Sorcery: Plant Spells X

Sorcery: Plant Spells X

And even more plant spells. Three of them are variants of some vanilla spells. Summon Dryad summons a dryad instead of an elemental. Vine to Snake transforms a vine into a snake. Wood Golem is a more specific version of Golem. Forest Defense makes the plants protect the subject from harm.

  

Forest Defense

Keywords: Buff.

Full Cost: 27 points.

Casting Roll: None. Use Innate Attack (Gaze) to aim.

Range: 100 yards.

Duration: Three minutes.

This spell animates plants near the subject to place themselves in harm’s way. This increases the subject’s DR, cumulative with that from actual armor, but only when the subject stands in a hex with some vegetation. DR is 2 in sparse vegetation, 3 in normal vegetation, 4 in dense vegetation, and 5 in impenetrable vegetation. See Density of Vegetation rules in GURPS Magic: Plant Spells, p. 6.

Statistics: Affliction 1 (HT; Advantage, Forest Defense, +150%; Fixed Duration, +0%; Increased 1/2D, 10x, +15%; No Signature, +20%; Sorcery, -15%) [27]. Note: “Forest Defense” is Damage Resistance 5 (Environmental, Vegetation, -40%; Force Field, +20%; Magical, -10%; Nuisance Effect, Strength is based on vegetation density, -10%) [15].

Summon Dryad

Keywords: None.

Full Cost: 16 points.

Casting Roll: Will, rolled as a Quick Contest against the summoned being’s Will. Special casting time, see below.

Range: Special, see below.

Duration: Hours equal to margin of victory on Quick Contest of Will.

This allows the caster to call a dryad within half a mile – if one exists. In general, the GM should assume that a dryad is available if the location is appropriate, unless the scenario or situation requires that dryads are opportunely absent. Use the trait list from GURPS Fantasy (p. 213). If it is killed, the summoner must wait a full day to call replacements. Dismissing the dryad is a free action, but the caster may only dismiss her if she is physically present. The caster can only cast this spell if his character’s point total is at least 2 times bigger than the dryad’s.

The summoning itself requires a ritual that takes 10 minutes. At the end of the ritual, the caster pays 1 FP and makes a Quick Contest of Will against the dryad to force it to appear. If the caster is victorious, the dryad arrives. It then makes a reaction roll. On Poor or worse, treat it as an Unwilling Ally – it will obey the caster, but try to subvert their commands or otherwise act against their interests. If the reaction is Neutral or better, it will serve the caster reasonably faithfully.

The summoned dryad is not under the caster’s control. Note that a dismissal does not guarantee the dryad will leave. If it is hostile, or simply curious, she may choose to stay!

Statistics: Ally (Dryad; Built on 50%; Constantly, no roll required; Adjustable, Dryads, +25%; Conjured, +100%; Immediate Preparation Required, 10 minutes, -45%; Requires Quick Contest of Will vs. Will, -15%; Magical, -10%; Maximum Duration, hours equal to margin of victory, -5%; Special Abilities, +50%) [16]. Notes: The Maximum Duration limitation is priced based on Maximum Duration, 12 hours. As a special effect, this spell breaks sorcery rules by allowing free maintenance, but this is offset by imposing a FP cost to cast.

Vine to Snake

Keywords: None.

Full Cost: 18 points.

Casting Roll: None.

Range: Touch.

Duration: Indefinite.

Transforms a vine touched by you into a rattlesnake (p. B458) that does your mental bidding while it exists. If the snake is killed, the summoner must wait a full day to call replacements. Dismissing the snake is a free action, but you may only dismiss it if he is physically present. You can only cast this spell if your character’s point total is at least 2 times bigger than the snake’s.

Statistics: Ally (Rattlesnake; Built on 50%; Constantly, no roll required; Conjured, +100%; Minion, +50%; Requires a vine, -10%; Sorcery, -15%) [18].

Wood Golem

Keywords: None.

Full Cost: 34 points.

Casting Roll: None.

Range: Touch.

Duration: Indefinite, see text.

The caster animates a wood golem. The golem’s body must be prepared in advance. See GURPS Magic, page 59 for the clay golem template, but add ST+2, HP+10, DR 4, and Fragile (Combustible).

If the golem is destroyed, the caster must wait a full day to create a new one. You can only cast this spell if your character’s point total is at least 2 times bigger than the golem’s.

Unlike most spells with an Indefinite duration, this spell drains FP at a rate of 1 FP per hour, not minute.

Statistics: Ally (Wood Golem; Built on 100%; Constantly, no roll required; Adjustable, Wood Golems, +50%; Magical, -10%; Minion, +50%; Requires preparation, -20%) [34].