Sorcery: Plant Spells VII

Sorcery: Plant Spells VII

GURPS Magic - Plant Spells is one of my favorite supplements. Too bad I haven't had a chance to use it in play. Blade of Grass transforms a blade of grass into a literal blade. Bloodsucking Branches turns branches into vampiric organisms. Buoyant Plant Life lets the caster hop between lily pads. Capturing Vines is a stronger, but more specialized version of Tangle Growth. Seaweed Clutch is its aquatic variant.

Blade of Grass

Keywords: Obvious.

Full Cost: 9 points.

Casting Roll: None. Use appropriate sword skill to hit.

Range: Self.

Duration: Indefinite.

                This spell transforms a single blade of grass into a knife or sword. The sword reverts into grass when the spell becomes inactive or when the sword leaves your hand. The weapon is well-crafted, with a blade that shines pale green in sunlight. It appears to be metallic, but it’s composed entirely of vegetable matter. A piece of grass 6” to 11” creates a small knife. Between 12” and 17” makes a large knife. A length of 18” to 29” inches turns into a shortsword. Between 30” and 47” transforms into a broadsword. Any length of 48” to 53” creates a bastard sword. Any length of 54” or longer makes a greatsword. The item has all of the stats of its type (same weight, Reach, etc.) except cost.

Statistics: Cutting Attack 3 (Breakable, DR 7, -10%; Melee Attack, Reach 1-2, -25%; Nuisance Effect, Limited by grass length, -15%; Nuisance Effect, Weight, -5%; Requires grass, -10%; Sorcery, -15%; ST-Based, +100%; Thrusting Blade, +15%) [9].

  

Bloodsucking Branches

Keywords: Area (Leveled), Resisted (IQ).

Full Cost: 18 points for level 1 + 10 points/additional level.

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

Range: 100 yards.

Duration: 10 seconds.

You may temporarily transform a two-yard-radius area of rooted, branching plants into vampiric organisms. To place the effect at a distance, use Innate Attack (Gaze), with normal range penalties, but at +4 for affecting an area.

Every creature in the area of effect is attacked by the animated branches at an effective skill of 12. The branches sting their victims and suck their blood out, dealing 1d-2 points of fatigue damage each hit. Any DR, except Tough Skin, stops this damage. The blood flows down to the roots, where it is expelled into the soil. A creature that took damage from the bloodsucking branches, must make an IQ roll or be mentally stunned. A stunned creature can recover normally. Any creature moving at Move 4 or greater is too fast to be stung.

If using the Density of Vegetation rules (GURPS Magic: Plant Spells, p. 6) alter the rate of FP loss as follows: Sparse (1 FP per hit), Normal (no change), Dense (1d-1 FP per hit), Impenetrable (1d FP per hit).

Statistics: Affliction 1 (IQ; Accessibility, Only against creatures with blood traveling at Move 3 or less, -20%; Area Effect, 2 yards, +50%; Based on IQ, +20%; Bombardment, Skill 12, -10%; Contact Agent, -30%; Environmental, Branching Vegetation, -40%; Limited by vegetation density, -15%; Link, +10%; Persistent, +40%; Sorcery, -15%; Variable, Area, +5%) [10] + Fatigue Attack 1d (Accessibility, Only against creatures with blood traveling at Move 3 or less, -20%; Area Effect, 2 yards, +50%; Bombardment, Skill 12, -10%; Contact Agent, -30%; Environmental, Branching Vegetation, -40%; Fixed Duration, +0%; Limited by vegetation density, -15%; Link, +10%; Magical, -10%; Persistent, +40%; Variable, Area, +5%) [8]. Further levels add Area Effect (+50%) to both advantages [+10].

  

Buoyant Plant Life

Keywords: Area (Leveled), Buff.

Full Cost: 28 points for level 1 + 5 points/additional level.

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

Range: 100 yards.

Duration: 3 minutes.

All vegetable material floating on water in the area of effect becomes supernaturally buoyant. Choose one of three levels at the time of the spell’s casting.

Can be temporarily held below the surface: The plant life cannot stay submerged for more than 1d+9 seconds. Roll once, for all plants in the area.

Never fully under: The plant life can be 90% submerged, but never fully.

Always on the surface: The plant life floats, with no more than 10% of its mass under water, and cannot go deeper.

Note that the vegetation is not fixed to its current location, so anyone who wants to hop between lily pads or walk across floating logs risks falling down. Treat this as if the person was walking on objects laid over a greased surface (GURPS Magic, p. 142).

The basic (26-point) version of this spell affects subjects in a two-yard radius. For each additional 5 points, you may double this radius. The GM must determine the maximum level allowed; 128 yards is recommended. You may always choose to affect a lesser area.

Statistics: Affliction 1 (HT; Area Effect, 2 yards, +50%; Accessibility, Plants Only, -40%; Advantage, Buoyant Plant Life, +140%; Fixed Duration, +0%; Increased 1/2D, 10x, +15%; No Signature, +20%; Sorcery, -15%; Variable, +5%; Variable Area, +5%) [28]. Notes: “Buoyant Plant Life” is Walk on Liquid (Magical, -10%) [14]. The additional levels add more levels of Area Effect (+50%) [+5].

Capturing Vines

Keywords: Area (Leveled).

Full Cost: 45 points for level 1 + 15 points/additional level.

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

Range: 100 yards.

Duration: 10 seconds.

You can direct existing vines to entangle and restrain everyone within an area. It requires a roll against Innate Attack (Gaze) plus Talent; if you miss, see Scatter (p. B414). The binding has ST 15 and lasts for 10 seconds, continuing to entangle new people who blunder into it. Those already caught grow more tightly entangled, with +1 to the ST of their bonds for each additional second they remain grappled. If the vines are reaching out laterally (from a wall or fence), targets may use active defenses. If the attack comes up from the ground, limit active defenses to parries with feet or a dodge at -3. This spell has no effect on sapient plants.

The basic (45-point) version of this spell affects subjects in a two-yard radius. For each additional 15 points, you may double this radius. The GM must determine the maximum level allowed; 128 yards is recommended. You may always choose to omit specific targets from the area of effect.

Statistics: Binding 15 (Area Effect, 2 yards, +50%; Can be defended against, -5%; Environmental, Vines, -40%; Persistent, +40%; Selective Area, +20%; Sorcery, -15%) [45]. The additional levels add more levels of Area Effect (+50%) [+15].

Seaweed Clutch

Keywords: Area (Leveled).

Full Cost: 39 points for level 1 + 15 points/additional level.

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

Range: 100 yards.

Duration: 10 seconds.

You can direct existing dense seaweed to entangle and restrain everyone within an area. It requires a roll against Innate Attack (Gaze) plus Talent; if you miss, see Scatter (p. B414). The binding has ST 15 and lasts for 10 seconds, continuing to entangle new people who blunder into it. Those already caught grow more tightly entangled, with +1 to the ST of their bonds for each additional second they remain grappled. If the seaweed strands are reaching out laterally (from a wall or fence), targets may use active defenses. If the attack comes up from the sea floor, limit active defenses to parries with feet or a dodge at -3. This spell has no effect on sapient seaweed.

The basic (39-point) version of this spell affects subjects in a two-yard radius. For each additional 15 points, you may double this radius. The GM must determine the maximum level allowed; 128 yards is recommended. You may always choose to omit specific targets from the area of effect.

Statistics: Binding 15 (Area Effect, 2 yards, +50%; Can be defended against, -5%; Environmental, Dense Seaweed, -60%; Persistent, +40%; Selective Area, +20%; Sorcery, -15%) [39]. The additional levels add more levels of Area Effect (+50%) [+15].