Wizardry: Acid Spells I

Wizardry: Acid Spells I

Acid has always been weird in fantasy games. In D&D, it is usually attached to the element of earth, but most other games seem to attach it to the element of water instead. GURPS Griomoire for the 3rd edition suggests splitting acid spells away from the water college and forming a separate acid college, and that's what I do. Player's Handbook only has three acid spells. Acid Fog is a low-damage area spell that also obstructs vision. Acid Splash is a simple acid missile attack. Melf's Acid Arrow is an attack with a cyclic acid follow-up. You should also keep in mind that realistic acids usually are limited to 1d-1 corrosion damage, and this is why I'm trying to keep acid damage low, both for spells and monsters. Sure, great wyrm black dragons do deal a bit more, but I can accept that.

 
    Acid Fog
    Keywords: Area (Fixed).
    Full Cost: 35 points.
    Casting Roll: Skill. Use Innate Attack (Gaze) to aim.
    Components: V, S.
    Cost: 1 FP.
    Casting Time: 1 second.
    Range: 50 yards.
    Duration: 10 seconds.
 
    You may fill a 4-yard-radius area with a billowy mass of misty vapors. This gives -5 to all vision rolls made through it. To place the cloud at a distance, use Innate Attack (Gaze), with normal range penalties, but at +4 for affecting an area. The initial attack roll places the effect. It then drifts from that point with the wind.
    Every creature in the area takes 1 point of corrosion damage per second as Large-Area Injury (p. B400). In addition, any creature that breathes in the fog takes 1 point of corrosion damage per second, ignoring external DR. Once the creature loses 1/3 of its HP to this respiratory effect, it begins to cough (p. B428) until it recovers HP above this threshold.
    Statistics: Corrosion Attack 1 point (Area Effect, 4 yards, +100%; Drifting, +20%; Link, +10%; Magical, -10%; Persistent, +40%; Reduced Range, 1/2, -10%; Requires Gestures, -10%; Requires IQ Roll, -10%; Requires Magic Words, -10%) [7] + Corrosion Attack 1 point (Area Effect, 4 yards, +100%; Drifting, +20%; Link, +10%; Magical, -10%; Persistent, +40%; Reduced Range, 1/2, -10%; Requires Gestures, -10%; Requires IQ Roll, -10%; Requires Magic Words, -10%; Respiratory Agent, +50%; Symptoms, 1/3 HP, Coughing, +60%) [10] + Obscure Vision 5 (Area Effect, 4 yards, +50%; Costs Fatigue, 1 FP, -5%; Drifting, +20%; Link, +10%; Magical, -10%; Ranged, +50%; Reduced Range, 1/2, -10%; Requires Gestures, -10%; Requires IQ Roll, -10%; Requires Magic Words, -10%) [18].
 
    Acid Splash
    Keywords: Missile, Obvious.
    Full Cost: 2 points.
    Casting Roll: Skill. Use Innate Attack (Projectile) to hit.
    Components: V, S.
    Cost: 1 FP.
    Casting Time: 1 second.
    Range: 10 yards.
    Duration: Instantaneous.
 
    You fire a small orb of acid at the target, dealing 1d-2 corrosion damage. This attack has no 1/2D range, and has Acc 2. It can be dodged or blocked, but not parried.
    Statistics: Corrosion Attack 1d-2 (Blockable, -5%; Costs Fatigue, 1 FP, -5%; Inaccurate 1, -5%; Increased 1/2D, 10x, +15%; Magical, -10%; Reduced Range, 1/10, -30%; Requires Gestures, -10%; Requires IQ Roll, -10%; Requires Magic Words, -10%) [2].
  
    Melf’s Acid Arrow
    Keywords: Missile, Obvious.
    Full Cost: 17 points.
    Casting Roll: Skill. Use Innate Attack (Projectile) to hit.
    Components: V, S.
    Cost: 1 FP.
    Casting Time: 1 second.
    Range: 100 yards.
    Duration: Instantaneous.
 
    A magical arrow of acid springs from your hand and speeds to its target, dealing 1d-1 corrosion damage. It can be dodged or blocked, but not parried. After striking the target, for the next four seconds, the arrow continues to pump acid, dealing 1 point of follow-up corrosion damage per second. This cyclic damage can be stopped by washing off the acid. This attack has no 1/2D range, and has Acc 3.
    Statistics: Corrosion Attack 1d-1 (Blockable, -5%; Costs Fatigue, 1 FP, -5%; Increased 1/2D, 10x, +15%; Magical, -10%; Requires Gestures, -10%; Requires IQ Roll, -10%; Requires Magic Words, -10%) [5] + Corrosion Attack 1 point (Cyclic, four one-second cycles, +300%; Delay, 1 second, +0%; Follow-Up, Corrosion Attack, +15%; Magical, -10%; Requires Gestures, -10%; Requires IQ Roll, -10%; Requires Magic Words, -10%) [12].