Rend Friction (Forces ••••)
Practice: Patterning
Primary Factor: Potency
Suggested Rote Skills: Crafts, Drive, Science
The mage alters the level of friction upon a target. She can increase it to the point where simple air friction shears the tar- get to pieces, or lower it so much that an object can continue moving almost indefinitely.
If the spell increases friction, every 3 yards that the target moves in a given turn (round down) causes it one point of lethal damage to a maximum of Potency damage. The target must be exposed to open air, and non-magical armor is only half as effective. Converse- ly, if the mage decreases friction, an object doubles the length it moves before slowing down per point of Potency, even after it has stopped accelerating or maintaining its speed. This also doubles weapon ranges in the same way. Vehicles suffer a penalty to their Handling equal to the spell’s Potency, as the vehicle fails to stop or react in a way the operator can fully control.