Commonmagics

[Blue Jogger]

Ok, for a world I'm designing, I want their to be Commonmagics.

 

Commonmagics are magic spells, usually taught to young apprentices as part of their magical training, but are simple enough and have become common place that normal people can eventually figure out how to cast a few of them.

 

It is a 15 active point VPP, that requires Incantations, Gestures, Requires a Skill Roll to Cast (-1 per 5 points) and occasional Side Effect. Side Effects only occur if the casting roll is missed by 5 or more or is 16+. The pool is free, but one is required to purchase a KS: Commonmagics which is INT-based. To raise the skill, costs +1 per 2 points (but it is rare that it can be raised more than 14-). It also costs 1 point for every Commonmagic spell known, but include minor variations.

 

My question is, how would you use and abuse such a thing?

[Killer Shrike]

Re: Commonmagics

 

Somebody previously posted something about "Knacks" a few months ago. Might want to do a Search on it.

[arcady]

Re: Commonmagics

 

A 15 point VPP is pretty powerful. Giving everyone that would nullify the need for things like weapons and tools.

 

You might want to cut it to 5 points or less.

[Outsider]

Re: Commonmagics

 

Abuses, or at least things to consider, just off the cuff :

 

 

Immortality : 5 points. I see this one being immensely popular, and having a huge impact on the gameworld, if allowed.

 

Specialized Detects : 3 points (5 as senses, 10 as ranged sense, the full 15 as discriminatory ranged sense) Normally, a hugely specialized detect carries its own balancing factor in that the points spent on it are usually not 'in action', and are 'in action' less and less the more and more specialized the detect is. If you allow them in VPP, though, thay can be immensely specialized, being chosen specifically for the one thing the person wants to find at the time.

 

Summoning (25 point Being, Slavishly loyal) : 10 points. No need to take the Expanded Class advantage, since the person can, with a new VPP control roll, just change to a summon that summons something else. Even mere 25 point creatures, givent that they can be anything, will have a huge impact on the game world, if not watched very closely. Why learn many skills when you can just summon a specialist in it? Heck, this one COULD end up really ugly if the summoner calls up a nice, slavishly loyal magical being with JUST the 25 REAL point magical effect that the person wants used...

 

 

Transforms. Again, given the ability to redefine the power via making a new pool control roll, a VPP effectively gives person with it the ability to have any and all transforms they can imagine. 15 points is enough for 1D6 of major transform too.

[Blue Jogger]

Re: Commonmagics

 

A 15 point VPP is pretty powerful. Giving everyone that would nullify the need for things like weapons and tools.

 

You might want to cut it to 5 points or less.

 

I originally started with 20, but realized that was way too powerful. 15 is neccessary for a 10 point power with a 0 END advantage. (I should probably list that specifically.) It is suppose to be the spell equivalent of a swiss-army knife, so having some spells that act like tools wouldn't be too bad. However, some tools will just not have a worthwhile spell equivalent. Also, some things, like Clean spell, will just have no medieval equivalent.

 

Weapons are difficult, but not impossible. First, a large weapon would take END every phase to maintain, but a small knife would not. One of the most common side effect of these magic is a loud bang that knocks one prone, so bringing one up in the middle of a combat situation would probably be bad.

[Blue Jogger]

Re: Commonmagics

 

Abuses, or at least things to consider, just off the cuff :

 

Realize that it costs one point for each spell. In that way, it is more like a Multipower than a VPP.

 

Immortality:

Commonmagics are temporary and finicky, thus making most Life Support spells not a good idea. About the best one can hope for is temporary relief of stiff joints and muscle pain.

 

Detects:

Detects are limited and somewhat crude, since each spell costs one each. Absolute Range Sense (accurate to 1 part in 30) is a common one. A crude Time sense is available (it's accurate to within the quarter hour). And things of this nature. Miners have a crude one that will help determine where to dig for gold, silver, etc...

 

Summoning:

Summoning is not possible with Commonmagics. Minor animations, are possible, bringing a small doll to pseudo-life, or animating things to make certain chores easier is possible. However, the most common side effect with animations is everything starts out fine and then it goes out of control.

 

Transformations:

Cosmetic and Minor Transformations are possible, they usually return within weeks (for Cosmetic) and days (for Minor).

[Outsider]

Re: Commonmagics

 

Cool.

 

Also.. Gestures (-1/4), Incantations (-1/4), 3/2 SKill Roll (-1/2), and -1 to SR per 5 active (-1/2) adds up to -1 1/2 total, unless you're doing a variance from the printed rules in this (the players shouldnt complain... you're not charging them for the pool, after all)

 

Things I'd use it for, were I to have such a pool :

 

Walk on Air

4 (12) Flight, 6"

_____(-1 1/2) Gesture, Incantation, Skill Roll

_____(-1/2) Increased Endurance (2x)

 

This spell allows the user to walk on the air as if it were the ground, the magic linking to his mind such that it 'knows' if he intends to plant his moving foot at the same level, up, or down from the level he is at now. He still needs to have access to, use, and pay END for his innate Running power (hence the 2xEND cost disad) as the magic only allows him to run on the air, and doesnt provide any movement ability in and of itself.

 

Lightest Healing

2 (10) Healing : 1D6

______(-1 1/2) Gesture, Incantation, Skill Roll

______(-1) Extra Time (1 Turn)

______(-1) Concentration, 0 DCV, (double value since power takes Extra Time)

______(-1/2) May Heal no more than 1 Body damage per wound.

______(-1/2) Self Only

 

The smallest of healing spells, capable only of healing the smallest of wounds, never repairing more than a single Body damage, even if cast multiple times. Great for the teenage mage who doesnt want to sport a big zit to the spring formal, or an embarassing hickey afterward. A failed Skill Roll will make the wound in question more difficult to heal with more powerful magics (6 Power Def vs other Healing) AND make it heal naturally at half its normal speed.

 

Destroy the Evidence!

5 (10) Drain 1D6 Body

_____(-1 1/2) Gesture, Incantation, Skill Roll

 

This commonmagic, unlike most others, is not taught to young apprentices by their masters, but instead has been passed along from older apprentices to younger ones since times immemorial in settings where there are many apprentices living under strict house rules that state that they will be punished if they are caught in the posession of certan items, such as alcohol, prurient literature, and so on.

 

 

Zipponia's Firestarter

3 (10) Transform 1d6 Minor : Wet burnable object/pile into dry burning object/pile.

_____(-1 1/2) Gesture, Incantation, Skill Roll

_____(-1/2) No Range

1 (5) Energy Blast 1d6 (Energy, Fire)

_____(-1 1/2) Gesture, Incantation, Skill Roll

_____(-1/2) No Range

_____(-1/2) Linked

 

 

Zipponia's Firestarter is an extremely handy commonmagic for anyone who spends much time in the wild, especially in wet regions. It allows the user to simply make a small pile of burnables in any condition of wetness, and rapidly turn them into merrily burning camp fire. The camp fire is a natural fire, and can be put out by sufficiently inclement conditions (extreme winds, torrential rains, etc) but getting it started is never a problem. [Note : I thought about just making this a cosmetic transform, wet object to dry object, then using the EB portion to set things alight, but decided to go with the minor transform in addition to the EB since a single, non continuous application of a mere 1d6 EB could easily be deemed not enough to start even dry burnables on fire. So I kicked it up a level to Minor, and had the Transform not only dry out the fuel, but guarantee its lighting]

 

 

Anyway.. maybe I will add some more later

[dbsousa]

Re: Commonmagics

 

Unseen Apprentice

Description: This spell is often the first spell an apprentice chooses to learn, in order to escape the drudgery of chores. Master Sorcerers often use this spell to test apprentices, because when they fail, the results can be fantastic. If successful, the spell summons an invisible imp, who dusts, shines, irons, or otherwise cleans any object.. It will not mend an object, or reverse wear and tear, but will do in an instant what might otherwise take an apprentice an hour. If unsuccesful, the opposite occurs. Objects become soiled, wrinkled, or even destroyed by the imp who powers this spell. This spell is especially useful for teaching apprentices the importance of preparing spells and gaining every advantage before casting

Game Information: Minor Transform 1d6, unclean object to clean object(10 Active Points); Side Effects: Summon Imp (-1), Requires A Skill Roll (-1/2), Gestures (-1/4), Incantations (-1/4) Total Cost: 3