Wizardry: Earth Spells IV

Wizardry: Earth Spells IV

Spike Stones was a difficult spell to stat up. To simulate bad terrain, I decided to reverse the Grease statline. To simulate caltrops-like spikes, I decided to go with Natural Weapon based on ST of the victim. To make it a ranged attack with range independent of ST, I had to first bring 1/2D range in line with muscle-powered range from the Metatronic Generators article, then reverse muscle-powered limitation. Statue is a high-end earth spell that lets the subject shift between his normal form and an immobile stone statue. Wall of Stone is another example of why Create makes better walls than Innate Attack with the Wall enhancement.

    Spike Stones
    Keywords: Area (Fixed).
    Full Cost: 46 points.
    Casting Roll: Skill.
    Components: V, S.
    Cost: 1 FP.
    Casting Time: 1 second.
    Range: 10 yards.
    Duration: 10 seconds.

    Rocky ground, stone floors, and similar surfaces shape themselves into long, sharp points. Spike Stones count as bad terrain (+1 movement point/hex, bad footing penalties). This affects a 4-yard-radius area. Anyone who steps on the spikes takes thr-3 impaling damage to one of his feet, based on his ST. Anyone falling or colliding with the spiked surfaces takes impaling damage from the fall or collision.
    Statistics: Control Ground Friction 2 (Accessibility, Only to increase friction, -25%; Cannot concentrate to extend duration, -10%; Costs Fatigue, 1 FP, -5%; Environmental, Rocky surfaces, -20%; Magical, -10%; Persistent, +40%; Ranged, +40%; Reduced Range, 1/10, -30%; Requires Gestures, -10%; Requires Magic Words, -10%) [18] + Control Ground Friction 2 (Accessibility, Only to increase friction, -25%; Cannot concentrate to extend duration, -10%; Costs Fatigue, 1 FP, -5%; Environmental, Rocky surfaces, -20%; Magical, -10%; Only to increase area, -50%; Persistent, +40%; Ranged, +40%; Reduced Range, 1/10, -30%; Requires Gestures, -10%; Requires Magic Words, -10%) [6] + Natural Weapon (Impaling; Area Effect, 4 yards, +100%; Cannot Parry, -40%; Environmental, Rocky surfaces, -20%; Increased 1/2D, 5x, +10%; Intangible, +50%; Magical, -10%; Non-Muscle-Powered Range, +10%; Persistent, +40%; Ranged, +100%; Reduced Damage, -3, -45%; Reduced Range, 1/10, -30%; Requires Gestures, -10%; Requires Magic Words, -10%; Resilient, Unbreakable, +40%; Reversed ST, +0%; Single, -20%) [22].

    Statue
    Keywords: Buff.
    Full Cost (Self): 85 points.
    Full Cost (Touch): 100 points.
    Casting Roll: Skill.
    Components: V, S.
    Cost: 2 FP.
    Casting Time: 2 seconds.
    Range: Self – Touch.
    Duration: 5 hours.

    The subject along with all his equipment up to his Medium encumbrance is turned into an immobile statue. He gains a variant of the Body of Stone meta-trait; see the footnote below for details. The subject of a Statue spell can return to its normal state, act, and then return instantly to the statue state (a Ready maneuver) if it so desires, as long as the spell duration is in effect.
    Statistics: Affliction 1 (HT; Accessibility, Self Only, -50%; Advantage, Statue, +780%; Costs Fatigue, 2 FP, -10%; Extended Duration, 100x, +80%; Fixed Duration, +0%; Magical, -10%; Requires Gestures, -10%; Requires IQ Roll, -10%; Requires Magic Words, -10%; Takes Extra Time 1, -10%) [85]. Note: “Statue” is Alternate Form (Statue*; Can Carry Objects, Medium Encumbrance, +50%; Magical, -10%; Reduced Time 4, +80%) [33+45]. The Touch version removes Accessibility, Self Only, -50% and Requires IQ Roll, -10% and adds Accessibility, Only nonvolitional or non-resisting subjects, -20%, Based on IQ, Own Roll, +20%; Malediction 1, +100%, Melee Attack, Reach C, -30%, and No Signature, +20% [+15].
    * A variant of the Body of Stone meta-trait from p. 262 of GURPS Basic Set: Doesn’t Breathe [20]; Doesn’t Eat or Drink [10]; DR 5 [25]; Immunity to Metabolic Hazards [30]; Injury Tolerance (Homogenous, No Blood) [45]; Numb [-20]; Pressure Support 3 [15]; Quadriplegic [-80]; Sealed [15]; Vacuum Support [5]; and Fragile (Brittle) [-15]. 50 points.

    Wall of Stone
    Keywords: None.
    Full Cost: 32 points.
    Casting Roll: Skill. Use Innate Attack (Gaze) to aim.
    Components: V, S.
    Cost: 2 FP.
    Casting Time: 1 second.
    Range: 50 yards.
    Duration: 10 seconds or permanent; see text.

    This spell creates a wall of rock that merges into adjoining rock surfaces. It is typically employed to close passages, portals, and breaches against opponents. The wall cannot be conjured so that it occupies the same space as a creature or another object. Unlike a Wall of Iron, you can create a Wall of Stone in almost any shape you desire. The wall created need not be vertical, nor rest upon any firm foundation; however, it must merge with and be solidly supported by existing stone. It can be used to bridge a chasm, for instance, or as a ramp.
    A Wall of Stone is 1 inch thick, 1 yard tall, and 1 yard wide. You can double the wall’s area by halving its thickness. Each 1-hex square or 10-square-foot area of the wall has DR 13 per inch of thickness. Repeated impaling, piercing, and large piercing attacks against the same small spot (an area with SM 0 or less) lower DR at that specific point as if it were semi-ablative; repeated burning, corrosion, crushing, cutting, or huge piercing attacks at that same spot reduce DR at that point as if it were ablative. DR never falls below 3. A stone wall 1” thick has HP 40. Each doubling increases HP by 20%. The wall weighs 130 pounds.
    Created stone is unstable. It vanishes in 10 seconds unless you use character points to “stabilize” it. Each point spent stabilizes a quantity worth 10% of the campaign’s average starting wealth. (This is just the tradeoff used for Trading Points for Money, p. B26.) Stone costs $0.75 per pound. Thus, a typical casting of Wall of Stone costs $97.5.
    Points spent to stabilize matter come from your “Creation Pool,” a number of points set aside for the purpose. You can’t apply any modifiers to these points. Points used to stabilize matter are unavailable until reclaimed – which causes the matter to vanish. If the matter is crafted into an object, the item is unmade when the matter vanishes. If the matter is mixed with other materials (e.g., alloyed), you must separate it to reclaim your points; this can be a tedious process. If it’s destroyed (e.g., melts naturally) or transformed (e.g., eaten), you can’t reclaim your points – they’re gone. You can increase your Creation Pool with unspent points at any time.
    Statistics: Create Stone 4 (Accessibility, Only walls adjoined to other rocky surfaces, -20%; Magical, -10%; Ranged, +40%; Reduced Range, 1/2, -10%; Requires Gestures, -10%; Requires Magic Words, -10%) [32].