|
GM Notes on Sorcery
|
| NOTE: Practitioners of Sorcery (SORE-sir-REE) are called
Sorcerers (SORE-sir-ers). |
| Sorcery is an extremely robust and flexible
approach to Magic Use, well suited to combat and adventuring. It is
relatively easy to use and understand, and is well suited to players that
prefer their Magic Systems simple. |
| Casting Model |
| Sorcerers use the "Spontaneous
Casting" Model, which features a non-standard use of Multipower Pools designed to take advantage of the interaction between Multipowers
and Charges taken on a Multipower's Reserve as detailed below. |
| SPELL LEVEL TO ACTIVE POINTS |
| Each practitioner has a list of
Known Spells which are learned via the use of topical Magic School Skills as
described below.
|
|
*0 |
1-15 |
|
1 |
16-30 |
|
2 |
31-45 |
|
3 |
46-60 |
|
4 |
61-75 |
|
5 |
76-90 |
|
6 |
91-105 |
|
7 |
106-120 |
|
8 |
121-135 |
|
9 |
136-150 |
|
| Spells are ranked by Spell
Level; some GMs may prefer to refer to this concept in
variant ways, such as Spell Circles, Spell Houses, or Spell
Ranks to avoid confusion stemming from the overloaded use of the
word "Level", or simply to add more flavor. Each Spell Level
starting at Spell Level 0 has 15 Active Points more than the
Spell Level before it.
|
| Thus a Level 0
Spell is between 1-15 AP, 1st Level Spells are between 16-30 AP,
2nd Level Spells are between 31-45 AP and so on as indicated on
the adjoining table..
|
|
| *Level 0 Spells are often called a "cantrip". |
| 1-15 |
-0 |
| 16-30 |
-1/2 |
| 31-45 |
-1 |
| 46-60 |
-1 1/2 |
| 61-75 |
-2 |
| 76-90 |
-2 1/2 |
| 91-105 |
-3 |
| 106-120 |
-3 1/2 |
| 121-135 |
4 |
| 136-150 |
-4 1/2 |
|
In this model, the player of a Sorcerer buys a
separate Multipower Pool
(MP) for each "Spell Level" and applies Charges to the Reserve
equal to the number of times per Day they can cast Spells of that
Spell Level. |
| This would of course be prohibitively expensive
in terms of Character Points, but a custom Limitation is also
allowed to this model to bring it's cost into line with it's
functionality, helping to offset the cost of essentially
overlapping Multipower Pools as described in the accompanying
chart. |
| The MP's must be purchased in Spell Level order; they must
be progressed from Level 0 to Level 1 to Level 2 and so on, a
player may not just selectively buy Spell Level MPs. |
|
| EXAMPLE: Rialta Foranvor is a
Sorcerer and can cast up to 4th Level Spells, and thus has a total of
five Multipower Pools like so: |
| Spell Level 0: MP, 15-point reserve, (15 Active Points); 6 Charges (-3/4), Variable Limitations (requires -1 worth of Limitations; -1/2); all slots Extra Time (Delayed Phase, -1/4); Real Cost: 6 |
| Spell Level 1: MP, 30-point reserve, (30 Active Points); 6 Charges (-3/4), Variable Limitations (requires -1 worth of Limitations; -1/2), Spontaneous Casting Discount (-1/2); all slots Extra Time (Delayed Phase, -1/4); Real Cost: 10 |
| Spell Level 2: MP, 45-point reserve, (45 Active Points); Spontaneous Casting Discount (-1), 6 Charges (-3/4), Variable Limitations (requires -1 worth of Limitations; -1/2); all slots Extra Time (Delayed Phase, -1/4); Real Cost: 13 |
| Spell Level 3: MP, 60-point reserve, (60 Active Points); Spontaneous Casting Discount (-1 1/2), 6 Charges (-3/4), Variable Limitations (requires -1 worth of Limitations; -1/2); all slots Extra Time (Delayed Phase, -1/4); Real Cost: 15 |
| Spell Level 4: MP, 75-point reserve, (75 Active Points); Spontaneous Casting Discount (-2), 6 Charges (-3/4), Variable Limitations (requires -1 worth of Limitations; -1/2); all slots Extra Time (Delayed Phase, -1/4); Real Cost: 17 |
| Restrictions |
| The Sorcerer Spontaneous Casting model has some mandatory restrictions
upon what kind of Spells may be taken in their Multipower Pools, as follows. |
| SPECIAL EFFECTS
(SFX) |
| Magic Spells have very broad Special Effects. In
addition to any specific SFX that a particular Spell might have such
as Electricity for a Lightning Bolt Spell or Fire for Flamebolt Spell, all
Magic Spells also automatically have the additional SFX of Magic,
plus either Arcane or Divine (Arcane in
the case of Sorcerers), and finally the School
of the Spell (Abjuration, Conjuration, Divination, Enchantment,
Evocation, Illusion, Necromancy, and Transmutation for Sorcery Magic
by default, but easily changed by the GM).
These mandatory SFX cannot be altered by any means, including Variable
Special Effects. |
| Note: An Arcane Magic Evocation Spell is always
Magic, always Arcane, and always in the Evocation School. |
| The Sorcerer Spontaneous Casting model has some mandatory restrictions
upon what kind of Spells may be taken in their Multipower Pools, as follows. |
|
REQUIRED/FORBIDDEN MODIFIERS |
- Only Arcane Magic
- Must "Learn" Spell Slots with 1 Hour of Study per Spell Level and a Magic Skill Roll at -1 per Spell Level
- Limited number of slots per Multipower
- All Spell Slots must be Ultra Slots
- Spells must be slotted appropriate to their Spell Level
- All Spells Must Be on Charges
- Continuous Spells must terminate via
Anti-Magic
- Each Spell must take a minimum in -1/2 of Limitations from Extra Time, Concentration, Incantation, Gesture, Limited Range, or RSR: Magic Skill vs. Spell Resistance in any
combination. This is represented with a -1/4 version
of Variable Limitation on each Multipower Reserve.
- Individual Sorcerers may increase this for
greater cost savings; for example they may take Variable Limitation at
the -1/2 level ("Must take a Minimum of -1 in Limitations") or greater
if they wish.
- No Spell may have an Endurance Cost
- No Spell may have an Activation
- No Spell can Require a Skill Roll to be cast
- A Spell may Require a Skill Roll to take
effect
- such as a Charm Spell requiring a Persuasion skill roll
to affect specific individuals
- such as Spell Resistance
|
| ARCANE MAGIC ONLY |
| Sorcerers cast Arcane Magic only. This is not worth a
Limitation for them; it is simply a ground rule of the Magic System. |
| MUST LEARN SPELLS TO MULTIPOWERS |
| Normally a character could add whatever slots they
liked to a Multipower Pool; however Sorcerers must learn their Spells
before adding them to their Multipower Pools. The specifics of this
are covered in more depth below. |
| NUMBER OF SPELLS KNOWN |
| This option is not
in effect in my campaigns. |
| There is a finite limit to the number
of Spells Sorcerers may know. The maximum number of Spells that a Sorcerer can
know per Spell Level is arbitrarily set to six; this is synonymous with saying each Spell Level Multipower may have no more than
six ultra-slots since the slots in a
Sorcerer's MPs are the Spells that they know. Some GM's may waive this
restriction or set a different arbitrary limit; I use the
"Congregation Characteristic" method below in my own campaigns. |
| GM's may wish for Sorcerers to have more Spell Slots than six per Spell Level. I recommend caution in this regard, but presented below are a couple of suggestions on how to allow this. |
| Characteristic Based |
| This option is not in effect in my campaigns. |
| Rather than a flat number of slots available, a GM might base the maximum number of slots off of a
Characteristic. If such a method is used I recommend using PRE as the Characteristic to base
the determination on. For instance, a GM might determine that the maximum number of slots per Spell Level is determined by Max Slots = ((PRE/5) + 4), rounded in the character's favor as usual. |
| EXAMPLE: Kael the Sorcerer
has a 15 PRE and 10 overlapping MP's from 15 Reserve to 150 Reserve allowing him to cast up to "Ninth Level Spells". Via this method each of his 10 MP's could have a maximum of 7 ultra-slots each (15 PRE/5) = 3 + 4 = 7. He has to pay for the slots however, of course. |
| Congregation Characteristic Based |
| This option is in effect in my campaigns. |
| Alternately, the GM might base the maximum on a congregation of Characteristics. For instance, a GM might determine that the maximum number of slots per Spell Level is determined by Max Slots = ((PRE/5) + (EGO/5) + (INT/5)), rounded in the character's favor as usual. |
| EXAMPLE: Kael the Sorcerer
has a 13 INT, 10 EGO and 15 PRE and has 10 overlapping MP's from 15 Reserve to 150 Reserve allowing him to cast up to "Ninth Level Spells". Via this method each of his 10 MP's could have a maximum of 8 ultra-slots each (13 INT/5) + (15 PRE/5) + (10 EGO)/5) =
8. He has to pay for the slots however, of course. |
| If Kael's player raises his PRE
or INT to 18 or his EGO to 13 he gains another slot for all of his Multipower Pools,
and so on as the applicable Characteristics are raised.
If Kael had 20's in all three Characteristics he could know 12 Spells per
Spell Level. |
| Expandable via Talent |
| This option is
not in effect in my campaigns. |
| Via this method, the normal maximum of 6 Slots is expandable through the purchase of a Custom Talent called "Expanded Spontaneous Slots" as described below. |
| This Talent allows a character to have one extra slot
per Spell Level in their Spontaneous Casting Multipower Pools. This Talent
may be taken multiple times, and each purchase doubles the number of extra
slots available to the character. |
| Thus if this Talent is taken once the character gains +1 maximum slot for all of their Spell Levels; if the Talent is taken twice they gain +2 slots for all of their Spell Levels; if the Talent is taken three times they gain +4 slots for all of their Spell Levels
and so on. |
|
1 level |
2 levels |
3 levels |
4 levels |
5 levels |
| +1 slot per MP |
+2 slots per MP |
+4 slots per MP |
+8 slots per MP |
+16 slots per MP |
| 2 points |
4 points |
6 points |
8 points |
10 points |
|
| Expanded Spontaneous Slots Cost: 2 points per doubling |
| EXAMPLE: Threny the Sorcerer
may have up to six ultra-slots in each of her Spell Level Multipowers normally, but has purchased the Extended Spontaneous Slots Talent
five times for a total cost of 10 Character Points, and thus may have a maximum of 22 ultra-slots per Spell Level Multipower. She still has to pay for the slots, of course. |
| ULTRASLOTS |
| All slots in Sorcery Multipower Pools must be
Ultra-slots. |
| SPELL LEVEL SLOTS |
| A Spell must be placed in the appropriate Multipower Pool,
which is to say the smallest that the Spell will fit into. |
| For instance, a Sorcerer may not learn a 60 AP "3rd Level
Spell" to their 75 Point Reserve "4th Level Spell" Multipower; only Spells
with 61 to 75 AP may be placed in the "4th Level Spell" Multipower. |
| CHARGES |
| The most significant of the above restrictions is
that all Spells must be on Charges in this system of Magic. As a
deviation from the letter of the HERO System Rulebook Charges may be
applied to individual slots even though the Reserve has Charges so
long as the Charges on a slot do not exceed those on the MP. This is
allowed primarily so that the individual Spells can function on
Charges rather than costing END, and take advantage of some of the
other features of Charges without causing major mechanical headaches. |
| Some slots might have fewer Charges than the Reserve; for example a Spell might have
two Continuing Charges, but the Reserve for that Spell Level might allow six Charges.
The intention is that activating a slot expends one Charge from the Reserve and one Charge from the slot.
In order to use a slot, the Multipower and the Spell Slot both must
have a Charge available. |
| CONTINUING CHARGES |
| Continuing Charges are used for Spells that are not
Instant in nature. All Continuing Charges must have a defined method to
end their effect, which for Spells is globally defined as
Anti-Magic, which is any Area of Effect Suppress
or Dispel which would affect the Spell and is of equal or greater Active
Points, regardless of any Effect Rolls. |
| OTHER CHARGE
OPTIONS |
| By default Recoverable Charges are
not allowed. Fuel Charges can be used with GM permission, but if a slot with a Fuel charge is activated and
later the Multipower is switched to another slot the entire Fuel charge is expended instantly regardless of how much "fuel" was
remaining. Boostable Charges may be used with GM Permission, but a GM might require that Boostable be applied to the Charges on the Reserve instead of individual slots,
or both.
|
| NUMBER OF CHARGES ON SPELL LEVEL MULTIPOWERS |
| A Spell Level Multipower Reserve cannot have more
Charges than the Spell Level Multipower below it. |
| In other words if a Sorcerer has six Charges on their Spell Level
0 MP, then their Spell Level 1 MP can have no more than six Charges.
Similarly if that Sorcerer had
four Charges on their Spell Level 1 MP then their Spell Level 2 MP can have
no more than four Charges, and so on. |
| EXAMPLE: Kael the Sorcerer starts off with 3 MP's
for Spell Level 0 through Spell Level 2. If Kael has 12 Charges on his
Spell Level 0 MP then he can have up to 12 Charges on both the 1st and 2nd Spell Level MP's. If Kael only takes 8 Charges on his Spell Level
1 MP, then he may have up to 8 Charges on his Spell Level 2 MP. |
|
VARIABLE LIMITATION |
| All Sorcery Spells must take a minimum in -1/2 of Limitations from Extra Time, Concentration, Incantation, Gesture, Limited Range, or RSR: Magic Skill vs. Spell Resistance in any
combination.
|
| This is represented with a -1/4 version
of Variable Limitation on each Multipower Reserve. |
| Individual Sorcerers may increase this for
greater cost savings; for example they may take Variable Limitation at
the -1/2 level ("Must take a Minimum of -1 in Limitations") or greater
if they wish. However, they must take the same level of Variable
Limitation on all of their Spell Levels. A player could buy the Limitation
down as play progresses, but it cannot be worsened after the character
enters play. |
| NO END COST |
| Vancian Magic Systems don't cost END;
their frequency is controlled by the number of Spells per day a caster can
cast. However, a Spell can use the Fatiguing Long Term Endurance Side Effect
described in the
Magic
Limitations document. |
| NO ACTIVATION |
| Vancian Magic is extremely reliable.
Activation Rolls are not appropriate to this style of Magic. |
| NO SKILL ROLL |
| Vancian Magic is extremely reliable
to cast.
Skill Rolls are not appropriate to this style of Magic for purposes of
casting. Skill Rolls are used to learn and create Magic, not to cast it.. |
| SPELL RESISTANCE |
| However, the
Spell Resistance
concept is applicable to Sorcery, and uses the Spell School Skill
appropriate to the Spell being cast. |