Wizardly Styles

Wizardly Styles

GURPS Thaumatology – Magical Styles provides an engine to build various styles of magic. They can either be mandatory in worlds where all mages must learn at specific schools or academies, or non-compulsory in worlds where such stylists gain access to unique spells and/or options. Just like martial styles, magical styles can add a lot of flavor to the setting. I really like the concept, but since I am not a big fan of the vanilla magic system, I was missing out.

So far I am very content with my Wizardry variant magic system – every spell requires learning as a skill, requires a successful roll to cast, has mandatory ritualistic requirements, and improvisation is limited. Now I realize that all these features make magical styles, even some of the already created ones, applicable to this Sorcery variant.

One of the important aspects of every magical style is the list of style-exclusive perks. In Wizardly Styles, one perk should be granted for 20 points in style spells (both advantages and skills). Not all of them are applicable to spells built as powers, and some require adjustments. Let us look over them.

Adjustable Spell: All three options become valid – just look at GURPS Psionic Powers! In short, an added enhancement will become a technique that defaults to the spell skill -1 per 10% of its value. Using a spell technique will cost additional 1 FP per 10% of added enhancements or removed limitations, to differentiate magic from psionics.

Blocking Spell Mastery: The only required change would be being unable to cast two different blocking spells, because a caster can have only one spell active.

Combat Ceremony: Should be removed, as there is no ceremonial casting in Sorcery and its variants.

Extra Option: Astrological Ceremonies should be removed, as there is no ceremonial casting. Brute-Force Spell requires adjustments, because most spell still cost only 1-3 FP to cast, so increases of 20% or 40% are not meaningful. I’d suggest making the tradeoff +1 to skill per 1 additional FP, up to a maximum of +4, as per Trading Fatigue for Skill (GURPS Powers, p. 161). Mass Magician should be removed. Speedy Enchantment should be removed, as Sorcery enchantment works differently.

Huge Subjects: This perk should allow the caster to affect subjects of larger SM, like if he has more levels of Talent.

Improvised Items: It looks like this perk should be removed.

Improvised Magic: You already can cast spells at an IQ-6 default, so this perk is not required.

Intuitive Cantrip: This category of perks is not needed, as you can improvise any 1-point cantrip with just a single level of Sorcerous Empowerment.

Kill Switch: This perk allows the caster to use Cancel Spells at one specific spell at no cost.

Melee Spell Mastery: This perk should be removed, as Melee spells work differently in Sorcery.

Mighty Spell: This perk should be removed, as sorcerers already can use Extra Effort when casting leveled spells.

Missile Spell Mastery: This perk should be removed, as Missile spells work differently in Sorcery.

Named Possession: This perk should give 1 EP instead of 25 energy points.

No Gestures: Power techniques are Hard techniques, so this perk is underpriced. I would remove it.

No Incantations: Power techniques are Hard techniques, so this perk is underpriced. I would remove it.

Power Casting: This perk should be removed if the GM does not impose damage/effect caps based on Talent. If he does, then this perk works fine.

Quick and Focused: This perk should be removed, as enchanting work differently in Sorcery.

Reduced Footprint: This perk should be removed, as there are no maintenance penalties in Sorcery.

Rules Exemption: The example perks do not really work well with Sorcery, but it is possible to come up with new ones.

Secret Spell: Style-specific secret spells should not be available for casting and even improvising by non-stylists.

Shortcut to Power: This perk should be removed, as there are no prerequisite chains in Sorcery.

Staff Attunement: This perk should be removed, as staves work differently in Sorcery.

Staff Bond: This perk should be removed, as staves work differently in Sorcery.

Wizardly Dabbler: This perk should be removed, as you cannot cast spells with no Sorcerous Empowerment in Sorcery.

Black Magic – 7 points

Indaril, a nation of fire elves, is famous for its School of Spectral Magic that divides magic types by colors. Black magic corresponds to magic of earth, metal, protection, and magic suppression. Black mages who study their arts in the School of Spectral Magic are valuable in everyday life as smiths, miners, masons, and metallurgists, and are very useful in combat, where they protect their allies, dispel hostile spells, and suppress magical abilities of enemies.

Foreigners might react with a penalty to mages clad in black robes, mistaking them for necromancers.

Unlike mages of most other colors, black mages receive intense physical training, and many of them have high ST, HT, HP, and/or FP scores. Exercises to increase willpower are common as well, because black mages must be able to resist hostile magic.

Required Skills: Masonry, Smith (Iron), Thaumatology.

Required Spells: Counterspell, Endure Elements, Vigor.

            Perks: Brute-Force Spell (Antimagic Touch, Counterspell, Dispel Magic, Remove Curse); Huge Subjects (any style spell); Intuitive Cantrip (Reinforce); Rule of 17 (Antimagic Touch, Counterspell, Dispel Magic, Remove Curse); Secret Spell (Bands of Steel, Body Blades); Shield-Wall Training; Spell Hardiness (any damaging spell); Spell Resistance (any Resisted spell).

Secret Spells: Bands of Steel, Body Blades.

Optional Traits

            Attributes and Secondary Characteristics: Improved ST, HT, HP, FP, Will.

            Advantages: Fit, Hard to Kill, Hard to Subdue, Very Fit.

            Disadvantages: Overconfidence, Selfless, Stubbornness.

Skills: Architecture, Artist (Sculpting), Body Control, Climbing, Engineer (Mining), Geology, Jeweler, Lifting, Metallurgy, Prospecting, Shield, Smith (Copper), Smith (Lead and Tin).

Spell List

Alloy Metal, Antimagic Field, Antimagic Touch, Body of Metal, Body of Stone, Conjure Shield, Counterspell, Death Ward, Disjunction, Dispel Magic (Sorcery, p. 21), Endure Elements, Globe of Invulnerability, Invisibility Purge, Magic Resistance, Meld into Stone, Protection from Magic, Remove Curse (Sorcery, p. 21), Repel Metal, Repel Stone, Resist Energy, Shape Earth, Shape Metal, Smelt Ore, Stone Spikes, Stone Tell, Stoneskin, Vigor, Wall of Iron, Wall of Stone.

SECRET SPELLS

Bands of Steel

Keywords: Resisted (DX).

Full Cost: 71 points.

Casting Roll: Bands of Steel (IQ/Hard).

Components: V, S, M (a small steel loop).

Cost: 3 FP.

Casting Time: 4 seconds.

Range: Unlimited.

Duration: Permanent, until destroyed, or until the victim breaks free.

You conjure bands of steel that bind the victim, pinning his arms to his torso, and tying the legs together. An additional steel band covers his mouth, preventing him from speaking. On a hit, your victim is pinned (see p. B370) and rooted in place. He cannot move his limbs or speak; his only options are to use purely mental abilities, to attack the bands with an Innate Attack, or to try to break free using ST (not Escape skill). The ST of this effect is equal 12, but you can layer additional attacks on a successfully bound victim. Each extra layer gives +1 to ST.

To break free, the victim must win a Quick Contest of ST against the ST of this spell. Each attempt takes one second. If he tries to break free and fails, he loses 1 FP and is only allowed a repeated attempt every 10 seconds – and on a 17 or 18, he becomes so entangled that he cannot escape on his own! Alternatively, he may try to destroy the bands with an Innate Attack (they hit automatically). External attacks on the bands of steel take no penalty, but risk hitting the victim on a miss (see Striking Into a Close Combat, p. B392).

The bands of steel have DR 4. Each point of damage reduces ST by one. At ST 0, the bonds are destroyed and the victim is freed

Statistics: Binding 12 (Based on DX, +20%; Based on IQ, Own Roll, +20%; Costs 3 FP, -15%; Engulfing, +60%; Magical, -10%; Malediction 2, +150%; No Signature, +20%; Requires Gestures, -10%; Requires Magic Words, -10%; Requires Material Component, -10%; Takes Extra Time 2, -20%) [71].

Body Blades

Keywords: Buff.

Full Cost: 15 points.

Casting Roll: Body Blades (IQ/Hard). Use Innate Attack (Gaze) to aim.

Components: V, S.

Cost: 1 FP.

Casting Time: 1 second.

Range: 100 yards.

Duration: 3 minutes.

The subject’s body grows metal blades. If he is wearing clothing or armor up to his Heavy Encumbrance, then these blades appear on it without harming the gear. This is defensive weaponry, intended to discourage attackers; the subject cannot use his body blades actively. However, he gets a DX-4 roll to hit each foe in close combat with him once per turn, as a free action. Roll at +2 against foes who attacked the subject from behind. Those who grapple or slam the subject are hit immediately and automatically – and those who slam the subject take maximum damage! The thorns have Reach C and do 1d impaling damage.

Statistics: Affliction 1 (HT; Advantage, Body Blades, +60%; Costs 1 FP, -5%; Fixed Duration, +0%; Increased 1/2D, 10x, +15%; Magical, -10%; No Signature, +20%; Requires Gestures, -10%; Requires Magic Words, -10%; Takes Extra Time 1, -10%) [15]. Note: “Body Blades” is Long Spines (Can Carry Objects, Heavy, +100%; Magical, -10%) [6].

SECRET SPELLS AS NORMAL SORCERY SPELLS

Bands of Steel

Keywords: Resisted (DX).

Full Cost: 81 points.

Casting Roll: Will.

Range: Unlimited.

Duration: Permanent, until destroyed, or until the victim breaks free.

You conjure bands of steel that bind the victim, pinning his arms to his torso, and tying the legs together. An additional steel band covers his mouth, preventing him from speaking. On a hit, your victim is pinned (see p. B370) and rooted in place. He cannot move his limbs or speak; his only options are to use purely mental abilities, to attack the bands with an Innate Attack, or to try to break free using ST (not Escape skill). The ST of this effect is equal 12, but you can layer additional attacks on a successfully bound victim. Each extra layer gives +1 to ST.

To break free, the victim must win a Quick Contest of ST against the ST of this spell. Each attempt takes one second. If he tries to break free and fails, he loses 1 FP and is only allowed a repeated attempt every 10 seconds – and on a 17 or 18, he becomes so entangled that he cannot escape on his own! Alternatively, he may try to destroy the bands with an Innate Attack (they hit automatically). External attacks on the bands of steel take no penalty, but risk hitting the victim on a miss (see Striking Into a Close Combat, p. B392).

The bands of steel have DR 4. Each point of damage reduces ST by one. At ST 0, the bonds are destroyed and the victim is freed

Statistics: Binding 12 (Based on DX, +20%; Engulfing, +60%; Malediction 2, +150%; No Signature, +20%; Sorcery, -15%) [81].

Body Blades

Keywords: Buff.

Full Cost: 18 points.

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

Range: 100 yards.

Duration: 3 minutes.

The subject’s body grows metal blades. If he is wearing clothing or armor up to his Heavy Encumbrance, then these blades appear on it without harming the gear. This is defensive weaponry, intended to discourage attackers; the subject cannot use his body blades actively. However, he gets a DX-4 roll to hit each foe in close combat with him once per turn, as a free action. Roll at +2 against foes who attacked the subject from behind. Those who grapple or slam the subject are hit immediately and automatically – and those who slam the subject take maximum damage! The thorns have Reach C and do 1d impaling damage.

Statistics: Affliction 1 (HT; Advantage, Body Blades, +60%; Fixed Duration, +0%; Increased 1/2D, 10x, +15%; No Signature, +20%; Sorcery, -15%) [18]. Note: “Body Blades” is Long Spines (Can Carry Objects, Heavy, +100%; Magical, -10%) [6].