[Silander]

I have a question regarding sorcerous wards and shields.
There might be a spoiler(s) here, I don't know how much you've read of the books...so be warned.


Ok so they're obviously quite powerful. We've all seen wizards and witches use them. In GotM, the hounds crash through Tattersail's outer wards and then cracks her inner wards which is of highest Thyr. She then is sent flying through a wall, which her shield protects her. Now only moments before she had been talking to hairlock and presumably others.
What I want to know is when does a ward/shield stop a person from harming the wizard or witch? I mean if the hound had of been a man with a knife circling slowly towards her then reaching in to stab her would it work, what about people when you shake hands with them?
There are lots of example of mages been in close contact with others while they have wards about themselves.
And wards do seem to last for a period of time so I guess, in gaming terms my question is....What kind of attack does a ward defend against? Do you think it has to be designated against one type?...ranged, sorcerous, area, object or physical etc?
In MoI I think Toc hears about Lady Envy and Tool, seguleh etc and thinks that the Pannion army could get lucky..."just one stray javelin.." now she seems like a REALLY powerful mage and she seems to value her own hide quite highly.
Any thoughts?

[Aptorian]

Except for Tattersail and Loric in HoC, we don't actually hear a lot about magic wards or warrens in general used in defence.
Eriksons Combat system seems to be focused on the offensive, a good defence being a strong attack. Basically first strike wins. There's counter moves but I only remember deflections used in GotM.

The hounds going through Tattersails wards is special though, they are exceptionally strong ascendant beasts. Nothing stops them.

[Illuyankas]

Apart from Rake, Deragoth, "Down boy!", etc.

And why is this in the roleplaying forum?

[Aptorian]

Illuyankas;222189 said:

Apart from Rake, Deragoth, "Down boy!", etc.

And why is this in the roleplaying forum?

That's wasn't really stopping them was it?

One had the sword of no chance in hell you're surviving this, The Deragoth will most likely just absorb them and that Edur was just lucky the Hound didn't gave time to think on who and what that Edur was. It just remembered and old command.

Yes I have a weak explanation for everything.

[Silander]

It's in the role-playing section cos I'm trying to make up game mechanics for Malazan style sorcery.
Wards are used in all sorts of places in the books but not much in combat, so I'm just trying to think what exactly they are like. IN Blood Follows there is one fellow who is so heavily warded that even Bachalain feels he is beyond his ability but he does find a very funny way around it which I won't go into it.
Tattersails wards did prevent the hound from killing her but she also got lucky, or rather Paran did, odd that eh?

[Soulessdreamer]

Having played and read several different magic systems I have the general veiw that wards tend to be cast on objects or areas, are passive until certain criteria are met and tend to be like a magical fence/barrier keeping something/one out/in or storing a spell against a contingency.

Shields tend to be a more concentration based effect pitting force against force and will against will.

Wards expend no magic/energy beyond that put into them upon casting while shields need to be constantly maintained

As to why/how some things set them off and some don't I stick with the golden rule 'its Magic, and the magic Knows'.

As to the malazan universe I would need to reread all the magic related scenes before I could speculate, have you tried questions for the authors forum?

TTFN