Post originally by Charles S. at 2003-04-30 16:32:52
Converted from Phorums BB System

Okay, let me figure something out. I don't understand what "abusible" means in this context- I'm used to hearing the word when powermunchkins come out from the waterworks to figure the best combination of ways to utilize a rule in a game that wasn't intended to be used in that way.

As far as the magic level in TRoS, there's no denying that the magic is a terrible power that can be used to do some pretty incredible stuff. At the same time, though, I believe the author of the book *intended* this; not pussyfooting around the issue of magic to make it "balanced." Heck, here's a quote- "In The Riddle of Steel, magic is unshackled. Sorcerers wield incredible power, and have the unmistakable ability to disrupt the balance of anything and everything."

From my understanding, TRoS makes no excuses for its take on magic and its power level.

Now, is the issue with the rules themselves or the players? By providing your PCs with this power, you have to understand what they can do. Almost anything. At the same time though, the game is not about using sorcery to destroy/demolish/annihilate/ect., but to provide a tool for the PCs to use in a fantasy setting. From this, as a DM, you have to judge whether or not your PC who wishes to use said magic will be mature and plot-moving with it (by expanding his Spiritual Attributes, the core of character advancement in TRoS), or whether (s)he will try and destroy "that kingdom over there, the one with all the humans in it, cuz I'm BAD!"

Or is it lack of DM control over their players? I know when I ran DnD I could pretty much gauge what my players could accomplish with their powers, magical or otherwise. In TRoS, I'm a bit paranoid that the female wizard could, indeed, destroy my well-built kingdom with characterized NPCs and built-in plotlines (in case one day I'm dry and have to pull it outta thin air); looking at her sheet, though, I see she has Drive: Revenge of the killer that took the life of her son, and Passion: Gilroy (her RL b/f whos also a character). She's also the type of player that sticks with her guns and doesn't do anything sporadic like blow up the kingdom! because she knows that's not her character. She could. But she doesn't.

I guess the purpose of this drawn out response is to say its not the rules as set by the game but the players themselves that matter the most in terms of "abuse." You have to understand what your PCs will do with that grenade launcher before you offer it to them; they might just decide to shoot it somewhere you don't want them to.

Charles