Sorcery Spells Overview: Enchantment
Let's go over the Enchantment college. Despite its name, there's actually a lot of useful stuff for characters who are not planning to enchant any items.
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: A
This is an incredibly cheap way to improve the weapon skill of your entire party. As a GM, I would probably limit it to one or two levels - be careful! Also keep in mind that you still have to hit the weapon you want to enchant, so try to stay close to your allies.
Grade: C
I always thought that the "magic items resize to fit the wearer" rule in D&D is stupid. GURPS does not have that by default, but has an enchantment that can accomplish the very same thing. It's not very cheap, but you might curse yourself for not learning this spell when you find an amazing magic item... for a dwarf.
Grade: C
Those pesky psions! If your setting allows magic to interact with psionics (remember, that the anti-powers part of the power modifier does not care about how many anti-powers there are, so antipsi spells do not break any rules), then this actually might be very useful.
Grade: C
This is a pretty neat trick. I feel that it should also somehow interact with hit locations, as it probably should be more difficult to hit the legs when striking from above. Other than that, it's an invaluable spells during shootouts with lots of cover.
Grade: B
This is a great save-or-die spell, but it is expensive. Note that the weapon has to hit, not injure the victim - even a weak hit against the armor will do the trick. And you do not need to have high Will - it requires an uncontested HT roll, which is good in some situations and bad in others.
Grade: F
This isn't a spell, but a perk that enables a new option to decrease the number of EP you need to enchant an item. Can be very flavorful, but hardly useful for a typical PC.
Grade: F
Sure, the effect is cool, as it allows you to create robot or golem character with free will, but the cost is disgusting. I guess it could be cast cooperatively via hardcore improvisation, if you really wanted to.
Grade: F
This isn't a spell, but a perk that enables a new option to decrease the number of EP you need to enchant an item. Honestly, I would allow such limitations even without the perk. I was trying hard to come up with a way to include "didn't fly so good", "extremely painful", or "big guy" into this review, but I couldn't. That's very unfortunate. For you.
Grade: B
This is interesting. As far as I know, this is the only way to give melee attacks RoF (yes, I'm aware of that martial artist power-up with a lot of Cosmic enchantments, but I like the imbuement option better). I feel like this spell has a lot of potential, and it's not prohibitively expensive either.
Grade: C
This spell lets you build up an Energy Reserve that can be used for physical feats. Five "free" extra uses of extra effort in combat is nothing to sneeze at, but the recharge method is not very easy. Still a decent spell, in my opinion.
Grade: C
Changing a damage type without having an extra weapon is a good thing - sometimes you might want to simply bash some skeleton into submission when you only have a pickaxe. I am not sure how Weapon Buff spells work on weapons wielded by hostile creatures. Do they resist automatically, as it works with normal Buffs? Otherwise, this spell could also be used offensively.
Grade: D
Considering how much this spell costs, and how much DR is provided by low-tech armor, it's almost always more point-efficient to learn Fortify and get the equivalent effect against all damage types. However, your GM might impose a limit on Fortify, making this limited version of the spell more viable.
Grade: C
Skilled enemies that rely on parries are quite annoying, and this spell allows you to deal with them better. You still have to roll enough damage to damage the weapon though.
Grade: F
This is a very weird, but cool spell that is probably only appropriate for unholy tomes hidden in ancient ruins.
Grade: C
While this spell shines at high TL, even on low TLs it is pretty good. Since most of your ranged weapons will have RoF 1, this spell should be called Line Blast instead. But turning your arrow into an arrow that just pierces through everything in a line is nothing to sneeze at.
Grade: A
I remember that the first version of this spell was based on Snatcher and had a cost of 100+ points. I felt so damn smart when I reworked it into a 1-point perk. I'm going to give it an A, because if you have a projectile weapon, this spell greatly reduces your bookkeeping, spending, ammunition weight, and all that for a single point.
Grade: F
This is more of an NPC spell. Basically, this is a variant of Enchant that can be used to create owlbears and griffins, and similar creatures. Honestly, this is pretty cool, but can only be used in very specific games.
Grade: F
Similar to Create Chimera, but less limited. Again, I think that this is a very cool spell, but you'd have to focus your entire game on creating biological weapons to make use of it as a PC.
Grade: F
Another Enchant variant - this one allows you to enchant undead creatures with 1/day spells. Interesting, but for NPCs.
Grade: C
You might ask yourself, why would I use this spell? Here's why - you can protect your friends, or you can wield a two-handed weapon and have a shield protecting you. That's pretty good, in my opinion. You'd have to figure out the ST requirements of the shield though. There are some fanmade rules for that, if I recall things correctly.
Grade: B
The first level of this spell isn't enough to wield even a knife properly (unless the knife was made for a halfling). This doesn't mean that it won't be able to do that - it will, but it will be penalized. Two levels should be enough for light weapons, and three levels is expensive, but should cover broadswords and axes. Also, note one thing - you can affect any weapon, so you could, for example, command an enemy's weapon to free itself from the wielder's grasp and attack the former wielder. Also, this spell does not require constant concentration, so I'll give it a B.
Grade: B
This is a pretty cheap way to improve your Parry score. But it will be less effective on unbalanced weapons, such as axes, or double-dagger weapons. Still, this is a good spell.
Grade: D
This spell has potential uses as a means of intimidation, but I don't think its worth the price.
Grade: B
Oh boy, this is strong. Even a small knife swing will have the potential to behead or cut off a limb, even if it hits armor. And it's cheap too!
Grade: B
This is a good spell, but the requirements to sculpt the doppelganger can be difficult to fulfill. Also, since this is an Indefinite spell, you have to either get two spell slots or forego casting any other spells while the doppelganger is active.
Grade: C
This is pretty good. If you normally wield a mace, you can turn it into an axe.
Grade: C
This is a variant of Fortify that also improves the item's HT. Sometimes, this is very good, when you are fighting wizards casting Disintigrate, for example, but in most cases Fortify is better, if you just want extra DR.
Grade: F
Just in case you really need that extra yard of two of reach to cast a touch spell. Not worth it, not at all.
Enchant (GURPS Thaumatology: Sorcery, p. 15)
Grade: A
It probably will never come up in a game, but I'm still giving it an A just because the existence of this spell provides us with a framework of creating magic items and pricing them properly - something GURPS does not have otherwise.
Grade: A
Now this is very good, especially on a shield. Considering how easy it is to block an attack, this spell turns a shield into a healing machine.
Grade: A
Like Accuracy, but only for ranged weapons. Probably requires a level cap, but is excellent anyway.
Grade: C
You probably would need a lot of ST to deal meaningful damage with this spell, but I'm still giving it a C. Why? Because even a single level of this spell gives you a way to deal with diffuse enemies, and having such a tool at your disposal is great, even if situational.
Grade: D
How often do you find yourself in a situation when your range is not enough? Probably not that often.
Grade: D
Typically, traits such as Luck are more of a PC privilege, but if your GM likes to give enemies Luck, then this spell might be occasionally helpful. But normally, this is closer to being an NPC spell.
Grade: A
This is a pretty good way to improve your defenses. You can even turn clothing into armor this way.
Grade: F
Ah, this spell. The Spiritual Defense imbuement skill from Pyramid #3-4 that serves as a base for this spell allows your armor to provide DR against ghosts and other insubstantial beings. Except that your armor does that even without this imbuement skill, as Insubstantiality does not let your ignore DR. I believe that this skill was a mistake, but I do not blame the author because Insubstantiality is very complicated in GURPS. However, this spell will let you slam ghosts! That's the only use I can think of.
Grade: B
Ghosts and other insubstantial beings can be a traumatizing experience for both the characters and their players. Once the entire party dies due to being helpless against a ghost, the next party will always keep the means of fighting ghosts in mind. And this is a very good spell for that - it's cheap enough, and it can be cast on the weapons of your entire party.
Grade: A
Golems are much easier to construct than doppelgangers. This is an excellent spell, but you have to keep in mind that you have to get two spell slots or forego spellcasting while the Golem is active. This can be a problem, but if you build your character around it, you get a nice ally!
Grade: D
This is very expensive, but if you do encounter a golem, this spell becomes highly effective, as golems typically have high DR values.
Grade: C
Personally, I dislike the Dwarven weapon modifier from Dungeon Fantasy. But using a spell to make weapons "balanced" sounds good to me. This is an awesome spell if your party focuses on wielding unwieldy weapons.
Grade: D
A weird, weird spell that is nonetheless very interesting. There is some potential here, because attaching the body parts of others might open up some new abilities for you.
Grade: A
Who needs skill (or Far Shot) when you can make your weapon straight up ignore range penalties? This is an extremely powerful spell, do not underestimate it.
Grade: F
Pft, just look at the point cost. Hit me up if you find a better way to stat it up, because I really like the spell.
Grade: C
This is your bag of holding spell. For the most part, it was created for the purpose of enchantment, but even when learned it can be useful.
Grade: A
This is great! You can share skills with others, and this can amplify the potential of your entire party greatly.
Grade: F
This is an extremely situational spell. For the most part, it was created for the purpose of enchanting, not casting.
Grade: C
This is situationally decent. High levels of this spell will let you, for example, enter the king's throne room wearing armor when it's forbidden to do so. The penalty to target chinks in armor is a nice bonus as well.
Grade: B
What are the effects of an invisible weapon? See the Transparent Blade technique on page 19 of Pyramid #3-69. This is a pretty good effect!
Grade: D
This is evil. If you follow somebody around and you know that he has a nice item in his backpack, you may curse his backpack and obtain the item. Probably.
Grade: F
This is only useful in a long-term game focused on building your own wizard tower and competing with other wizards. At least I think so.
Grade: F
God, I love liches so much. This spell is not intended for learning - use hardcore improvisation.
Grade: F
Again, this is not a spell, but a perk for enchanters. This one lets you make an item that can only be used by certain beings. Racially-limited items are a staple of D&D loot, so I like this one. However, it is very unlikely to come up for a typical PC, so I'm still giving it an F.
Grade: F
Another non-spell perk. Just like Bane, I'd allow any enchanter to impose such limitations without this perk.
Grade: F
A useful quality-of-life spell from the in-universe perspective. It has a permanent duration, and it is quite cheap, so it makes no sense to learn it - cast it via hardcore improvisation.
Grade: B
Afraid of being disarmed or caught without your weapon? Then this spell is for you. Especially useful for thrown weapons.
Grade: C
This is a cheap spell that allows you to overcome DR against non-magical weapons or deal more damage to creatures with Vulnerability to magic.
Grade: F
This is actually a useful spell for enchanters, but such situations rarely come up in the traditional games. In a game focused on enchanting, this might be a B spell.
Grade: C
Do you usually wield a mace, but you really want to poke out an eye with it? Then this spell is useful, allowing you to target vitals and eyes. Imagine a great axe that replaces its damage with impaling.
Grade: B
This is pretty expensive, but increasing RoF is a very powerful effect on low TL that should not be underestimated. Can be combined with Conic Blast for some extra synergy.
Grade: F
Another non-spell perk for enchanters. Allows you to name the item, so it will only work for those who know its name. Cool in terms of flavor, but not very useful for the typical PC.
Grade: F
The last non-spell perk for enchanters. This one installs a safety switch into the item. If the password is said in the presence of the item, the enchantment shuts down. That's pretty cool if you're afraid of your items being stolen and used against you. However, it's pretty much useless for the typical PC.
Penetrating Weapon (GURPS Thaumatology: Sorcery, p. 16)
Grade: B
Armor divisors are very powerful in low TL games, so this spell is very good.
Grade: B
This is very setting-specific. If this spell exists, then it's a decent save-or-die spell.
Grade: A
Just like Accuracy, this spell must have a cap. Otherwise, it might get out of hand. A very useful spell, especially if you are lacking in the damage department. This might even make halflings dangerous in combat, but this does not increase the damage limit of the weapon (the STx3 one). There's also an alternative - Weapon of Puissance (see below).
Grade: F
An F? Why? Typically, the bonus for an extra turn of aiming is just a +1 to hit. Why not just learn Accuracy 1 instead and accomplish the same thing much better and much cheaper?
Grade: D
You better buy up your Fast-Draw skill. Otherwise, its a nice little enchantment for a magic weapon.
Grade: F
This would be great at higher TL, but at low TLs it is pretty much useless, as Recoil isn't a thing. Almost.
Grade: D
Armor divisors are quite rare at low TLs. This spell becomes much better at high TLs though.
Grade: D
If you are fighting giants or other creatures that wield heavy weapons, this is actually very useful. Otherwise, don't bother.
Grade: F
Dross. Why would you need this extremely expensive spell when you can just break the item? Well, unless the item is indestructible.
Grade: D
See Blunting Arm- wait, no. This is different, as it allows the armor to provide DR even against attacks that normally bypass it. However, the provided DR would be quite insignificant, and high levels of this spell are very expensive.
Grade: B
Honestly, this is very useful for those who have thrown or missile weapons. Not only does it let you carry less ammunition, but it also helps you avoid extra bookkeeping - most of the ammunition just comes back to you.
Grade: C
Cover? What's that? This is neat. Even if you have no hard surfaces, such as walls, available, you can set things up with a shield-wielding ally.
Grade: B
Oh, god, no. I played in a game where one of my allies was a slinger with the Shattershot imbuement. This was a traumatizing experience that was only a little bit less traumatizing than playing with RPM. However, because of that game, the shrapnel calculation command exists in Pseudobot. Shattershots take a long time to resolve, and they are very likely to damage your allies as well - this is why I'm giving it a B. GMs - be careful!
Grade: B
This is something between Doppelganger and Golem, but closer to Doppelganger with the same upsides and downsides.
Grade: C
Chinks in armor become a nuisance when the skill levels become very high. If you are wearing armor with chinks, then this spell might come in handy. At TL 9+, this spell greatly enhances the defensive capabilities of hardsuits and powered armor.
Grade: F
I'm only giving this spell an F because enchanting very rarely comes up in traditional adventuring games. In a game that is focused on enchantment, this is very good, as it allows you to use not only your unspent character points to enchant items, but also character points of your allies. And that's a big advantage.
Grade: D
Well, I guess if you want to move your soul to a golem and kill your body in the process, then this is fine. But you still have to pay points for the new form.
Grade: F
Basically, this spell turns you into a living lich by creating you a phylactery. This spell was intended not for learning, but for hardcore improvisation. And even then it is way too expensive.
Grade: F
Another Enchant variant for magical genetic engineering. Pretty cool, but mostly useless in the traditional games.
Grade: C
There's no sense learning this spell, but it can be easily cast via hardcore improvisation and land you a staff that extends your reach for touch spells. Pretty good, right?
Grade: B
If you are using the rules for damage to weapons and armor (LTC2), then this is a very powerful effect. Do not underestimate it.
Grade: D
This is an interesting spell. I remember it being a pain to stat up, but I'm content with the result. Mostly though, it seems to be an NPC spell, however, I would love to see what a PC would do with it.
Grade: C
If you expect an underwater fight, then this spell will make a huge difference for you in combat. Melee weapons are harshly penalized underwater, so this spell is invaluable in such situations. And if you're playing an underwater campaign, then you really should learn this spell.
Grade: A
Another extremely powerful spell, especially on a shield. I don't think I even have to explain why this is good.
Grade: B
This spell greatly enhances your performance against living opponents, and it does not cost much either. A good spell overall! However, in fantasy games there's many opponents that lack vitals.
Grade: F
This is a variant of the Puissance spell that is made via an imbuement skill. They are not supposed to be used together, as Puissance is simply better than this one. Even if your GM forbids Puissance but allows you to learn this spell, this spell's cost makes it a C.
Grade: F
Very cool, but not very useful and very expensive. Consider for cooperative hardcore improvisation only.
Grade: B
At the first glance, this looks like a lame and hard-to-use spell, but in reailty this is something that can no-sell sorcerers that rely on area attacks that normally cannot be defended against. And that's good in my book.
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