The Warlock

Commentary Many veteran DRAGONLANCE players have complained about the new Dragonlance: Fifth Age game. The radical changes brought about by the Second Cataclysm are too extreme to suit many of their tastes. Human beings are not used to change; usually, we don't like it. One of the areas of complaint was the new magic system. The traditional AD&D magic system is a favorite with gamers everywhere, and many were unhappy to see it thrown out in favor of the new sorcery system. I have created this wizard role for those gamers. This new role combines the two systems of magic to produce a truly unique hero. I hope all of you gamers out there enjoy it. NEW Magic System for the Warlock Role A warlock differs from a traditional sorcerer in thathe casts spells from a selection of spells that he has already researched. When casting one of these spells, the action is a trump and the spell is carried out like any other spell. However, when it comes to spontaneous spell creation, Warlocks do not have the magical acuity to cast such unresearched spells correctly. Theses spells, any spells cast that are not in the Warlock's spell book, cost double the amount of spell points normally required. A Warlock can retain a maximum number of spells in his spellbook equal to the number of quests he has completed. Therefore, a hero that has completed ten Quests can have a maximum of 10 spells in his spellbook. When a hero comes into play, he already has a spellbook filled with a number of spells equal to the number of Quests he has completed. The Narrator and the player should collaborate to create these spells. Every quest thereafter, the Warlock must declare that he is researching a spell and create the spell before the adventure. After the quest is completed, the Warlock must make an easy Reason action with the spell point total of the spell as the opposition score. If the action succeeds, then the spell is added to the Warlock's spellbook. If the action fails, then the Warlock may attempt to "re-learn" the spell after completing another quest along with learning another spell. Once cast, a spell from the Warlock's spellbook does not fade from his mind like in previous ages. A Warlock can cast whatever spell he wants from his spellbook or otherwise as many times as his sorcery pool will allow. However, after his sorcery pool is drained, the Warlock cannot cast anymore spells. When casting spells not from the Warlock's spellbook, the Warlock can only cast spells from the three schools of sorcery that the Warlock is most proficient in. For every spell learned in a Warlock's spellbook that does not correspond to one of the schools of sorcery that the Warlock is proficient in, one spell must be included that does correspond to one of the three schools that the Warlock is proficient in. Hybrid school spells may also be learned, although they are counted as non-central school spells.

In ages past, the sorcerer's upon Krynn cast spells of tremedous power. High Sorcery was avaliable to those with enough talent to harness it. Spells were set and composed and learned through thorough study of the arcane. When cast, these mighty spells flickered like the flame of a dying candle in the magician's mind. The sorcery of the Fifth Age is vastly different than that of the previous ages of Krynn. Rather than learning the components of sorcery from musty tomes and scrolls, sorcerers of the Fifth Age tap into the primeordial magic of Krynn itself. An adept sorcerer can mold and harness these magical energies to create a variety of effects. However, when compared to High Sorcery, the new sorcery seems paltry and weak. Limited by the schools that they are proficient in, sorcerer's can no longer cast a plethora of spells. Also, spells considered rudimentary are now too difficult for even the most powerful sorcerer to cast. Some wizards long for the magic of the past. Waiting, wishing, these now aged sorcere's of old wait no longer. A new type of sorcerer has emerged from the magical community of Krynn. Labeled the "Warlocks," these new sorcerers pursued the art of High Sorcery after Palin Majere took a different path. Their diligent efforts have created a brand new breed of spellcaster. Structured after the Orders of Sorcery of the previous ages, the warlocks enjoy a wider range of spell effects than do traditional sorcerers. However, they have a harder time grasping the basics of the new sorcery and it is therefore extremely difficult for them to create spells on-the-fly. Requirements All Warlocks are highly intelligent and perceptive. To reflect this, all Warlocks have a minimum Reason and Perception score of 7. Warlocks also tend to be introverted and studious. Therefore, all Warlocks have a maximum Presence of 6. All Warlocks need a Reason code of "A." Warlocks do not practice the art of war, so their Strength, Agility, and Endurance codes are a maximum of "D." Also, a Warlock cannot have a Spirit code over a "D." Any race that can meet the requirements of this role may adopt it. This role cannot be adopted during play. Advantages A Warlock has many advantages. Any spell cast from his sepllbook (see: Sidebar) results in an automatic trump bonus. A Warlock also has an automatic trump bonus to recognizing various spells from previous ages. For instance, if the heroes enter a cavern affectd with a permanent confusion spell (a spell from a previous age), then the Warlock has a trump bonus to recognizing the anme and the effects of the spell. A Warlock also gets this trump bonus when attempting to identify a magical item, such as a Ring of Feather Falling or a Wand of Lightning. Disadvantages Any spell cast by the Warlock that is not from his spellbook drains double the amount of spell points from his spell pool. Therefore, if a Warlock hero casts a spur of the moment 12 point geomancy spell, then this spell drains 24 spell pointsd from his spell pool. Also, because they have to devote so much time to their studies, a Warlock must spend at least 4 hours a day studying his spellbook and researching spells. This studious nature also results in another disadvantage. Any melee attack with a weapon never warrents a trump bonus for a Warlock. For inspiration on magical spells to fill your Warlock hero's spellbook, just go to the Online Spellbook!