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!!
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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.
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There you go ... Let me know if you have any questions or want the
examples file posted again!
--
*
* *
* * Admiral ...