Using Successes in Mage the Ascension
Found this perculiar ruling in the core rulebook I have that has me confused.
Say for Example I have Forces 3, allowing me to throw Fireballs at my enemy.
On page 208, there is a chart titled Magical Feats. On it, it reads:
"Impressive Feat - 4 Successes Required"
"(Blasting someone with fire, forcing someone to perform an action, altering someone else's shape in a minor way)"
On Page 209, there is another chart with regards to how to spend successes. At the bottom of it is reads:
"Example of Total Scoring: A mage scores four successes on a vulgar fire blast. Two successes are used for damage, so it inflicts five levels of aggravated damage (four for the successes, one for a Forces Effect, aggravated for fire). One success is used because it's affecting a target other than the mage, and the last success is used to strike an additional target. Two targets are struck, each taking five levels of aggravated fire damage."
--- --- --- --- ---
Now one table says I need 4 successess to make the magic happen, while the other table reads as if I can pull off the effect with just 1 success (to hit the guy, but for no damage).
Does this mean to throw a fireball at a guy, and do minimum damage... I would need 6 success? 4 to make the effect happen, 1 for damage, and 1 for the target?
I know it doesn't mean, "score 4 success first, then you can spend them how you want" because activating magical sights on yourself, (no damage, last for 1 turn (6 seconds), affecting caster) cost no successes from the chart on pg209, but DOES cost 1 becuase the chart on pg208 says they need 1 success to activate.
Say for Example I have Forces 3, allowing me to throw Fireballs at my enemy.
On page 208, there is a chart titled Magical Feats. On it, it reads:
"Impressive Feat - 4 Successes Required"
"(Blasting someone with fire, forcing someone to perform an action, altering someone else's shape in a minor way)"
On Page 209, there is another chart with regards to how to spend successes. At the bottom of it is reads:
"Example of Total Scoring: A mage scores four successes on a vulgar fire blast. Two successes are used for damage, so it inflicts five levels of aggravated damage (four for the successes, one for a Forces Effect, aggravated for fire). One success is used because it's affecting a target other than the mage, and the last success is used to strike an additional target. Two targets are struck, each taking five levels of aggravated fire damage."
--- --- --- --- ---
Now one table says I need 4 successess to make the magic happen, while the other table reads as if I can pull off the effect with just 1 success (to hit the guy, but for no damage).
Does this mean to throw a fireball at a guy, and do minimum damage... I would need 6 success? 4 to make the effect happen, 1 for damage, and 1 for the target?
I know it doesn't mean, "score 4 success first, then you can spend them how you want" because activating magical sights on yourself, (no damage, last for 1 turn (6 seconds), affecting caster) cost no successes from the chart on pg209, but DOES cost 1 becuase the chart on pg208 says they need 1 success to activate.