Sorcery: Meta Spells V

Sorcery: Meta Spells V

Drain Magery weakens magical abilities of the subject. Drain Mana and Restore Mana manipulate the flow of mana. Steal Spell steals control over an ongoing spell.

   

Drain Magery

Keywords: Resisted (Will + Magery).

Full Cost: 85 or 90 points.

Casting Roll: Will. Special casting time (see below).

Range: Touch.

Duration: Truly Permanent.

This spell permanently removes one level of Magery of any kind from the victim. The subject adds their level of Magery to their resistance roll. Effects of subsequent casting are cumulative. Casting the basic (85-point) version of this spell takes 10 minutes, and the caster must touch the subject throughout the casting. Thus, this spell typically can only be used on helpless subjects. The improved (90-point) version of this spell can be cast in one second, making the spell viable when the victim is not restrained. The victim does not lose his knowledge of spells, but loses the ability to cast those that require a higher level of Magery than their new one.

This spell’s effect is Truly Permanent – it cannot be dispelled, even with Remove Curse. However, a critical failure with this spell costs the caster a level of Sorcery Talent and a point of IQ!

Statistics: Affliction 1 (Will; Based on Will, +20%; Cumulative, +400%; Extended Duration, Truly Permanent, +300%; Immediate Preparation Required, 10 minutes, -45%; Malediction 1, +100%; Melee Attack, Reach C, -30%; Negated Advantage, Magery 1, +10%; No Signature, +20%; Nuisance Effect, The caster loses a level of Sorcery Talent and a point of IQ on critical failure, -10%; Sorcery, -15%) [85]. The improved version removed Immediate Preparation Required, 10 minutes, -45% [+5]. Notes: The victim adding their Magery level to their resistance roll is a special feature. If Sorcery is the only magic system in use, Magery can be replaced by Sorcery Talent for the purpose of this spell without changing its cost. The GM may even allow to replace Magery with Sorcerous Empowerment, but this will increase the value of the Negated Advantage enhancement to +20%, making the spell’s full cost equal to 86 points.

  

Drain Mana

Keywords: Area (Leveled).

Full Cost: 123 points for level 1 + 15 points/additional level.

Casting Roll: None. Special casting time (see below).

Range: Self.

Duration: Truly Permanent.

The caster performs a ritual that requires one hour of unbroken concentration, and drains mana from the area around them, making it difficult or impossible for others to cast spells and use magical abilities. This spell reduces the local mana level in the area by three steps. The area of effect stays stable with respect to the earth, but not to objects. Thus, if the spell is cast in a moving vehicle, the effect will stay at its point of origin, rather than moving with the vehicle.

This is a Truly Permanent effect that cannot be dispelled, lifted with Remove Curse, or displaced with Displace Spell.

For details, see Mana (p. B235) and Mana (GURPS Thaumatology: Sorcery, p. 23).

Statistics: Mana Damper 3 (Area Effect, 2 yards, +50%; Extended Duration, Truly Permanent, +300%; Immediate Preparation Required, 1 hour, -75%; Persistent, +40%; Sorcery, -15%; Variable, Area, +5%) [122] + Rules Exemption (Magical abilities can coexist with Mana Damper) [1]. Additional levels add Area Effect (+50%) [+15].

  

Restore Mana

Keywords: Area (Leveled).

Full Cost: 370 points for level 1 + 50 points/additional level.

Casting Roll: None. Special casting time (see below).

Range: Self.

Duration: Truly Permanent.

The caster performs a ritual that requires one hour of unbroken concentration, and restores mana in a no-mana zone, making it possible to cast spells within it. This spell increases the mana level in the area around the caster by up to two steps, but it cannot bring the mana level higher that the “average” mana level of the surrounding area, regardless of what it might have been before. The area of effect stays stable with respect to the earth, but not to objects. Thus, if the spell is cast in a moving vehicle, the effect will stay at its point of origin, rather than moving with the vehicle.

This is a Truly Permanent effect that cannot be dispelled, lifted with Remove Curse, or displaced with Displace Spell. Unlike other spells, Restore Mana itself is not affected by the ambient mana level and can be cast when there is no mana at all.

For details, see Mana (p. B235) and Mana (GURPS Thaumatology: Sorcery, p. 23).

Statistics: Mana Enhancer 2 (Accessibility, Only to restore dead magic zones, -30%; Area Effect, 2 yards, +50%; Extended Duration, Truly Permanent, +300%; Immediate Preparation Required, 1 hour, -75%; Nuisance Effect, Cannot bring the mana level higher that the “average”, -10%; Persistent, +40%; Sorcery, -10%; Variable, Area, +5%) [370]. Additional levels add Area Effect (+50%) [+50]. Note: The Sorcery limitation costs -10% because the dependency on ambient mana is lifted for this spell.

  

Steal Spell

Keywords: Area (Special).

Full Cost: 30 points for level 1 + 15 points/additional level.

Casting Roll: IQ.

Range: 100 yards.

Duration: Indefinite.

This spell allows the caster to attempt to take control of an ongoing spell that someone else has cast. Steal Spell must target the subject, not the caster. When affecting an area spell, the entire area must be covered by Steal Spell. The first level of this spell covers an area one yard in radius; each additional level increases this by one yard.

If the spell is already under someone else’s direct control (for example, if the spell has an indefinite duration and the original caster can change some of its parameters, or if someone else has cast Displace Spell on it), roll a Quick Contest of the caster’s IQ against the other person’s IQ or appropriate spell skill, if the control was established by a spell of another magic system. The caster must win to establish control. If the spell is a “fire and forget” one, then a successful IQ roll is required.

Steal Spell allows the caster to change parameters that the original caster had control over. For example, give mental orders via Animal Control (GURPS Thaumatology: Sorcery, p. 13), move Light (GURPS Thaumatology: Sorcery, p. 19), etc. Note that the caster must not only pay the maintenance cost of Steal Spell, but also maintain the stolen spell.

Statistics: Control Magic 1 (Accessibility, Only to control parameters, -25%; Ranged, +40%; Sorcery, ‑15%) [30]. Additional levels add Control Magic +1 (Accessibility, Only to control parameters, -25%; Only increases area of effect, ‑50%; Ranged, +40%; Sorcery, ‑15%) [15/level]. Note: As this is one advantage (Control Magic) with the Sorcery limitation, not two, it costs only 1 FP to use.