Wizardry: Communication and Empathy Spells I
Communication and Empathy is one of my favorite magic colleges in GURPS, as it is surprisingly useful and diverse. Let's convert some D&D spells. Calm Emotions is simple, but has somewhat vague game effect, as is often the case with emotions. Comprehend Languages is actually very different from the GURPS Gift of Tongues/Letters. While it does combine the two effects, it is much more limited, as it is a self-only buff, requires touching a "sample," and only grants one-way fluency. However, it's quite a cheap spell that definitely would be useful in many situations. Detect Thoughts differs from the normal Mind Reading advantage, as it requires constant concentration. Discern Lies is not a 100% effective method of detecting truth and lies, and I think that this is a good change. I based this spell on the Truth Sense ability from GURPS Powers: Enhanced Senses, but adjusted the limitation values. Eagle's Splendor gives the subject Charisma 2 (I decided to make this effect static). Mass Eagle's Splendor is a mass version of the previous spell.
Calm Emotions
Keywords: Resisted (Will).
Full Cost: 28 points.
Casting Roll: Skill.
Components: V, S.
Cost: 1 FP.
Casting Time: 1 second.
Range: Unlimited.
Duration: 3 minutes.
You can calm down a single sapient creature. This spell stops Berserk and prevents the subject from doing any destructive actions (he can still defend himself). Should the creature be attacked or injured, the compulsion breaks.
If you tie or lose, the subject can sense coercion coming from you. In addition, you cannot try to affect him again within 24 hours.
Statistics: Mind Control (Accessibility, Only sapient creatures, -10%; Accessibility, Only to calm down, -20%; Costs Fatigue, 1 FP, -5%; Emotion Control, -50%; Independent, +70%; Magical, -10%; Requites Gestures, -10%; Requires Magic Words, -10%) [28].
Comprehend Languages
Keywords: Buff.
Full Cost: 9 points.
Casting Roll: Skill.
Components: V, S.
Cost: 1 FP.
Casting Time: 1 second.
Range: Self.
Duration: 30 minutes.
You can understand the spoken words of creatures or read otherwise incomprehensible written messages. In either case, you must touch the creature or the writing to cast this spell. The ability to read does not necessarily impart insight into the material, merely its literal meaning. The spell enables you to understand or read an unknown language, not speak or write it. Your effective comprehension level is Accented – or Native, if you have Language Talent.
Statistics: Affliction 1 (HT; Accessibility, Self Only, -50%; Alternative Enhancements, +48%; Costs Fatigue, 1 FP, -5%; Extended Duration, 10x, +40%; Fixed Duration, +0%; Magical, -10%; Requires Gestures, -10%; Requires IQ Roll, -10%; Requires Magic Words, -10%; Requires touching a sample, -10%) [9]. Note: Alternative Enhancements contain Advantage, Spoken Understanding, +40% and Advantage, Written Understanding, +40%. “Spoken Understanding” is Cosmic Power 1 (Limited, One One-Way Fluency Perk, -50%; Magical, -10%) [4], and “Written Understanding” is Cosmic Power 1 (Limited, One One-Way Fluency Perk, -50%; Magical, -10%) [4].
Detect Thoughts
Keywords: Resisted (Will).
Casting Roll: Skill.
Components: V, S.
Cost: 1 FP to cast, 1 FP to maintain.
Casting Time: 1 second.
Range: Unlimited (standard).
Duration: Indefinite.
The caster can read surface thoughts of a sapient creature he can see or touch. He “hears” the subject’s surface thoughts as a voice in his head. Received thought comes at the speed of speech. If the caster does not understand the language, he only picks up feelings, images, and general intent.
Maintaining this spell requires constant concentration, i.e. uninterrupted Concentrate maneuvers.
If the caster fails to cast this spell on a specific subject, he may try again, at a cumulative -2 per repeated attempt on that subject in the past hour. Should he critically fail, he cannot read that person again for 24 hours.
Statistics: Mind Reading (Accessibility, Only sapient creatures, -10%; Costs Fatigue, 1 FP, -5%; Magical, -10%; Requires Concentrate, -15%; Requires Gestures, -10%; Requires Magic Words, -10%) [12].
Discern Lies
Keywords: None.
Casting Roll: Skill.
Components: V, S.
Cost: 1 FP to cast, 1 FP to maintain.
Casting Time: 1 second.
Range: Self.
Duration: Indefinite.
The caster becomes able to better discern when somebody speaks truth or lies. While this spell is active, the caster has +3 to Detect Lies.
Statistics: Empathy (Accessibility, Truth and lies only, -35%; Costs Fatigue, 1 FP, -5%; Magical, -10%; Requires Gestures, -10%; Requires Magic Words, -10%) [5].
Eagle’s Splendor
Keywords: Buff.
Full Cost (Self): 9 points.
Full Cost (Touch): 23 points.
Full Cost (Short-Range): 26 points.
Full Cost (Ranged): 31 points.
Casting Roll: Skill.
Components: V, S.
Cost: 2 FP.
Casting Time: 1 second.
Range: Self – Touch – Unlimited (-1/yard) – Unlimited (standard).
Duration: 3 minutes.
The transmuted creature becomes more poised, articulate, and personally forceful. This spell grants the sapient subject two levels of Charisma (p. B41).
Statistics: Affliction 1 (HT; Accessibility, Self Only, -50%; Advantage, Eagle’s Splendor, +90%; Costs Fatigue, 2 FP, -10%; Fixed Duration, +0%; Magical, -10%; Requires gestures, -10%; Requires IQ Roll, -10%; Requires magic words, -10%) [9]. Note: “Eagle’s Splendor” is Charisma 2 (Magical, -10%) [9]. The Touch version removes Accessibility, Self Only, -50% and Requires IQ Roll, -10% and adds Accessibility, Only nonvolitional or non-resisting subjects, -20%, Accessibility, Only sapient beings, -10%; Based on IQ, Own Roll, +20%; Malediction, +100%, Melee Attack, Reach C, -30%, and No Signature, +20% [+14]. The Short-Range version removes Melee Attack, Reach C, -30% [+3]. The Ranged version replaces Malediction 1, +100% with Malediction 2, +150% [+5].
Mass Eagle’s Splendor
Keywords: Area (Leveled), Buff.
Full Cost (Short-Range): 33 points for level 1 + 5 points/additional level.
Full Cost (Ranged): 38 points for level 1 + 5 points/additional level.
Casting Roll: Skill.
Components: V, S.
Cost: 2 FP.
Casting Time: 1 second.
Range: Unlimited (-1/yard) – Unlimited (standard).
Duration: 3 minutes.
The transmuted creatures in the area becomes more poised, articulate, and personally forceful. This spell grants sapient subjects in the area two levels of Charisma (p. B41). The caster may omit any creatures from the effect.
Statistics: Affliction 1 (HT; Accessibility, Only nonvolitional or non-resisting subjects, -20%; Accessibility, Only sapient creatures, -10%; Advantage, Mass Eagle’s Splendor, +90%; Area Effect, 2 yards, +50%; Based on IQ, Own Roll, +20%; Costs Fatigue, 2 FP, -10%; Fixed Duration, +0%; Magical, -10%; Malediction 1, +100%; No Signature, +20%; Requires Gestures, -10%; Requires Magic Words, -10%; Selective Area, +20%) [33]. Note: “Mass Eagle’s Splendor” is Charisma 2 (Magical, -10%) [9]. Additional levels add Area Effect (+50%) [+5/level]. The Ranged version replaces Malediction 1, +100% with Malediction 2, +150% [+5].
Statistics: Mind Control (Accessibility, Only sapient creatures, -10%; Accessibility, Only to calm down, -20%; Costs Fatigue, 1 FP, -5%; Emotion Control, -50%; Independent, +70%; Magical, -10%; Requites Gestures, -10%; Requires Magic Words, -10%) [28].
Comprehend Languages
Keywords: Buff.
Full Cost: 9 points.
Casting Roll: Skill.
Components: V, S.
Cost: 1 FP.
Casting Time: 1 second.
Range: Self.
Duration: 30 minutes.
You can understand the spoken words of creatures or read otherwise incomprehensible written messages. In either case, you must touch the creature or the writing to cast this spell. The ability to read does not necessarily impart insight into the material, merely its literal meaning. The spell enables you to understand or read an unknown language, not speak or write it. Your effective comprehension level is Accented – or Native, if you have Language Talent.
Statistics: Affliction 1 (HT; Accessibility, Self Only, -50%; Alternative Enhancements, +48%; Costs Fatigue, 1 FP, -5%; Extended Duration, 10x, +40%; Fixed Duration, +0%; Magical, -10%; Requires Gestures, -10%; Requires IQ Roll, -10%; Requires Magic Words, -10%; Requires touching a sample, -10%) [9]. Note: Alternative Enhancements contain Advantage, Spoken Understanding, +40% and Advantage, Written Understanding, +40%. “Spoken Understanding” is Cosmic Power 1 (Limited, One One-Way Fluency Perk, -50%; Magical, -10%) [4], and “Written Understanding” is Cosmic Power 1 (Limited, One One-Way Fluency Perk, -50%; Magical, -10%) [4].
Detect Thoughts
Keywords: Resisted (Will).
Casting Roll: Skill.
Components: V, S.
Cost: 1 FP to cast, 1 FP to maintain.
Casting Time: 1 second.
Range: Unlimited (standard).
Duration: Indefinite.
The caster can read surface thoughts of a sapient creature he can see or touch. He “hears” the subject’s surface thoughts as a voice in his head. Received thought comes at the speed of speech. If the caster does not understand the language, he only picks up feelings, images, and general intent.
Maintaining this spell requires constant concentration, i.e. uninterrupted Concentrate maneuvers.
If the caster fails to cast this spell on a specific subject, he may try again, at a cumulative -2 per repeated attempt on that subject in the past hour. Should he critically fail, he cannot read that person again for 24 hours.
Statistics: Mind Reading (Accessibility, Only sapient creatures, -10%; Costs Fatigue, 1 FP, -5%; Magical, -10%; Requires Concentrate, -15%; Requires Gestures, -10%; Requires Magic Words, -10%) [12].
Discern Lies
Keywords: None.
Casting Roll: Skill.
Components: V, S.
Cost: 1 FP to cast, 1 FP to maintain.
Casting Time: 1 second.
Range: Self.
Duration: Indefinite.
The caster becomes able to better discern when somebody speaks truth or lies. While this spell is active, the caster has +3 to Detect Lies.
Statistics: Empathy (Accessibility, Truth and lies only, -35%; Costs Fatigue, 1 FP, -5%; Magical, -10%; Requires Gestures, -10%; Requires Magic Words, -10%) [5].
Eagle’s Splendor
Keywords: Buff.
Full Cost (Self): 9 points.
Full Cost (Touch): 23 points.
Full Cost (Short-Range): 26 points.
Full Cost (Ranged): 31 points.
Casting Roll: Skill.
Components: V, S.
Cost: 2 FP.
Casting Time: 1 second.
Range: Self – Touch – Unlimited (-1/yard) – Unlimited (standard).
Duration: 3 minutes.
The transmuted creature becomes more poised, articulate, and personally forceful. This spell grants the sapient subject two levels of Charisma (p. B41).
Statistics: Affliction 1 (HT; Accessibility, Self Only, -50%; Advantage, Eagle’s Splendor, +90%; Costs Fatigue, 2 FP, -10%; Fixed Duration, +0%; Magical, -10%; Requires gestures, -10%; Requires IQ Roll, -10%; Requires magic words, -10%) [9]. Note: “Eagle’s Splendor” is Charisma 2 (Magical, -10%) [9]. The Touch version removes Accessibility, Self Only, -50% and Requires IQ Roll, -10% and adds Accessibility, Only nonvolitional or non-resisting subjects, -20%, Accessibility, Only sapient beings, -10%; Based on IQ, Own Roll, +20%; Malediction, +100%, Melee Attack, Reach C, -30%, and No Signature, +20% [+14]. The Short-Range version removes Melee Attack, Reach C, -30% [+3]. The Ranged version replaces Malediction 1, +100% with Malediction 2, +150% [+5].
Mass Eagle’s Splendor
Keywords: Area (Leveled), Buff.
Full Cost (Short-Range): 33 points for level 1 + 5 points/additional level.
Full Cost (Ranged): 38 points for level 1 + 5 points/additional level.
Casting Roll: Skill.
Components: V, S.
Cost: 2 FP.
Casting Time: 1 second.
Range: Unlimited (-1/yard) – Unlimited (standard).
Duration: 3 minutes.
The transmuted creatures in the area becomes more poised, articulate, and personally forceful. This spell grants sapient subjects in the area two levels of Charisma (p. B41). The caster may omit any creatures from the effect.
Statistics: Affliction 1 (HT; Accessibility, Only nonvolitional or non-resisting subjects, -20%; Accessibility, Only sapient creatures, -10%; Advantage, Mass Eagle’s Splendor, +90%; Area Effect, 2 yards, +50%; Based on IQ, Own Roll, +20%; Costs Fatigue, 2 FP, -10%; Fixed Duration, +0%; Magical, -10%; Malediction 1, +100%; No Signature, +20%; Requires Gestures, -10%; Requires Magic Words, -10%; Selective Area, +20%) [33]. Note: “Mass Eagle’s Splendor” is Charisma 2 (Magical, -10%) [9]. Additional levels add Area Effect (+50%) [+5/level]. The Ranged version replaces Malediction 1, +100% with Malediction 2, +150% [+5].
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