396 lines
21 KiB
Plaintext
396 lines
21 KiB
Plaintext
=============================================================================
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SPELL WEAVING v1.5
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(An alternative to the AD&D spell system)
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by Robert Winkel
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willie@werple.apana.org.au
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I made this system, and have modified it several times over, from
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various ideas I have seen around the internet. It combines much of (what I
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thought) the best points presented in the prior works of Jim Gitzlaff, Jim
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Sisolak, and Matthew Stanton. These people should take much of the credit for
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this article. Anything in this article that isn't of their prior works, was
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surely inspired by them.
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The system is designed with flexibility in mind. It is intended that
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it not be unbalancing; in fact it can be run in the same campaign with the
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normal AD&D Spell Casting system, so that two or more styles of magic are
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possible in the one campaign. It is also possible to use this system as a
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basis to almost any other magic style (eg. Balgarion's spell casting in
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"Magician", or any other fantasy novel you may have read), because of it's
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flexibility. The system tends to promote individuality amoungst spell
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casters. It makes high level magic something to take seriously, and at the
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same time it makes low level magic more appealing. Overall, this system
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gives spell users more flexibility, while balancing out their power curve.
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Another plus for this system is that it makes full usage of all those
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official (or unofficial) AD&D spells that you know and love, but does not
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limit you to them.
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This system has been playtested in a campaign that lasted 2 years.
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Over this time, it has been modified so as to make things more fun and
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balancing without adding any complexity.
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Here are the mechanics:
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As a general rule, do away with spell components. Spell components in
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my view is just an alternative energy source, and need not be used unless
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they are absolutely necessary for the spell eg. a portal for Wizard Lock.
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Spell components still help in spell casting, but in this flexible system,
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they need not be the exact same spell components as in the spell descriptions
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in the Players Handbook or any of the other AD&D books. (The DM decides
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whether the spell component is appropriate or not, and what modifier to add
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(See below) eg. for a Fireball spell, sulphur might give +1, a glow-worm +2,
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and a red dragon scale +3).
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Spell-points are used in this system to make spell users more
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versatile and fun to play, and to combat the game balance and "utility belt"
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problems. It does not make the spell user a lot more powerful, but more
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balanced. It gives the spell user a variety of spells to choose from, but a
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lesser amount of spells to cast per day, compared to the standard AD&D spell
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system.
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Spell users receive a number of spell-points equal to one per level
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number, cumulative, plus one. Thus, at specific levels, spell users possess
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the following number of spell-points:
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Level: Spell-points: | Level: Spell-points:
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1 2 (1+1) | 5 16 (1+1+2+3+4+5)
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2 4 (1+1+2) | 6 22 (1+1+2+3+4+5+6)
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3 7 (1+1+2+3) | 7 29 (1+1+2+3+4+5+6+7)
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4 11 (1+1+2+3+4) | etc. etc.
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[For mathematicians and high level spell user lovers the formula for this is:
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Spell-points = Level/2 * (Level + 1) + 1 ]
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Any spell costs double its level in spell-points to cast. Thus, a
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first level spell costs two, a third level spell six, and a ninth level spell
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eighteen. This does not leave a single spell-point behind if the caster has
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an odd number of spell points, because a spell user can opt to put more
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spell-points into a spell to make it succeed or for more results (See below).
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A spell caster can convert spell-points into spells freely, with only
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two exceptions:
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First, the spells must be known and memorized by the spell caster.
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Knowing has its standard AD&D meaning.
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When a spell is first encountered by a wizard, he must try to make
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his % chance to learn new spell roll. If he fails with this roll, he can
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never learn or cast the spell. The DM might rule, however, that different
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versions of this same spell exist in his world; and that if the mage finds
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one of these versions, he may try to learn it again.
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The wizard can memorize at one time a number of spells per spell
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level equal to the number in the "Maximum # of Spells/Lvl" column of the
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Intelligence chart in the Players Handbook. The wizard can automatically
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memorize a number of spells equal to the wizard's maximum spell level, but
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then must make his % chance to memorize more spells (roll for every spell up
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to his maximum capacity). If he fails in this roll for a certain spell, it
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does not mean that the wizard is forever unable to memorize the spell in
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question, but merely that he cannot understand the magical patterns that day
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and may try again after a sleep period. Note that this means that a wizard
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with 19 intelligence will be able to memorize all spells that he comes
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across, except those spells which he may never learn (see above).
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Second, the spell user can convert spell-points to spells only in
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such a way that he does not cast more spells of a given level than he would
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have been able to memorize in the orininal AD&D system.
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For example, if a wizard is allowed by the original AD&D system to
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memorize 3 third level spells, he now possesses exactly 3 third-level "slots"
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that may be converted into spells, spell-points permitting. He may, of
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course, cast less than this number if he desires.
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This restriction is imposed in order to maintain a higher level of
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realism. If a wizard were allowed to freely allocate spell-points to any
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spell level, it would be possible for wizards to convert an overproportion
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into high level spells. For example, without this restriction, it would be
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possible for (but not realistic to allow) a 12th level Mage to assign 72 of
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his 79 spell-points to sixth level spells! It is because of mental fatigue,
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that it would be unrealistic. Thus there should be a limit to the number of
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high level spells a spell user can cast. This situation can be likened to an
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athlete that can only do so many long marathons in a certain period, but can
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still do short runs and sprints.
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Since it is also unrealistic for a 12th level Mage (for instance) to
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not be able to cast any 3rd level spells if he had already cast 4 of them
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(thereby using up all his 3rd level slots), but still be able to cast 4th,
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5th and 6th level spells; a Mage can opt to use a higher spell slot to cast a
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lower level spell eg. in this case, the 12th level Mage can use up a 4th
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level slot to cast a 3rd level spell (note that this still costs the basic 6
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spell points, not 8).
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Wizards, then, do not need to relearn spells every night. They can
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continue to cast the same spells day after day without problem as long as
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they have the spell-points and the slots. The only factors that might
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motivate a wizard to spend time to relearn spells are...
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1. Memory loss -- Caused by illness, injury, or magic.
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2. New spell -- To memorize a totally new spell.
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3. Change spells -- Exchange a memorized spell for an
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unmemorized (but known) spell
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because the intelligence ceiling was
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reached.
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(Remember that when rememorizing, the % chance to learn it must be
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rolled in order to comprehend it.)
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This gives Spellweaving Wizards the added advantage of not having to
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carry those valuable spellbooks on adventures unless they feel it probable
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that they will need to relearn a spell, or if they want to study so as to get
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their spells back as soon as possible without sleeping (see below).
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Spell-points are recovered by sleep or study (or meditation).
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A weary mind tends to forget things, and a sleep can refresh the
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memory and the powers of concentration. This could not be truer for the
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Spellweaver.
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If instead, the Spellweaver doesn't have time for sleep, then a cram
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session may be in order to remind the weary mind of what it should be
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focusing on. So study is also an option for Spellweavers.
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Study can not be attempted if distracted or fatigued (fatigued means
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gone without sleep for an extended period. Use whatever fatigue rules you
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have). For a Wizard to study, he MUST have his spellbook handy.
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SPt Percentage Recovered: Sleep: Study or Meditation:
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(of maximum)
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0% <5 hrs <1.5 hrs
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25% 5 - 6 hrs 1.5 - 2 hrs
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50% 6 - 7 hrs 2 - 2.5 hrs
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75% 7 - 8 hrs 2.5 - 3 hrs
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100% +8 hrs +3 hrs
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Thus, if a Wizard sleeps for only 4 hours, he will reap no benefit,
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but the same Wizard would get back 50% of his total spell-points if he slept
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for 6.5 hours, or studied for 2 hours. In each case, the percentages do not
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refer to the number of spell-points that the Wizard is down, but to the total
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number of spell-points that the spell caster has when at full power.
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The Meditation periods are given for those campaigns where the DM
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uses meditation as a non-weapon proficiency.
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Under the spell rules as written, what happens when a spell is
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miscast? Nothing -- it never occurs. Either the caster knows the spell
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perfectly, or else has no chance of casting it. Even worse, when a spell user
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knows a spell, but wants a slight variation on it (eg. a light spell that
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produces green light, or a glowing bird from a dancing lights spell), he must
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spend time and money researching a whole new spell. This system is designed
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to take account of both of these factors.
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In this system, the wizard concentrates on magical energy patterns
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until he is confident he has an exact 'picture' of the patterns in his mind.
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Therefore the wizard can spend extra time concentrating, or even take a big
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risk and cut short the casting time of the spell thereby getting the spell
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off quickly, but risking letting loose non-exact magical patterns of energy,
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and maybe even having his spell backfire.
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Note that if the caster is distracted while casting, he can still
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continue to try and cast the spell, with penalties for distraction (see
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below), or he can cancel the spell. Cancelling of a spell can be done at any
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time, but it still takes a lot out of the wizard, and therefore he still uses
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the spell points. If the wizard is injured while casting a spell, then the
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spell is wasted and the spell points are used.
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Specifically, the casting success roll is structured as follows:
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(Caster level)/3 - Spell Level + Special Modifiers + 1d20
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Caster Level: This modifier is just the level of experience of the spell
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caster. It is then divided by three and rounded up. Thus, a 5th level Mage
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would add +2, a 9th level Mage would be +3.
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Spell Level: Higher level spells call upon magical energies of much greater
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power and upon magical patterns of much greater complexity than lower level
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ones. It is only reasonable, therefore, for these spells to be more difficult
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to cast.
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The penalty is -1 for each level of the spell. Thus, a 4th level spell would
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be a -4 penalty.
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Special Modifiers: These include all of the various adjustments to spell
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casting that are applied only under certain circumstances or in specific
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campaign situations. These are listed below.
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Wisdom
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Same as Magical Defense Adjustment. This represents the comprehension of the
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magical patterns and their weaving.
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Injury
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Caster has lost 25% of original hit points: -1
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Caster has lost 50% of original hit points: -2
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Caster has lost 75% of original hit points: -4
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(not cumulative)
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Damage taken on round prior to start of casting: -1/hp dam.
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Damage taken during casting: Spell cancelled.
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Specialization
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Wizard casting spell in specialized school: +2
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Wizard casting spell in "opposition" school: -2
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Fatigue, Hindrances, etc.
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Fatigued: (Caster has gone without sleep.) -2/day without sleep
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Distracted: -1 to -4
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Caster has cast spells consecutively: -1/round
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(eg. A 5 round spell will not get -5 penalty, but any spell cast on the
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round after, regardless of casting time, will incur the -5 penalty.
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This penalty can be avoided by waiting at least a round before casting
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another spell. This simulates the difficulty that the spell weaver
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faces when attempting to completely wipe his mind of one magical
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pattern and straight away concentrating on a new pattern. For this
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reason the penalty does not apply if it is the same spell that is being
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recast, but only to different spells.)
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Caster is wearing illegal armour (or shield): -10 + Armour's AC
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(eg. Leather gives a -2 penalty, Full Plate gives a -10 penalty, Full
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Plate +2 gives a -8 penalty. Note that if the spell caster has a shield
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while casting, the spell is not allowed to have somatic components,
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thus a further -4 penalty is applied [see below: Leaving Out Spell
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Components].)
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Improvisation
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Attempting minor variation of known spell: -2
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(eg. "green fireball" based on fireball)
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Attempting major variation of known spell: -4 or more
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(eg. "snowball" based on fireball)
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(If there is too great a variation, the DM might rule that it is equal
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to a higher level spell, thus needing more spell points. eg. a fireball
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spell with double radius, or more damage per die. The DM must make sure
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that the improvised spell uses about the same magical energy as the
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base spell.)
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Casting an unmemorized spell (but known): -5
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Spends extra time concentrating: +1/time unit (Max 4)
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(A unit is a phase if the spell's casting time is in phases, a round if
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the spell's casting time is in rounds. etc.)
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Spends less time concentrating: -2/phase -5/round
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(Instantaneous casting is possible. For instantaneous casting, there is
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a minimum of a -5 penalty. This applies even for spells that are
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normally cast in one segment!)
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Spell Trickery!: -1/-1 on Spellcraft roll
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(This is a very tricky technique that is used in order to make a
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potential spell user, with the Spellcraft proficiency, think that a
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completely different spell is being cast than the actual spell. The
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spellweaver must have the spell component, if any, of the spell which
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is being faked, and cannot use any other spell component for the real
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spell. If the faked spell is of a different casting time than the real
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spell, then the spellweaver must adjust to this by spending more or
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less time concentrating, and take the appropriate bonus or penalty.)
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Energy Sources
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Per extra spell-point used in spell: +1 (Max = spell level)
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(ie. The wizard is straining immensely to concentrate on spell patterns.)
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Per two hit points sacrificed during casting: +1 (Max 10)
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(ie. The wizard uses his physical energy as well as mental. The hit
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points are healed normally. Nose bleeds, immense sweating etc. are
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common during using this method.)
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Per STR or CON point sacrificed during casting: +4
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(They are recovered slowly -- days, weeks, or years may be required.
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This is similar to sacrificing hit points, but to a greater extent.)
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Spell components used: +1 to +3
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(DM decides if appropriate. eg. typical material components used for a
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Lightning Bolt spell might be: a crystal, glass or iron rod, for a +1;
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the holy symbol of the god of weather, for a +2; or a live eel, for a
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+3. The spell component is used as an alternate source of magical
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energy, or is used as a focus of magical energy taken from the cosmic
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pool or the spellweavers own mental energy.)
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Leaving out spell components (verbal or somatic): -4/component
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(This is based on the theory that verbal and somatic components are just
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a way of making it easier for the spell user to comprehend magical
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patterns. [Sort of like how children count aloud on their fingers] It
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is up to the DM to determine whether or not it is reasonable to discard
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any spell component. eg. you can't discard verbal components in spells
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like Command, Power Word Kill etc., and you can't discard somatic
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components in spells like Finger Of Death, Shocking Grasp etc.)
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After all of the modifiers are totalled (plus any others the DM
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wishes to add that are not covered here), the player should roll a 20 sided
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die, add the modifiers, and determine whether or not he is successful. The
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table below shows all of the possible outcomes:
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|==========================================================|
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| Modified Roll: Result: (see below) |
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|----------------------------------------------------------|
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| 25+ Wow! |
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| 22-24 Spell works a bit better than normal. |
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| 6-21 Spell works as normal. |
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| 3-5 Spell partially works. |
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| 0-2 Spell fizzles, no effect. |
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| <0 Spell backfires. |
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|==========================================================|
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Exceptions are: A natural 1 is "Spell partially works", or if the modifier
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before rolling the 1d20 is 20 or greater, then "Spell works
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as normal".
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A natural 20 is "Spell works a bit better than normal", or if
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the modifier before rolling the 1d20 is -14 or less, then
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"Spell works as normal".
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(Use the better result if natural 20 was rolled, or the worst
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if a natural 1 was rolled. eg. if I had +7 modifier and
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rolled a natural 20, I could pick either "Spell works a bit
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better than normal" because I rolled a natural 20, or "Wow!"
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because I rolled a total of 27. "Wow!" is the better of the
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two results, so I take that.)
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Wow: If the spell caster gets 25 or higher on his roll, something great
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happens. Some suggestions are: the spell is doubled in effect for every
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statistic, double damage done, more info gained, permanent (rare!). etc.
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Spell works a bit better than normal: The cast spell functions perfectly; and
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does a little bit more than expected. Some suggestions are: any extra energy
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source was not used, +2 damage per die, 25% more creatures affected. etc.
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Spell works as normal: The spell works as it was intended to.
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Spell partially works: The spell doesn't live up to expectations. Some
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suggestions are: every statistic of the spell including damage done (if
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applicable) is halved, spell affects some others (detrimental), caster
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faints. etc.
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Spell backfires: This means that some part of the spell energy backfires upon
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the caster. Many different things might happen, but they are always of equal
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force to the level of spell. Thus a backfired Detect Magic will not do much,
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but watch out if it was a Time Stop or Wish. Typical effects are: damage is
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done to the caster, false information, lose spell-points of equal to level of
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spell. etc.
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It is important to remember that these tables are only suggestions,
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and that the DM and players must get together to interpret the results
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creatively. Magic is a horribly dangerous thing -- both for the caster and
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the target -- and these results should stimulate an appreciation of this
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risk, not ruin the game. It is also advisable to try to make the accidents
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appropriate to the spell which failed. For instance, a fire based spell would
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not likely make the caster into a pseudo-werewolf, but might well accidently
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summon up a fire elemental, or engulf the caster in flames. The
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responsibility to make these decisions is left to the DM because they cannot
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easily be tabulated.
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Basically this system balances out the Wizard levels so that there is
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no sudden jump in power at high levels. It also encourages a little bit lower
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level spell usage, making higher level spells, things to be handled with
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care. It also introduces unpredictability in types of spells and their
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outcome, making magic even more a thing of mystery and fear.
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Lower level Wizards will tend to risk leaving out spell components
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now and then, and not really worry too much about penalties. High level
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Wizards casting high level spells will tend to put as much into the spell as
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possible, so that there is as little a chance as possible that the spell will
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backfire for disastrous results.
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Robert Winkel willie@werple.apana.org.au
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