Sorcery/Powers: Metamagic

Sorcery/Powers: Metamagic

No, I do not mean meta-spells. I mean D&D-style metamagic. By default, Sorcery does not really allow for that, but let's see what can be done with it!

D&D has metamagic feats that allow spellcasters to prepare/cast spells using a higher spell slot, but adding some special effects. The power skill/technique framework that was introduced in GURPS Powers and later used in GURPS Psionic Powers is a great way to do this. But what about powers that do not have power skills by default, like Sorcery? Or powers that have broad college-based skills, like my Wizardry? Power techniques are based on Temporary Enhancements (GURPS Powers, p. 172) and sometimes on Using Abilities at Default (GURPS Powers, p. 173).

Thus, we should be able to give casters the ability to add temporary enhancements with the following perk. Obviously, the GM should regulate the available enhancements. The removed extra 2 FP cost is compensated by requiring a perk and the inability to improve power techniques.

Metamagic† [1]

This perk allows the caster to apply temporary enhancements to his spells. The casting roll takes a -1 penalty per +10% of enhancements added, or fraction of thereof. The caster can offset this penalty (but never get a net bonus) by voluntarily spending FP; each FP cancels -1 in penalties. Talent applies to this roll. If the spell has no casting roll, a Will roll is required with the same penalty.

    Succeed or fail, the attempt costs 1 FP over and above any voluntary FP expenditure.

    Success means the ability gains the desired enhancements for one casting. Spells with an Indefinite duration are enhanced only for one maintenance interval, but the caster may extend the enhancements by making another roll (and possibly paying FP) when maintaining the spell. On a critical success, there is no FP cost for that casting or maintenance interval.

    Failure means that the metamagic attempt fails and FP spent on it are wasted; however, the caster may still attempt to cast the spell normally. Critical failure disables your spell (or all your spells, if they are alternative abilities) for 1d seconds, in addition to the normal critical failure effects.

    The caster cannot improve metamagic applications as a technique.

    The caster must specialize by magic college (or domain, for clerical casters) and metamagic technique. For example, a caster may take Metamagic (College of Force/Still Spell) or Metamagic (College of Fire/Widen Spell).

METAMAGIC TECHNIQUES

Contingent Spell - This technique requires a Will or skill roll at -4 and an additional expenditure of 1 unspent character point or Permanency Point. If you fail your roll, you lose the character point. A contingent spell placed upon your person comes into effect under some condition you dictate when casting it. The spell's casting time becomes at least 10 minutes; if the spell has a casting time longer than 10 minutes, use that instead.

    A contingent spell must be one that affects your person (Feather Fall, Fly, Teleport, and so forth).

    The conditions needed to bring the spell into effect must be clear, although they can be general. For example, a contingent Water Breathing might prescribe that any time you are plunged into or otherwise engulfed in water or similar liquid, the Water Breathing spell instantly comes into effect. Or a contingent Feather Fall spell comes into effect any time you fall more than 4 feet. In all cases, the contingt spell immediately takes effect, being “cast” instantaneously when the prescribed circumstances occur. The initial casting determines margin of success and other variable parameters of the spell. If complicated or convoluted conditions are prescribed, the contingent spell may fail when called on. The contingent spell occurs based solely on the stated conditions, regardless of whether you want it to.

    You can only have one contingent spell active at a time; if a second is cast, the first one (if still active) is dispelled.

Empower Spell - This is just a normal application of Extra Effort (GURPS Thaumatology: Sorcery, p. 6). With these metamagic rules in play, accessing this option requires the Metamagic perk. Note that the additional 1 FP cost for using metamagic is already included in Extra Effort - do not pay it twice!

Enlarge Spell - This is Increased Range (p. B106), at -1 to Will or skill per level of the enhancement. For spells with level-dependant range, this is just a normal application of Extra Effort (GURPS Thaumatology: Sorcery, p. 6) - see Empower Spell above.

Extend Spell - This is Extended Duration (p. B105), at -2 to Will or skill per level of the enhancement.

Heighten Spell - This is not appropriate for GURPS as a technique. It is represented with the Rule of 17 perk (GURPS Power-Ups 2: Perks, p. 20). This is not a metamagic technique - don't take the Metamagic perk to get access to this perk. However, specialize by spell even if you have college skills.

Maximize Spell - This is a metamagic technique that applies a -5 penalty to Will or skill. A maximized spell deals maximum damage.

Silent Spell - This only makes sense if the spell has the forced incantation requirement (Requires Magic Words, -10%). In that case, this requirement can be removed by removing this limitation, at -1 to Will or skill.

Still Spell - This only makes sense if the spell has the forced gesture requirement (Requires Gestures, -10%). In that case, this requirement can be removed by removing this limitation, at -1 to Will or skill.

Widen Spell - This is Area Effect (p. B102), at -5 to Will or skill per level of the enhancement if the spell produces a cylindrical or hemispherical area or a wall, or -7 to Will or skill per level of the enhancement for spherical areas. The GM may want to restrict it to a single level for attack spells that typically do not affect an area. For spells with level-dependant area, this is just a normal application of Extra Effort (GURPS Thaumatology: Sorcery, p. 6) - see Empower Spell above.