[psycho835]

Hoi chummers!
Need a little help with spellblades. There are 3 issues:

1. Powerblade operates on the same principle as other "power-" combat spells, with the exception of NOT ignoring armor. Thing is, these spells damage the target by effectively ":microwaving" it from the inside. So, taking the above into consideration, my question is - can a powerblade actually "cut" through things? I'm talking, cutting a rope, decapitation, stuff like that.

2. How does a spellblade reacts when successfully ssubjected to called shots to disarm/break weapon? Or when the caster lets go of the "handle" for any other reason?

3. For roleplaying reasons: do the spellblades have guards?

[Jack_Spade]

The rules are something of a mess.

The most consistent with the (probable) intent of the rules would be to say that power blade actually works like an indirect combat spell and has AP equal to its force. Otherwise it's rather pointless.
But yes, the powerblade can cut through things.

You can't disarm a spellblade - it's a sustained spell and not a real object.

Since guards aren't a mechanical effect in game there is no reason why your spellblade couldn't have one.

[firebug]

If a Powerblade can cut inanimate objects, than you must also be able to strike it with inanimate objects.  However, breaking it would probably do nothing.  As a sustained spell, it'd probably spring back into existance almost immediately.  Similar to how the Physical Barrier spell does, but quicker because it's a different spell for a different purpose and considerably smaller.  Disarming wouldn't work--  It's more or less emanating from the magician's hand, so they can't be made to drop it.  They could open their hand and presumably, it'd still be there.

[Sphinx]

The main problem with spellblades is that they are introduced as extensions of the Powerball/bolt and Manaball/bolt spells, which would make them direct combat spells, but then the effects described are more consistent with indirect spells. Either they are direct combat spells in the Power/Mana family, or it's an indirect combat spell and the whole Power/Mana angle should be abandoned. I quite like the idea in theory, but the rules need a little more thought. An indirect combat spell has a damage value of Force + Net Hits, resisted by Body + Armor, while a direct combat spell has a damage value of only Net Hits (regardless of Force) and the damage is unresisted.

I would suggest the following options for clarification:

SPELLBLADE (Indirect), Type P, Duration S, Range Special, Drain F-2
This spell creates a melee weapon made of sustained magical energy. The initial Spellcasting Test for an Indirect Combat Spell (SR5 p.283) is Spellcasting + Magic [Force] vs. Reaction + Intuition. This test does not immediately damage the target; if successful it merely creates the Spellblade, which then functions as a melee weapon with a base damage value = (Force + Net Hits)P, armor penetration = -(Force), accuracy = (Force), and +1 reach. On subsequent actions, the spellcaster may make normal melee combat tests using Blades or Clubs + Agility [Force] vs. Reaction + Intuition. If successful, net hits from the attack add to the damage value of the weapon. Damage (if any) is resisted normally using Body + Armor - AP. The Spellblade may target physical objects and may parry (and be parried by) ordinary melee weapons. If the spellcaster uses the blade against multiple opponents, each new opponent must resist the spell separately, comparing their hits to the spellcaster's original hits. This means the base damage value of the Spellblade may differ from one target to the next. There is a normal -2 penalty for sustaining the spell.

POWERBLADE (Direct), Type P, Duration S, Range Special, Drain F-2
This spell operates on the same principles as a Powerball or Powerbolt. The initial Spellcasting Test for a Physical Direct Combat Spell (SR5 p.283) is Spellcasting + Magic [Force] vs. Body. This test does not immediately damage the target; if successful it merely creates the Powerblade, which then functions as a melee weapon with a base damage value = (Net Hits)P, accuracy = (Force), and +1 reach. On subsequent actions, the spellcaster may make normal melee combat tests using Blades or Clubs + Agility [Force] vs. Reaction + Intuition. If successful, net hits from the attack add to the damage value of the weapon. Damage (if any) is not resisted; the target may only oppose the initial Spellcasting Test and each subsequent Melee Attack Test. The Powerblade may target physical objects and may parry (and be parried by) ordinary melee weapons, but it ignores armor. If the spellcaster uses the blade against multiple opponents, each new target must resist the spell separately, comparing their hits to the spellcaster's original hits. This means the base damage value of the Powerblade may differ from one target to the next. There is a normal -2 penalty for sustaining the spell.

MANABLADE (Direct), Type M, Duration S, Range Special, Drain F-2
This spell operates on the same principles as a Manaball or Manabolt. The initial Spellcasting Test for a Mana Direct Combat Spell (SR5 p.283) is Spellcasting + Magic [Force] vs. Willpower. This test does not immediately damage the target; if successful it merely creates the Manablade, which then functions as a melee weapon with a base damage value = (Net Hits)P, accuracy = (Force), and +1 reach. On subsequent actions, the spellcaster may make normal melee combat tests using Blades or Clubs + Agility [Force] vs. Reaction + Intuition. If successful, net hits from the attack add to the damage value of the weapon. Damage (if any) is not resisted; the target may only oppose the initial Spellcasting Test and each subsequent Melee Attack Test. The Manablade is intangible to physical objects; it may not parry (or be parried by) ordinary melee weapons. If the spellcaster uses the blade against multiple opponents, each new target must resist the spell separately, comparing their hits to the spellcaster's original hits. This means the base damage value of the Manablade may differ from one target to the next. There is a normal -2 penalty for sustaining the spell.

[忍]

@Sphinx
Why is there a dodge test for casting those spells? If there isn't a target could I not cast them? Shouldn't I be able to cast it beforehand whilst hiding in a closet and then move into combat?

[Sphinx]

Why is there a dodge test for casting those spells? If there isn't a target could I not cast them? Shouldn't I be able to cast it beforehand whilst hiding in a closet and then move into combat?

Every combat spell is an opposed test. Being sustainable makes this one a little different ... you could cast the spell in a closet and note down your number of hits, then each target would roll their opposing test the first time you use the spellblade against them. Compare it to an illusion spell like Invisibility; observers make their resistance tests as they encounter the spell, if not when the spell is cast.

[Tecumseh]

I haven't put as much thought into Spellblades as everyone else here - even though I took it for one of my PCs - but I wouldn't categorize them as Combat spells. With the exception of Flame Burst from Shadow Spells, there are no sustained Combat spells. In my opinion, since they are sustained spells and potentially applicable outside of combat, it makes more sense to categorize Spellblades as Manipulation spells. That avoids the roll to resist spellcasting that concerns 忍. This also sidesteps the issue of having the initial casting being a higher drain version of Death Touch / Shatter.

Personally I would not grant AP for Powerblade. This does make it less useful in combat than Shatter, but this is compensated by the additional utility that the spell provides in non-combat situations, such as cutting, leverage, and other uses consistent with the Manipulation spell interpretation. This would be similar to the existence of the spell Ignite (Manipulation), even though there are fire-based Combat spells.

[psycho835]

Ok, thanks for help guys.
P.S. Our table DOES has them as manipulation rather than combat spells.

[Kamikazzijoe]

The spells create weapons.  The weapons do damage equal to force with pen force.  After that, you just treat the power blade the same as any other sword.
Blades skill vs parry et al
Damage vs armor and body

The mana blade is the same except that last step is
Damage vs wp
and it can't be used on drones or to parry mundane weapons.

[JmOz01]

Some Necromancy

Has there been an Errata yet?

I am extremely slow on this for some reason, but thematically it fits my character Backup to a Tee...However I just don't understand it that well.  Could someone walk me through an example of how it would be used. 

Things I am looking at is Does it take a spellcasting roll at all (most spells describe one, this does not)?

Does it get any AP? 

[Tecumseh]

Technically you need a spellcasting test because if someone tries to dispell it then you need to know how many hits you had on the casting. It's not common and you could probably get away with not rolling the spellcasting test most of the time, or at least waiting until someone is trying to dispell it before figuring out how many hits the casting had.

I thought the use-case examples in Hard Targets were pretty good. It's basically a way to create a physical (or mana) tool out of nothing. Most of the time you want that tool for stabbing or clubbing, but I would allow it to be a crowbar or hammer or axe any other basic tool. No need to smuggle in tools or weapons if you can cast them once you get behind security. Need a tool to geek a gonk make someone unalive without leaving behind a murder weapon or a lot of evidence? It could also be good for an adept with the Adept Spell power - never be unarmed! - especially since they wouldn't need a lot of points in Spellcasting (see above) for it to be effective.

I would not grant any AP for it. Manablade already bypasses armor because it's a mana spell so it doesn't need AP (with the rare exception of mystic armor). A more generous GM could reasonably grant AP for powerblade, especially since the user's Strength does not improve the Damage Value, but that's not currently in the rules.