The spells available are those to be found in the Ultimate Grimoire, and for starting characters will be assigned more or less randomly to reflect what was in the spellbook you stole from your trusting and benevolent master when you betrayed his trust and ran off to become an adventurer.

See your friendly neighbourhood GM for details.

Magic

Magic is handled very simply in this campaign.

All spells (or analogous magical powers) are bought individually. Power Pools (such as Multipowers) are not used for magic generally, although some individual spells with variable effects may be themselves built as Multipowers.

The Real Cost of each spell (i.e. the cost in character points after all Advantages and Limitations are applied) is divided by 3; this is the cost to the character of being able to cast the spell.

Example:

Hungas the Shaman wants a Fireball spell. He builds it as a 6d6 Energy Blast (30 Active Points) which costs him 10 points — 30 ÷ 3 = 10.

Not wanting to have to spend a whole ten precious points, he decides to give the spell the Gestures, Incantations, and Obvious Accessible Focus limitations (-1½), bringing the Real Cost down to 12, divided by 3 is only 4 character points. That's a bit cheaper, but not cheap enough for Hungas the Cheapskate.

He gives the spell 6 charges for an additional -¾, and because all magic must cost END (see below), adds the Costs END limitation for another -½. That brings the Real Cost down to 8, divided by 3 is 3 character points. That's about as cheap as he can get it without making it worthless as a combat spell, so that's it.

The Magic Skill

Magic skill rolls will be based on your personal MANA characteristic (at the standard -1 per 10 active pts in the power). Note that this will mean that as your mana is depleted, it will become more difficult to successfully cast spells. (I'll make a little chart so that we can see at a glance what your mana roll is, rather than have to do mental arithmetic all the time which HURT my BRANE).

Restrictions and Compulsory Limitations

Though not compulsory, almost all spells will have one or more of the Limitations Extra Time, Gestures, Incantations, and Focus (expendable or otherwise). Spells which mimic psychic powers tend to require Concentration. All spells, without exception, must cost Endurance (see below).

  1. Spell Books and Prayer Books: Wizards and priests need not read their spells directly from a spell book to cast them, nor are they required to pre-learn individual spells (unlike in D&D), but they are assumed to spend an hour or two every day swotting up their notes to remain familiar enough with the spells to be able to cast them from memory. If this study time is neglected for any reason, then the character's Magic or Miracle skill is penalized by -1 the first day, -2 the second, -4 the third, -8 the fourth and so on.
  2. Skill Rolls: All magic must take Requires a Skill Roll (see "The Magic Skill" below). An Activation roll may (rarely) be substituted for creatures with innate magical abilities, but this requires GM approval and will in any case never be better than 13-.
  3. Endurance: ALL magic must cost END to cast. All magical energy is drawn, in this order, from
    1. An END Reserve, if the character has access to one, until it is completely drained or lost
    2. MANA, until all mana is expended
    3. Long Term END which is recovered at the rate of REC per 6 hours if resting, or REC per day if not.
    Spells or magical abilities that do not require END to maintain from Phase to Phase must take Concentration — 0 DCV throughout.
  4. Permitted Power Level: Attack spells are limited to 9 DC (equivalent to a greatsword swung my somebody of moderate strength), defensive spells are limited to 8 DEF (equivalent to plate armour). These limits may be exceeded with GM approval, but the spell must then take one level of Increased END per 3 DC or 2 DEF.

Mana (END) Reserves

Because of the stringent Mana and Long Term END requirements of magic, END Reserves are valuable adjuncts to any wizard or priest. They are restricted as follows:

  1. A magical END Reserve must be external; in other words it must be an Independent Focus.
  2. A Mana Reserve must be an Obvious Focus — in other words, it must be obvious that it is powering a spell. The exact nature of the obviousness I leave to you.
  3. A magical END Reserve will always cost character points, even if obtained during the course of play. These points are assumed to be the cost of "attuning" the reserve to the individual's requirements.
  4. The Reserve must have an appropriate limited recovery method defined when it is created; it may not recover on its own. Regardless of the recovery rate, a Mana Reserve cannot recover more than its capacity per day.
  5. Unlike spells, the cost of an END Reserve is NOT divided by three.