Official
Rulings
(Last Updated: 8/15/00)
These
Official Rules are to be used as errata and to modify the NERO 8th Edition,
Formal Magic, and Playtest rules they affect. If there is a conflict
between a ruling here and a pre-existing rule these rulings take priority.
Please check www.nerolarp.com/boards/rulesdesc//index.cgi
for the latest information and rulings.
Ward
& Wizard Lock (3/31/2000)
A
ward is not instant. The caster must hold the key in the lock for the full five
minutes it takes to cast the spell.
Once
the ward spell starts, you can cast a wizard lock on a separate room within the
ward, but not on the exact same area the ward spell covers.
With
any spell, it has been cast when you finish the incant. The spell's effect does
not happen until you perform the action that designates the target, such as
throwing a packet at a target, touching a target when touch casting, or holding
the key in the lock for five minutes for a ward.
The
target of ward or wizard lock must be an unmovable structure like a building,
tent, or unmovable wagon, therefore it cannot be used to pop a shield in
combat.
Spells
that do not break a Shield Magic/Reflect Magic/Resist/Cloak/Bane (3/31/2000)
The
following spells cannot be used to break a spell shield (of any type) due to
their unique casting requirements:
Circle
of Power - Circle of Power requires that the circle phys rep be in place before
the spell is cast, thus it cannot be thrown with a packet.
Duplicate
Ward Key - This spell can only be cast on a ward key, and the caster must be
touching both the ward key and the duplicate key rep. Thus it cannot be thrown
with a packet.
Wall
of Force - Wall of Force must be cast on a pre-existing free standing vertical
frame.
Ward
- Ward requires a lock and key, and the key must be touched to the portal being
warded for five minutes. It cannot be thrown with a packet.
Wizard
Lock - This spell is identical to ward except it doesn't take 5 minutes, and it
can be dispelled. It cannot be thrown with a packet.
Vengeance
Aura (4/4/2000)
Vengeance
is only activated by an actual killing blow, not by anything like or similiar
to a killing blow.
Activation
of Magic Items (4/11/2000)
The
Formal Magic Rules override the NERO 8th edition Rulebook on this matter
The
correct rule is to activate an item you use the phrase "Activate"
followed by the spell incant. EX: "Activate, I call forth a magic
missile"
In
addition, all the normal rules for casting apply. You must have your hand free,
cant be silenced, etc...
So you cannot activate your way out of a binding, being tainted, etc...
Arrow
And Bolt Cost (5/2/2000)
Standard
arrows and bolts (reuseable if picked up within 5 minutes) - 4 prod. pts. per
quiver of 20
Silver
arrows and bolts (not reuseable)- 1 prod. pt. per arrow, 1 silver additional
cost per 4 arrows / bolts for silvering.
Render
Indestructible Formal Magic Ruling (6/19/2000)
The
Render Indestructible ritual does not count against the 5 effect limit on an
item.
Ritual
System Clarification (6/22/2000)
A
spirit / item etc... can only retain 5 ritual effects. Any ritual with a
duration of instantaneous is not retained, thus Obliterate, Spirit Forge,
etc... are not affected by the 5 ritual effect limit.
Tossing
of Items (6/30/2000)
You
cannot use the "toss and grab" method on any item to avoid the
effects of a spell. If you toss an item and grab it before lands on the ground,
the item is still under your control, and is still considered your possession.
If
the item lands on the ground completely, requiring the player to pick it up, it
is considered out of the player's control, and not their possession.
Examples:
Tossing a shield in front of me to block a spell and then grabbing the handle
before it hits the ground - The spell still takes affect.
Tossing
a shield so it blocks a spell and then drops to the ground requiring me to pick
it up off the ground - The spell does not take affect.
Tossing
a sword in the air moments before being hit by a spell, and then grabbing it
before it hits the ground - The spell still takes affect.
Dropping
a sword to the ground moments before being hit with a spell requiring me to
pick it up off the ground - The spell does not take affect.
Carrier
Attack Clarification (6/30/2000
All
carrier attacks must do body damage (reduce your body points), to take affect.
Although the attacker will call the carrier attack with each swing, the effect
does not happen unless body damage is taken.
All
carrier attacks must use the following format:
Damage
Amount - Type of Attack - Effect
Valid
Types of Attack & defenses for each:
Magic - blocked by Spell Shield
Poison - Blocked by Poison Shield
Elemental - Blocked by Elemental Shield
Arcane - No normal defense
If
there is no type of attack named, the carrier attack is considered Arcane.
Defenses:
Magic Armor - This blocks the blow before it hits the body, thus negating the
carrier attack.
Cloak
/ Bane / Racial or Special Resist - Blocks the attack if it would have taken affect
if the effect type and defense match.
Ex:
An elf is hit by "10 Sleep" - He can use his racial resist.
Spell
Shield - Blocks any carrier attack of attack type "magic" if it would
have taken affect.
Ex:
Spell shield blocks "10 magic sleep" but not "10 poison
sleep" or "10 sleep"
Poison
Shield - Blocks any carrier attack of attack type "poison" if it
would have taken affect.
Elemental
Shield - Blocks any carrier attack of attack type "elemental" if it
would have taken affect.
When
an attack is blocked the entire attack is blocked including any damage.
All
ritual effects being swung as a carrier must use either magic or arcane as the
attack type.
Throwing
of Items (7/6/2000)
You
cannot throw any weapon, shield etc... that is not NERO approved for throwing.
Basically, if a safety marshal has approved the weapon to be thrown (thrown
weapons, javelins, etc...), you can throw it, otherwise you cannot.
Bow
/ Crossbow Clarification (7/7/2000)
Bows
and Crossbows are considered 2 handed weapons (except they cannot be swung as
melee weapons) and follow all the rules pertaining to two handed weapons. One
Handed Block skill does not apply to bows or crossbows, both hands are required
on the weapon if it is being used to block blows.
Bows/Crossbows
in principal are missile weapons and are not inteded in spirit to be used in
melee as "blocking" weapons. Instead of making tons of new rules
governing "restringing" or "bow destruction" or
"virtual hands on string" or other things NERO Rules has decided to
simply state the spirit of missile weapons, and that is for ranged attack and
not for effective melee defense.
Base
5 Playtest Clarification #1 (7/20/2000)
Magic
Storm does 5pts of eldritch damage per-packet. NOT 45pts per packet..
sheesh people.
Enslavement
Clarification (7/24/2000)
The
following are clarifications to Enslavement:
1.)
You cannot administer Enslavement to yourself.
2.)
Enslavement forces the victim to do something that they wouldn't normally do.
You cannot be enslaved to "Act Normally".
3.)
Only unrestricted Enslavement elixers can be used on PC's.
Illegal
Skills, Powers, etc… (7/26/2000)
Recently
it has come to my attention that some chapters may be using skills / powers
etc... that are completely illegal AND violate one or more of the core rules
tenets. These tenets are posted on the Rulings page.
These
restrictions apply to both PCs and NPCs.
Some
things that are illegal:
- Invisibility and other skills, powers, etc... with the same end effect. There
are only three "states / conditions" that someone at a NERO event can
be in. They are either:
A.)
Out of game (OOG)
B.) In game and completely visible to those around you. (Yes, you can try to
hide in bushes, etc... but you actually have to hide.)
C.) In game and a spirit
The
only way you can hide is if you actually hide. You cannot be hidden / less
visible due to some skill, power, etc...
-
Flying, Jumping further than you can actually jump, burrowing, or any other
skill, power, etc... with the same end effect.
This usually requires calling a hold, and you can't call a hold to use a skill.
If you are walking on the ground, you can't say that you are really fifty feet
up in the air.
-
Clairavoyance, Clairaudience, Long Distance Mind Reading, or any skills,
powers, etc... with the same effects.
You
can't read someones mind, find out what they are saying, etc... You MUST
actually hear what they are saying. All "mind abilities / powers"
MUST conform to the rules in the 8th Edition rulebook.
-
Polymorph, Shape Change, or any skills, powers, etc... that have the same effects.
You
can't change your shape into something that can't be represented with makeup
and costuming.
Shields
(8/15/2000)
As
per the 8th Edition Nero rulebook, you cannot hold / carry any in game items in
the hand and / or arm being used to hold a shield. This includes gas globes,
magic items, weapons, etc...
Potions,
Scrolls, Magic Items (8/15/2000)
There
has been a lot of confusion lately over how potions, scrolls, and magic items
can be used / activated. Here is some clarifications:
Potions
- You MUST spend at least three seconds roleplaying the drinking motion with
the potion's phys rep in your hand. The phys rep must be big enough to hold 1/4
ounce of liquid.
Scrolls
- You must have the scroll out where you can read it, and touch a spell packet
to it. You also must actually read the scroll. So, if its pitch black and you
don't have a light, no using scrolls.
Magic
Items - Magic items must be readily available to be used. They cannot be
stashed away in a backpack. For purpose of rules, "readily available"
means you can produce the tag(s) and the phys rep for the magic item within ten
seconds if asked by a marshal.
Weapon
Proficiencies (8/15/2000)
Proficiencies
represent skill, not power, strength, etc... You cannot stack profs from
different hands together when using a two handed weapon. In all situations the
higher prof that is valid for the weapon and hand being used, is the value
used.
Example
1: Bob has +2 Master prof RH and +3 master prof LH. When using a 2 handed sword
he is +3, not +5.
Example
2: Bob has +2 master prof RH and +5 1 handed edged prof LH. When using a 2
handed sword he is +2, not +5 or +7.
Contacting
NERO International Rules
If
you need to contact NERO International Rules for any reason, send email to rules@nerolarp.com. If you wish to propose
new rules, changes to existing rules, or playtests, please do so through your
local chapter's rules contact.
Notes