High Magic

High Magic Rules: v0.3 Needs work Obsolete Creation, Destruction, and Manipulation are the Techniques and are capitalized. Some classes can specialize in a Technique and receive bonuses to experience and spell efficiency. The schools are the steps of spell creation that are bold and underlined. You “level up” in Schools by using a set amount of mana in that school. The manaexperience formula is the same as the standard class-experience formula and mages get 10% bonus mana-experience when using their specialized Technique. Reductions to spell cost from Technique specializations and Handicaps chosen during spell creation do not affect experience granted. A special note on durations of spells: the way it is right now is not how I meant it to be. Magic is not supposed to “wear off”. However, in the name of game balance, I have decided that spells that the schools Healing, Damage, Cancellation, Teleportation, and Charms are expended and have duration “instant,” meaning that they do not revert to their former states at all. The other schools are investments by default and to make them permanent you must expend 100 times their cost evenly over a period of 20 hours. While I make edits to the individual entries, High Magic will be on version 0.25. Miscellaneous Rules: A character may spend at most 100 times (School level) mana on any one spell. If two or more spells conflict, unless one spell is specifically being cast to dispel the other, resolve them by making an opposed caster level check modified by School level. School level may be added to this check once more for every 15 additional mana spent (devoted to this purpose). School mod if the average of SPELL and school level. Casting Spells: Move down this list, adding desired effects and mana costs as you go. Multiplication comes after all addition unless stated otherwise and exponentiation comes after multiplication. Range: default is touch. Monks initially do not have access to this but can deliver touch spells through monk weapons. For every (school mod) feet (or more appropriate unit), add 1 to cost. If a touch attack is required to hit, divide range cost by two. Damage: default is 0 Magic, Fortitude save at standard DC negates. This portion of the spell is Destruction and is expended. For every 10 damage, add 1 to cost. For every 1d(school mod + x) damage, add 5(x + 1) to cost. Mana damage costs the same as health damage. If a saved attack does half damage, double the damage cost. If the damage cannot be saved, instead quadruple the damage cost. For each element added to the damage, add 5 to cost (Magic may be replaced at no cost). To reduce one attribute of the target by one point for x hours, add 5x. To make this attribute damage permanent, square this portion of the cost (treating x as 1).

To absorb each attribute point as 100x mana (mental) or health (physical), add x. To absorb them as one point in the same attribute, square this portion of the cost. Absorbed points return to the target after recovery but are kept if the target dies before that. If the damage is to be dealt over x turns, divide the cost by ½x. If damage is not subject to resistance, square the damage cost. Target: default is 1 character/object or a five-foot-radius sphere centered within range. To add x characters/objects or feet of radius, multiply total cost by x + 1. If the spell arcs to x additional targets within y feet of the original after arcing at most (z – 1) previous times, add xyz to cost. If the caster can choose which targets to arc to, double the targeting cost. To instead target a spell, add the level of the spell’s caster to cost unless the caster is willing. Transmutation: default is none on a willing target, save DC (school mod) Will or Fortitude negates. Lasts until investment is taken back (but can be made permanent). This portion of the spell is Manipulation unless it is used to produce gradium from lesser metals or vice versa. For each physical attribute point added to or removed from the target, add 10 to cost. For each mental attribute point added to or removed from a mortal target, add 10 to cost. For Empowered targets, add 100. For Half-mortal targets, add 1000. Stronger targets cannot be transmuted in this way. For each 10 maximum health bestowed upon the target, add 1 to cost. Neither actual health nor mana can be affected by transmutation. 1000 To raise an elemental resistance to x%, add to cost. To lower it, instead 100 − x add 100 – x. For each (school mod) pounds added to or removed from mass, add 5 to cost. For each (school mod) cubic feet added to or removed from volume, add 1 to cost. To transmute against the target’s will, double the transmutation cost. Add 25 mana to increase DC by one. To change from living to nonliving or vice versa, add 100. To change from animated to living/nonliving or vice versa, add 50. Material can be changed without affecting cost, but inherently magical (like gradium) materials cannot be created using only Transmutation. Magic items also cannot be created with Transmutation. To transform one pound of gradium into two pounds of a lesser metal, add 10 and change this portion’s Technique to Destruction. No extra cost is needed for violating Conservation of Mass. To transform two pounds of a lesser metal into one pound of gradium, add 10 and change this portion’s technique to Creation. No extra cost is needed for violating Conservation of Mass. This is expended and is permanent. Conjuration: default is none, lasts until investment is taken back (but can be made permanent). This portion of the spell is Creation.

To create complex objects, the caster must have sufficient ranks in the appropriate craft skill but need not make a craft check or pay material costs. This does not cost extra mana. For every (school mod) pounds or cubic feet created, add 5 mana. If the object created is to be animate, add 100. If it is alive, add another 100. If the caster has the relevant feat, a soul may be created for 1000 mana. This soul has whatever personality the caster wishes and is usually loyal to the caster. Living things that lack souls cannot be revived. For each attribute point of the created object, add 10 mana. For every ten life or mana points bestowed upon the created object, add 1 mana. Mana bestowed upon conjurations is maximum; created objects begin with no mana. For every level in a mortal class the object is to have, add 100. For non-mortal levels, add 1000. Drifter levels cannot be bestowed upon a created object. Inherently magical materials or objects cannot be created using Conjuration alone. To allow the use of Transmutation to create gradium from lesser metals, add 100. This is automatically permanent. The creation may begin with as many augmentations as you can afford, but the experience from these goes to Enchantment. Mana from this transfers at the spell’s speed rather than the augmentation’s. Charms: default is none, save DC (school mod) Will negates. Lasts until the investment is taken back (but can be made permanent). Target can feel this even if the spell was cast stealthfully. This portion of the spell is Manipulation. To increase DC by 1, add 15 mana. To emulate a request made with (school mod + x) ranks in Persuade or Intimidate, add (x + 1) mana. If the language barrier is ignored, double the cost of this effect. If the request is made telepathically, double the cost of this effect. If this effect is not subject to the save, double its cost. To force compliance with a single reasonable demand of 10 words or less, double Charm cost (or add 100 mana if Charm cost is less than 50). To add one word, add 5 mana. To ignore language barrier, make the request telepathic, or cause the target to obey unreasonable demands (such as those obviously harmful), double the cost again. To reduce a mental attribute by 1, add 20. To alter or erase (school mod) hours of memories, increase Charm cost by 10. To make target unaware that they were affected, double the Charm cost. To make the target unaware that they even attempted a save, double the Charm cost again. To increase duration by (school level) hours, add 100 to the cost. To make it permanent, instead apply the cost of the entire spell to maximum mana and experience. Healing: default is none, does not affect dead, takes place over one day, does not affect cursed wounds. Health is drawn from the caster’s pool. This portion of the

spell is Manipulation unless stated otherwise. Mana cannot be healed; it can be transferred but this gives no experience. To add 10 points of healing, add 1 to cost. To add 1d(school mod + x) points of healing, add x + 1 to cost. To cure magical poison, add the cost of the Curse section of the spell that caused the poison. To cure mundane poison, add the DC for the poison. To cure disease, add the DC for that disease. If the disease is magical, double this cost and the caster of the disease gets a Will save. To cure cursed wounds, double the cost. To finish healing one hour sooner, add one to cost (so instant healing costs 24 extra). This can also work in reverse. To affect a character who has been dead for x months, add x to cost. To affect a character whose body has been destroyed, quadruple the cost. To give x health to the target in exchange for 1 health from the source, multiply the cost by x. To draw the health from another character (failing a Fortitude or Will save at standard DC), add 100 times the source’s level to the cost. If the other source is willing, only 10 times the source’s level. To increase the DC by 1, add 30 to cost. Revival is accomplished by healing the dead character back to full health. If the dead character is partially healed, he or she retains the health gained but is still dead until fully healed. To heal from no source, square the healing portion of the cost and change this portion’s Technique to Creation. Teleportation: default is none, only willing targets, Will save at standard DC negates. This portion of the spell is Manipulation and is expended. To teleport target to any location within 500(school mod)x feet, add x. To teleport all targets to the same location within 2500(school mod)x feet, add x. Note that multiple targets simeoultaneously occupying the same location can be harmful if more than one is solid. To teleport something within 500(school mod)x feet to the target location, add x. To teleport unwilling targets, double the cost. To increase the DC by 1, add 10. This is after doubling the cost to allow unwilling targets. Cancellation: default is none, Will or Fortitude save at standard DC negates. This portion of the spell is Destruction and is expended. To deal 50 mana damage to the target, add 1 mana. To affect mana invested in weapons, spells, or augmentations associated with the target, double this cost. Mana damage is distributed freely among these areas. To affect miscellaneous pools owned by but unattached to the target (such as an out-of-range Eye or the pool for followers’ cleric spells), double this cost again.

To dispel one spell associated with the target whose caster fails a Will save at the standard DC + x, add 10(x + 1). To sever one weapon bond of degree x, add 100x. The target’s owner gets a save at ¾ of the standard DC. To slay one level x character on a failed Soul save at (half standard DC) + y, add 1000x2(y + 1)2. This can only be used on Immortals or higher. To allow the use of Transmutation to change gradium into a lesser metal, add 100 per cubic foot of gradium. This is automatically permanent. Kinesis: Default is none, Will or Reflex save at standard DC negates. All costs are investments unless stated otherwise. This portion of the spell is Manipulation. To move targets away from you at up to (school mod)x ft/s, add x. To move all targets in one direction at up to (school mod)x ft/s, add 2x. To move each target in its own direction at up to (school mod)x ft/s, add 4x. To manipulate targets as if with x hands at your own attribute scores and skill levels, add 10x if you are used to that many hands and 20x if you are not. To increase effective STR by 1, add 1, up to (school mod) times your STR. To increase effective DEX by 1, add 2, up to (half school mod) times your DEX. The hands move instantly but can only carry objects at your maximum speed. They cannot touch magebanes. To substitute “objects” for “hands,” increase the multiplier (10 or 20) by half the craft DC to make the item. This does not require a craft check, but you must have sufficient rank in the appropriate craft skill and magical items cannot be simulated this way. Enchantments: Default is none, only willing targets, lasts until the investment is taken back (but the effect can be made permanent). This portion of the spell is Manipulation, unless it is used with Conjuration to create magic items or material. To bestow Augmentations on an unwilling target, expend twice its total cost in addition to investing it. Standard Will save negates. To increase DC by 1, add 10. Curses: Default is none, see text for save info, is permanent but only contagious while the investment lasts (this can also be made permanent). A curse is treated as a magical disease for the purpose of curing. This portion of the spell is either Manipulation or Destruction, at the caster’s option. To be contagious through touch, add 10. To be contagious through indirect touch, instead add 20. To be contagious through water, add 50. To be contagious through eye contact, add 70. To be contagious through air, add 100. To be contagious through family trees, add 10,000. All transmission types begin with a 10% chance of “exposure” per hour (or instance of eye contact or touch). To increase this rate by 1% (for one transmission type), add 10. After exposure, the affected individual must make a Fortitude save at standard DC. To increase this DC by one, add 10.

The incubation period is one week, one month, six months, or one year. To reduce this by one day (to a minimum of one day), add 10. To increase this by one day, add 5. To make the disease contagious during incubation period, multiply the Curse cost by four. If the disease is not contagious after incubation, divide the Curse cost by four. If corpse remain contagious, multiply the disease cost by 4. Corpses cannot be contagious if the disease is not contagious after incubation. Corpses are never contagious through eye contact or family trees. Burned corpses can only be contagious through air unless the cost is doubled. During incubation, the disease can be detected as if its cost were invested in the afflicted. To reduce the apparent magnitude of the investment by 11, add 1. If this only applies during incubation, it is instead 21 per point. The disease can also be detected and identified as magical by a Healing or Medicine check of DC 30; to increase this by 1, add 5. After incubation, a disease can be detected by a DC 10 Perception check (made automatically every ten rounds) or a DC 5 Heal or Medicine check (which also identifies it as magical). To increase Perception DC by 1, add 10. To increase Heal or Medicine DC by 1, add 15. To transmute afflicted individuals after incubation, add the transmutation cost. If this transmutation takes place evenly over x days, divide the Disease Transmutation cost by x. This reduces the Perception DC by 5. To compel afflicted individuals to follow a simple set of instructions after incubation (at most 10 words), add 50. This is after a Will save at the disease’s DC. To add one word, add 10. This does not endow them with special abilities, but they will attempt to do even impossible tasks. This reduces the Perception DC by 1 for people who know the afflicted unless it is in-character for them (unlikely unless the command is long). To deal 1d4 magic damage per day, to a maximum of (school mod)d4, add 10. This reduces the Perception DC by 5 per d4, unless the disease damage cost is tripled to internalize the damage. If this is done, corpses are destroyed and can only be contagious through air. To instead check for damage hourly, multiply disease damage cost by 25. To deal one point of attribute damage per day, to a maximum of (school mod) per attribute, add 10. This reduces the Perception DC by 5. To instead check hourly, multiply by 30. To slay the afflicted the moment incubation is finished (Will or Fortitude (caster’s option) DC (half disease’s) negates), add 100. For this to affect non-mortals, add another 900. To delay one symptom by one day, add 1 mana. After incubation, a disease’s symptoms can be held off for one day on a successful Fortitude or Will (caster’s option) save at DC 30. Three successful saves in a row cure the disease. To increase the number of successful saves required by one, add 10. To increase the DC by 1, add 1. To make a single specific individual immune to the curse, add 1.

To make a group approved by the DM immune to the curse, add 30. Miscellaneous Modifiers: default is casting time one turn, requires concentration to cast but not maintain. To increase casting time by 1 turn, subtract 10. To reduce casting time to one action, double the cost. To require a successful Casting check of DC 10, subtract 50. If the mana is still invested/expended on a failed check, subtract a further 10. If failure deals x damage to the caster, subtract a further x. If failure is fatal, subtract five times the Casting DC. This overrides the “damage on failure” effect and death from spell failure is always permanent. The DM is encouraged to allow other failure effects, such as “casts anyway but on random target within sight,” and more may be added later. To increase the DC by 1, subtract a further 10. If concentration is not required, double the cost. If the spell uses up x concentration slots, divide the cost by ½x. Divination: Default is none. This portion of the spell is Manipulation (maybe its own school?). This portion of the spell uses its own range and target. To detect surface thoughts of the target on a failed Will save at standard DC, add 10 for mortals, 100 for half-mortals, and 1000 for stronger. Mortals automatically fail this save. To increase DC by 1, add 10. To detect deep thoughts of the target on a failed Will save at standard DC, add 100 for mortals, 1000 for half-mortals, and 10,000 for stronger. To increase DC by 1, add 10. To detect thoughts the target does not know or remember (but once did), or to detect unbiased thoughts from a biased target (50% chance that there are no unbiased thoughts; the caster knows whether there are), double this cost. To gain the use of one sense as if standing up to (school mod)x miles from your actual location, add 10x. To retain awareness of your actual location, double this cost. To have the location follow a character or object, or simply move as the caster directs it, double this cost. The awareness disappears if the location leaves the boundary. To gain the use of someone else’s senses upon failure of a standard Will save, add 100 per sense (plus 10 per (school mod) miles). To to cast a spell on a target within (school mod) miles as if you could see them, add 5. Note that this does not increase the base spell’s range. To detect members of a certain race, element, or other descriptor within 10x feet, add x. This is mutable at the DM’s discretion based on the size of the group detected.