Omen / Dark Omen spells and Boon Points

[samwise7]

My characters have been using Omen and Dark Omen fairly often, and we discovered that when you get Boon Points on the spellcasting rolls for these spells that none of the Boon Points seem to fit them.  What we have been doing is for every Boon Point in addition to successfully casting the spell, you get slightly more information, or that something supernatural happens in addition to the answer.  You might want to include something like that in the spell description.

[imported_Rasyr]

You could also use Boon Points to allow for asking a second question.

Also, it might be a good idea to limit the time period asked about to an "action to be performed within the next hour", which would also allow for Boon points to be used to extend that period of time as (i.e. to look further in the future). One BP could extend it to a Day, 3 to a week, and 5 to a month in advance

or no time limit when asking about a general plan (i.e. should we undertake the quest for the holy grail) rather than a specific action.

I will add "Rewording the Omen spells to allow for more Boon Point options" to my typo/corrections list.

[imported_Rasyr]

How does this look as a rewording for the spell description (note: this one is for Dark Omen)

Description: Allows the caster to predict if the actions of an individual or party, to be performed within the next hour, will be beneficial to the individual/party in question. This is accomplished by the caster asking a single yes/no question. This will not tell if the individual/party will be successful, only if taking the particular action or choice will be beneficial for them in the long run. The spell presumes that asked about action(s) will be successful.
      The question is answered by the caster spotting something that serves as an omen within 1 minute of the spell being cast.  A favorable omen might be the sighting of a vulture, or a stain that looks like a rat or something similar in nature, while an unfavorable omen might appear as a dove or something shaped like a butterfly.
       Boon Points from Casting may be used to extend the initial length of time in which the action may be taken (1 = 1 day, 3 = 1 week, 5 = 1 month), or to allow for the caster to ask about other actions (1 additional action per Boon Point), or to glean more details about the success or failure of the action. (Base: Divination)

[samwise7]

What do you mean by, "extend the initial length of time in which the action may be taken" ?  Are you saying that you can only cast this spell a certain amount of times, or are you saying that the question can deal with topics that are farther in the future?  It's a bit confusing what you mean.  Also, what do you suggest about answers that give both a yes, and a no answer?  I had several questions that really didn't seem to be yes or no.  If this is the case, might they get their Spell Points back, with no answer?

[imported_Rasyr]

Note the first sentence of the description, where it says "actions taken within the next hour". That is your " initial time in which actions may be taken"

For questions that give both a yes and no answer --- First off, the spell should, at its most basic, tell whether the OVERALL result will be more beneficial for them, or not. It doesn't matter if it will be both, it will only give the biggest result.

Boon points could be used to extend that (i.e. so that they know that it will be both good and bad), but would require a more complex omen, such as their initial omen for something "good" being attacked by an omen for something bad, they struggle and then both fly off, with the stronger result being above the weaker result.

And don't forget that the spell only allows for them to ask a single question that MUST have a yes or no answer. If they ask something that cannot be answered in that manner, then they have wasted the spell, you should not give them their Spell Points back. I would only give them their spell points back if the question is one that IS a yes or no question, but which for soem reason just cannot be answered at that time (i.e. the future is too much in flux....)

Is that any help?

[samwise7]

What I meant was that they asked a question, that was phrased in a yes or no format, but the actual answer was both good and bad for the party.  My players are pretty crafty when it came to wording this spell, and I really had to think about the answer for awhile.  It's a tricky spell, but one that the party has used to good affect in the current campaign.  It is a good tool to help the GM direct the players if they ask the right questions.

[imported_Rasyr]

What I meant was that they asked a question, that was phrased in a yes or no format, but the actual answer was both good and bad for the party.  My players are pretty crafty when it came to wording this spell, and I really had to think about the answer for awhile.  It's a tricky spell, but one that the party has used to good affect in the current campaign.  It is a good tool to help the GM direct the players if they ask the right questions.
 

First off, don't forget that the answer is given in a "visual omen", hence the yes or no aspect. And in actually, the spell is only supposed to tell whether the action will be beneficial for the party or not. It presumes that the action will succeed. It does NOT try to determine if the party will be injured or if any bad things will happen to them or not, only if the overall effect of the action will be beneficial or not.

As for questions that are both, there are 2 possible ways to handle it..

1) Determine if it is MORE good or MORE bad, and then give the omen for just that one answer
2) Give omens for BOTH good and bad, and somehow have them "competing" for dominance, which would signify that it is both and that it could go either way.

The whole point of the spell is to give a simple visual answer to what amounts to "Is doing xx good or bad for him/her/the group?"

Personally, the more tricky they try to make the question

[imported_Rasyr]

Okay, how is this description? Is it any better or clearer?

Description: Allows the caster, to specify an action, to be taken within an initial time period of one hour from the casting of this spell, by an individual or group will be beneficial to the individual or group taking the action. This is accomplished by the caster asking a single, simple yes or no question. This spell presumes that action being performed will be successful. It is important to note that n action that is beneficial to the person performing it could still result in that person's injury. The spell takes the long view (i.e. the person could be severely wounded assassinating a royal minister, and then hunted for years as a traitor, but in the long run is hailed as a hero because it is discovered that the minister was plotting against the king).
    The question is answered with a simple visual manifestation that the caster, and only the caster, will spot within one minute of the spell being cast. A favorable omen for one who deals with Black Magic might be the sighting of a vulture, or a stain that looks like a vulture or rat or something similar, while an unfavorable omen might appear as a dove. The manifestation of the omen can only provide 3 types of answers; yes, no, and indeterminate. This last being for actions that may have equally beneficial and bad consequences for the person performing the action.
 Boon Points from Casting may be used to extend the initial time period in which the action may be taken (1 = 1 day, 3 = 1 week, 5 = 1 month), or to allow for the caster to ask about other actions (1 additional action per Boon Point), or to glean more details about the success or failure of the action. (Base: Divination)

[samwise7]

That seems like a good rewrite of the spell.

[imported_Rasyr]

That seems like a good rewrite of the spell.

It resolves the issue of your pointed question asking players? 

[samwise7]

Yeah, it does.