[Rq-rules] Re: Music as a focus

[tiggermb at verizon.net]

Thanks Paul!

The Mythworld adaption of music as a focus makes a lot of sense. It's not less expensive than other forms of magic, but has a certain utility about it.Once you succeed and have a song working, you don't need to reroll to cast again, you only need to roll additional resists. 

I am tempted to think of the SONGS themselves as being magical. However, like a shamanic spell and focus, you can't just learn the song from anywhere. You have to learn it from a Bard who is fluent in the spell, spending time, effort and power to master the magic of the song. The requirements for learning Bardic songs could be tough enough so that few characters would have access to them.

In this case, the Perform skill would be required to activate a song's magic. Maybe songs have a difficulty associated with them, -x% to Perform skill. They might be negatively affected by encumbrance (you ever try to play a guitar in full plate? I know I haven't, and I don't think I would want to try!)

Now I have a framework if a player wants to play a Bard, should anyone in my group think of music as a focus for spells..

MB