Wizardry: Ice Spells I

Wizardry: Ice Spells I

Chill Touch got a complete rework. Instead of a necromantic spell that channels negative energy to damage and weaken, this is a cyclic freezing spell. I like this approach more. Cone of Cold is the first proper cone (not a line/1-yard cone) spell that deals non-incendiary cold damage instead of fatigue damage. Ice Storm creates a localized hailstorm that deals crushing damage and impairs hearing, vision, and infravision. Otiluke's Freezing Sphere creates an icy explosion that also freezes victims standing in water.

 
    Chill Touch
    Keywords: Obvious.
    Full Cost: 34 points.
    Casting Roll: Skill. Use unarmed combat skill or DX to hit.
    Components: V, S.
    Cost: 2 FP.
    Casting Time: 1 second.
    Range: Touch.
    Duration: 10 seconds.
 
    The caster must touch the subject to cast this spell. The subject begins to freeze from within, taking 1d-2 fatigue damage each second for 10 seconds, ignoring DR. Each second the subject may resist the damage by making a successful HT roll. If the roll is a critical success, then the spell stops. Treat FP lost to the attack identically to FP lost to cold for all purposes, notably recovery (see Cold, B430). Targets injured by this spell must make an HT roll, at -1 per 2 points of injury, or take a -2 penalty to DX and become Numb (p. B146) for (20-HT) minutes (minimum 1 minute).
    Statistics: Fatigue Attack 1d-2 (Cosmic, Irresistible Attack, +300%; Costs Fatigue, 2 FP, -10%; Cyclic, 9 cycles, 1 second intervals, Resistible, +450%; Freezing, +20%; Magical, -10%; Melee Attack, Reach C, Cannot Parry, -35%; Requires Gestures, -10%; Requires IQ Roll, -10%; Requires Magic Words, -10%; Resistible, HT, -30%; Side Effect, DX-2 and Numb, +90%) [34].
  
    Cone of Cold
    Keywords: Cone, Obvious.
    Full Cost: 11 points/level.
    Casting Roll: Skill. Use Innate Attack (Beam) to hit.
    Components: V, S.
    Cost: 2 FP.
    Casting Time: 1 second.
    Range: 10 yards.
    Duration: Instantaneous.
 
    You fire a cone of intense cold that does 1d burning damage per level. This damage comes from extreme cold, so it cannot set anything on fire. Targets injured by this spell must make an HT roll, at -1 per 2 points of injury, or take a -2 penalty to DX and become Numb (p. B146) for (20-HT) minutes (minimum 1 minute).
    This is a 6-yard-wide cone attack that uses the rules for Cone Attacks (p. B413). The caster targets a hex right in front of him, at +4, and the cone extends out from there. It is possible to make the cone wider by using the All-Out Attack (Cone) maneuver (GURPS Dungeon Fantasy Monsters 4: Dragons, p. 10). This spell has the 1/2D range of 5 yards.
    Statistics: Burning Attack 1d (Cone 6, +110%; Costs Fatigue, 2 FP, -10%; Increased 1/2D, 5x, +10%; Magical, -10%; No Incendiary Effect, -10%; Reduced Range, 1/10, -30%; Requires Gestures, -10%; Requires IQ Roll, -10%; Requires Magic Words, -10%; Side Effect, DX-2 and Numb, +90%) [11/level].
  
    Ice Storm
    Keywords: Area (Fixed).
    Full Cost: 41 points.
    Casting Roll: Skill. Use Innate Attack (Gaze) to aim.
    Components: V, S.
    Cost: 2 FP.
    Casting Time: 1 second.
    Range: 100 yards.
    Duration: 10 seconds.
 
    Great magical hailstones pound down for the duration of the spell in a 4-yard-radius area.  Use Innate Attack (Gaze), at +4, to center the area; see Scatter (p. B414) if you miss. Everyone who spends even part of their turn in the area is attacked with an effective skill of 12, modified only for their SM. This spell bypasses any cover that does not provide overhead protection, and negates attack penalties to hit crouching, kneeling, sitting, or prone targets.
    Each hailstone deals 1d-1 crushing damage. In addition, Hearing and Vision rolls (including Infravision) made in the area or through the area take a -4 penalty. At the end of the duration, the hail disappears, leaving no aftereffects (other than the damage dealt).
    Statistics: Crushing Attack 1d-1 (Area Effect, 4 yards, +100%; Bombardment, Skill-12, -10%; Link, +10%; Magical, -10%; Overhead, +30%; Persistent, +40%; Requires Gestures, -10%; Requires IQ Roll, -10%; Requires Magic Words, -10%) [10] + Obscure Hearing 4 (Area Effect, 4 yards, +50%; Link, +10%; Magical, -10%; Ranged, +50%; Requires Gestures, -10%; Requires Magic Words, -10%) [15] + Obscure Vision 4 (Area Effect, 4 yards, +50%; Costs Fatigue, 2 FP, -10%; Extended, Infravision, +20%; Link, +10%; Magical, -10%; Ranged, +50%; Requires Gestures, -10%; Requires Magic Words, -10%) [16]
 
    Otiluke’s Freezing Sphere
    Keywords: Area (Fixed), Missile, Obvious.
    Full Cost: 51 points.
    Casting Roll: Skill. Use Innate Attack (Projectile) to hit.
    Components: V, S.
    Cost: 2 FP.
    Casting Time: 2 seconds.
    Range: 100 yards.
    Duration: Instantaneous.
 
    You throw a ball of cold that expands to cover a 4-yard-radius area. Use Innate Attack (Projectile) to hit, applying normal range penalties, but at +4 for targeting an area. Everyone within four yards of that spot takes 2d burning damage. This damage comes from extreme cold, not heat, so it cannot set anything on fire. Targets injured by this spell must make an HT roll, at -1 per 2 points of injury, or take a -2 penalty to DX and become Numb (p. B146) for (20-HT) minutes (minimum 1 minute).
    In addition, if the sphere’s explosion covers a body of water or a liquid that is principally water (not including water-based creatures), it freezes the liquid to a depth of 6 inches. Creatures that were swimming on the surface of a targeted body of water or were standing in it become trapped in the ice. Treat this as Binding (p. B40) with ST 10.
    Statistics: Burning Attack 2d (Area Effect, 4 yards, +100%; Link, +10%; Magical, -10%; No Incendiary Effect, -10%; Requires Gestures, -10%; Requires Magic Words, -10%; Side Effect, DX-2 and Numb, +90%; Takes Extra Time 1, -10%) [25] + Binding 10 (Area Effect, 4 yards, +100%; Costs Fatigue, 2 FP, -10%; Environmental, Water, -20%; Link, +10%; Magical, -10%; Requires Gestures, -10%; Requires IQ Roll, -10%; Requires Magic Words, -10%; Takes Extra Time 1, -10%) [26].