Cardiac Rythms (Life 3 + Matter 1)

[Bleys]

The most effective spells are often combinations of more than one Arcana, and a Mage with succificent understanding of the human body can find a great many things to do that cause problems. Perhaps one of the most simple yet debilitating is the use of Life and Matter to alter the conductivity of the minerals in the heart, resulting in abnormal cardiac rythms, and potentially death.

Practice: Ruling
Action: Instant; Subtract Target's Stamina
Duration: Concentration
Aspect: Covert
Cost: 1 Mana

Using Life to exert control within another's body, and matter to adjust the conductivity of the heart and chemicals in it, a mage can easily inflict grevious injuries upon a the body of another being. The advantage of such a spell is simple: Heart attacks are notoriously heard to predict, and can happen to anyone, lending a covert aspect to the spell (though multiple individuals being affected with them in a short period of time can rapidly become improbable). The downsides are that such a complex change is difficult to accomplish, and the mage needs physical contact with their target to work the matter magic involved.

Each turn that the mage maintains contact and concentration on the spell, the spell inflicts bashing damage equal to the Caster's gnosis. Additionally, as the flow of blood becomes irregular due to an irregular heart beat, actions become more difficult for the target; For each turn the spell is maintained, the target takes a cumulative -1 penalty on all actions. The total of this penalty can not exceed the potency of the spells casting.

Although this spell has a duration of concentration, damage dealt remains after the duration until it is healed (either by normal mundane rest, hospitalization, or magical means).

Due to their conflicting purposes, the potency of a Body Control spell upon the target reduces the potency of Cardiac Rythms, but can not result in a potency of less than one.

[TroyR]

I don't think this would actually require any Matter magic because we are all more than the sum of our parts. This seems like a perfectly acceptable application of Disciple level of Life, though I might say it's the practice of Fraying since it works to harm or hinder the target within its purview.

Since this is an "All or Nothing" effect, the Resistance should be rolled. Stamina + Gnosis or something like that...

What do you think?

[MarcD]

I don't think this would actually require any Matter magic because we are all more than the sum of our parts. This seems like a perfectly acceptable application of Disciple level of Life, though I might say it's the practice of Fraying since it works to harm or hinder the target within its purview.

Agreed. It's fine as a Life 3 spell. No need for Matter 1.

Since this is an "All or Nothing" effect, the Resistance should be rolled. Stamina + Gnosis or something like that...

<pedant>You mean Contested. Contesting is when you roll Attribute + Power Stat. Resistance is when you subtract.</pedant>

I agree, it should be Contested... and having a number of damage per turn equal to Gnosis is pretty darn high, IMO. I think Gnosis divided by two (round up) is fairer...

[apavlides24]

Personally, I think the damage shouldn't be equal to gnosis, but like every other damaging spell, equal to successes rolled. So it should be Gnosis+Life-stamina like all bashing attacks and deal bashing equal to successes.
And it shouldn't, not concentration IMO, or it's too powerful.

So for fairness I suggest this to be like the death spell that gives penalties in social rolls. You touch, you do Gnosis+Life-stamina bashing and the target takes a -1 penalty on all physical actions (not social) for a scene. If you want to go on, do that again.

I also suggest that It doesn't cost 1 mana, and it remains covert.