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Post your spells here!

Started by MonkeyWrench, August 02, 2003, 05:39:16 AM

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MonkeyWrench

I've searched the boards high and low for spells people use in their games.  I'd like this to be the place were people can post the spells their PCs and NPCs make use of.
One of my players is dead set on playing a sorceror, but is having trouble thinking of uses for his vagaries. I've tried to help him out, but it's be great if I could present him with a short list of some useful spells. (other than the ones found in the book of course)
I'd start out by posting my own, but I'm having trouble grasping the system myself as well, which could possibly be why I can't explain it to him...oh well. Sorry if this has been covered before, but I couldn't find any hint of it. Thanks.
-Jim

Salamander

One of my compatriots, Spartan, has a mess of 'em...
"Don't fight your opponent's sword, fight your opponent. For as you fight my sword, I shall fight you. My sword shall be nicked, your body shall be peirced through and I shall have a new sword".

MonkeyWrench

I would love to get my hands on a list if it's at all possible. It doesn't even have to be hard and fast rules, just vagaries used and the effects. I love the free-form magic system, but I'll be damned if I don't love lists of spells as well.
-Jim

Spartan

Quote from: SalamanderOne of my compatriots, Spartan, has a mess of 'em...

I'll post them tonight. :)
And remember kids... Pillage first, THEN burn.

Spartan

Rulf tends to use spells of one due to their low CTNs.

Repel (Spell of One) (Inspired by Jedi flinging droids about in the movies ;) )

CTN 8 (Base) If Formalized: 6

T) 3 R) 2 V)2 D) O L) 1

Vagaries: Movement 1
Effects: Speed 1, Maneuverability 1
Duration: Instantaneous

Causes target creature to be hurled in a direction chosen by the caster.  If hurled into very solid objects, damage to target is 8 plus casting successes.


Clairvoyance (Spell of One)

CTN 0 (Formalized)

T) 0 R) 0 V) 0 D) 0 L) 1

Vagaries: Vision 1
Effects: Clairvoyance 1
Duration: Instantaneous

Allow the caster to see any area within one mile of his location, at 10x magnificatin if desired.  This spell requires no dice to cast or maintain due to the "Formalized" CTN, and there is no risk of aging.  It's almost an "innate ability", though gestures and/or dialogue would be needed by most beginning Gifted.

Aim (Spell of One)

CTN 6 (Base) If Formalized 4

T) 1 R) 2 V) 1 D) 0 L) 2

Vagaries: Movement 2
Effects: Maneuvarability 2
Duration: Instantaneous

Gives caster 6 (+ casting successes) extra MP dice to use in his next attack, provided it occurs in the next 6 (+ casting successes) seconds upon completion of the spell.  It allows the caster to mentally nudge the missile towards it's target somewhat.

Summation: Low CTNs, Formalization,  and Spells of One are your friends.  Obviously, those that use them should not be counted among your enemies if you can help it. ;)

I'll post more as I invent them.

-Mark
And remember kids... Pillage first, THEN burn.

Caz

Here are my first attempts at making spells...

Aneurism
CTN 9
T)3 R)2 V)1 D)0 L)3
sculpture 3
composition 3
instantaneous
Causes a clot or lump to form in the victims brain

Wither limb
CTN 8
T)3 R)1 V)1 D)0 L)3
Sculpture 3
composition 3
instantaneous
This spell turns the effected limb to leather and bone by withdrawing all moisture.  Can destroy limbs, or kill if cast on the head or body.
   (a higher volume on this spell could completely mummify a man)

Brian Leybourne

Hey Caz,

Those are fine, but note that the L component of both of your spells should be one higher. The formula is (highest vagary level) + 1 per extra vagary used, so 3+1 instead of just 3 in both cases. In the case of your blood clot spell, I would also (as Seneschal) require Vision 3 to be able to see inside the brain to know ehere to form the clot, which then ups the CTN again by 1.

Brian.
Brian Leybourne
bleybourne@gmail.com

RPG Books: Of Beasts and Men, The Flower of Battle, The TROS Companion

Caz

I was thinking I might need vision for either, but I figured it wasn't required after looking at rapiers of bone.  I had more in mind you'd just make a lump in their general brain area than a precision clot.
   I don't quite understand what you mean about the L component.  Isn't there just one vagary in each of those?
   Thanks for humoring me.  I'm taking my first look at the magic, and it's pretty fun.

Lance D. Allen

He's right Brian. Only one vagary each.

That's why it might be a good idea to actual list the vagary, like so:

Aneurism
CTN 9
T)3 R)2 V)1 D)0 L)3
Vagaries: Sculpture(composition 3)
instantaneous
Causes a clot or lump to form in the victim's brain

Still, sounds to me like someone caught Brian out...
~Lance Allen
Wolves Den Publishing
Eternally Incipient Publisher of Mage Blade, ReCoil and Rats in the Walls

Brian Leybourne

Ah shit, yeah, you got me. Sorry, I read sculpture and composition and my brain saw two vagaries. Lance is right, better to format it as in his example to avoid stupid people like me getting confused.

As for the vision thing, yeah, that's why I qualified it by saying that was what *I* would do as Seneschal. Different folks have different views on TROS magic and how some things work.

Brian.
Brian Leybourne
bleybourne@gmail.com

RPG Books: Of Beasts and Men, The Flower of Battle, The TROS Companion

Caz

Vision makes sense to me though.  But I'm on the right general track with making these then?
                                Thanks guys

MonkeyWrench

A warrior wizard decided to try this one out to increase his meager combat pool.

Warrior's Blessing
CTN 4 (Formalized CTN 2)
T) 0 R) 0 V) 2 D) 0 L) 2
Vagaries: Movement (Speed) 2
Instantaneous

Causes the caster's Reflex to double as they move with a supernatural speed.

Of course he maintains it throughtout whatever combat he is in.

Some ideas for spells I've had....
-Combine Aim (see Spartan's post above) with Movement (Speed 2) and Vision (Clairvoyance 1) to make an archer that can hit most anything he can see within a mile. Speed would possibly increase the range factor of the arrow/bolt/etc...
- Add a Vision (Telepathy and Divination 1) to the spell above to create a spell that allows the warrior to predict his opponents next movement, possibly decreasing the opponents CP. Telepathy to read the surface thoughts and Divination to try and predict the actual movement. Of course this could be useful for a variety of non-combat situations as well.
- A Glamour (all 3)/ Conquer (Implant 1) effect that creates a near real duplicate of the caster while making him seem invisible. Using Conquer would allow the caster to additionally cause people to ignore him meaning that he could move about and remain invisible.

I've found that in trying to make spells I have a hard time deciding the details of their effects. I suppose this is supposed to be vague, meaning that magic can be as powerful or weak as I (the Seneschal) wish.
On a side note does anyone have any ideas for changing the weather or calling down lightning? Thanks.
-Jim

Spartan

Quote from: MonkeyWrench- Add a Vision (Telepathy and Divination 1) to the spell above to create a spell that allows the warrior to predict his opponents next movement, possibly decreasing the opponents CP.

Just the Vision component alone could increase one's CP... nice idea!

Anticipate Defence/Attack (Spell of One)

CTN 1 (0 if Fomalized)

T) 0 R) 0 V) 0 D) 0 L) 1

Vagaries: Vision 1
Effects: Divination 1
Duration: Instantaneous

Allows caster a glimpse into the future of the combat he's in in order to anticipate his opponent's moves.  Caster gains a CP/MP bonus equal to his casting successes to a maximum of his own PER (?) +1.  This bonus drops by one each round as the fight progresses differently than it would have due to the sorcerer's actions.

-Mark
And remember kids... Pillage first, THEN burn.

spunky

Quote from: MonkeyWrenchSome ideas for spells I've had....
-Combine Aim (see Spartan's post above) with Movement (Speed 2) and Vision (Clairvoyance 1) to make an archer that can hit most anything he can see within a mile. Speed would possibly increase the range factor of the arrow/bolt/etc...
- Add a Vision (Telepathy and Divination 1) to the spell above to create a spell that allows the warrior to predict his opponents next movement, possibly decreasing the opponents CP. Telepathy to read the surface thoughts and Divination to try and predict the actual movement. Of course this could be useful for a variety of non-combat situations as well.

RE: the more intricate version of the spell, instead of reducing the opponent's pool, perhaps the sorcerer could increase his own pool by his opponent's.  

Another variation of any spell that grants precience would be to allow a replay -- the spell is cast before combat.   If the combat goes poorly for the caster, he can, at any point, declare that the combat was, in fact, his vision, and play returns to the point at which his spell was just cast.  Now he can avoid the fight, or try a different strategy.

On a general note, the most effective sorcerers in AH RuneQuest cast long term spells that boost their strength, dex, and armor, more than making up for limited combat skills.  An experienced RQ sorcerer almost never had to cast spells during combat, and if they did, their armoring enchanted made sure they didn't take damage during the casting.  All of these strategies apply to Riddle Sorcerers as well.

Philip
Exterminate all rational thought.
                 ---Wm. S. Burroughs

Brian Leybourne

Quote from: spunkyAnother variation of any spell that grants precience would be to allow a replay -- the spell is cast before combat.   If the combat goes poorly for the caster, he can, at any point, declare that the combat was, in fact, his vision, and play returns to the point at which his spell was just cast.  Now he can avoid the fight, or try a different strategy.

Actually, I quote like that idea, but I can see a great potential for abuse. It would need to be controlled by the GM, perhaps only working for as many exchanges as the number of successes on the spell casting roll. If you go past that number of exchanges and have not declared the fight "your vision" then it just carries on and the spell is no longer in effect (in game terms, the spell had only told you up to that point in the fight, which was not enough to determine the eventual outcome).

Quote from: spunkyOn a general note, the most effective sorcerers in AH RuneQuest cast long term spells that boost their strength, dex, and armor, more than making up for limited combat skills.  An experienced RQ sorcerer almost never had to cast spells during combat, and if they did, their armoring enchanted made sure they didn't take damage during the casting.  All of these strategies apply to Riddle Sorcerers as well.

Absolutely positively. A TROS sorcerer who is relying on casting spells once he's in melee combat is a very unprepared and very about to be dead one. There's no excuse to enter combat without a plethora of boosting and protecting spells already in effect, plus of course a few embedded spells to redirect damage back at an opponent who has just hit you, or melt the weapon that strikes your shield, or close wounds as they appear, or...

Brian.
Brian Leybourne
bleybourne@gmail.com

RPG Books: Of Beasts and Men, The Flower of Battle, The TROS Companion