Exploring the Concept of Puissance in Puissance and Magic Book 1

In "Puissance and Magic Book 1," the reader is introduced to a world filled with mystery and adventure. Set in a magical kingdom, the story follows the journey of the protagonist, Alex, as he discovers his own powers and the existence of a powerful artifact. As the book begins, we learn that Alex is an ordinary teenager living in the small town of Willowbrook. However, his life takes a drastic turn when he stumbles upon an ancient book hidden in the attic of his family home. This book is no ordinary object but rather a powerful source of magic known as the Puissance. The book holds the key to unlocking extraordinary abilities and possesses the potential to change the course of destiny.

Because of that, even a dimwit like me managed to figure it out. Setting the two dials properly makes all the teleports stop being random and instead teleporting you to the same spot – to the Volcano God. This guy has a few choices. You can challenge him, which for my party means quick and painful death. You can also ask him for a clue, in which case he transports you to a spot with a checkered message:

But she rightly reminds us that these bindings are human remains something certain repositories have been slow to acknowledge and that they bear witness to the disparate power relations that led to the books creation. In Smith s account, the words on the page are not the only source of meaning; it is drawn also, she argues, from the form of the book itself, which is inextricable from its contents.

The book holds the key to unlocking extraordinary abilities and possesses the potential to change the course of destiny. Driven by curiosity and a thirst for adventure, Alex delves deeper into the world of magic. With the help of his newfound abilities, he begins to unravel the secrets hidden within the pages of the book.

Puissance and magic book 1

I just had a thought (yesterday) and spent a while working things out. The comparison between a weapon with Puissance +3 on it and a ring with ST +3 on it.

At first, I thought they'd do equal damage, but P+3 does more. So. how much more?

I looked at sw/cut weapons because those are where the biggest numbers are. It probably holds just as true with thr/imp or others. Not so much with bows, and of course not with guns.

On average, a +3 damage bonus to a sword or axe or whatever does 0.36 points more than a person with a +3 to ST. This is not what I'd consider to be a good investment.

+3 dmg costs 5000 energy to make and gives +3 to damage for that weapon alone.

+3 ST costs 4500 energy to make and gives almost the same damage increase (for ST's 20 and under), plus extra HP, plus extra lifting capacity, and the damage increase works for all weapons.

Am I missing something or is this a broken as it seems?

Note: One way to fix it would be to make the Puissance increase +1/+2/+3 per die instead of just +1/+2/+3. At low levels of ST (12 or less) this wouldn't change anything (since it'd be doing 1d anyway) but beyond that it can make a much larger difference and make the damage boost more meaningful to someone already doing quite a bit.

Well, you're missing the fact that you can do both, and there's a cap to how much ST you can put on an item. Other than that, well, it's basically true that Puissance +3 is a lousy investment.

Well, you're missing the fact that you can do both, and there's a cap to how much ST you can put on an item. Other than that, well, it's basically true that Puissance +3 is a lousy investment.

There's a cap on puissance, too. +3. The cap ob ST is +5. And that assumes you're not allowing for greater maximums when Magery exceeds 5. But, yes, terrible investment. +1 is good (1/6th the energy of +ST), and so is +2 (1/3 +ST) but. well, it makes the weapons themselves less important.

Perhaps a change, there, to 500 energy per +1 with a normal max of +5 would be better since it's just that one weapon?

Perhaps a change, there, to 500 energy per +1 with a normal max of +5 would be better since it's just that one weapon?

Perhaps ST-enhancing items should be more expensive? Perhaps axe-wielding barbarians could benefit more from Graceful Weapon and Penetrating Weapon if they're already doing more than 1d of damage? If you want Puissance to be more common, make it cheaper or more effective. If you don't, don't. Follow your joy.

In my recent fantasy campaign, for example, I decided that there is enough of a market for cheap Invisibility potions that only last a few seconds that they are available in the big city if you have the right Contacts. These are mostly purchased by criminals to assist in planned extreme violence, for obvious reasons, and are cooked up by half-mad alchemist-wannabes who flunked out of the academy, move the lab frequently, do too much of their own Sleep-Be-Gone, and blow themselves up a lot in a deliberate parallel to crystal meth. Is this by the section on alchemy in the Magic book? Not at all, it's just logically consistent with the setting and makes me happy.

Note two things:

1. Swung weapons are the worst basis of comparison here. Swing goes up by a nominal +1 per +1 to ST, so +1 to swing damage is functionally equivalent to +1 to ST, to within a small error. Thrust goes up by a nominal +1 per +2 to ST, so +1 to thrust damage is functionally equivalent to +2 to ST, to within a small error.

2. Puissance adds to damage without regard for user ST limits, whereas Might encounters the usual cap: maximum effective ST is three times the weapon's ST stat (p. B270). This matters for light weapons, mainly. For a dagger, short baton, small knife, smallsword, etc. (ST 5), you can bring at most ST 15 to bear; therefore, +5 to ST adds no damage for a ST 11+ user, +4 to ST doesn't help a ST 12+ user, and so on. For a baton, jo, jutte, large knife, main-gauche, short spear, short staff, etc. (ST 6) , the limit is ST 18, but this still makes +5 to ST kind of pointless for ST 14+, +4 to ST superfluous for ST 15+, and so on.

Where the two intersect is the market for the Puissance spell: Making small, light thrusting weapons deadlier. It's great for smallswords, daggers, and other finesse weapons. A ST 11 warrior who pays for a 7,500-energy Might item that gives +5 to ST would wield his smallsword for 1d+2 imp. If he got a 5,000-energy Puissance weapon, he'd deal 1d+3 imp and have money left to put the spell on a very fine sword that gives another +2 damage, for 1d+5 imp.

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Sean "Dr. Kromm" Punch
GURPS Line Editor, Steve Jackson Games
My DreamWidth [Just GURPS News]

Where the two intersect is the market for the spell: Making small, light thrusting weapons deadlier. It's great for smallswords, daggers, and other finesse weapons. A ST 11 warrior who pays for a 7,500-energy Might item that gives +5 to ST will wield his smallsword for 1d+2 imp. If he got a 5,000-energy Puissance weapon, he'd deal 1d+3 imp.

It'd also be great for tiny-but-magically-gifted characters. The difference between a weapon wielded for 1d-5 Impaling and 1d-2 Impaling is pretty significant when it gets stuck in your vitals or eye.

It'd also be great for tiny-but-magically-gifted characters. The difference between a weapon wielded for 1d-5 Impaling and 1d-2 Impaling are pretty significant when it gets stuck in your vitals or eye.

Yes. A pixie sword is a joke at 1d-5 . . . but not when it's very fine, with Puissance 3, doing 1d. With +5 to ST, you'd just break the darn thing. GURPS Low-Tech Companion 2 will even have rules for that.

__________________
Sean "Dr. Kromm" Punch
GURPS Line Editor, Steve Jackson Games
My DreamWidth [Just GURPS News]

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Gurps Fan,
a rules lawyer from the mysterious country of ninja, samurai, and magical girls,
the inventor of M.U.N.C.H.K.I.N.

There's a cap on puissance, too. +3. The cap ob ST is +5. And that assumes you're not allowing for greater maximums when Magery exceeds 5. But, yes, terrible investment. +1 is good (1/6th the energy of +ST), and so is +2 (1/3 +ST) but. well, it makes the weapons themselves less important.

Perhaps a change, there, to 500 energy per +1 with a normal max of +5 would be better since it's just that one weapon?

The caps don't affect each other. ST +5 and Puissance +3 generally HURTS.

That said, Puissance works better with thrust impaling weapons as ST based damage for these doesn't improve that fast. A thrust impale attack to the vitals with a +3 Puissance blade can be very effective.

A clock running two hours slow has the correct time zero times a day.

Well, you're missing the fact that you can do both, and there's a cap to how much ST you can put on an item. Other than that, well, it's basically true that Puissance +3 is a lousy investment.

ITYM "unlikely to be bothered with save by people making weapons for Royalty (not mere nobility), the champions of a major church, or someone with far more money than sense*."

*for what P+3 costs, you can get a fairly respectable company of mercenaries to follow you around. And it's also likely that anyone spending the time and money to enchant P+3 into something would ensure the thing they were enchanting was an exceptional example- i.e., Very Fine, and possibly special materials to boot. In short, a weapon fit for a King.

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�What all the wise men promised has not happened, and what all the damned fools said would happen has come to pass.�
― William Lamb Melbourne

Most strikingly, in recent years Eliot’s Bible, as much as it may have been a tool for the destruction of Algonquin culture at the time, has now become an indispensable tool for the Wôpanâak Language Reclamation Project — or, as Smith puts it, “a resource for the recuperation of the culture that it sought to destroy.” That may not offer vindication, but it does compel us to reflect on the long lifespan of a physical book — and the many uses to which its power may be put along the way.

Along the way, he encounters various magical creatures, battles dangerous foes, and uncovers the history of the Puissance. Throughout the story, themes of power, destiny, and self-discovery are prominent. Alex's journey serves as a metaphor for the journey of self-discovery that many teenagers face in adolescence. The Puissance represents the power within oneself, waiting to be harnessed and utilized for a greater purpose. As the main idea of the story, the Puissance is a symbol of the potential that lies within every individual. It emphasizes the concept that we all possess unique abilities and talents that, when realized and utilized, can lead us on an extraordinary journey. Alex's transformation from an ordinary teenager to a powerful magician parallels the personal growth and self-realization experienced by individuals in real life. "Puissance and Magic Book 1" is a captivating and enchanting tale that explores the themes of power, destiny, and self-discovery in a magical setting. It serves as a reminder that each of us has the potential for greatness within us, and it is up to us to unlock and embrace it..

Reviews for "Exploring Power Dynamics in Puissance and Magic Book 1: Who Holds the Key?"

1. John - 2 stars - I was really disappointed with "Puissance and magic book 1". The storyline was confusing, and I had a hard time connecting with the characters. The writing felt disjointed and lacked depth. I also felt like the pacing was off, with certain parts dragging on for too long and others being rushed. Overall, I didn't find this book enjoyable and wouldn't recommend it to others.

2. Emily - 1 star - I found "Puissance and magic book 1" to be incredibly dull and unoriginal. The plot felt predictable, and I didn't care about any of the characters. The writing style was flat and lacked excitement. Additionally, the world-building was minimal, leaving me feeling disconnected from the story. I had high hopes for this book, but unfortunately, it fell short in every aspect for me.

3. Sarah - 2 stars - "Puissance and magic book 1" was a letdown for me. I found the dialogue to be awkward and forced, making it difficult to immerse myself in the story. The characters lacked depth and development, and I couldn't bring myself to care about their fates. The pacing was inconsistent, with action-packed scenes followed by long periods of mundane details. Overall, I found this book to be underwhelming and wouldn't recommend it to others.

4. Michael - 3 stars - While "Puissance and magic book 1" had some interesting concepts, it failed to deliver on execution. The plot was confusing and hard to follow, with too many subplots and unnecessary details. The writing style was average at best, lacking the richness and flair I expected from a fantasy novel. The character development was also lacking, leaving me feeling indifferent towards the main protagonist. Overall, it had potential but didn't live up to my expectations.

Lessons from Puissance and Magic Book 1: Finding Strength in Vulnerability