Wizardry: Fun with Prestidigitation

Wizardry: Fun with Prestidigitation

D&D, being a combat-focused system, combines all the minor utility spells that wizards would likely to learn to make their day-to-day lives easier into a single spell - Prestidigitation. GURPS is an entirely different beast, with plenty of spells in GURPS Magic that a D&D player would call useless. Then, we even have GURPS Magic: The Least of Spells that is full of them. From what I gathered, the edition that expanded upon Prestidigitation is the most detail is, surprisingly, D&D 3.0 (not 3.5). Generally speaking, D&D 3.0 seems to have much more soul than 3.5 despite being almost identical mechanically. Tome & Blood has a page titled "Fun With Prestidigitation" that says what this spell can do in a much clearer way. So, let's adapt them to wizardry, as there can never be too many cheap spells. After all, such spells make regular improvisation much more attractive.

    Change had to be... changed. Here, it transforms up to 8 ounces of any solid material into something else, but due to Create being limited to bulk material, it cannot create "complex" objects as a product. The original spell could, for example, turn a coin into a ring, but it isn't possible here.

    Chill and Warm had to go, as having Cool and Warm that change the ambient temperature should be enough for me.

    Clean lets you wash dishes, floors, etc. Decided to build it via Telekinesis instead of Control Grime.

    Dampen uses the Rinse perk as a base. An arbitrary Cosmic enhancement changes the way it works, but all the other limitation compensate for it.

    Flavor is a spell that requires jumping through so many hoops that any sane person would probably just call it a perk or something like that. I'm I'm not any sane person. Since we already have Season based on a GURPS Magic food spell, at first, I wanted to just rename it to Flavor, but I noticed that their effects are quite different. You see, Season adds flavors that can be added with seasoning to food. Flavor makes anything, not just food, taste differently. Season has a permanent duration, but Flavor lasts only 30 minutes (it's 1 hour in the original version, but I really wanted to get the cost within 5 points to be able to buy this spell as a learned spell for just one point). Season used Control Food as the base, but here I'd have to use a godlike version of Control that would be at least 30 points base. Create has Solid, Liquid, and Gas as the highest tier of matter, but Flavor is supposed to be able to change the flavor of solids and liquids, so 30 points would probably be too low. Instead, I decided to asspull Control Flavor as a rare category of process-based control from GURPS Powers: The Weird, and use the standard mass-based limit. I even had to use Takes Extra Time 2.5, -25% to squeeze in the final -5% of limitations, because I really didn't want to increase the FP cost for such a minor spell. This let me barely fit this spell within the 5-point goal budget. Now, you can trick a bulette by making something taste like elf meat. Were these rules shenanigans worth it? Probably not, but I don't care.

    Color uses Control Solid as a base, assuming 30 points/level as the base cost. I think this spell can actually be useful in some situations, so buying it as part of an alternative abilities array may be worth it.

    Dirty is the inverse of Clean and is built the same way, even though it may seem dumb.

    Dry is the reverse of Dampen. Instead of building it via Create Water with Destruction, I just added "Reversed" to the Dampen build and called it a day.

    Firefinger is just the Ignition perk with minor changes.

    Gather collects small objects into a pile or container.

    Polish polishes an object.

    Sketch is the most expensive spell here. Compared to Arcane Mark, it allows drawing anything, not just symbols, lasts a shorter time, and can be hung in air or attached to an object. It has a lower casting cost and casting time.

    Stitch is a peculiar spell that lets you sew without a needle or thread, and do so much faster than normal. For this spell, there should be a +4 bonus to the roll, but I transformed it into a -40% decrease in the base task time.

    Tie is very similar to the one above. Interestingly enough, Knot-Tying doesn't care about your ST, so I left it at 1.

  
Change
Keywords: None.
Full Cost: 2 points.
Casting Roll: Skill.
Components: V, S.
Cost: 1 FP.
Casting Time: 4 seconds.
Range: Touch.
Duration: 10 seconds or Permanent; see text.
 
You transform one solid object no more than 6 inches in its longest dimension into another object of roughly the same size. Both the original and resulting objects can weigh no more than 8 ounces. The change must be within the same kingdom (animal, vegetable, or mineral). For example, you could change a piece of paper into scrap of linen. You could not, however, turn a strip of leather into a piece of paper. This spell only works on bulk matter; it cannot create shapes. For example, you wouldn’t be able to turn a coin into a ring this way.
If the product is worth more than the original material, it is unstable. It reverts back 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. You have to stabilize the difference in value, not the total value of the product. Alternatively, you can use Permanency Points.
Statistics: Create 0.23 (Transmute Solid to Solid, +50%; Transmutation Only, -100%; Magical, -10%; Nuisance Effect, Kingdom and size limitations, -25%; Requires Gestures, -10%; Requires Magic Words, -10%; Takes Extra Time 2, -20%) [2].
  
Clean
Keywords: None.
Full Cost: 2 points.
Casting Roll: Skill.
Components: V, S.
Cost: 1 FP to cast, 1 FP to maintain.
Casting Time: 1 second.
Range: 10 yards.
Duration: Indefinite.
 
While you take uninterrupted Concentrate maneuvers, you remove dirt, dust, and stains from floors, walls, dishes, windows, and the like, leaving these surfaces or objects spotless. You can clean an object with a volume of 1 cubic foot, or 1 square foot of the surface of a larger object, each second. Thus, a hex of floor takes 8 seconds to clean. The effect does not remove any foreign object larger than a two inches. Dirt you remove is permanently gone, but objects you clean can get dirty again just like anything else.
Statistics: Accessory (TK Mop) [1] + Telekinesis 1 (Costs Fatigue, 1 FP, -5%; Magical, -10%; One Task, Cleaning, -60%; Reduced Time 1, +20%; Requires Gestures, -10%; Requires IQ Roll, -10%; Requires Magic Words, -10%) [1].
 
Color
Keywords: None.
Full Cost: 5 points.
Casting Roll: Skill.
Components: V, S.
Cost: 1 FP.
Casting Time: 6 seconds.
Range: Touch.
Duration: 30 minutes.
 
You bring color to a solid object weighing up to 1 pound. You can restore faded hues or give it a new color. If you add color, it must be from the visible spectrum. You cannot change an object’s pattern, such as adding or removing stripes or polka dots, but you can change the color in a pattern so that, for example, a blue garment with white stripes becomes green with yellow stripes.
Statistics: Control Solid 0.31 (Accessibility, Cannot change pattern, -10%; Aspected, Only to change color, -20%; Cannot concentrate to extend duration, -10%; Cosmetic, -80%; Costs Fatigue, 1 FP, -5%; Extended Duration, 180x, +90%; Magical, -10%; Persistent, +40%; Requires Gestures, -10%; Requires Magic Words, -10%; Takes Extra Time 2.5, -25%) [5].
  
Dampen
Keywords: None.
Full Cost: 1 point.
Casting Roll: Skill.
Components: V, S.
Cost: 1 FP.
Casting Time: 4 seconds.
Range: Touch.
Duration: Instantaneous.
 
You leave an object weighing up to 1 pound damp to the touch. This negates ongoing damage due to Cyclic (pp. B103-104) contact effects that are negated by being washed off, extinguishes flame, flushes away acid or poison, and so on. Water cannot be usefully collected (e.g., to drink). Clothing or armor that’s easily ruined or rusted by moisture must roll as in Slime, Sand, and Equipment Failure (p. B485).
Statistics: Rinse (Cosmic, Usable on small objects, +50%; Magical, -10%; Requires Gestures, -10%; Requires IQ Roll, -10%; Requires Magic Words, -10%; Takes Extra Time 2, -20%) [1].
  
Dirty
Keywords: None.
Full Cost: 2 points.
Casting Roll: Skill.
Components: V, S.
Cost: 1 FP to cast, 1 FP to maintain.
Casting Time: 1 second.
Range: 10 yards.
Duration: Indefinite.
 
While you take uninterrupted Concentrate maneuvers, you soil, spot, and sully walls, floors, dishes, garments, or the like, leaving them dusty, filthy, or stained. You can dirty an object with a volume of 1 cubic foot, or 1 square foot of the surface of a larger object, each second. Thus, a hex of floor takes 8 seconds to dirty. Dirt you add remains after the effect ends, but objects you soil can be cleaned again just like anything else.
Statistics: Accessory (TK Dirt) [1] + Telekinesis 1 (Costs Fatigue, 1 FP, -5%; Magical, -10%; One Task, Dirtying, -60%; Reduced Time 1, +20%; Requires Gestures, -10%; Requires IQ Roll, -10%; Requires Magic Words, -10%) [1].

 
Dry
Keywords: None.
Full Cost: 1 point.
Casting Roll: Skill.
Components: V, S.
Cost: 1 FP.
Casting Time: 4 seconds.
Range: Touch.
Duration: Instantaneous.
 
You remove dampness and excess moisture from an object weighing no more than 1 pound. Moisture you remove does not return after the effect ends, but the object can become wet again just like anything else.
Statistics: Rinse (Reversed; Cosmic, Usable on small objects, +50%; Magical, -10%; Requires Gestures, -10%; Requires IQ Roll, -10%; Requires Magic Words, -10%; Takes Extra Time 2, -20%) [1].
  

Firefinger
Keywords: Obvious.
Full Cost: 1 point.
Casting Roll: Skill.
Components: V, S.
Cost: 1 FP.
Casting Time: 1 second.
Range: Touch.
Duration: Instantaneous.
 
You cause a jet of flame up to ½ foot long to shoot forth from your finger. The flame is hot and ignites combustible materials that are Highly Flammable or Super-Flammable (p. B433). It can light candles, fuses, lanterns, and tinder. The jet inflicts 1 point of burning damage to the object.
Statistics: Ignition (Costs Fatigue, 1 FP, -5%; Magical, -10%; Requires Gestures, -10%; Requires IQ Roll, -10%; Requires Magic Words, -10%) [1].

Flavor
Keywords: None.
Full Cost: 5 points.
Casting Roll: Skill. Use Cooking to determine whether the food tastes any better.
Components: V, S.
Cost: 1 FP.
Casting Time: 6 seconds.
Range: Touch.
Duration: 30 minutes.
 
You give up to 1 pound of substance a better, worse, or different flavor. You could, for example, make porridge taste like lobster bisque. You do not change the substance’s quality or wholesomeness. Spoiled food remains spoiled, a poisoned drink is still deadly, and inedible material provides no nourishment – you can make a twig taste like steak, but it remains a twig.
Statistics: Control Flavor 0.31 (Cannot concentrate to extend duration, -10%; Costs Fatigue, 1 FP, -5%; Extended Duration, 180x, +90%; Magical, -10%; Persistent, +40%; Requires Gestures, -10%; Requires Magic Words, -10%; Takes Extra Time 2.5, -25%) [5].
  
Gather
Keywords: Area (Fixed).
Full Cost: 1 point.
Casting Roll: Skill.
Components: V, S.
Cost: 1 FP.
Casting Time: 1 second.
Range: 10 yards.
Duration: 2 seconds.
 
You neatly collect numerous objects. No two items can be more than 3 yards apart, and their total weight cannot exceed 1 pound. You can place the gathered objects into a container within range, or you can form a stack or pile. You can gather selectively; for instance, you can pick up just the coins from an area.
Statistics: Telekinesis 0.5 (Area Effect, 2 yards, Spherical, +40%; Costs Fatigue, 1 FP, -5%; Independent, +40%; Magical, -10%; One Task, Gathering, -60%; Reduced Duration, 1/30, -30%; Reduced Range, 1/2, -10%; Requires Gestures, -10%; Requires IQ Roll, -10%; Requires Magic Words, -10%) [1].
  
Polish
Keywords: None.
Full Cost: 2 points.
Casting Roll: Skill.
Components: V, S.
Cost: 1 FP.
Casting Time: 1 second.
Range: 100 yards.
Duration: Instantaneous.
 
You bring luster to a wood, metal, stone, leather, glass, or ceramic object weighting no more than 1 pound. The object must be clean to start with. It becomes shiny but can become dull again like anything else.
Statistics: Control Solid 0.31 (Accessibility, Only wood, metal, stone, leather, glass, and ceramic, -10%; Aspected, Only to polish, -20%; Cannot concentrate to extend duration, -10%; Cosmetic, -80%; Costs Fatigue, 1 FP, -5%; Magical, -10%; Ranged, +40%; Requires Gestures, -10%; Requires Magic Words, -10%) [2].
  
Sketch
Keywords: None.
Full Cost: 15 points.
Casting Roll: Skill.
Components: V, S.
Cost: 1 FP.
Casting Time: 4 seconds.
Range: Touch.
Duration: 30 minutes.
 
You create a two-dimensional visual figment of whatever you desire. You can leave the illusory image hanging in the air, in which case it is immobile, or place it on a mobile object, such as a shield. The image can be no more than 1-foot square. The sketch can be dispelled or removed by an Erase spell.
Statistics: Illusion (Accessibility, Only one square foot, -100%; Costs Fatigue, 1 FP, -5%; Extended Duration, 180x, +90%; Independence, +40%; Magical, -10%; Nuisance Effect, Vulnerable to Erase, -5%; Persistent, +40%; Regulatable Limitation, Environmental, Object Surface, +20%; Requires Gestures, -10%; Requires IQ Roll, -10%; Requires Magic Words, -10%; Static, -30%; Takes Extra Time 2, -20%; Visual Only, -30%) [15].
 
Stitch
Keywords: None.
Full Cost: 5 points.
Casting Roll: Skill.
Components: V, S.
Cost: 1 FP to cast, 1 FP per 10 seconds to maintain.
Casting Time: 4 seconds.
Range: 5 yards.
Duration: Indefinite.
 
By taking uninterrupted Concentrate maneuvers, you magically sew seams in textiles or leather. You can create new stitching or repair old work. You cannot heal rips, holes, or tears (though you can patch or sew them together). You sew stitches at a rate of one yard per 20 seconds. If you have thread on hand, the stitches you make remain after the effect ends, but they are no stronger or weaker than normal stitching. You also can sew without thread, but then the seams last only an hour.
Statistics: Accessory (TK Needle) [1] + Telekinesis 1 (Based on IQ, +20%; Costs Fatigue, 1 FP, -5%; Magical, -10%; Nuisance Effect, Limited duration without a thread, -15%; One Task, Sewing, -60%; Reduced Duration, 1/10, -20%; Reduced Range, 1/2, -10%; Reduced Time 6, +120%; Requires Gestures, -10%; Requires Magic Words, -10%; Takes Extra Time 2, -20%) [4].
  
Tie
Keywords: None.
Full Cost: 5 points.
Casting Roll: Skill.
Components: V, S.
Cost: 1 FP.
Casting Time: 1 second.
Range: 5 yards.
Duration: Instantaneous.
 
You magically tie a firm knot in a thread, string, cord, rope, or cable up to 10 feet long. You can knot together two such objects if they are within 1 foot of each other.
Statistics: Telekinesis 1 (Based on IQ, +20%; Costs Fatigue, 1 FP, -5%; Magical, -10%; One Task, Tying, -60%; Reduced Range, 1/2, -10%; Reduced Time 4, +80%; Requires Gestures, -10%; Requires Magic Words, -10%) [5].