Very short question on Communion Master and the slave matrix

[Chris Byler]

Originally posted by Psitticine:
The base cost is divided up equally and then dealt with seperately by each member of the circle. Modifications for skill level (including the master's boosted skill), encumberence, and gem use are all applied at the individual level. This means each member has to pay for his own armor, so to speak.

Does this mean that if the master casts a spell that is below his own level (even without the communion bonus) but above the slave's, the slaves still pay full fatigue? And they don't benefit from the master's gem use either? No wonder they pass out so fast...

Let's take a concrete example. A C'tis Sauromancer with his random in Astral, no empowerment or items (Death-3 Nature-1 Astral-1) leads a communion of two Shamans (both Nature-1 Astral-1), boosting his skills to Death-4 Nature-2 Astral-2. He then casts Shadow BLast (Death-2, fatigue 100-, gem cost 1), spending one extra gem beyond the required gem.

From the communion plus extra gem boost, the spell takes effect at level 5 (its range, area of effect, damage and magic penetration are all modified by caster's power). Since he has 3 levels of power above that required to cast the spell, he pays (100 base/(1+3 extra levels))/(3 members of communion) = 8 fatigue plus his base and armor encumbrances. Correct?

Now the slaves. Do they also pay 8 fatigue plus encumbrance (using the same calculation), or do they pay 33 fatigue (100 base/3 members) plus encumbrance? And would it be possible for them to use death gems to reduce fatigue, given that they have no death magic skill of their own?

One more question about communions. If spells that the master casts that affect himself also affect the slaves, what happens if the master casts Drain Life? Or Soul Vortex? Do the slaves get reinvigorated by those effects too?