Re: New HERO GM, Fantasy Campaign Advice
Here's my magic system.
Magic Systems
All Spells Must Cost Endurance. This is the primary rule of Magic in this World. Second is that all spells require a skill roll listed in their entry. Active points always penalize the roll. Also, all Endurance Reserves must take the Focus Limitation.
Druidic Magic
Druidic magic is the most reliable of the forms of magic that mortals can make use of, but by the same token it is slower and often less obvious than the others. Druids use the raw power of nature itself to change reality, and thus their power never waned with the ley-lines, as Wizardry did, or doesn’t get granted, as with Priests or Daemonic Cultists. There are two disadvantages to Druidic magic. First and foremost, their magic takes time. For the most potent effects they must have started the spells up to weeks in advance, such as if they wished to bring a hurricane down on a city, they would have to start the seed weather all the way out where the storms form. The second flaw is that which was just touched on, they have to use legitimate forces of nature. They can summon lightning from the sky if the conditions are right for lightning, they can accelerate the healing processes of a creature, but not heal wounds outright, and other similar limitations. This does not mean that that they cannot do something like, oh, allow trees to move their limbs like in Lord of the Rings or in Prince Caspian, it is just far, far more difficult for them.
The Rules that Druidic Magic must follow are thus:
Ø You may buy Druidic Magic in one of two ways, and only one. You may buy it in Elemental Controls, or you may buy it in a Variable Power Pool. Changing the Pool takes a Minimum of 1 Full Phase. If bought as Elemental Controls, there are four categories of magic, each of which must be bought separately. The four are Plant-shaping, Weather-shaping, Life Magic, and Animal Magic
Ø All spells must take at least 1 full phase
Ø All spells require a Nature skill roll(EGO based) or a skill for each Elemental Control. Roll penalties may be as low as -1 per 20 active points
Ø Endurance Reserves are limited, with a maximum reserve of 50 END and REC of 5. Recovery must take the Limitation Extra Time: 1 day (-4)
Ø All Spells must involve nature or natural events in a logical fashion. If you try to rules lawyer, remember, Nature is called a Mother for a reason…
Divine Magic
This is magic that is granted by the gods themselves. While not as reliable as Druidic Magic, it is by far the most common form of spellcasting. There are two major disadvantages to the magic of the gods. First is that the magic can only be used to further the ideals of the god, the god will deny the spell otherwise. Most priests admit that they are given some leeway in the matter of what furthers the god’s ideals, but they are careful despite that. The second flaw is that spellcasting uses the priest as a conduit for the power of the god, and such power physically harms the priest. Small spells are relatively easily ignored, but powerful spells can kill the priest. A major advantage of this magic is that a priest can do virtually anything with his magic. If, that is, he is willing to pay the price.
The major Rules of Divine Magic follow:
Ø Divine Magic is purchased as a Variable Power Pool. Changing the Pool takes a Minimum of 1 Full Phase
Ø All spells must take the following Limitations; Only In the God’s Purpose(-½), Increased END Cost(x2 cost minimum)(-½ to -4), and Divine Channel(you take Stun equal to half of the END Cost, any overflow hits Body)(-1), Requires Skill Roll Faith Roll(EGO Based)
Ø Endurance Reserves are granted solely by the will of the deity the character follows, and then only when the priest or priestess has proven themselves a true believer and disciple of their deity. Using an Endurance Reserve does not cause damage from the Divine Channel limitation
Wizardry
There are seven domains of Wizardry. Fire, Water, Air, Earth, Power, Light, and Shadow. Power for these spells are mostly drawn from the ley lines that crisscross the world, and which were created by the sorceresses in ages past. Each domain is distinct, but some effects can cross lines between the domains. For example, a spell of invisibility could be created as an Air, Power, or Light spell. In unusual circumstances you could even reason versions of invisibility into the others as well, such as if you made yourself look exactly like the stone wall you were hiding next to. But now for a brief description of each domain.
Fire: Fire magic is often the most straightforward of all the domains. The most overtly destructive of the domains, it is the domain that battle Magi tend toward. However, it is not always explosions or gouts of flames, often it also uses lightning and other such multi-elemental forces. One use that most do not consider, but the masters of this element never forget, is that Fire magic can be used to take heat away as well, creating Ice magic in it’s stead. That is why most powerful Fire Magi are considered masters of fire and ice.
Water: Water magic is one of the most underestimated of the domains, next to Power. It is better termed as mastery of liquids, as more than one of the adepts of this domain use all manner of such to achieve their aims. A powerful water mage can call up a tidal wave on dry land and use any liquid as a shield to defend themselves. Often the most subtle of magics, Water is the hardest to pin down, and often the hardest to master.
Air: Air, master of wind, rain, and storms, shared only with Water the weather magics. Those who are free spirits gravitate toward this ever-changing domain. Air Magi can be the most capricious of adepts, utilizing flight, fog, and all other aspects of their element to do what they will. While not as overt as Fire Magi, they too can control lightning and use it at their whim. Many fear these magi more than any other, for no two are alike.
Earth: These are the undisputed masters of defensive magic, the disciples of Earth. Not necessarily the fastest of Magi, they draw on the deep, patient power of the earth itself. Most think of Earth Magi as only defensive casters, but the wise know to be wary of them. Who else can cause metal armor to sprout spikes inside of itself? Make the earth vomit forth rocky spears to strike down their enemies? Cause earthquakes to come or volcanoes to erupt? Earth Magi can be among the most dangerous of all, and all would do well to be wary of the implacable lords of Earth.
Power: Power is what connects the Four Elemental magics, allowing them to interact so easily. Power magic, while useful, has the least direct effect of any of the magics. It aids other magic, allows a mage to identify any type of spell, and gives other relatively minor abilities that most magi choose to brush off. But below the surface of this apparent weakness is a series of uses that make it as important, if not more so, than any other domain. Only Power can teleport a mage instantly from one location to another across the world. With Power one can craft magical items that utilize the power of the Four Elements without needing to have more than passing knowledge of those powers. The most potent ability of Power though, is the ability to craft magical materials that can be used to create magical artifacts. Power Magi, while rare, are a force to be wary of.
Light: The domain of Light is divorced from the Elemental magics, for it preceded them with the power of Shadow. Light, life, and creation are all wrapped into this potent domain. Healing, conjuration of beings, shape-shifting, and more are all of this domain. Undead and things of shadow fear Light Magi. The most feared ability of Light is the power to Summon beings from the Realms Beyond. Even angels, both dark and light, can be called forth. Few are foolish enough to underestimate a Light Mage.
Shadow: Along with Light, Shadow is one of the earliest forces, for wherever there is light, there must be shadow. The power of entropy, undeath, shadows, and cold darkness lie within this force. Many consider the adepts of this domain to be evil. It is an inaccurate, though far too often correct, assumption. Most Shadow Magi understand that without Shadow, Light would have no meaning, and the reverse is also true. It often surprises Light Magi that Shadow Magi can heal, though they borrow a tiny amount of energy from everything around them to do so. Shadow Magi, though feared, are as good, or evil as any mage has potential to be.
The major Rules of Wizardry follow:
Ø Wizardry is bought as a separate Elemental Control for each domain
Ø All spells require a Magic(INT) skill roll, each domain requires the skill be keyed to it. (Fire Magic(INT) for Fire Wizardry, and so forth)
Ø All Wizardry spells must take the Focus limitation to some degree
Ø Endurance Reserves may be bought as Foci with the following clarifications. They only store END for one domain of magic. (Fire, Earth, etc.) Maximum 30 END, 5 REC. The REC requires the following Limitations; Only in a Ley Line (-1), Extra Time 1 Minute (-1½)
Sorcery
This form of magic belongs to the race of Sorceresses alone. Granted to them by the goddess Kari’Torath herself, it is the most potent form of magic in existence. It has no limitations but the ones that the user applies to it, and a powerful Sorceress is virtually unstoppable. This magic was used to create the ley lines millennia ago, and with them Wizardry itself. Without Sorcery, all Wizardry would slowly drain away from the world. Fortunately for all who are concerned, Sorceresses are charged to defend the world from the depredations of Daemons.
Sorcery’s major Rules follow:
Ø Sorcery is a Variable Power Pool that all Sorceresses start with. They may improve it as time passes. The minimum time to change the pool is 1 full phase
Ø Spells require a Sorcery(INT) skill roll, minimum of a -1 per 20 active points
Ø Sorceresses may buy Endurance Reserves at their and the Game Master’s discretion
Daemonic Magic
Almost identical to Divine Magic in concept, Daemonic Cultists receive power from the Daemons that they worship. The Daemons do not just give away their power, however, they require that the supplicants sacrifice to them, beginning with plants, ending with intelligent beings. The advantage the cultists enjoy is that they have no need to use their own energy to use magic, as it has already been supplied by their victims. Not normally for PCs.
Ø Bought as a Variable Power Pool. Changing the pool requires a minimum of 1 full phase
Ø All spells must take the following Limitations; Only in the Master’s Purpose (-½), Incantations (-¼), Requires a Daemon Magic Roll (INT based)
Ø Spells may only draw from an Endurance Reserve
Ø Endurance Reserves are standard for all Daemonic Magic, and are most commonly sacrificial daggers. Reserves do not have a standard REC, instead they have the Limitation; Only When Master Receives a Sacrifice. REC is equal to the sacrifice’s REC + an amount based on the mind class of the sacrifice. +0 for Plant/Machine, +1 for Animal, +2 for Alien, +4 for Human. The daemonic masters, while they appreciate other powerful beings, far prefer mortal souls for their sacrifices, and thus reward the most power for them
Magic Items
Magical equipment is rare, as the effort leading to its creation is rather difficult. Not only does it require rather more personal energy to create than most are willing to expend, but it also requires that a full half of the energy comes from magical materials, such as a dragon’s heart, a phoenix’s feather, or other such difficult to acquire materials. Power Magi can manufacture such materials, but it takes even them months to create, and is only marginally less expensive power-wise than creating them than it would be using naturally occurring materials. There is one way around this problem, but it is rarely used. The other option is to craft an item in a ley line node, building it so that it only functions in a ley line node. This removes the need for magical materials, as it can only function inside a node but a few mages find it worth their time. It is far more common for a mage to build their tower and enchant it in the middle of a node, as a tower doesn’t move, at least most of the time.
Ø In other words, all magic items can only be crafted when half of the XP cost comes from magical materials. Power Magi can create such materials, but it takes a minimum of 1 month, and they have to pay ¾ of the cost of the end value of the material
