Improvised Magic in the Hero System
Copyright © 1996, 1999 by Christopher A. Goodwin.
Contents:
-
Introduction
-
Characters
-
Creating and Casting a Spell
-
Fumble Points
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Endurance
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Skills
-
Powers
-
Advantages
-
Limitations
-
Disadvantages
-
Example Verbs and Nouns
-
Learning a Specific Spell
-
Spell Books and Scrolls
-
Skill Levels
-
Designer's Notes
-
Legal Stuff
Introduction
This began life as a Usenet post in 1996. I had forgotten about it
entirely until I ran across an archive of it at Juha
Vesanto's web page. (Thanks, Juha!) I decided to expand
on it and rewrite it some because a good improvisational magic system is
something I've been wanting for a long time (or, as I put it in 1996, the
"Holy Grail of a magic system"). This doesn't use Variable
Power Pool, though it does break the Hero System power rules pretty
badly (hopefully in a way that's not too unbalancing!). Anyway,
on with it.
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Characters
The GM may require all characters to take a certain power or skill if they
want to be mages; she may require them to take a mage package; she may
require certain initiation rites or disadvantages (including markings);
or, she may simply require nothing extra at all.
All characters start with a base roll of 0 or less in spellcasting.
This value is increased by making complementary skill rolls, taking Limitations,
and manipulating circumstances to the character's benefit (being well rested
and alert, taking extra time, reducing distractions, etc.).
You can increase your spellcasting roll by using magical skills, to
wit a verb and a noun (or, if you prefer, an Action and a College, or Discipline
and School, or whatever). The verb is the skill you are using to
form the magical energy into something usable, and the noun denotes the
type of magical energy you are shaping (and, thus, the special effect of
the spell). The possibilities are theoretically limitless, though
in practice only a few different examples of each are available. Note:
Unless otherwise specified, the words "bonus" or "penalty" refer to the
base spellcasting roll, not to any other skills that may be involved in
the process.
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Creating and Casting A Spell
To create a spell, write it up in standard Hero terms. The maximum
Active Points any spell may contain is equal to 3 * the character's EGO.
If a spell does not include the Trigger advantage, it may be held for one
full phase; if it is not cast at the end of that phase, treat it as an
immediate Fumble for 1 Fumble Point / 5 Active Points in the spell.
A character may have a total number of Real Points worth of Triggered,
Constant, and/or Continuous spells going equal to 3 * his EGO. Note:
You don't pay any points for the power itself.
To cast the spell, you need to roll against your base value in spellcasting.
Here's where the skills come in: each skill involved in the casting is
complementary to your spellcasting roll. It definitely helps to have
high rolls here. You can increase your base spellcasting roll from
0 through limitations. Limitations that apply to every casting of
a spell, or every casting of all spells in a college, are worth more (see
below under Limitations for more info). Also,
other factors can come into play:
Subtract 1 from the spellcasting roll for every 10 base points in the spell.
Add 1 to the spellcasting roll for every 2 points you make your verb, noun,
and SC: Magical Theory rolls by
Add 1 to the spellcasting roll for every -1/4 worth of total Limitation
applied to the spell
Subtract 1 from the spellcasting roll for every +1/4 worth of total Advantage
applied to the spell.
Characters may take additional Fumble Points (see below) and gain +1 to
their roll per Fumble Point taken. On a critical failure, the character
gains additional Fumble Points equal to double the amount of the bonus
taken, and the Fumble Points take effect as normal.
The GM may apply other bonuses or penalties to the roll as she sees fit.
Casting Time
It generally only takes one phase to cast a spell. If extra time
is taken, note that it is a -1/2 Limitation per level on the Time Chart.
Optionally, the GM can state that each skill roll takes 1/2 phase, and
that it takes 1/2 phase (acting as a combat action) to loose a spell that
has been cast. The caster can continue to hold the spell in mind
while casting it, though if the caster is stunned, knocked unconscious,
or killed, consider this to be an immediate Side Effect equal to 1/2 the
total active points of the spell, along with all of the caster's accumulated
Fumble Points at +5 active points per.
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Fumble Points
Whenever a character fails his spellcasting roll, the character gains a
number of Fumble Points equal to the amount the roll was failed by (minimum
of 1). If the roll was a critical failure (17 or 18), then all of
the saved up Fumble Points take effect at once, including the Fumble Points
gained from the critically failed roll. Fumble Points manifest as
Side Effects equal to 5 Active Points of effect for every Fumble Point;
additionally, the caster suffers from 1 level of Unluck (not die) per 3
Fumble Points, applied directly to the character. If the character
has Luck, he may roll his Luck dice to counteract this; however, if the
character has any Unluck, he must also roll his Unluck. Levels of
Luck rolled subtract from levels of Unluck; levels of Unluck rolled simply
add to the total amount of Unluck suffered. (Yes, a fumble can sometimes
be dangerous to bystanders!) Usually, the Side Effects will be suggested
by the special effects of the spell. Often, a harmful spell will
simply be turned right back on the caster. A helpful spell may be
mistargeted, or may affect the caster in reverse. It is possible
that a being might be summoned. GMs should feel free to be creative
but fair when applying Fumble Points. Fumble Points are lost when
the fumble takes effect.
Taking the Side Effects Limitation is effectively the same as accepting
additional Fumble Points in order to gain a bonus when casting the spell.
The character gains +1 Fumble Point for every +1 added to the spell roll,
which is equivalent to +1/4 Limitation.
The GM may, if she wishes, create a list of possible fumble effects
based on the amount of Fumble Points; this could be a simple table lookup
based on the amount of points, or, for even more fun and excitement, be
randomly rolled!
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Endurance
All spells require Endurance to cast, unless an Expendable Focus is used;
any powers that have no Endurance cost should be cast with the Costs Endurance
Limitation (whether to allow a bonus or not is up to the GM). The
GM may allow characters to cast spells at 0 END, but should then require
an Expendable Focus to be used with the spell. It would be well within
genre for certain types of magic to require characters to take an Endurance
Reserve, with Recovery based on a ritual, skill roll, and so on.
Mana, Ley Lines, Places of Power
To simulate an overall ambient mana level, the presence of ley lines, or
magical power sources in general, the GM can either provide extra Endurance
for casting spells, reduce Endurance costs of spells (even to 0), add Recovery
(either personal or to an Endurance Reserve as noted above), add bonuses
to cast spells, or some combination of these. These can be aspected
toward or against certain magical colleges (providing additional bonus
to spells of those colleges), and can provide more or less bonus based
on the character's proximity to the source as well as the power level of
the source. A given area may only be able to provide a certain amount
of bonus before it is exhausted.
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Skills
All skills listed have a base cost of 3 points for 9 + CHA/5, +1 per 2
points (this is in line with 5th edition Hero; all skills are now bought
at this rate, including Knowledge, Professional, and Science skills).
Magical skills (verb and noun) are usually based on INT, though they can
be based on other characteristics (EGO and PER are common).
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Powers
The GM should require the characters to take certain skills based on the
powers available in a spell college they wish to use. Of course,
allowance must be made in the case of weird special effects. An example
list is provided below:
| Power |
Required Skill(s) |
| Transform / Shapeshift |
Warp + college skill based on target |
| Dispel / Suppress |
Disenchant + college skill based on target spell
(or Metamagic) |
| Summon |
Summon + college skill based on target entity |
| Energy Blast / Killing Attack |
Conjure + college skill based on special effect |
| Drain |
Destroy + college skill based on target |
Enhanced Senses /
Clairsentience / Detect |
Know + college skill based on target or sense |
| Transfer / Aid |
Power Tap + college skill based on source
(possibly Metamagic as well) |
If it makes it any easier to wrap your mind around the concept, consider
each character to have access to a Variable Power Pool equal to 3 * his
EGO, and special effects limited to the college (noun) skills that character
has taken.
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Advantages
The GM may allow certain Advantages to be taken on all spells at no extra
cost (all spells might be Indirect, or Invisible, for free); she may also
require the character to have certain skills in order to use certain Advantages.
An example list of required skills for Advantages is below:
| Advantage |
Required Skill |
Range (including any powers
that are normally ranged) |
Spell Throwing (required only to
target a spell, not to cast) |
| Trigger or Usable By Others |
Enchant |
If a character wants to set up a spell that is cast now but usable later,
he must use the Trigger advantage. The Enchant skill is not required
if he wants to set such a spell up for himself; however, if he wants to
set one up for someone else, he must use the Enchant spell.
If a spell is bought to 0 Endurance Cost, it must be bought with
an expendable Focus.
The GM should watch carefully any spells with the Continuous advantage,
either Controllable or Uncontrollable. If the spell is bought to
0 Endurance, the GM will need to determine how much endurance is provided
to the spell by the expendable Focus. This amount should be related
in some way to the size, volume, or, if the focus is a currently or formerly
living creature and the caster knows Metamagic, the creature's BODY or
EGO (see below under Metamagic).
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Limitations
Requires Skill Roll
This works exactly as normal. You need to roll against another skill
in order to succeed at the spell; this skill has a difficulty level of
-1 per 10 Active Points in the spell. These additional skill rolls
don't
add to your bonus.
Gestures, Incantations, and Focus
The GM may require that all spells take some combination of Gestures, Incantations,
and Focus; in this case, it is up to the GM whether to allow the character
to gain a spellcasting bonus from any Limitations that are required.
Gestures
The GM may specify that certain types of gestures are more effective or
less effective when casting certain types of spells. Gestures that
are more elaborate (see below) should be worth more points, and if the
Gestures are required for the full length of a (constant) spell, the base
bonus for those Gestures should be doubled. The base bonus for Gestures
should be +1 per -1/4 Limitation. For really elaborate Gestures,
make the spell Accessible (-1/2) and Requires Skill Roll (DEX-based Gesture
skill) (-1/2) and get +4.
Incantations
The GM may specify that certain languages have mystical properties, and
thus provide a bonus to casting the spell, or, for that matter, that these
languages are required in order to cast. Thus, Pig Latin may
provide +0 to cast a spell (possibly meeting a GM's requirement that a
spell must be cast in a mystical tongue), while Ancient Sanskrit would
provide +5 or more; the secret tongue of the Fireshapers' Guild may provide
+2 to cast Fire spells. If Incantations are required for the full
length of the spell, double the base amount.
Focus
The GM may specify that certain materials may be required as a Focus to
cast a certain spell; if the spell has been bought to 0 END, a Focus is
required, and it must be Expendable. Materials that are fragile or
difficult/dangerous to acquire may be worth additional bonus, and materials
that fit well with the special effect of the spell may be worth additional
bonus still (the canonical bat guano/sulfur mixture required to cast a
fireball is one example, and may provide an additional +2 when casting
fire spells). Depending on the exact Focus, the GM may require the
character to have some skill or ability to create the Focus.
Other Limitations
If a character takes, at the time of creation, a given set of limitations
that always apply to some of his spells, the bonus gained from those limitations
when casting those spells is multiplied by 1.5; the character cannot cast
those spells without those Limitations. For example, the Silent Mages
of Deep Contemplation require no Incantations or Focus, but do require
Gestures (a long, complicated dance which must be performed silently at
casting time). The limitations involved are Extra Time: 1 Minute
or more (+6), Gestures (+1), Accessible (+2) and Requires Stealth Roll
(+2) for a total of +11; multiply this by 1.5 for a total of +15.5 (which
rounds to +16). Note that each level further on the Time Chart taken
would add an additional +2 at casting time.
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Disadvantages
Distinctive Features
Characters may take Distinctive Features related to their magical abilities.
The most common are a tattoo or marking to the body as the result of some
kind of initiation ritual, or showing up on magical senses. If the
character shows up on magical senses, use the chart in Mystic Masters
to
determine how many points this is worth.
Vulnerability
Some characters have a Vulnerability to magic that manifests itself in
such a way as to make it easier for others to cast spells on the character.
The Vulnerability cost is modifed as follows:
|
If others get...
|
Treat Vulnerability as...
|
|
+3
|
1 1/2*
|
|
+5
|
2*
|
If the GM allows it, characters may also take "normal" Vulnerabilities
(such as "Takes 2* STUN from Fire"). These should all count as Vulnerabilities
toward the maximum disadvantages per category.
Loses Powers in Situation X
The character simply loses his powers at certain times. This could
be used to simulate sun mages, whose powers only work while the character
is exposed to sunlight, or to simulate priests, who must follow their deity's
teachings and can lose their powers (possibly requiring some kind of penance)
if they don't. It could also simulate a True Name, and the character's
powers could be lost if the True Name is exposed. See below for the
costs:
| Frequency of Condition |
Points |
| Uncommon |
-5 |
| Common |
-10 |
| Very Common |
-15 |
| Powers Are Lost: |
Points |
| Only while exposed to condition |
-0 |
| For some time after exposure to condition ends (less than a day) |
-5 |
| For a day or longer, or moderate penance done |
-10 |
| For a month, or until regained (by fasting, heavy penance, heroic quest,
etc.) |
-15 |
Permanently (may be taken by GM permission only)  |
-20 |
Note: Permanently means permanently! GM, don't
let players abuse this. Make sure they understand what they're getting
into. Regaining one's powers after a Permanent loss should be the
equivalent to a major campaign quest, complete with descents into Hell,
communion with gods and dark powers, and the like. Note that a character
who loses his powers still has his skills, and can teach magic to others,
act as a consultant, and so on. He just can't cast any spells himself.
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Example Verbs and Nouns
We obviously can't provide an exhaustive list here, though we can give
some good examples.
| Verbs:
Throw Spell
Enchant
Disenchant
Conjure
Destroy
Mend
Summon
Dismiss
Bind
Loose
Shape
Know
Cloak
Power Tap |
Nouns:
Air
Earth
Fire
Water
Life
Death
Mind
Light
Darkness
Food
Animal
Person
Metamagic
|
Metamagic is the college that encompasses all colleges: it is the study
of how magics interact and the common elements of all magics. It
is used to detect, redirect or destroy manifestations of magic. A
user of Metamagic can Dispel or Suppress spells of any College; he may
increase or decrease their power; he may even capture them and use their
power for himself. Using the Metamagic and Life or Death colleges,
a mage can Transfer a victim's BODY into END for powering a spell -- 1
BODY yields 4 END; thus, taking a normal person from 10 to -10 BODY would
provide 80 Endurance! (No wonder necromancers are so powerful --
and unpopular.)
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Learning a Specific Spell
It is possible to learn specific spells. To do that, buy a skill
in that specific spell. Write up the spell as normal. Note
down the specific limitations required to cast this spell, and note any
associated skills that might be complementary. Other associated skills,
such as SC: Magical Theory, college skills, and the like, would be complementary.
To cast the spell, the character would roll against the skill in the spell.
This would be complementary to the spellcasting roll, as would any of the
other associated skills. If the caster has appropriate verb and noun
skills, these are also complementary. Once all of the associated
skills are rolled, roll against the final spellcasting roll.
Example: Honym the Fire Shaper wants to learn a specific spell,
Honym's Fire Bath. He builds the spell as 2d6 RKA (30 base points),
Explosive (+1/2), 0 END (+1/2), OAF Expendable - bat guano and sulfur (worth
an additional +2), Gestures, Incantations. The base modifiers to
Honym's spellcasting roll would be -3 (for 30 base points), -4 (from total
advantages); the total bonus for limitations would be +15 (+8 for the OAF
bonus, +2 for the combination of Gestures and Incantations, and * 1.5 because
the limitations are required for every casting of the spell) for a net
+11. Honym buys his Honym's Fire Bath skill at 16- based on his INT
of 18, so he pays 9 points. He also buys SC: Magical Theory at 13-
for 3 points, and KS: Fire Magic at 13- for 3 points. Honym also
buys 20 Ego so as to be able to cast a 60 Active Point spell.
To cast the spell, Honym would roll against his Honym's Fire Bath, Magical
Theory, and Fire Magic skills. The amounts by which he makes each
of these rolls add to his final spellcasting roll, as does his base +4
from Advantages and Limitations. Note that Honym didn't build a trigger
into the spell, so he can hold it for 1 phase before having to let it go
(the GM rules that if he does not, the spell will backlash on him and do
its full damage as a Side Effect).
The GM may, if she wishes, permit characters to improve a specific spell
after a successful casting. It is recommended that, after every adventure
in which a specific spell was successfully used, the GM allow a character
to spend 3 points for +1 to the spellcasting bonus for that specific spell
only. This is the only way, other than using skill levels with everything,
to increase your spellcasting bonus.
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Spell Books and Scrolls
A spell book or scroll is simply a written description of how to learn
a spell. To use a written spell, a character needs to study the spell
off of the work, but this is time consuming: one hour of study time per
active point in the spell. The character must have at least three
points in the language the spell is written in, and must be literate in
this language as well. A person can only effectively study for about
10 hours a day maximum (+1 for every 5 points of Ego the student has),
taking into account rest and meal breaks. After the full amount of
study time, the character will have a short term 8- skill in the specific
spell, which will last several hours or enough time to cast the spell once,
whichever is longer. At the end of this study period, the student
can spend 1 experience point to acquire the Familiarity with the specific
spell skill at 8-. If the work is sufficiently detailed, the student
can continue to study the work. Advanced study again requires one
hour per point in the spell. After this study period is over, the
student may spend 2 additional points to buy the full skill. No further
advancement is possible from a single spell book or scroll.
If study conditions are not conducive to good study habits, an INT roll
is required after each four hour study period; missing this roll halves
the effectiveness of the study time, while critically failing this roll
means that the entire benefit of the study period is lost. KS: Research
acts as complementary to the INT roll here.
If you have the college or verb skill associated with the spell in the
work, after each four hours of study you can roll against these skills.
If you make these rolls, you gain the benefit of one additional hour of
study for each roll you make. If you have a teacher, the teacher
may roll against his PS: Teaching skill after every four hours of instruction
time; succeeding here means you gain the benefit of an hour of additional
study time (however, if the teacher critically fails his teaching roll,
you gain no benefit at all from the time spent).
Some wizards write their spells out in code. Assuming the student
understands, can break, or has a key to the code, the effectiveness of
study time can be halved or worse. Also, an INT roll is required
after every two hours of study time or the benefit from that time is lost,
whether the roll is critically failed or simply failed. KS: Research
and KS: Cryptography can act as complementary to this INT roll.
Having the Cramming talent can give the character a short term 8- in
the specific spell much more quickly (1 minute per active point in the
spell), but to increase it to the full skill takes the regular amount of
time. Having Eidetic Memory gives you an effective 8- in the spell
for the entire time you are studying it, but only for purposes of acting
as a complementary roll for studying the spell. Speed Reading divides
the time requirements by 4. If a character has all three of these
Talents, he can gain the short term 8- skill (and the opportunity to spend
1 point on Familiarity) in as much time as it takes him to turn the pages,
but it still takes the regular amount of time to gain the full skill.
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Skill Levels
Characters will certainly want to purchase skill levels to improve their
magical abilities. Use the following table to determine skill level
costs:
| Cost |
Skill Levels |
| 2 |
Adds to any skill for a specific spell. Example: +1 with
Honym's Fire Shaping. This could apply to either Shape or Fire, when
used with that specific spell. It could also apply to a theoretical
Honym's Fire Shaping skill. |
| 3 |
Adds to one college/verb skill combination. (Example: +1
with Shape Fire. Works with any fire shaping and may be added to
either Shape or Fire.) |
| 5 |
Adds to a group of related colleges or verb skills. (Example:
Bind, Loose, Shape or All Elemental Colleges) |
| 8 |
Adds to all magical skills |
| 10 |
Levels with anything you can do. This is the only level that
can add directly to your bonus for casting a spell rather than to an associated
skill. |
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Designer's Notes
First, I wanted a magic system where anyone could cast a spell, yet the
process isn't so easy or unbalancing that everyone does -- the base roll
starts at 0 precisely so it's not easy. The GM can set this at a
base starting point (5, 8, or 11, for example), can base this on a skill
or characteristic roll, or anything else that might occur to her.
I also wanted the system to be flexible enough that the GM can decide
whether it requires some special ability (such as being born with the Second
Sight, faerie blood, etc.) or allows literally anyone to use magic.
If the GM wants to make mages less common, she can require the character
to spend a few points on this ability.
Finally, I wanted to be able to simulate various levels of ambient magical
power. Want a high mana level? It's easy. You can provide
one that increases the base spellcasting roll and reduces the Endurance
cost to cast spells; you can provide one that increases the active points
of all spells cast in it, either by a set amount or by some fraction of
the base (anywhere from 1/4 to 1 times the active points). You can
increase personal Recovery or Recovery of an Endurance Reserve. As
GM, you have lots of control over how magic works. You can also have
lines of magical power -- simply increase the ambient "mana level" as you
get closer to the line. You can even have magical places -- the "mana
level" is highest near Stonehenge, for example.
I hope that what I've come up with meets those requirements, and is
easy and fun to play with as well (this is the important part, remember).
I'm always looking for feedback; feel free to e-mail me at archer@nc.rr.com
. Especially let me know if you use it, the options you use, and
how well it worked.
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Legal Stuff
This document is Copyright © 1996, 1999 by Christopher A. Goodwin.
May be reprinted or linked to as long as all copyright information remains
intact, and as long as you e-mail me if you link to this page or reprint
it somewhere. If you charge for the medium in which this piece appears
(for example, on a pay-to-view web site or in a magazine) you must
ask me for permission first. I can be reached at archer@nc.rr.com.
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Created: 9/28/99 8:30pm EDT
Last Updated: 10/9/99 3:36pm EDT