Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Basic magic, the next installment...

Well, winter here, and it's rather mild. After the drought last summer, the rain is even bearable.

No real advances in RPG thoughts over the last few weeks, apart from working out my longest lasting campaign has ended, due to the four of us being in different cities, and even hemispheres. The characters are now NPCs, to populate the world and go their own ways.

Still, their exploits are recorded for the ages - from slaying ogres near the town of Stalish, braving the Black Tower, investigating child abductions in the coastal cities, restoring the heir to the throne of Vestland (a hurriedly converted Destiny of Kings with extra bits added), exploring ruined lizardman cities in the Southern swamps (and tracking down the evils released) and finally helping restore the leadership of a destroyed realm of the North.

It was good, and we only had two PC deaths. I think the emphasis was on exploration and discovery rather than fighting and death traps, as combat was rather deadly, and to be avoided unless necessary or when you had a clear advantage.

But onto the magics!

62. Insight - Gives the caster extra intellect, inspiration, insight, even, for the duration. Raises their intelligence to 16 (if below 16), or 19, if 16 or above, along with all applicable bonuses.

63. Valor - removes the fear, or allows the target to resist fear. May work on other emotions, may not.

64. Sparkle - a thing (object, person, door) touched glows with sparkly lights. More a part of a wall than being able to light up the castle...

65. Buoy - the targeted person or object floats in water. Again, a limit on the size of the object to something liftable. Although a higher level application of this spell would be impressive.

66. Beacon - a bright ray of light from the casters hand. Good for locating lost adventurers in the snow, bad for sneaking.

67. Confuse - One target. Anything from momentarily losing concentration to forgetting what's happening and wandering off to smell the corpses.

68. Disinfect - important for medical purposes, and a main benefit of magic to the general population. Kills germs, moulds, insects (small ones).

69. Shrink - down to half size. Any living target. Have fun.

70. Enlarge - up to one and a half times normal size. Strength, etc, scales as well.

71. Alarm - a loud, annoying noise after a set duration or when disturbed. Maximum 12 hours delay.

72. Web - be Spiderman! Actually, a sticky strand up to 10m long. Sticks to things but not really effective as a weapon.

73. Strength - Empowers the target, literally. Same effect as #62, only strength. Try not to be inconvenienced when it expires.

74. Monkey's Grace - And reflexes/dexterity can be increased the same way.

75. Slow Poison - As curing poison isn't an option at these levels. Basically prevents the poison from acting for somewhere between an hour and a day, depending on it's strength and lethality.

76. Cure Pox - and other common diseases. Shows why mages are so popular in small rural towns, after the initial distrust wears off. Uncommon diseases less likely to cure.

77. Acid Blade - gives a weapon a slick coating of nasty, sticky acid. First blow in anger does an extra 2d6 damage. Can also be used to mess up or dissolve locks, doors, faces. Doesn't do the weapon much good, though.

78. Staff of Snakes - one end of your staff animates as a snake head. Random which type of snake - if poisonousness, then it bites, if not, it wraps around stunned prey. Will ruin the staff if the spell exires when wound around a victim.

79. Water - conjures, out of thin air, one litre of fresh water per level of spell, tricked out of the caster's cupped hands over one round. Bring your own container.

80. Stun - a mystical blast of force does d6 damage to a target and stuns them for one round if they don't resist. Plenty of time to run away...

81. Purify Air - makes a defined area of air pure, breathable and good for the lungs, even if other effects or spells are messing with it.

82. Anger - makes the target angry.Use at your own discretion, as some people are not nice when angry...

I'll be finished soon.....


Monday, July 1, 2013

Basic magic, 42-61

Back to the grindstone - more basic magics.

Thinking about this (actually, thinking about developing 2nd level spells, then 3rd level, then....) I'm not too sure about the level system of spells.

Maybe there are just basic spells, a few advanced spells, and the game/world changing spells require special quests, grants from the gods, sacrifices or sacking unfathomable ruins? Perhaps high level spellcasters jealously guard their 2-3 unique spells, and research is the only option after a certain level?

Sounds like a world where magic is rare, or at least uncommon, and mages have to think strategically about problems rather than solving it with an enchantment?

Anyway, onward with the basic spell list;

42. Empathy - lets the caster perceive the basic emotions the target is feeling - fear, pain, anger... Not much else, although it can allow basic communication where language isn't an option.

43. Endurance - the target only tires at half the normal rate for the activity. Useful for encouraging overloaded hechmen...

44. Whisper - the caster can whisper and be heard as though they were right next to a known target within 100m. The target cannot reply to the caster. Good for triggering ambushes or passing information.

45. Fool's Gold - yes, the old chestnut. Makes a handful of anything solid appear as gold, gems, coins. A basic but powerful illusion, and the victim's chance of detecting something amiss is proportional to the value of the illusion.

46. Sharpen - by lightly cutting themselves on a blade, it adds +1 to damage done by said blade until the spell expires.

47. Fear - makes one target afraid of the caster. The outcome of this may vary.

48. Talk to Vermin - because the rats see things. Doesn't make them friendly, but they are inquisitive and can be bribed with food, especially fresh meat.

49. Wolfspeak - again, the wolves see things, and they are different to what the rats see. Again, doesn't make them friendly.

50. Snaketongue - ok, you get the idea. I'll stop now...

51. Ventriloquism - yes. Like it says on the tin. Voices, over there.

52. Birdcall - summons a flock of whatever the most common birds are in the environment. They can be directed to do things but not anything that puts them at great risk.

53. Gust/Breeze - EITHER a one-off strong wind gust that scatters scatterable things and staggers warriors, OR a constant moderate breeze. Your choice. Channelling the elemental powers can be so rewarding.

54. Follow - the caster can track one target, Must be known, or very well described, or be in possession of a treasured item of theirs.

55. Will o' the Whisp - forms a ghastly floating light that can lure the unwary or gullible in a direction chosen by the caster, or they can control it like a lure.

56. Image - the basic illusion. Not moving, no sound, doesn't taste of anything either.

57. Bombard - needs a bit of rubble lying around - stones, coins, bones, cracked pottery. The spell causes them to pelt the target/s, doing only d6 damage (-armour) but requiring a concentration check to do anything that round.

58. Ice Baby - a narrow ray of frost that only does d6 damage to a target but can freeze them in place until they resist the spell. Or freeze a door shut, or really kill a plant.

59. Lodestone - the caster can detect the direction of north, and their rough elevation. Only useful if you have a map.

60. Rain - yes, temporary and limited in duration, and a LOT harder in a desert than a mist laden swamp.

61. Catspaw - the caster makes a lot less incidental noise, and casts no shadow - another stealth spell.

Again, that's all...