Skyrim Hero

[Christopher R Taylor]

So I've started converting Skyrim spells to Hero, for a quick and dirty Fantasy Hero Skyrim setting I'll be putting up here for free.  Its just a little project to do over the holidays before I get back to real writing.

 

So far the spells are kind of expensive compared to the Codex spells I build, because of how they interact with the world.  For instance, one of the starting Illusion school spells is a Mind Control: Fury.  There's no way to get a mind control that isn't reasonably reliable without putting a fair amount of dice into it.  However, since the system utterly ignores point values, it doesn't matter.  All you need is the proper skill level and away you go.

 

There is no spell roll; in Skyrim the spell works or it is interrupted, there's no fizzle.  Further, the spells generally are "fire and forget" with short durations, so they are pretty limited but simple to use.

 

I'm going to use a familiarity/talent-based system for spell mastery.  If you want to use Illusion spells, you buy Novice Illusion, then Apprentice Illusion, etc.  The result is that casters have to invest points to use their spells, but once they have that, they can just learn what they want, and can afford, and find (some of the spells are a bit more obscure and difficult to find).

 

Once I'm done with the very small and limited list of spells from the official Skyrim build I'll work up stats for the different gear, enchantment, and potions, then some templates for races, and we're done.  The rest is online to find and use like adventures, maps, NPCs, etc.

I might convert some of the older classic spells not in Skyrim (such as the "Lore Friendly Spells" addon available on Steam and Nexus).  For example "Feather" to reduce weight and Resist spells.

[Christopher R Taylor]

Here is the Novice Alteration, for example:

 

CANDLELIGHT

EFFECT: Creates a glowing light that follows the caster

Active Cost: 22                           Range: no

Real Cost: 7                               Gesture: yes

Mana Cost: 2                              Incantation: no

Casting Time: Delayed Phase    Concentrate: no

This spell summons a mote of multicolored light that hovers above and slightly behind the caster, shedding as much light as a lantern.  The light lasts a full minute without requiring any effort or attention to maintain.

POWERS: Images vs sight (light) 

MODIFIERS: Requires Mana only to start (+1/4), Area effect Radius 8m (+1/2), Mobile Area (+1/2); Only for light (-1/2), No Range (-1/2),  Lasts 60 seconds maximum (-1/2), Gesture (-1/4), Extra Time Delayed Phase (-1/4), Requires Novice Alteration skill (-1/4) [+1 1/4; -2 1/4]

 

OAKFLESH

EFFECT: Armors the caster with magical force

Active Cost: 20                           Range: self

Real Cost: 6                               Gesture: yes

Mana Cost: 4                              Incantation: no

Casting Time: Delayed Phase    Concentrate: no

Oakflesh cloaks the caster in magical armor hard as oak that protects them from damage.  The spell is somewhat draining to cast, and lasts a minute at most.

POWERS: Resistant Protection 4 PD, 4 ED; Physical Defense 4, Energy Defense 4

MODIFIERS: Requires Mana only to start (-1/4), Gesture (-1/4), Extra Time Delayed Phase (-1/4), Lasts 60 seconds maximum (-1/2), Increased Endurance Cost x2 (-1/2), Requires Novice Alteration skill (-1/4) [-2]

MODIFIERS (Physical and Energy Defense): Linked to Resistant Defense (-1/2) [-3]

 

I'm doing the conversion as exact and literal as possible, so that most spells last a short period of time, for example, and summons can only fight, not do other tasks.

 

There might be some balance issues in actual play the way the magic system works, however: you can wear full plate armor head to toe and cast protective magic on yourself as well.  But in the game, no matter how much armor you have, they still can get some damage through; in Hero, you can become invulnerable to just about anything with a suit of plate armor and Oakflesh (12 PD/ED armor!). So its probably worth putting a lockout on armor spells and any armor.

 

Also, with some of the perks, armor and effects start to stack up pretty alarmingly.

[SteelCold]

You might want to limit the Flesh spells to physical/archery and melee attacks instead of magic/energy. That's what Wards in the school of Restoration are for. (Wards are also great against dragons breath if you can maintain the ward and have enough mana.)

[Christopher R Taylor]

Wards work against all attacks, though.  Spells, dragon breath, physical, etc.

 

I might just make a general game rule that you cannot wear armor and use protective magic.  I might even work it into the builds.  In terms of raw authenticity, it isn't by Hoyle, but the game doesn't have to balance against other PCs, only monsters.

[Christopher R Taylor]

OK I finished and uploaded the files for the base magic system as presented in the game.  Next up is talents, I believe.

[MordeanGrey]

Thanks for sharing these. I know it's a lot of work!

[Christopher R Taylor]

I have been doing other writing, but I plan on doing the talent/perk section next.  And some unique or special monsters that can't easily be simulated with other creatures.