From: [a--i--l] at [tiac.net] (Admiral) Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd Subject: Re: Alternative magic system ... the real McCoy ... Date: Fri, 29 Mar 1996 21:29:57 -0500 Wow! Didn't think I'd get all the e-mail requests that I did. Thanks for the comments. I've noticed that the original post has gone stale (at least at my site), and the original system I posted to the group wasn't complete. My apologies. Here it is, by request, yet again!! --- DISCLAIMER: This magic system is presented as an alternative system for AD&D. I understand that TSR has been threatening the internet community about its products. I find that insulting considering the forward in the DM's handbook that urges players to modify and change these rules if the want. I feel I have the right to do this because I have paid for all of my AD&D materials and have given TSR their due royalties. Anyone who wishes to use these rules should also have purchased their handbooks. Since this is a modification of AD$D, there are several references to that system. Please note that all those terms (although not explicitly noted) are trademarked by TSR inc. Ok. Now that that is out of the way, here is the alternate magic system. Please let me know if you have any comments or questions!! Magic: A quick definition: Magic is the raw 'stuff' of creation. It is a violent and chaotic substance, invisible to the normal eye, that permeates all of the world. Those versed in the spell casting arts can see this material. It resembles a pale multi-colored 'fog'. It often collects along strong geological forces, such as along the edges of tectonic plates, and other powerful earth formations. The Astral plane is the magic plane. It is the stuff that binds the universe together. Characters may travel the astral plane and use it to access other planes of existence (and other worlds for that matter). The 'Mechanics' of Magic: Mages: These spell casting characters draw the essence of magic to themselves, and then, through the sheer power of their intellect, shape it to bring forth a desired effect. The formulae that they use for this are the spells they cast. The spells are basically mathematical in nature. They contain complex mathematical patterns (templates) that will shape the mystical energies. Priests: The priest does not tap the raw forces of magic. Rather, they channel the divine powers of the deities they worship, and shape them with the force of their faith. Their 'spells' are mainly prayers, songs, or meditations that allow the deity to channel the proper energies to bring forth the desired effect. Druids (Optional ... othewise same as priest): The druid is very similar to the mage in how he/she works magic. They tap the raw forces of magic the same way. However, instead of having spells that act like templates for shaping the raw energies, they have methods for modifying existing patterns in nature. They 'fiddle' with the patterns in the natural world. Eventually, they move on to the very laws of the universe and creation itself (much like mage). The Spell Pool: When any spell caster (except the Psionicist) casts a spell, he/she draws the mystical energies and channels them thorough his/her body. This is a very traumatic experience requiring a high amount of physical and mental endurance. In this system, this is represented by a pool of endurance called the spell pool (the first number in the power level attribute shows how many points of endurance are in this pool). Determining Spell Endurance (The Spell Pool): The following table shows the character's endurance at any specific level. and the highest level spell a character can cast. Modifiers: Since channeling the mystical energy through your body is physically as well as mentally demanding, Con will modify the amount of endurance in the pool. I basically use the fighter bonuses for hit points. NOTE: Multi-classing in 2 magic classes does not allow 2 classes worth of spell points (the benefit is having a wider variety of spells to choose from. Highest Spell Level Level Endurance Castable ----- --------- -------- 1 2 1 2 3 1 3 5 2 4 6 2 5 8 3 6 9 3 7 11 4 8 12 4 9 14 5 10 15 5 11 17 6 12 18 6 13 20 7 14 21 7 15 23 8 16 24 8 17 26 9 18 27 9 19 29 9 20 30 Legend Spell Casting requirements: For all casting classes, you need at least as many points of endurance in your spell pool as the level of the spell to be cast (for example; to cast a 3rd level spell, you will need at least 3 points in your spell pool). You can cast with less, but there are consequences (to be described later). The Casting: Initiative is rolled normally (10 sided dice with lower numbers being better - see AD&D handbook). The character will begin casting at the segment determined by the initiative he has rolled. The spell goes off after the casting time is reached (for example; A spell with a casting time of 4 will go off at segment 7 with an initiative of 3). The Drain: Once the spell has gone off, the character must 'pay the price' for channeling the energies. This is called spell drain. Each level of spells has a corresponding drain save target number. The target number is easily figured out by putting a '1' in front of the spell level (for a 3rd level spell the target number would be 13, 12 for 2nd level spells, etc. ...). Drain saves are rolled on a 20 sided dice. The object is to get equal to or higher than the drain target number. Because higher level characters are more experienced at channeling mystical energy, they get a modifier to this roll. This is called the drain mod. The drain mod is half the level of the character truncated (remove all fractions - do NOT round). The drain mod is added to the drain roll to get the final number. The normal cost (in spell endurance) of a spell is equal to the level of the spell in points of endurance. If you exceed the drain target roll, you get to subtract the result from the cost of the spell. If you get below the drain target roll, you must add the difference to the cost of the spell. A spell must cost at least 1 point of endurance, but no more than 10 points of endurance. Interrupted Casting: Casting spells requires intense concentration. Any lapse in concentration could prove costly to all spell casters. If a character is sufficiently interrupted, injured, or distracted when casting a spell, he/she loses the spell and must roll for drain as if the spell had actually gone off.. Spell Delay (Optional Rule): As an optional rule, if the spell caster is not severely wounded, he/she may opt to delay casting the spell. If the spell caster decides to do this, an extra segment is added to the casting time (to cover the one where the distraction occurred). In addition, the spell caster must roll an intelligence check (or wisdom check for priests) to see if they still can continue where they left off. There is a penalty to this roll equal to the level of the spell. Finally, each time a spell is delayed, an extra point of drain is taken in addition to the drain roll (this is cumulative with each casting delay). Taking More Drain Than You Have In Your Pool: If you had the initial points in reserve needed to cast the spell, and you take drain in excess of what you had in your pool, it is ignored and the pool is reduced to 0. Casting With Not Enough Endurance, or No Endurance Left: If you find yourself in a bind where you are out of points or do not have enough to cast a certain level spell. You can still cast. However, the consequences are severe. If you have no points left and cast a spell. All of the above rules are used. Drain now becomes the big issue. Instead of drain being 1-10 points of spell endurance, it becomes 10-100% of your CURRENT hit points. Because it is your current hit points that are affected, you cannot die from this. At the very worst, you will reach 0 hit points and go unconscious. If you have a partial amount of endurance left, it is the same above except the remaining points will absorb some of it. For example: A mage casts fireball with 2 points of endurance left. The total drain roll is 12, which would mean 4 points of drain. Two points are absorbed by the rest of the pool, while the other two convert to 20% of the mage's current hit points. If the mage had the required initial cost to cast the spell, all that extra drain would be ignored (see above) and the pool would be reduced to 0. Casting A Spell of Higher Level Than You Normally Can: This is the case when, for example, a 3rd level mage tries to cast a 3rd level spell. They normally cannot. This is because the spell caster is not ready to channel that much power. It can be done, however, at extreme danger and cost. The rules are similar to casting with not enough endurance or no endurance at all. However, the drain becomes 10-100% of the spell caster's TOTAL hit points. While this is not fatal if the spell caster is full up on hit points, it could spell sudden violent death for those who aren't. You must have also learned the spell. There is no limit on learning any level of spell at any level. You must, of course, be smart enough to be able to learn it (see AD&D). Drain Recovery: As you have probably noticed, If the rolls go bad, you could go through your endurance quite quickly. This is modified by the drain roll (a 20th level caster cannot fail a 1st level spell drain roll). Also, spell casters recover spell endurance rather quickly. If the character is resting, he/she gets back 2 points per turn. If performing normal, non-strenuous, activity, the recovery is 1 pt per turn. Any other more strenuous activity will not all any recovery. Surveying the Magic (optional rule): The randomness of the drain roll (modified by experience, however) mirrors the chaotic nature of the stuff of magic. Sometimes you might get some tame, easy to use stuff. Other times, you get some nasty, violent material. If the mage has time, he/she can 'survey' the magic around him/her and try to draw on more of the tame stuff. If the character delays casting 1 round (another option is to have them delay an amount equal to the casting time of the spell -- in segments of course), he/she can add half the level of the spell, rounded this time, to the drain roll. With priests, the randomness of the drain roll comes from the divine power being channeled through him/her. The deity's powers are basically alien in nature. Therefore the energy supplied is similar. Humans were never meant to control this alien stuff (unless one has ascended or something like that) Instead of surveying the available magic, like the mage does, the priest will take the time to better prepare himself/herself to channel the divine forces through either meditation, or prayer. The mechanics work the same as with the mage; the principal is what is different. Spell Combat - Controlling and Modifying Opponent's Spells (Optional Rules): An exciting addition to the general spell casting rules listed in the AD&D handbook, and this system, is the ability to take control of an opponent's spell casting to disrupt it or modify it as it's being cast. Only Mages and Druids may attempt this. Their magic is mathematical and abstract in nature. Priest magic comes from the divine powers of their respective deities. Prerequisites: In order to do this feat, several conditions must be met. First, you must know the spell the other mage is casting in order to be able to control it. In AD&D, there are specialist mages, these mages should get bonuses for controlling spells within their schools. Second, you must have the initiative. If your statement of intent is to cast, and you get a low enough initiative to realize that your opponent is casting, the mage may penalize his rolled initiative by one and attempt to control. There are two ways to control an opponents casting. Each have their own requirements for the prerequisites listed above. Control to Disrupt: This is the most common, and least difficult, way to control another's casting. Contrary to above, the mage attempting to seize the spell doesn't have to know the spell. The goal to seize control of the spell ENERGY before the casting time is up. Once a spell is seized by another, that mage now becomes responsible for the drain. In order to be able to do this, the mage attempting to disrupt must have a good enough initiative to attempt the task BEFORE the other mage's casting ends (i.e. at least on segment before the spell goes off). Example: A mage casts a lightning bolt spell. Another mage wants to seize the spell. If the mage casting the spell rolled a 4 that means the spell goes off on segment 7. The mage wanting to control the spell must roll an initiative of 6 or lower. Each attempt to seize control takes one segment. The attack sequence consists of an intelligence roll made by each mage. The difference in level between the two spell casters will either be a positive or negative modifier to their respective rolls. If your opponent is higher level, then it is a penalty, if not, then it is a bonus. The mage who succeeded his/her intelligence by the most is the victor. Ties go to the defender. Example: One 10th level mage (Int of 16) tries to cast a fireball at another party. That party's mage is 6th level (Int of 18) and tries to seize control. If the initiative is right (see above), the two control rolls would be 20 (16+4 for the difference in levels) for the 10th level mage and 14 (18-4 for the difference of levels). Each would then roll a 20 sided dice. The one who succeeds their roll the best wins (the object is to roll low). In this case lets say that the 10th level mage rolls a 16 and the 6th level mage rolls a 9. The 6th level mage would win because he succeeded his roll by 5 while the 10th level mage succeeded his roll by only 4. The other mage may try to re-seize control of his/her spell back. This is only possible if the casting time of the spell has not been reached. Each subsequent control attempt, after each mage's first roll, has a subsequent -1 penalty to each mage's roll. If one of the mages gets hit or distracted (see above) the one who has control must use the delayed spell rules to keep it going, otherwise the energy is lost and the mage who has control at the time will take the drain. Once the casting time of the spell is reached, whoever has control of the spell must do something with it. If the original caster has control, he can cast it off normally and roll drain. If the caster who seized the spell has control he/she can either dispel the spell (and take the drain; the spell energy has 'changed owners'), or he/she can cast any spell of the level of the spell absorbed. If he/she uses the energy for a spell of his/her own, the casting time starts at the initiative rolled for next round (remember, there is an additional 1 point of drain that MUST be taken however). The other mage may try to control it as well (if the initiative is right). A NOTE OF EXTREME CAUTION! If you attempt to disrupt a spell that is higher in level than you can normally cast, the rules above concerning what will happen to your hit points apply when you become responsible for the drain (if successful). Control to Modify: This maneuver is much more subtle and difficult to accomplish. Instead of just seizing control of an opponent's casting, the mage tries to modify the spell as it is being casting. This could provide devastating results. The mage attempting this maneuver must know the spell being cast (the one segment delay is used for a spellcraft roll in this case). In order to modify the spell, the attacking mage must have initiative low enough to start at least halfway through the other mage's casting (truncated). You would then have to completely beat your opponents initiative if you hope to modify a spell with a casting time of 1. Once a mage has the initiative, and decides to try to modify the spell. He/she must then roll an Intelligence check. This is modified by the difference in levels like in disrupting a spell above. In addition the mage takes a penalty equal to the level of the spell (it is harder to modify more complex spells or more powerful ones). Note that only the mage trying to modify the spell rolls at this time. He/she only gets ONE chance to do this. If successful, the following can be modified: Duration Range (unless the spell is touch or range 0) Target (unless the spell is touch or range 0) Damage: For spells such as fireball that cause several d6 worth of damage, the mage can apply the damage they normally do with that same spell and cancel out 1 dice per dice. Any dice left over in the casting mage's favor damage normally. Any left over in the favor of the mage modifying the spell are ignored. Now, of course, the mage casting the spell will be able to sense that something is up. If the casting mage extends one extra segment (no penalties!!), he/she can do a final checkout of the spell before releasing it. The casting mage makes the same kind of roll as the mage trying to modify the spell. If the success the mage has a better success margin than the mage who attempted the modification, he/she will know if someone has modified the spell. He/she can then simply dissipate it (and take drain of course). If unsuccessful, he/she will not know if the modification was successful or not. Then it is up to him/her on whether or not to proceed. --- There you go ... Let me know if you have any questions or want the examples file posted again! -- * * * * * Admiral ...