Sorcery Spells Overview: Animal
I got some positive feedback about the previous sorcery spell overview post, so I decided to make another one. This time, I'm going to cover Animal spells. If you're playing a DF or D&D-style game, then these spells are only available to druids and priests of nature deities. In the first case, the spells will be slightly cheaper.
I'm going to give each spell a grade:
A - a very good spell that will be useful in almost any situation;
B - a decent spell that may be suboptimal in some situations;
C - a situational spell that requires certain circumstances to shine;
D - you really have to build your character around this spell for it to be useful, or situations where this spell is useful are uncommon;
F - don't you have anything better to spend your points on?
Grade: C
We start with a save-or-die spell. Usually, I give such spells a B, but this one gets a C because it is resisted with the higher of Will and HT, and only affects living beings. So, it might be difficult to actually get a successful casting.
Grade: D
There used to be a tirade on how bad and useless this spell is, but I went ahead and fixed it. Now, this specialized version of Animal Control costs slightly more, but allows for a more precise control of the subject. Situationally useful.
Animal Control (GURPS Thaumatology: Sorcery, p. 13)
Grade: B
This is a good spell despite being so cheap. You can, for example, control a bear to have a combat ally, control a bird, squirrel, or fish to get a scout, or control a rat to have it carry a matchstick to a bomb fuse. It does not get an A because you do not encounter animals everywhere, and that it really shines if you also have Beast-Speech.
Grade: C
This is pretty good, if you are interacting with animals frequently. Cheap enough to be improvised.
Grade: C
To be honest, this is a difficult spell to evaluate. It sure does make animals bigger and stronger, but it requires a lot of investment. However, it is more cost-effective than Enlarge Other because most animals have No Fine Manipulators, making extra ST cheaper. I'll give it a C just because I'm not sure. Seems like it could be decent.
Grade: D
While there are applications to this spell, it is quite expensive. However, it sounds like a good candidate for hardcore improvisation, so keep this one in mind.
Grade: D
This is a weird spell that requires you not only to be a spellcaster, but also have some incarnum powers. And the effects aren't that great either.
Grade: F
This spell is so expensive that it would require a druidic circle casting it via cooperative hardcore improvisation.
Grade: C
This is a relatively expensive spell that can act as a save-or-die spell (turn an enemy into a fish on land). However, it can have some other applications. For example, you can turn your enemy into an animal and coerce him into helping you, promising to revert him back.
Grade: C
Constriction Attack is pretty good, but to make use of it you either have to spec into grappling and high ST, or have an ally who does that.
Grade: D
This is a moderately expensive spell of dubious utility. The beast in question does not become your friend automatically. but if you have access to Animal spells, you probably also have some other appropriate skills or advantages to deal with animals. You could cast it on a dangerous animal to get an unreliable ally in a pinch, attach a scroll to a pigeon and summon it when trapped, etc. You really must use your imagination here.
Grade: A
A short duration spell, but still a very useful one, as you retain your mental stats while possessing an animal. Also, if you do not have to perform gestures and/or incantations to cast spells, you will retain your spellcasting ability. If you do have such requirements, consider possessing a monkey or a parrot. Again, if you have a good imagination, you will find a lot of great uses for the spell.
Grade: C
This is not Detect Animals, but a specialized version of Seeker. Requiring something connecting to the subject makes things more difficult, but I would still say that this spell is worth learning.
Grade: A
Quite costly, but still affordable. Basically, this is the D&D wild shape ability - you transform into an animal. Need to fly over a chasm? Become an eagle. Need to swim? Become a fish. Need to burrow? Become a mole. Most of the animal templates are cheap, probably not requiring any additional point investments even with the retained mental stats. Fantasy games also have various giant, dire, etc. variants of the common animals, making the pool of available forms even broader.
Grade: A
Honestly, if you are specializing on the Animal college, you really should take this spell, as it makes everything much easier. A great spell to gather information, get allies, or treat loneliness.
Grade: C
The effects are pretty decent, I think. Mostly a combat spell, but having Disciminatory Smell can be useful out of combat too.
Grade: D
A very situational buff spell. I guess if you're bad at DX skills and are expected to traverse obstacles where fall damage might be dangerous, this spell will be useful. Also, if you are a cat burglar who just jumps out of windows.
Grade: B
This is an excellent spell due to synergizing with the rest of the college and due to the animals having very low point costs, usually. Summoning a mammoth or a dinosaur is no joke.
Grade: C
Want to have a mount, but don't want to care about feeding and maintaining it? Then this is a spell for you. I'm giving it a C because mounts cannot pass everywhere, and because you have to invest in some other skills, such as Riding.
Grade: B
This is a pretty good area attack spells, which is unexpected for the Animal college. This does not get an A because it's resistible toxic damage though.
Grade: F
Do I really have to explain why you shouldn't learn this spell? In any case, if you want to cast it, use hardcore improvisation. It's not even that expensive, so you will only suffer minor penalties.
Grade: A
Now this is an upgrade to both Beast Possession and Animal Control. You can control an animal, see through its eyes, and communicate with it regardless of the distance and/or line of sight. The only downside is that the animal uses its own mental skills, unlike when using Beast Possession.
Grade: C
The first level protects you from some minor hindrances, while the second level provides additional DR, which is always useful. I guess it could also help you disguise as a birdman.
Grade: C
The first level protects you from some minor hindrances, while the second level provides additional DR, which is always useful. I guess it could also help you disguise as a beastman.
Grade: D
Just like Animal Growth, but much more specialized. A flavourful spell for the drow.
Grade: A
Unlike Shapeshifting or Beast Shape, this spell allows you to assume any racial template, not only those of animals. Why is this an Animal spell and not a Body Control spell? I don't know, but I don't think I have to explain why this spell is great (no pun intended). It is expensive though.
Grade: C
Despite this being an invisibility effect, I will only give it a C. The effect is strong, but there are cheaper ways to avoid animal encounters, such as Animal Control. Also, animals often have acute smell which is not affected by this spell.
Grade: B
Just like Animal Control, but instead of affecting mundane animals, it affects "hybrids". These hybrids may be more rare, but may also have some supernatural abilities and/or high intelligence compared to animals. Thus, if you are expecting to encounter pegasi, owlbears, griffins, hippogriffs, or bunyips, you can learn this spell and be sure that it will be useful. Do mules count as both animals and hybrids?
Grade: B
Now that's what I call a useful cantrip! A spell that can be improvised by even the weakest animal mage that can make your live so much better. Probably the first cantrip that gets a B from me.
Grade: B
Allows you to t-pose at an animal, dazing it. That's pretty good for an offensive spell. Otherwise, if you do not intend to have the animal, use Animal Control instead.
Grade: D
A very weird spell. This is how the first owlbears were made. Not, however, that this spell is not limited to animals. So, you can make your snakegirl fantasies come true! Jokes aside, this spell is very expensive, probably requiring cooperative hardcore improvisation, but I just cannot give it an F. The existence of this spell and the possibility of making it permanent by spending character points justifies the existence of hybrid monsters in the world.
Grade: B
If you are a druid with an animal companion, this spell is very valuable. It is even more valuable if you control multiple animals.
Grade: D
To utilize this spell to its full potential you have to have a subject with ranged attacks. If you have an archer friend or a paladin who has a history of getting backstabbed often, this spell might be useful.
Grade: C
Gives the subject a powerful bite. While the damage bonus is relatively low compared to, for example, swung cutting weapon, do not forget that bites become much more powerful when using worrying rules from GURPS Martial Arts. Also, don't forget that you can cast this spell on non-humans. When cast on an animal, it might be much more useful.
Grade: B
Contrary to its name, the spell actually transforms the entire face, granting the subject not only the trunk, but also Peripheral Vision. While the latter is decent, the former is even better - an entire extra arm does wonders in close combat!
Grade: A
You lose fine manipulators, but gain wings. This is a flight spell, so I give it an A.
Grade: C
Being able to swim sure is great, but you lose the ability to move on land, plus you do not get the ability to breathe water. However, this trait gives the subject No Legs (Aquatic), which means that the subject takes no skill penalties underwater, and that's a significant bonus.
Grade: D
I guess if you climb mountains often this spell might be useful. Otherwise, stay away from it.
Grade: C
Like Partial Shapeshifting (Crocodile Jaws), but better. Impaling usually is a better damage type than cutting, but the side effect of becoming colorblind can sometimes mess things up.
Grade: B
An impaling Striker with a follow-up poison attack that is very hard to resist? Great!
Grade: D
This spell doesn't actually give you damaging fangs, but allows you to poison your victims with a contact bite attack. Kind of underwhelming.
Grade: D
Unlike the real skunk stench, the one produced by this spell actually deals toxic damage. If you want the proper way to do skunks, consult GURPS Furries that has that ability statted up along with the new Innate Attack (Spray) skill. While this spell sounds nice, turning your back to your enemies is never a good idea.
Grade: A
This is the most expensive Partial Shapeshifting spell, but it is very strong. Extra Arms and Extra Attack? This is nuts.
Grade: C
This is actually a pretty good spell to cast on unarmed fighters who, obviously, do not need fine manipulators in combat.
Grade: D
Sure, Peripheral Vision is nice, but the extra "arm" is very weak and only slightly longer than your normal arms.
Grade: C
Your only other ways to get DR in the Animal college (Fur, Feathers, Scales) can only give you DR 2. This spell gives the subject's torso rigid DR 5, which is pretty good. However, the limbs are still vulnerable, so I'll give it a C.
Grade: A
Like Beast Possession, but better and more expensive. An excellent spell.
Grade: A
Unlike Beast Shape, this spell allows you to assume one specific animal form. However, it is much cheaper and comes with the downside of possible IQ reduction if you stay in your animal form for too long. Still an excellent spell.
Protect Animals (GURPS Sorcery: Protection and Warning Spells, p. 9)
Grade: B
This is actually an extremely potent spell if you rely on animals in combat. And it's affordable too.
Grade: B
This is actually pretty good. This is a Resisted spell, not a Buff, so it can be used offensively. Remember that SM affects Intimidation, so you will appear bigger to the reduced animal. It can also be used on friendly animals to, for example, sneak an elephant into a glassware storehouse.
Grade: D
The specialized versions of Repel Animals cost fewer points, are not selective, and last for only 30 seconds. However, they might be useful if you have not enough levels of Sorcerous Empowerment to get the general Repel Animals spell.
Repel Animals (GURPS Thaumatology: Sorcery, p. 14)
Grade: B
It is affordable, useful, and selective. Does not harm the animals, so if you have something like Sense of Duty (Animals), this spell is allowed.
Grade: D
Why not take Animal Control instead? I guess that's only two points of difference when taken as a learned spell, but you also do not take penalties for controlling multiple creatures. So, you may make mounts for your entire party better.
Grade: B
You do not control the subject animal, but you hijack its senses. Sounds like a good and cheap spell for scouting, but quite uncontrollable. However, this is only 3 points when taking as a learned spell.
Grade: C
The first level protects you from some minor hindrances, while the second level provides additional DR, which is always useful. I guess it could also help you disguise as a lizardman.
Grade: D
See Amphibian Control. Wait, no! This is different, this is an area spell. There is no area Animal Control spell, so if you want to control a horde of snakes, this is a spell for you.
Grade: A
This is a Buff spell, not a Resisted one, so you cannot use it offensively. Nonetheless, this is great for all the obvious reasons.
Grade: A
Again, this is an excellent spell. Unlike Permanent Shapeshifting, this one has a maintenance cost, so you are unlikely to be able to stay in the animal form for days. Still useful.
Grade: C
A cantrip's a cantrip. And this one if pretty useful, if you need to descend from a cliff safely.
Grade: A
Binding 10 is a very useful effect in combat. It can quite reliably bind weaker enemies, and can be a nuisance to enemies with ST up to 20. Great!
Grade: D
Sort of like Rider Within, but without maintenance and restricted to spiders. Honestly, this is pretty cool. A very flavorful spell for the drow.
Grade: C
A cheaper, more limited version of Beast Shape. Pretty neat, but significantly less versatile.
Grade: A
Swarms are insane. They require specific countermeasures to deal, making them very effective summons.
Grade: D
This is one of the very few affordable Truly Permanent spells. However, this one is not cumulative. If you rely on the special rules on animal training, then this spell might be useful. Learned tricks are remembered forever and can be used when spellcasting is impossible. In other circumstances, why not use Animal Control instead?
Grade: D
This is very situational. Sure, a rattlesnake ally is cool to have, but you have to be somewhere where vines can be procured.
This is a really great series. The insights are very useful.
ReplyDeleteThese overviews are awesome, its really helpful.
ReplyDeletePlease continue with the other colleges