Self, otherwise your clothes burn off, leaving you unscathed, but embarrassed, and I think the person inventing it would have thought of that. And when I cast it on someone else by Touching them, it would affect their Arcane Connections as well as their Body too, right?
But, when you cast 'Shape of the Woodland Prowler', a Touch/Near spell, on yourself or another, it only affects Body, right? Since you have to add requisites at the time of casting, it isn't a 'Self' all encompassing spell, so we consider it a Body spell in affect, although it is Touch in range. I cast it on me, and my Body is affects, as well as when I do it on someone else, right?
So, to generalize, Touch effects a target as either Body or Self area of effects, depending on the need for casting requisites. And, if you believe like me that Cast-Time Requisites are Evil, Troublesome, and should be stricken from the game (although not all requisites), you could just say Touch is Self with a wider range of possible targets.
Oh, and one more can of worms. Is Touch Form specific as to target? Can I give my door, as a single 'target', a Ward Against Heat and Flames? I would say, maybe, yes. But you couldn't target it with 'Shape of the Woodland Prowler'.
This discussion brought to you for the Committee to Clarify the Concept of Range (3CR). The Committee's mission: To make sure that the triple interlinked concepts of 'viable target', 'area of effect' and 'maximum viable distance to target' are well defined for each spell, instead of the current (almost-working) confusion of the single 'range'.
My previous post got me interested again, as Chair of the Committee to Clarify the Concept of Range (3CR), in ranges. I've had a range jumping around in the back of my head for a bit, and I'd like to see what people think.
The range is Threshold, and would be a new 'standard' range for spells. It works like Touch does, in that its name describes the maximum viable distance from the target, and the viable target, but not the area of effect. A Threshold spell would have 'thresholds' as the target, i.e. you cast it on a door, window, cave opening, etc, that is right in front of you. The spell then tries to effect the space enclosed/shut off by the closure of that Threshold. For example, the spell of protection that is cast on a house, is usually cast on the whole house in paradigm by casting it on the 'main' door to the house. Or, if on a room, it is cast on the main door to the room. The spell then effects as its area of effect the room as defined by its edges. The area of effect, however, is not determined by the Range, however, but by the level of the spell.
For example, a useful spell for Novgorodians, considering the main building material, would be a Ward Against Heat and Flames, range: Threshold, Duration: Sun/Year, probably level 35, minimum. For that level 35, you could keep flames from entering/approaching/effecting a single room with the Sign (some arcane symbol written on the door), with certain exceptions, like someone striking a fire in the room, with the +15 Soak vs. fire given to the walls of the room and those within it. With a level 40, you could put it on the door of a small house, and every room within that house, the outside walls, and the roof, would get the +15 Soak vs. fire. A three story house, level 45; mansion, level 50, and up. A size->level basis, basically.
Now, what would casting on a main gate of a castle do? Interesting question. But I like to leave it a little ambigous-- this is magic after all, and some details should just be assumed by magic. SGs can feel free to change the scale of the effect. But I like the idea of drawing a sign, be it in Lamb's blood, a.k.a. Passover, chalk, Elder Signs, etc, on a doorway to protect/effect a house. Imagine casting a Threshold version of Scent of Peaceful Slumber on a House-- very paradigm, actually-- most sleeping spells were cast on a House and all within it, rather than by going from room to room, casting it over and over again. Sure, it would be level 40-- but hey, you could Shrouded Glen the place at that level, so I think it's fair.
Anyway, comments, questions, further ideas for Touch and other paradigmatic ranges, can be addressed, and should be, I think.
Sgt. Brickman, Paradigm Police Badge #21, 3CR Chair.