Sunday, 31 December 2023

Wizardry: Illusion Spells III

Wizardry: Illusion Spells III

The college of Illusion and Creation has been largely neglected by the dice roller. Surprisingly, it's much larger in D&D than it is in GURPS, so there's a lot of undone work. Disguise Self is an illusory disguise spell. Displacement not only makes you harder to target, but also makes it harder to defend against your attacks. False Vision is a way to fool scryers. Illusory Script creates an ecrypted message that implants a suggestion into the reader. Seeming is a version of Disguise Self that can affect others (while usually I combine such spells into a single one, I decided to split these two because they are named differently; in terms of mechanics, a character should feel free to "upgrade" Disguise Self to Seeming). Mirror Image is one of the most fun spells in D&D. I hope I did a good job bringing it to GURPS. Misdirection redirects Information spells to a different subject. Mislead turns you invisible and replaces you with an illusory duplicate. Leomund's Trap makes a lock seem trapped.

    Disguise Self
    Keywords: Area (Leveled), Buff.
    Full Cost: 22 points for level 1 + 12.5 points/additional level.
    Casting Roll: Skill.
    Components: V, S.
    Cost: 2 FP.
    Casting Time: 4 seconds.
    Range: Self.
    Duration: 30 minutes.

    You make yourself—including clothing, armor, weapons, and equipment—look different to normal vision and Infravision. You can seem 1 foot shorter or taller, thin, fat, or in between. You cannot change your body type. For example, a human caster could look human, humanoid, or like any other human-shaped bipedal creature. Otherwise, the extent of the apparent change is up to you. You could add or obscure a minor feature or look like an entirely different person.
    The spell does not provide the abilities or mannerisms of the chosen form, nor does it alter the perceived tactile (touch) or audible (sound) properties of you or your equipment. An axe made to look like a dagger still functions as an axe.
    You must be wholly covered by the spell’s hemispherical area of effect.
    You must win a Quick Contest of IQ – or Artist (Illusion), if better – against the Per of anyone you want to fool; otherwise they notice something “off.” Do not apply range penalties to your roll. Their roll is at +4 if they have reason to be alert for illusions or +10 if you made it appear from out of nowhere. However, even if they successfully “disbelieve,” your illusion doesn’t disappear. Thus, even an obvious illusion can be useful to disguise you.
    Statistics: Affliction 1 (HT; Accessibility, Self Only, -50%; Advantage, Disguise Self, +200%; Costs Fatigue, 2 FP, -10%; Extended Duration, 10x, +40%; Fixed Duration, +0%; Magical, -10%; Requires Gestures, -10%; Requires IQ Roll, -10%; Requires Magic Words, -10%; Takes Extra Time 2, -20%) [22]. Note:Disguise Self” is Illusion (Extended, Infravision, +10%; Independence, +40%; Magical, -10%; Only similar shapes, -30%; Visual Only, -30%) [20]. Additional levels add Area Effect (+50%) to the Disguise Self advantage [+12.5].

    Displacement
    Keywords: Buff.
    Full Cost (Self): 28 points.
    Full Cost (Touch): 43 points.
    Casting Roll: Skill.
    Components: V, S.
    Cost: 1 FP.
    Casting Time: 1 second.
    Range: Self – Touch.
    Duration: 30 seconds.

    Emulating the natural ability of the displacer beast, the subject of this spell appears to be about 2 feet away from its true location. This gives a -4 penalty to attacks against the subject that rely on normal vision, Infravision, or Ultravision. Active defenses against melee attacks of the subject that rely on these senses are at -1 due to this displacement effect.
    Statistics: Affliction 1 (HT; Accessibility, Self Only, -50%; Advantage, Displacement, +290%; Costs Fatigue, 1 FP, -5%; Fixed Duration, +0%; Magical, -10%; Reduced Duration, 1/6, -15%; Requires Gestures, -10%; Requires IQ Roll, -10%; Requires Magic Words, -10%) [28]. Note:Displacement” is Obscure 4 (Vision; Anti-Targeting, -20%; Defensive, +50%; Extended, Infravision and Ultravision, +40%; Magical, -10%; No Area of Effect, -50%; Stealthy, +100%) [17] + DX+2 (Accessibility, Only melee, -10%; Only for Deceptive Attacks, Always On, -30%; Magical, -10%; Vision-Based, -20%) [12]. 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].

    False Vision
    Keywords: Area (Leveled).
    Full Cost: 50 points for level 1 + 12.5 points/additional level.
    Casting Roll: Skill. Use skill or Artist (Illusion) to determine how convincing it is.
    Components: V, S.
    Cost: 2 FP.
    Casting Time: 1 second.
    Range: Self.
    Duration: 8 hours.

    Any divination or scrying spell or a similar remote viewing ability used to view anything within the hemispherical area of this spell instead receives a false image. The image appears around the caster, but it stays in place even if the caster moves out of it. This false image can fool vision, Infravision, Ultravision, and hearing. You must win a Quick Contest of skill – or Artist (Illusion), if better – against the Per of anyone you want to fool; otherwise they notice something “off.” Do not apply range penalties to this roll. Their roll is at +4 if they have reason to be alert for illusions or +10 if you made it appear from out of nowhere. However, even if they successfully “disbelieve,” your illusion doesn’t disappear. Thus, even an obvious illusion can be useful to block line of sight.
    While you do not have to actively concentrate to maintain the illusion, but by taking a Concentrate maneuver, you can change the illusion, make it behave “intelligently,” or move it within the area of effect.
    Statistics: Illusion (Accessibility, Only when viewed with remote viewing, -50%; Costs Fatigue, 2 FP, -10%; Extended, Infravision, Ultravision, +20%; Extended Duration on Persistent, 3,000x, +140%; Magical, -10%; Persistent, +40%; Requires Gestures, -10%; Requires IQ Roll, -10%; Requires Magic Words, -10%) [50]. Additional levels add Area Effect (+50%) [+12.5].

    Illusory Script
    Keywords: Obvious, Resisted (Will).
    Full Cost: 25 points.
    Casting Roll: Skill.
    Components: V, S.
    Cost: 2 FP + 1 character point.
    Casting Time: 10 minutes.
    Range: Touch.
    Duration: Permanent; suggestion lasts for 30 minutes.

    You write instructions or other information on parchment, paper, or any suitable writing material. The Illusory Script appears to be some form of foreign or magical writing. Only the person (or people) designated by you at the time of the casting are able to read the writing; it’s unintelligible to any other character.
    Any unauthorized creature attempting to read the script triggers a potent illusory effect and must roll a Quick Contest of Will against the caster’s skill. A successful resistance means the creature can look away with only a mild sense of disorientation. Failure means the creature is subject to a suggestion implanted in the script by you at the time the Illusory Script spell was cast. The suggestion lasts only 30 minutes. The suggestion must be a simple command; see the Suggest skill (p. B191) for guidelines. Any order that goes against the subject’s values or sense of self-preservation triggers another resistance roll, possibly at a bonus.
    If successfully dispelled by Dispel Magic, the Illusory Script and its secret message disappear. The hidden message can be read by a combination of the True Seeing spell with the Read Magic spell.
    Statistics: Mind Control (Accessibility, Only sapient creatures, -10%; Character point-powered, x1/5; Costs Fatigue, 2 FP, -10%; Delay, Trigger, Reading, +50%; Environmental, Writing material, -20%; Extended Duration, 10x, +40%; Extended Duration on Persistent, Permanent, +150%; Immediate Preparation Required, 10 minutes, -45%; Independent, +70%; Magical, -10%; Melee Attack, Reach C, -30%; Persistent, +40%; Requires Gestures, -10%; Requires IQ Roll, -10%; Requires Magic Words, -10%; Selective Effect, +20%; Short-Range 1, -10%; Suggestion, -40%; Vision-Based, -20%) [25].

    Leomund’s Trap
    Keywords: Buff.
    Full Cost: 38 points.
    Casting Roll: Skill.
    Components: V, S, M.
    Cost: 1 FP.
    Casting Time: 10 minutes.
    Range: Touch.
    Duration: Permanent.

    This spell makes a lock or small mechanism seem to be trapped to anyone who can detect traps. You place the spell upon any small mechanism or device, such as a lock, hinge, hasp, cork, cap, or ratchet. Any character able to detect traps, or who uses any spell or device enabling trap detection, is 100% certain a real trap exists, if he fails a Quick Contest of whatever he is using the detect the trap against your IQ or Artist (Illusion).
    Material Component: Iron pyrite dust ($50).
    Statistics: Affliction 1 (HT; Accessibility, Only small mechanisms, -80%; Advantage, Leomund’s Trap, +200%; Based on IQ, Own Roll, +20%; Costs Fatigue, 1 FP, -5%; Extended Duration, Permanent, +150%; Fixed Duration, +0%; Immediate Preparation Required, 10 minutes, -45%; Magical, -10%; Malediction 1, +100%; Melee Attack, Reach C, -30%; No Signature, +20%; Requires Gestures, -10%; Requires Magic Words, -10%; Trigger, Pyrite Dust, -20%) [38]. Note:Leomund’s Trap” is Illusion (Accessibility, Only to make the object appear trapped, -70%; Extended, Touch, +20%; Independence, +40%; Magical, -10%) [20].

    Mirror Image

    Keywords: Area (Fixed).
    Full Cost: 20 points.
    Casting Roll: Skill.
    Components: V, S.
    Cost: 1 FP.
    Casting Time: 1 second.
    Range: Self.
    Duration: 30 seconds.

    Six illusory duplicates of you pop into being, making it difficult for enemies to know which target to attack. The figments stay near you and disappear when struck. These figments separate from you and remain in a cluster, each within 1 yard of at least one other figment or you. You can move into and through a Mirror Image. When you and the Mirror Image separate, observers can’t use vision or hearing to tell which one is you and which the image. The figments may also move through each other. The figments mimic your actions, pretending to cast spells when you cast a spell, drink potions when you drink a potion, levitate when you levitate, and so on.
    Enemies attempting to attack you or cast spells at you must select from among indistinguishable targets. Generally, roll randomly to see whether the selected target is real or a figment. Any successful attack against an image destroys it. An image may roll an active defense, but since any hit dispels it, dodge is the only appropriate option. Since it’s you who must perform the dodging motions, you are at -1 to Dodge per yard of distance between you and the image. Figments seem to react normally to area spells (such as looking like they’re burned or dead after being hit by a Fireball).
    While moving, you can merge with and split off from figments so that enemies who have learned which image is real are again confounded. This is the only movement the images can perform.
    Statistics: Illusion (Accessibility, Only doubles of yourself, -35%; Costs Fatigue, 1 FP, -5%; Extended Duration, 3x, +20%; Independence, +40%; Magical, -10%; Nuisance Effect, Dissipates upon damage, -10%; Persistent, +40%; Requires Gestures, -10%; Requires IQ Roll, -10%; Requires Magic Words, -10%; Visual Only, -30%) [20].

    Misdirection
    Keywords: Buff.
    Full Cost (Self): 55 points.
    Full Cost (Touch): 70 points.
    Casting Roll: Skill.
    Components: V, S.
    Cost: 2 FP.
    Casting Time: 2 seconds.
    Range: Self – Touch.
    Duration: 5 hours.

    This spell redirects Information spells targeted at a first subject onto a second subject, the “decoy.” You must touch both subjects when casting this spell. If the diviner’s margin of success is 10 or more, then he divines the correct subject.
    Statistics: Affliction 1 (HT; Accessibility, Self Only, -50%; Advantage, Misdirection, +480%; 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%) [55]. Note:Misdirection” is Obscure 10 (Information Spells; Cosmic, Redirects to a decoy, +50%; Defensive, +50%; Magical, -10%; No Area of Effect, -50%; Stealthy, +100%) [48]. 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].

    Mislead
    Keywords: Area (Leveled), Buff.
    Full Cost: 83 points for level 1 + 12.5 points/additional level.
    Casting Roll: Skill. Use skill or Artist (Illusion) to determine how convincing it is.
    Components: S.
    Cost: 1 FP.
    Casting Time: 1 second.
    Range: Self.
    Duration: 30 seconds.

    You become invisible and at the same time create an illusory double of you. This transition is seamless to others. The illusion can fool vision, Infravision, Ultravision, and hearing. You must win a Quick Contest of skill – or Artist (Illusion), if better – against the Per of anyone you want to fool; otherwise they notice something “off.” Do not apply range penalties to this roll. Their roll is at +4 if they have reason to be alert for illusions. However, even if they successfully “disbelieve,” your illusion doesn’t disappear.
    You do not have to concentrate to maintain the illusion, but you may move it within the area of effect or make it perform specific actions with a Concentrate maneuver. After you cease concentration, the illusory double continues to carry out the same activity (for instance, fleeing down a hallway) until the duration expires.
    The invisibility component of this spell is similar to the Invisibility spell. You and everything you are carrying (up to your Light encumbrance) become invisible. You get a +9 to Stealth in any situation where being seen would matter. Invisibility only works against electromagnetic vision (which encompasses ordinary vision, Infravision, Ultravision, and radar). You do not cast a shadow and don’t show up in mirrors.
    This effect (but not the illusion) ends if you attack any creature. For purposes of this spell, an attack includes any spell targeting a foe or whose area or effect includes a foe. Exactly who is a foe depends on the invisible character's perceptions. Actions directed at unattended objects do not break the spell. Causing harm indirectly is not an attack. Thus, an invisible being can open doors, talk, eat, climb stairs, summon monsters and have them attack, cut the ropes holding a rope bridge while enemies are on the bridge, remotely trigger traps, open a portcullis to release attack dogs, and so forth. If you attack directly, however, you immediately become visible along with all your gear.
    Statistics: Affliction 1 (HT; Accessibility, Self Only, -50%; Advantage, Mislead, +560%; Fixed Duration, +0%; Link, +10%; Magical, -10%; Reduced Duration, 1/6, -15%; Requires Gestures, -10%; Requires IQ Roll, -10%) [58] + Illusion (Accessibility, Only an illusory double of you, -70%; Costs Fatigue, 2 FP, -10%; Extended, Infravision, Ultravision, +20%; Extended Duration, 3x, +20%; Independence, Limited, +20%; Link, +10%; Magical, -10%; Persistent, +40%; Requires Gestures, -10%; Requires IQ Roll, -10%) [25]. Additional levels add Area Effect (+50%) [+12.5]. Note:Mislead” is Invisibility (Affects Machines, +50%; Can Carry Objects, Light, +20%; Dispels after an attack, -20%; Magical, -10%) [56].

    Seeming
    Keywords: Area (Leveled), Buff.
    Full Cost: 37 points for level 1 + 12.5 points/additional level.
    Casting Roll: Skill.
    Components: V, S.
    Cost: 2 FP.
    Casting Time: 4 seconds.
    Range: Touch.
    Duration: 30 minutes.

    You make the subject—including clothing, armor, weapons, and equipment—look different to normal vision and Infravision. The subject can seem 1 foot shorter or taller, thin, fat, or in between. You cannot change the subject’s body type. For example, a human subject could look human, humanoid, or like any other human-shaped bipedal creature. Otherwise, the extent of the apparent change is up to you. You could add or obscure a minor feature or make the subject look like an entirely different person.
The spell does not provide the abilities or mannerisms of the chosen form, nor does it alter the perceived tactile (touch) or audible (sound) properties of you or your equipment. An axe made to look like a dagger still functions as an axe.
    The subject must be wholly covered by the spell’s hemispherical area of effect.
    You must win a Quick Contest of IQ – or Artist (Illusion), if better – against the Per of anyone you want to fool; otherwise they notice something “off.” Do not apply range penalties to your roll. Their roll is at +4 if they have reason to be alert for illusions or +10 if you made it appear from out of nowhere. However, even if they successfully “disbelieve,” your illusion doesn’t disappear. Thus, even an obvious illusion can be useful to disguise the subject.
    Statistics: Affliction 1 (HT; Accessibility, Only nonvolitional or non-resisting subjects, -20%; Advantage, Seeming, +200%; Based on IQ, Own Roll, +20%; Costs Fatigue, 2 FP, -10%; Extended Duration, 10x, +40%; Fixed Duration, +0%; Magical, -10%; Malediction 1, +100%; Melee Attack, Reach C, -30%; No Signature, +20%; Requires Gestures, -10%; Requires Magic Words, -10%; Takes Extra Time 2, -20%) [37]. Note:Seeming” is Illusion (Extended, Infravision, +10%; Independence, +40%; Magical, -10%; Only similar shapes, -30%; Visual Only, -30%) [20]. Additional levels add Area Effect (+50%) to the Seeming advantage [+12.5].

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