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Easy Start
Important attributes: MA, INT, CON
Before buying skills, have the GM create your magical language skill in the "Other" list where it will have a multiple of 50 (as opposed to buying it in the Sorcery list with a multiple of 300).
Suggested starting skills
Other List
Magical Language to level 4 (minimum; ideally to level 8)
Mage List
Spell Energy to level 1 (minimum; if you can go higher, all the better)
Spell Memory to level 1 (minimum; if you can go higher, all the better)
Without the above 2 skills you can't cast any spells
Sorcery List
Magical Language - Sorcery to level 4 (if possible)
Without level 4 in this language, you can't cast any spells from the General Spells list. In no case can any spell be higher ranked than the mage's rank with his magical language.
College Spell List
Buy level 1 in as many GK spells as you can that interest you. If you were able to buy your magical language skill to level 8, also buy rank 1 in S0 (SK counterspell) and whatever other SK spells the GM let you start with.
Talent List
Pick your maximum starting talents (1 for dual-classed, 3 for single-classed)
Starting Out
Playing a mage character is pretty straightforward. During the character creation process, if you choose Mage as a profession, you will be asked to pick a college of magic from the list below. Spells are then available to develop just like skills. You start with knowledge of all Talents, General Knowledge (GK) spells and the Special Knowledge Counterspell from your college. Thus you can spend starting EXP to buy them to rank 1 and start using them.
The most important decision to make as a mage is how you want to develop your spells:
- Option One - Cost Versatility - This option allows the mage to spend EXP on each spell individually. For example, an E&E mage could be rank 4 with the Location spell and rank 10 with the Shield spell. Combat related spells are limited to Overall Level x 2. Thus, an overall level 7 mage could not have spells such as Bolt of Energy, Armor, Shield, etc., at a rank higher than 14.
- Option Two - Spell Versatility - This option allows the mage to spend EXP on skills that improve all of this spells equally. For example, an E&E mage would have a skill called Mage E&E General Knowledge and their rank with this skill is equal to their rank with every E&E Talent, General Knowledge Spell and General Knowledge Ritual. There are three separate skills, one for General Knowledge (750 mult), one for Special Knowledge (1000 mult) and one for Arcane Knowledge (1250 mult).
Starting SK Spells
You will also start with one or more Special Knowledge (SK) spells determined by the GM. Exactly how many additional spells the character starts with is determined by their LUCK. The mage will start with one SK spell, plus one additional "special" spell per 2 points of LUCK above 15. Special spells could be additional SK spells or spells from the General Spells list. All remaining college spells and rituals can only be learned when you find a source from which to learn the spell (another mage to teach the spell to you, or a spell book or scroll from which to learn it yourself).
Those mages who choose the Option Two for spells, will automatically learn one additional SK spell or ritual for every 2 ranks in their SK skill. For example, an E&E mage goes from rank 2 to rank 3 in Mage E&E Special Knowledge. The GM will choose an SK spell that they will gain.
Magical Language
After choosing your college, the GM will add the magical language of that college, as well as Magical Language - Sorcery to you personal skill list. You level with your magical language determines what spells and rituals you can cast:
Leve 4 - General Knowledge Spells
Level 6 - General Knowledge Rituals
Level 8 - Special Knowledge Spells
Leve 10 - All Spells and Rituals
Magical Language skill is not limited to rank 10 like other languages. No spell can be higher ranked than the mage's rank with his magical language. Thus, before a mage can buy a spell to rank 11, he must first buy his magical language to rank 11.
Knowing the languages of other colleges allows a mage to use scrolls written for that college.
Spellcasting
How many spells a mage can have memorized at one time depends on his INT and his level with Spell Memory skill. Each level of Spell Memory skill allows you to have 2 spells in memory. You get a bonus of 1 additional spell in memory for every 2 points of INT above 15. Spells in memory are there until you decide to purge them and memorize something else. A spell does not fade from memory when cast.
How many spells you can cast in a given day is dependent on CON and your level with Spell Energy skill. Each level of Spell Energy gives you 2 spell points. You get a bonus of 1 spell point per 2 points of CON above 15. Once you run out of spell points, you can't cast spells until the next day after you have rested.
Spell Point Cost
- Talents - 0 spell points (unless indicated otherwise)
- General Knowledge spells - 1 spell point
- General Knowledge rituals - 10 spell points (+100 sp in ritual components)
- Special Knowledge spells - 2 spell points
- Special Knowledge rituals - 20 spell points (+200 sp in ritual components)
- Circles of Protection - 1d6-1 spell points (minimum 1 but cost drops as rank increases)
Casting spells and rituals, in addition to using Spell Energy points, also tires out the mage. This is reflected by the mage taking non-lethal (NL) damage whenever they cast a spell or ritual. For each spell point spent in a spell or ritual, the caster takes 2 points of NL damage. Thus, a General Knowledge spell (1 spell point) causes 2 points of NL damage whenever it is cast. A Special Knowledge ritual (20 spell points) causes 40 points of NL damage. See the rules for NL damage to determine how it is recovered.
Critical and Grievous Success
If a mage rolls exceptionally well (see grievous and critical table) he may achieve grievous or critical success with his spell. Critical success allows him to double range or duration, or increase effect by 50% (if the spell has multiple effects, he may increase a single effect by 50%). Grievous success is the same as critical success except that he may increase two aspects of the spell (e.g., double both range and duration, double range and increase one effect by 50%, increase two effects by 50%, etc.).
Automatic Success
As a mage is training, they practice some spells so often that they are able to cast them with no chance of failure as long as they slow cast. A single class mage may choose two such spells while a dual class character may choose one such spell.
List of Colleges
- Air Magics - The college has spells dealing with air, lightning, wind and cold. Their magic only works where there is air (i.e., an Air Mage can't cast Air Magics underwater). When underground, Air Mages suffer a -10 to all cast chances. This penalty also applies if standing/immersed in a foot or more of water.
- Black Magics - Most Black Mages are evil. It is not recommended that a Player Character (PC) choose this college. See additional information under rules. Black Mages suffer a -20 to all cast chances when standing in sunlight.
- Dark Magics - The college has spells dealing with darkness and shadow. Most Dark Mages are evil. If you are considering this college as a PC, you might want to first look at the College of Star Magics which is similar but aligned more towards good characters. Dark Mages cannot cast spells if they are standing in sunlight. Even if they are standing in the shade on a sunny day, they suffer a -10 to all cast chances. This does not apply if they are in a building or underground.
- Disenchanting Magics - This college has spells that counter, negate and disrupt magic. They have "greater counterspell" that works against all colleges of magic. Their understanding of the basic building blocks of magic allows them to develop Power Perception skill at three quarters of the cost for a normal mage.
- Earth Magics - This college deals with spells related to the earth and nature. Earth mages cannot cast spells if they are not touching the earth, or touching something that is touching the earth. Thus, they can cast spells while on the roof of a building or up in a tree, but cannot cast spells if they are floating 1 foot off the ground (unless they have a staff that they can use to reach the ground or something touching the ground). They suffer a penalty of -10 to casts chances in heavy rain or snow or if standing on snow-covered ground. Snow-covered ground also affects other spells that originate from within the earth such as Bonds of Earth, Loosen Earth or Diamond-Tipped Javelins. Such spells are cast at half normal rank if there are more than 6 inches of snow on the ground. They will work normally if the mage finds an area clear of snow (i.e., Diamond-Tipped Javelins can work normally if the mage is next to a rock out cropping that is partially clear of snow).
- Fire Magics - Fire mages have spells dealing with heat and fire. They cannot cast their spells if they are standing in the rain or underwater. Even in a heavy mist or light drizzle, they suffer a -10 to all cast chances. The same applies to snowstorms. Spells are cast at half normal rank if standing on snow-covered ground (more than 4 inches of snow).
- Greater Summonings - Greater Summonings mages specialize in summoning demons and other residents of the outer planes. This is strictly an NPC college as it does not lend itself well to an adventuring themed group.
- Green Magics - Green Mages have spells dealing with the essence of nature. They suffer a -20 to all cast chances in cities and -10 in towns. They gain a bonus of +10 to cast chances in forests.
- Illusions - Illusionists have spells that deal with the senses. They have spells that fool the senses, spells that overload the senses, and spells that enhance the senses. Much of their power is associated with the demi-planes of light and shadows. Gnomes are exceptionally adept at this college and gain a bonus of +5 to all cast chances.
- Lay Healer - These mages specialize in healing and resisting damaging environmental effects. They also have utility spells to aid them. They can learn First Aid at a .75 multiple, and Poison Lore and Anatomy at a .5 multiple.
- Lesser Summonings - This college deals with summoning and controlling creatures of this plane. They also have spells for emulating such creatures.
- Necromancy - Necromancers are normally evil. Their spells deal with death and decay.
- Rune Magics - These mages inscribe runes onto items. A mundane item can only be enchanted with a single rune. A magic item can be inscribed with 1 rune, plus 1 per 2 power levels (2 runes for a PL 2 item, 3 for a PL 4, etc.).
- Shadow Magics - This college is similar to the college of Dark Magics and the college of Star Magics but is aligned more towards neutrality. Shadow Mages cannot cast spells if they are standing in sunlight. Even if they are standing in the shade on a sunny day, they suffer a -10 to all cast chances. This does not apply if they are in a building or underground.
- Shape Changers - Also known as the College of Transformations. Mages of this college have spells that allow them to enhance or change their physical nature.
- Shaping Magics - This is strictly an NPC college. Shapers are able to create magic items.
- Sorceries of the Mind - Mages of this college have spells that allow them to influence and control others as well as enhance their own minds.
- Star Magics - This college is similar to the college of Dark Magics and the college of Shadow Magics but is aligned more towards good. Star Mages cannot cast spells if they are standing in sunlight. Even if they are standing in the shade on a sunny day, they suffer a -10 to all cast chances. This does not apply if they are in a building or underground.
- Water Magics - Water Mages have spells that deal with the element of water. They cannot cast their spells if they are not within (MA - 15) miles of a natural body of water of moderate size (lake or river) or within (MA - 20) miles of a small body of water (pond or stream). They suffer a -10 to all cast chances in exceptionally arid areas even if water is in range. They can cast normally if standing on snow (at least 4 inches) or ice covered areas even if a body of water is not within range.
- White Magics - This opposite of the College of Black Magics. They have spells dealing with light and good.
Single-Classed Mages
Mages can choose to be dual classed but there are advantages to those who choose to specialize only in magic (i.e., be a single-classed mage), as indicated below.
- Power Perception, Sorcery, Spell Energy and Spell Memory can be developed at .75 cost. Note that the GM will have to make a manual adjustment to the code to have the costs compute correctly. If the costs are not computing correctly, let him know.
- The mage gains a 1 point savings on NL damage when casting spells and circles (but not rituals). Thus, a GK spell only causes 1 NL damage while an SK spell causes 3 NL damage.
- Magical languages of other colleges can be learned at half cost.
- The mage will start with one additional SK spell.
- The mage will start with one Circle of Protection.
- Spell casting comes easier to a single-classed mage in that they do not need to concentrate as hard when they are casting spells. This allows them to get one half normal defense vs ranged attacks when casting spells (all other spell casters have a 0 DEF when casting spells). Also, when a single classed mage is hit with a ranged weapon while they are spell casting, there is a chance that the hit does not disrupt their spell casting. This chance is equal to ((Overall Level / 2) + WP - damage) x 4. Damage is the damage that penetrates armor. Thus, if a mage with a 15 WP and Overall Level of 11 gets hit for 6 damage (after PROT), there is a 60% chance that their spell was not disrupted (15 WP + (Overall Level / 2) - 6 Dmg = 15, 15 x 4 = 60). This roll must be made for each hit. Wound penalties also apply. Note that if the mage is hit but no damage penetrates protection, he must still make a roll of to get the spell off.
Required Skills
Required skills must be bought up to improve Overall Level. Required skills must be included when calculating Overall Level.
Required skills for Mage are:
- Magic Language for the Mage's college (until Overall Level 22)
- Option One Mage
- Spell Energy (until Overall Level 12 after which can be replaced by individual spells, if desired)
- Spell Memory (until Overall Level 12 after which can be replaced by individual spells, if desired)
- Option Two Mage
- Mage <College> General Knowledge
- Mage <College> Special Knowledge
Skill List Multiples
General - x1 (if dual-classed then x1.25)
Holy Skills - x1.5
Warrior Skills - x2.0
Sorcery Skills - x1.0
Rogue Skills - x1.5
Talents - x1.25
GM NOTE: Verifying Spell Costs (should equal old DQ cost divided by 2 but then add back 5 per 100 cost of original - thus a DQ spell of 300 converts to 165)
Done
Air Magics
Black Magics
Dark Magics
Disenchanting Magics
E&E
Earth Magics
General
Green Magics
Sorceries of the Mind
Need to go back through the colleges and up the damage caused by damage-causing spells. This has been done on underlined colleges above. |