SPELLS & SWORDS MAGIC RULES
MAGIC
-There are basically 2 ways to generate and control Magic.
1. The first is through the direct casting of Spells.
2. The second is indirect and can be either safer or much more dangerous:
-The safer way is to use Relics and Magic Items.
-The more dangerous and powerful Method is to Summon Spirits, Elementals,
Demons, and other creatures who will cast Sells for you.
-Read the Sections on Summoning to better understand how this is done.
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COST OF CASTING A SPELL
Casting a Spell costs 1 Power Point (PP).
SPELL CHECKS
Everytime you are casting a Spell you must make a Spell check.
Magic is a fickle thing, and asking favors from a God even more so.
Roll 1D20 on the Spell Check Table.
SPELL CHECK TABLE
1D20 Result: Notes:
1 Auto Failure Roll on the Spell Failure Table. Natural Roll of 1.
2-4 Spell Failure Roll on the Spell Failure Table.
5-6 Spell Success Exhaustion: Caster gains a -4 Fatigue Penalty.
7-8 Spell Success Unconscious: Caster Knocked out for 1D4 Hours.
9+ Spell Success No further Complications.
20 Auto Success Natural Roll of 20.
SPELL CHECK MODIFIERS
Situation: Mod:
Caster Wounded Per Wound Penalties
Caster Confused -4 Penalty
Caster Distracted during casting -3 Penalty
Magical Focus Item used +1 Bonus or More
Spell Cast from Magic Item +4 Bonus
One PP Spent by Caster +4 Bonus
Casting from Book an unknown Type of Magic -8 Penalty (or Scroll)
Casting Lightning Bolt during a Storm +2 Bonus (Environmental)
Casting a Healing Spell on Holy Ground +2 Bonus (Locational and Alignment)
Per 7 Levels known in Magic Lists +1 Bonus
TYPES OF MAGIC
Examples: Fire Magic, Healing Magic, etc.
These are also known as Lists.
A player that knows at least one Spell in a Type of Magic is said to know that Type.
SPELL SUCCESS
The Spell produces the intended affects.
SPELL FAILURE TABLE
1D20 Result:
1-5 Fizzle: Spell Does not Work. Lose 1 PP and use of that spell for the Day.
6-9 Spellburn: Fizzle plus Caster Suffers 1 Wound Marker.
10-13 Missfire: Wrong Target(s). Wandering Spell. Ricochet.
14-17 Chaos: Spell does something Weird, Unexpected, or otherwise Damaging.
18-20 Corrupt: Permanent: Caster Mutated, Marked, Tainted, Changed, Magic Signature.
DIVINE DISAPPROVAL
Priests get Disapproval instead of Fizzle. They have angered their God(s).
In order to get the Spell back, they must repent. Repentance may include:
Prayer, Fasting, Rituals, Self Flagellation, Alms, Sacrifice, Hair Shirts,
Pilgrimage, Crown of Thorns, Quest, Confession, Self Mutilation, etc.
Punishment can be for days, weeks, months, or even years.
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POWER POINTS (PP)
CALCULATING TOTAL PP
These are the Total number of PP the Character has.
Power Points are Generated in 4 Ways:
(To get Total PP add all of these together)
1. Total Level in all Magic Types Known
(For Example: Carl knows Wizardry = 5 and Illusion = 3 so total is 5 + 3 = 8)
2. Certain Magic Items give a PP Bonus
(For Example: Carl has a Ring that provides PP +1)
3. Number of Magic Skills known by Caster (1 PP each no matter what the Skill Level)
(For Example: Carl knows Arcane Lore and Raw Power so total is 1 + 1 = 2)
4. Bonus: Per 7 Levels known in Magic Lists
(For Example: Carl knows Spell Lists at Level 8 so he gets PP +1)
-Carl has a Grand Total of 8 + 1 + 2 + 1 = 12 PP
LIST OF MAGICAL SKILLS
Raw Power, Wild Magic, Arcane Magic, Faith, Piety, Astrology,
Planar Lore, Alchemy, Rune Lore, Wisdom, Meditation, Fortune Telling.
These all contribute to generating PP.
POWER POINT USES
A Power Point can be used by a Spell Caster to cast a Spell or to Enhance
a Spell he just Cast in one of the Following Ways as permitted by the GM:
POWER POINT USES LIST
1. Cast a Spell the Caster already knows.
2. Double Duration of Spell being cast
3. Spell Does Damage +1
4. Foes Save at -4 vs Spell
5. Get +4 to the Spell Check Roll
6. Double Number of Adjacent Foes Affected by Spell
7. Increase Quality or Quantity of Summoned Creatures
8. Improve Quality of Information Received by Spell
9. Increase Number of Allies Affected by Spell
10. Increase Bonuses or Penalties Delivered by Spell
11. Expand possible Targets: Self to Allies. Allies to Foes
12. Increase Range of Spell one Step (Touch – Short – Medium – Long – Far)
RECOVERING POWER POINTS
Get all your PP back after an 8 hour Sleep.
A one hour Short Rest will restore 1 PP.
The Short Rest must be in the FORM of Sleep unless the Player is an Elf
or has the Meditation Skill.
Important Note: Getting PP back will NOT reset how many times a particular
Spell can be cast per day.
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SPELL DISCUSSION TOPICS
SPELL LISTS KNOWN
-Unlike Skills, Spells are not learned individually.
-Instead, you learn a level of Magic in a List that contains that Spell.
-For example: Instead of Learning the Light Spell, what you
are actually doing is learning one level in the Solar Magic List.
-If you have one or more levels in a list, you know and can cast any
Spell on that list (If you currently have the PP to do it).
MAX NUMBER OF MAGIC TYPES KNOWABLE BY CASTER
-For simplicity this is known as the Prodigy Number.
-This starts at 3.
-If the Caster has the Magic ATTRIBUTE get +1
-If the Character has either the Faith or Arcane Magic SKILL get +1
-If the Caster has the Magic Prodigy ADVANTAGE get +1
-Some Relics allow their owners to know another Specific List.
SPELLS PER DAY
-A Spellcaster can cast each spell he knows up to once per day.
(He will run out of PP long before casting every spell he knows.)
-Exception: Those marked with ** can be cast 3x/Day.
-Exception: Those marked with * can be cast 7x/Day.
-Some spells imply greater time periods than 1 day in between castings:
Focus and Ritual spells in particular.
FOCUS SPELLS
-Focus Items or Creatures are summoned/created by certain Spells.
You can't replace a Focus Item or Focus Creature until the current
one is destroyed.
RITUAL SPELLS
Ritual Spells often have very special requirements such as:
1. Expensive or Incredibly Rare Components.
2. Long Incantations.
3. Casting at special times of the year. (Conjunctions, New Moons, Eclipses)
4. Multiple Casters working together. (Circles, Covens, Covenants)
5. Multiple Castings.
6. Casting at special Locations. (Groves, Holy Sites, Ley Lines, Nexus Points)
7. Lots of Research. Knowing Rare Lore such as True Names. Deciphering Ancient texts.
8. Human or Monster Sacrifices.
9. Extra PP used up during Casting. (May need a large Source: Battery, Rifts, etc.)
LIMITS OF MAGIC ITEM USEAGE
-Many Magic Items with Spell-like effects can be used multiple times Per day
according to their description.
-A Scroll contains 1 Spell that is used up when cast.
-Some Magic Items allow you to Store Spells. The Spell is used up when cast.
-A Caster may attempt to cast a Spell directly from a Book (Tome, Grimoire).
If he does so he gets -4 to his Spell Check roll.
-Some Items have Charges. Each casting uses up a Charge. Recharging requires the
use of certain Spells, or other Items.
CREATIVE SPELL USAGE
Players will often think of alternative uses for Spells to solve problems at hand.
The GM should allow for this at his discretion. Examples using Ice Mage Spells:
Using the Wall of Ice Spell to create an Ice Sculpture, or a Slippery Floor, or Freeze
Over the surface of a Lake. The Players may wish to Tone Down the Power of a Spell.
For example using the Blizzard Spell to create a gentle Snowfall or a Winter Wonderland
Or using the Ice Shards Spell to create a Harmless but Distracting Barrage of Snowballs.
SPECIALIZATION
-If you have 2+ levels in a list, Spell-Fires on this List become Fizzles.
-If you have 3+ levels in a list, you may, when casting a Spell from this list,
apply any one PP effect to that spell. (Example: double duration)
-If you have 4+ levels in a list, Miss-Fires on this List become Spell-Fires.
-If you have 5+ levels in a list, you may, when casting a Spell from this list,
apply any two PP effects to that spell. (Example: double duration and increased range)
-If you have 8+ levels in a list, Chaos Results on this List become Miss-Fires.
-If you have 9+ levels in a list, you may, when casting a Spell from this list,
apply any three PP effects to that spell. (Ex: double dur, incr range, Damage +1)
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FOCUS ITEMS
-Certain Spells will allow the caster to construct a very specific Magic Item.
The item created is unique. The Caster may make a replacement if the Item is
destroyed, but he cannot make more than 1 copy of the Item.
-The primary example of this is the Witch: She can have 1 Familiar, 1 Cauldron,
1 Crystal Ball, and 1 Broom.
-Note that even though it is a living creature, and it is summoned not Crafted,
a Familiar are also considered to be a Focus Item. This also applies to Spirit Totems.
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CURSES
Magical Maledictions.
Curses are usually Permanent.
Curses that affect more than one individual are called Hexes.
Breaking a Curse often requires a difficult Quest.
LIST OF CURSES
1D30 Curse: Notes:
1. Vanity Curse In love with your own image. Save or Stare for 1 Hour.
2. Bad Luck Get -2 to all Rolls
3. Lose Voice Communication Difficulties
4. Clumsy Missed Attacks always result a Fumble
5. Misfortune If something bad is going to happen, it targets you
6. Laughter Inappropriate Uncontrollable Laughter
7. Illness Roll once on the Disease Table
8. Jinx Ally suffers Bad Luck or Misfortune
9. Warts Appearance -3 Penalty
10. Obese Move, Dodge, and Appearance -2
11. Lycanthropy Change into a Werewolf
12. Vampirism Change into a Vampire
13. Madness Confusion Penalty
14. Eternal Sleep Break Curse to Wake up
15. Poverty Lose all Wealth, Valuables
16. Haunting Ghosts, Shades, Specters, Apparitions, Haunts, etc.
17. Forgetfulness Always losing things
18. Leprosy Every 1D6 Months lose something
19. Polymorph Change into Something else. May be on a rotating Schedule
20. Death Curse Delayed: in 20 years prick your finger on a Spindle
21. Slimy Dripping. Easily Tracked. Appearance -4. Escape Artist +4
22. Hairy Abnormally Hairy. Appearance -3
23. Sex Change Become opposite Sex
24. Color Change Something Unusual: Green, Purple, Blue, etc.
25. Untrustworthy Others do not trust you. Social Interactions -5
26. Obsession GM picks what Character is obsesses about
27. Transformed Body Part Atrophied, Clawed, Oversize, Tentacle, etc.
28. Age Gain Turns very Old
29. Age Loss Turns into Baby
30. Blindness Blindness Penalty
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ENCHANTED ITEMS
These are created by the Enchant Item Spell. Classes that start with the
Enchant Item Spell include the Enchanter, Artificer, and Rune Master.
These Enchantments last only 1 Day. The nature of the Enchantment
depends on what Item the Spell Caster is Targeting.
ENCHANTED ITEMS LIST
1. Give Weapon Attack +1 and Damage +1
2. Give Weapon Attack +2 or Damage +2
3. Give Armor Suit Armor +2
4. Give Boots Swift +2
5. Give Shield Defense +2
6. Give Cloak Stealth +3
7. Give Arrow or Bolt Attack +5 or Damage +5
8. Give Saddle Ride +2
9. Give Ring Saving Throw Rolls +2
10. Give Amulet 2 Power Points
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LOST SPELLS
Some Spells are Forgotten, Unknown, or Lost to Time.
Some Spells are not really Lost, they are just hard to learn or find.
Assume Gods and some other immortal Casters have full access to this list.
Through Arduous Research or the finding of Rare Tomes, they can be rediscovered.
A partial list of such rumored Spells includes:
Resurrect Spell (25% the Target cannot be brought back and never will again)
Eternal Winter Spell (Entire Kingdom Afflicted. Chill)
Fire Storm Spell (Large Area. Set a Castle Ablaze. Save or Damage +1. Burn)
Blight Spell (Entire Kingdom Afflicted with Dead Plants)
Plague Spell (Entire Kingdom Afflicted with Disease)
Hex Spell (Entire Kingdom Afflicted. Various Effects: Speaking in Tongues, etc.)
Flood Spell (Can Inundate an entire Kingdom)
Multiplier Spell (Target Spell is x100. Ex: Animate Spell will animate 100 Swords not 1)
Maelstrom Spell (Long Range. Large area. Dam +1. Knock Down Foes. Wreck Structures)
Conjure Building Spell (Inn, Castle, Tower, etc. Only 1 can exist at a Time)
Whirlpool Spell (Long Range. Ship must Save or be Sucked Down)
Earthquake Spell (Collapse Tower or Castle Wall. Those nearby Save or Roll on Dam Table)
Divine Intervention Spell (The Target God is summoned and will actually Show up)
Permanency Spell (Lost. Makes Durations Permanent)
Meteor Swarm Spell (Lost. Army, City, Fleet Killer)
Volcanic Eruption Spell (Lost. Army, City, Fleet Killer)
Exchange Bodies Spell (Lost)
Wish Spell (Lost)
Miracle Spell (Lost)
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THE ART OF SUMMONING
-Summoning is a 3 part process.
-The First part is Summoning the Target Creature.
-The Second part is Protecting the Caster from the summoned Creature.
-The Third part is Compelling the summoned Being to Fight or Cast Spells.
WHAT CAN BE SUMMONED
-Anything can be Summoned.
-Any Creature off the Monster List can be Summoned.
-It will not be a specific creature unless a true Name is known.
-The ones we are most interested about here are the Creatures who are intelligent,
Who are most likely to break free, and who are casters in their own right.
-These include: Powerful Spirits, Guardian Spirits, Demons, Devils, Elemental Spirits,
Alien Mages, Vengeful Spirits, Horrors, Paradox Spirits, Banshees, Liches, Dragons,
Dragon Spirits, Storm Spirits, Abominations, and Chaos Spirits.
PENTAGRAMS
-If the intention is to summon a Combatant, the Summoner cannot cast a Pentagram on it.
-If there is a Pentagram, Either the Creature will be trapped within it, or the Caster will
put himself inside it where he will be protected.
-Pentagrams are Force Fields that will prevent a creature from attacking the caster that
tried to summon it.
-Pentagrams are Ritual Spells (2D2 Hours to Draw) and Calligraphy +5, and so must
be cast way before the actual Summoning.
-The Caster can create several Pentagrams. (Limited to The Prodigy Number)
-Pentagrams are used for Summoned Spell Casters, not Combatants, as their
Spells and Attacks will not penetrate the Pentagram.
FAILED SPELL CHECKS WHEN SUMMONING
Evil Creatures will be Mad. If there is no Pentagram, they will immediately attack the
Caster of the Summon Spell. If the Caster is missing, the creature will go on a rampage
and attack everyone nearby (in the same room). If there is a Pentagram, they will try
to break the Pentagram.
COMPULSION
-At this point the Summoner can designate his guest to be either a Combatant
(Or undertake some more complicated Mission) or use him as proxy for Spell
Casting.
-The Combatant will immediately start Fighting.
-A Proxy Spell caster must either be compelled by a successful act of Social
Persuasion or a Charm, Dominate, or Control Spell.
-Note that the Summoner can still target a Summoned creature within a
Pentagram with Spells. Banish Spells get a Spell Check at +8.
SUMMONED COMBATANTS
-Most Summoned Creatures will fight for a single Combat and then return to
Wherever it was they came from.
-Generally the methods of their attacks are unspecified. It is simply presumed that
they either make physical attacks or just fight to the best of Their ability to kill their
intended targets.
-However this can be modified to specify both The attack Modes (Grapple instead of
Bolts) and the intention (Entrapment instead of Death).
SUMMONED SPELL CASTERS
-Up to every other round, the Summoned Proxy Spell caster can cast a Spell it knows.
-If there is no mention of it in the Bestiary give the Creature 1D6 +9 PP.
-When it gets to zero PP, the Creature will immediately Attempt to break free.
-Proxy Spell casters can only cast spells at the request of their Summoner. They do
Not decide what Spells to cast.
BREAKING FREE
-If a Combatant is fighting something that is immune to it, it will try to Break Free.
A Proxy Caster will try to break free every 1D6 +9 Minutes. A Creature who breaks
free will immediately attack his Summoner.
SUPER POWERFUL BEINGS
-Aside from Demons and Devils, Creatures such as Sphinx and Djinn can also be summoned.
Depending on their personality and Mood they may or may not be Helpful.
-Creatures of Good Intent: Angels, Devas, Cherubs, Archons, Ancestral Spirits,
Friendly Ghosts and others can also be summoned. They will resist non-good casters as
much as possible. Good casters they are much more likely to assist or at least not do
harm to.
-Entities such as Kaiju, Eldrazi, and Godlings and Gods can also sometimes be summoned.
These require long and costly Rituals. These Beings cannot be controlled by the Caster.
They will act according to their own will once they get here.
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