Sorcery: Artillery Spells VII

Sorcery: Artillery Spells VII

This post covers Mind Control and Movement artillery spells.

  

Collision

Keywords: Area (Fixed).

Full Cost: 46 points for level 1 + 27 points/additional level.

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

Range: 100 yards.

Duration: Instantaneous.

You may create an instant pulling force in an 8-yard-radius area that throws everything towards the center. To place the effect at a distance, use Innate Attack (Gaze), with normal range penalties, but at +4 for affecting an area.

Everything in the area takes 4d knockback damage per level of this spell directed towards the center of the area. There’s no time to grab anything, but people already hanging onto any person or object the spell cannot affect may add +2 ST per hand used, while anyone grappled by a foe too heavy to budge rolls only if their rival chooses to let them go. Losing the Contest means being yanked into the center; victims and their possessions are pulled (or not) as a unit.

If there are no movable objects nearby and just one victim, the only effect is being hauled into the center. If there are two or more people and/or solid objects, though, they crash together at the center. Don’t work out detailed collision damage from speed and HP – damage is a flat 2d+2 crushing for everyone involved (and important objects). This is large-area injury (p. B400).

After the collision, victims are clustered around the center. On a battle map, the GM may position them in the center hex or adjacent hexes. Combatants retain their original facings, but those whose injuries haven’t caused them to fall down must roll against the highest of DX, Acrobatics, or Judo to avoid falling down.

Statistics: Crushing Attack 2d (Area Effect, 8 yards, +150%; Cosmic, Knockback to the center, +50%; Double Knockback, +20%; Link, +10%; No Wounding, -50%; Sorcery, -15%; Variable, Area, +5%) [27/level] + Crushing Attack 2d+2 (Accessibility, Only on those who collide, -10%; Area Effect, 2 yards, +50%; Link, +10%; Magical, -10%) [19].

  

Crushing Fist

Keywords: Missile, Obvious.

Full Cost: 23 points or more.

Casting Roll: None. Use DX or unarmed combat skill to hit.

Range: 50 yards.

Duration: Instantaneous.

The caster enlarges and projects his punch. Use DX or unarmed combat skill to hit. This has 1/2D -, Max 50, Acc 3. This attack deals normal punch damage and explodes on impact (check for Scatter, p. B414). Treat the punch’s damage as if it had the Explosion modifier (p. B104), regardless of damage type. Divide damage by three times the distance in yards to each target.

At level one, this spell can only be used once per 10 seconds. Additional levels reduce this recharge time.

Level	Recharge	Point cost	Level	Recharge	Point cost
1	10 seconds	23 points	6	5 seconds	77 points
2	9 seconds	34 points	7	4 seconds	88 points
3	8 seconds	45 points	8	3 seconds	99 points
4	7 seconds	56 points	9	2 seconds	110 points
5	6 seconds	67 points	10	1 second	121 points

Statistics: Imbue 3 (Limited Skill Access, Combination Skill (Project Blow (VH) + Shockwave (VH)), -80%) [8] + Unusual Training [1] + Combination Skill (Project Blow (VH) + Shockwave (VH)) DX+0 [8] modified with Accessibility, Only fist, -80%; Cosmic, No die roll required, +100%; Increased 1/2D, x10, +15%; Magical, -10%; Reduced Fatigue Cost 1, +20%; Reduced Range, 1/2, -10% for a final cost of 22.95 points. Additional levels add more skill [+8 to base cost].

Mass Mutilation

Keywords: Area (Leveled), Resisted (Will; special).

Full Cost: 43 points for level 1 + 25 points/additional level.

Casting Roll: IQ.

Range: Unlimited.

Duration: 1 second.

Sapient subjects who fail to resist (a subject must lose two resistance contests) must use their next combat maneuver to try to harm themselves. Subjects with suitable ready weapons take Attack or Ready maneuvers to use these on themselves. The GM decides what’s “suitable” in the space of a turn. It’s plausible to cut oneself with a blade, shoot oneself with a gun or crossbow, arm a grenade and hold on to it.

If a suitable weapon is to hand, skip attack and defense rolls; just roll damage against the torso. Attacks must use the deadliest attack mode, if there’s a choice (GM’s decision, remembering that the target is the torso) – and no “pulling punches.” Anyone who can Fast-Draw a weapon (or a better weapon) does so; e.g., a barehanded fighter with a knife Fast-Draws it and starts cutting, while someone holding a knife and wearing a sheathed sword drops the knife, Fast-Draws the sword, and falls on that.

Subjects without suitable weapons do something else that’s liable to get them killed. They might use Move to run as close as possible to the nearest enemy; if several foes are equidistant, choose one at random. If a hazard – lava pit, cliff, persistent artillery spell, etc. – is closer, they’ll hurl themselves at that instead. In either case, they choose to let their guard down: no active defenses, DX rolls not to fall in, or anything similar.

If you tie or lose, the subjects can sense coercion coming from you. In addition, you cannot try to affect them again within 24 hours.

Statistics: Mind Control (Accessibility, Only on sapient beings, -10%; Accessibility, Only to harm self, -30%; Area Effect, 2 yards, +50%; Fixed Duration, +0%; Independent, +70%; Reduced Duration, 1/180, -40%; Sorcery, -15%; Suggestion, -40%) [43]. Additional levels add Area Effect (+50%) [+25].

Slasher

Keywords: Area (Leveled), Obvious.

Full Cost: 53 points for level 1 + 10.5 points/additional level*.

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

Range: 100 yards.

Duration: Instantaneous.

Propels a cutting weapon through the area as if wielded by an invisible mad slasher. It must start in the caster’s hand. When the spell is cast, the blade takes wing and whirls through the air too quickly for the eye to follow. Use Innate Attack (Gaze), at +4, to center the area; see Scatter (p. B414) if you miss.

Everybody in the area is attacked each turn, on their turn, at skill 14. The victim can try a Hearing roll at -2 to detect the weapon’s whine; success permits any active defense, while failure allows only a dodge. All defenses are at -4 for an unseen attacker. Also roll 1d for the attack’s origin: 1-3 is front, 4 is right-hand side (another -2 to defend), 5 is behind (no defense), and 6 is left-hand side (-2 to defend).

It’s possible to break or grab the animated weapon. This requires a Hearing roll at -2 first. Success allows an attack on the blade at a basic -6 plus the usual -3 to -5 for weapon size (see Striking at Weapons, p. B400). The weapon cannot defend. Breaking it ends the spell. Grabbing it doesn’t; it may try to break free each turn with ST 15.

The basic (53-point) version of this spell lets you affect an area up to 2 yards across. Each additional doubling of area adds 10.5 to basic cost; the GM sets the cap on this increase, but 128 yards is the recommended maximum. You can always scale back the area when casting the spell.

Statistics: Cutting Attack 3d (Area Effect, 2 yards, +50%; Bombardment, Skill-14, -5%; No Signature, +20%; Nuisance Effect, Breakable, -5%; Nuisance Effect, Dodgeable, -5%; Nuisance Effect, Damage limited by ST, -5%; Requires Weapon, -10%; Sorcery, -15%; Surprise Attack, Random, +120%; Variable, Area, +5%) [53]. Additional levels add Area Effect (+50%/level) to the advantage [+10.5*].

                * Calculate the total cost and then round down (because the base ability costs just 52.5 points before rounding). Level 2 of the spell costs 63 points, level 3 costs 74 points, level 4 costs 84 points, level 5 costs 95 points, and so on.

Stabbing Party

Keywords: Area (Leveled), Resisted (Will; special).

Full Cost: 43 points for level 1 + 25 points/additional level.

Casting Roll: IQ.

Range: Unlimited.

Duration: 1 second.

Sapient creatures who fail to resist (a subject must lose two resistance contests) must use their next combat maneuver to attack the nearest ally (never an enemy or neutral party); if several are equidistant, choose one at random. Subjects with no allies on the battlefield are unaffected.

A subject with a ready ranged attack uses it, usually meaning an Attack maneuver. One with only melee attacks chooses Attack if the nearest ally is within one step, All-Out Attack (Strong) if the target is farther away but within half Move forward, or Move and Attack if those options are impossible. A subject who can’t attack the nearest ally in one turn prepares to do so, dropping a melee weapon to Ready a ranged one, using Concentrate to cast a Missile spell, or – if without a ranged attack – taking a full Move toward the chosen target.

Movement is always as direct as possible, without regard for battle formations or who ends up behind whom. Subjects suffer unavoidable penalties for their attacks (e.g., distance and visibility for ranged attacks, or the Move and Attack penalty), but won’t take optional penalties for hit location, Deceptive Attack, Rapid Strike, etc. unless final skill would be 16+. Similarly, they won’t try to “spoil” attacks by, for instance, taking Move and Attack if they could Attack, or shifting their weapon to the off hand. For one turn, they truly want to kill their allies.

Attacks must likewise be as damaging as possible, never “pulling punches,” always choosing the Strong option if making an All-Out Attack, and using the deadliest attack mode or weapon (GM’s decision) if there’s a choice. Anyone who can Fast-Draw a better weapon does so; e.g., someone holding a dagger and wearing a holstered pistol drops the blade, Fast-Draws the gun, and shoots. If this means expending a one-shot item, expensive Missile spell, or limited-use ability, too bad!

Targets of these attacks may defend normally if they see them coming. Attacks from allies are likely to come from the back (no defense) or side (-2 to defend), however.

If you tie or lose, the subjects can sense coercion coming from you. In addition, you cannot try to affect them again within 24 hours.

Statistics: Mind Control (Accessibility, Only on sapient beings, -10%; Accessibility, Only to harm ally, -30%; Area Effect, 2 yards, +50%; Fixed Duration, +0%; Independent, +70%; Reduced Duration, 1/180, -40%; Sorcery, -15%; Suggestion, -40%) [48]. Additional levels add Area Effect (+50%) [+25].