Date: Tue, 13 Jun 1995 16:23:32 -0400 From: "Nicholas H.M. Caldwell" , nhmc1@hermes.cam.ac.uk To: Multiple recipients of listSubject: Mind Focus Spell List (longish)
Mind Focus (Mentalist Base List) Designed by Nicholas HM Caldwell (nhmc1@hermes.cam.ac.uk) Lvl Spell Name Parameters 1. Minor Magical Focus (MMF) A: crystal D:P R:T 2. Mental Focus I A: S D:V R:S 3. Far Focus I A: 1 spell D:V R:S 4. Lesser Magical Focus (LMF) A: MMF D:P R:T 5. Mental Focus II A: S D:V R:S 6. Long Focus I A: 1 spell D:V R:S 7. Deadly Focus I A: 1 spell D:V R:S 8. Mental Focus III A: S D:V R:S 9. Dual Focus A: 1 spell D:V R:S 10. Greater Magical Focus (GMF) A: LMF D:P R:T 11. Far Focus II A: 1 spell D:V R:S 12. Mental Focus IV A: S D:V R:S 13. Long Focus II A: 1 spell D:V R:S 14. Deadly Focus II A: 1 spell D:V R:S 15. Silver Magical Focus (SMF) A: GMF D:P R:T 16. Far Focus III A: 1 spell D:V R:S 17. Long Focus III A: 1 spell D:V R:S 18. Mental Focus V A: S D:V R:S 19. Multiple Focus A: 1 spell D:V R:S 20. Golden Magical Focus (AuMF) A: SMF D:P R:T 25. Deadly Focus III A: 1 spell D:V R:S 30. Lord Magical Focus (LoMF) A: AuMF D:P R:T 50. Magical Focus True (MFT) A: LoMF D:P R:T 1. Minor Magical Focus: Turns an appropriate crystal into a +1 adder, and gives a +5 bonus to one magical skill chosen at time of creation of focus 2. Mental Focus I: Adds +10 to caster's next Adrenal Moves attempt, not cumulative with other Mental Focus spells 3. Far Focus I: Doubles range of caster's next spell (no effect on Self/Touch spells) 4. Lesser Magical Focus: As Minor Magical Focus, but focus is now a +2 adder, with a +10 total bonus 5. Mental Focus II: As Mental Focus I, but +20 bonus 6. Long Focus I: Doubles duration of caster's next spell (no effect on Concentration spells) 7. Deadly Focus I: Doubles concussion hit damage inflicted by caster's next elemental attack spell 8. Mental Focus III: As Mental Focus II, but +30 bonus 9. Dual Focus: Caster's next spell will affect two targets. (Does not work for elemental attack spells) 10. Greater Magical Focus: As Lesser Magical Focus, but focus is a +3 adder, with a +15 total bonus 11. Far Focus II: As Far Focus I, but x3 to range of affected spell 12. Mental Focus IV: As Mental Focus III, but +40 bonus 13. Long Focus II: As Long Focus I, but x3 to duration of next spell 14. Deadly Focus II: As Deadly Focus I, but x3 damage inflicted 15. Silver Magical Focus: As Greater Magical Focus, but focus becomes either a +4 adder or a x2 multiplier (chosen at spell casting), with a +20 total bonus 16. Far Focus III: As Far Focus II, but x4 to range of next spell 17. Long Focus III: As Long Focus II, but x4 to duration of next spell 18. Mental Focus V: As Mental Focus IV, but +50 bonus 19. Multiple Focus: As Dual Focus, but three targets will be affected 20. Golden Magical Focus: As Silver Magical Focus, but focus becomes either a +5 adder or a x3 multiplier, with +25 total bonus 25. Deadly Focus III: As Deadly Focus II, but x4 damage 30. Lord Magical Focus: As Golden Magical Focus, but focus becomes either a +7 adder or a x4 multiplier, with +30 total bonus 50. Magical Focus True: As Lord Magical Focus, but focus becomes either a +9 adder or a x5 multiplier, with +35 total bonus
Notes on spells
1. Appropriate Magical Skills to which the bonus from the Magical
Focus spells may be applied are:
Attunement, Channeling Circle Lore, Divination, Power Perception,
Runes, Symbol Lore, Scrying, Transcend Armour, Warding Lore.
(GMs may allow Directed Spells, Spell Mastery and Magical Ritual to
be added to this list at their discretion)
2. If the bonus from the magical focus is > 5, then the bonus may be split up and applied to multiple skills, eg a caster with a Greater Magical Focus giving a total bonus of +15, could choose to have either +15 to one skill OR +10 to one skill and +5 to a second skill OR +5 to three different skills
3. The spells Far Focus N, Long Focus N, and Deadly Focus N are not cumulative with higher level spells of the same name or with Spell Masteries to increase range, duration and damage respectively. Thespells Dual Focus and Magical Focus are not cumulative with each other or with Spell Mastery skills to increase the number of targets.
General Note:
A caster may only have one magical focus in existence at a time, and
only he/she can derive any benefit from use of the crystal focus.
Caster must choose upon learning the first spell of the list which
type of crystal that he/she will have an affinity for. Thereafter
the caster may only use that type of crystal as a focus. The crystal
focus must be held, worn or affixed to be used. (Mental Focus, Far Focus
etc spells cannot be cast unless this last requirement is met)
If the focus is ever destroyed, the caster will suffer the penalties given in the table below. (If the caster is merely separated from the focus, the modifiers are halved. The penalties are removed if the focus is restored to the caster.)
Penalty to all actions Type of focus Wk1 Wk2 Wk3 Wk4 Wk5 Wk6 Wk7 Wk8 Minor -10 - - - - - - - Lesser -20 -10 - - - - - - Greater -30 -20 -10 - - - - - Silver -40 -30 -20 -10 - - - - Golden -50 -40 -30 -20 -10 - - - Lord -60 -50 -40 -30 -20 -10 - - True -70 -60 -50 -40 -30 -20 -10 -
Thus if the caster owned a Greater Magical Focus, and it was destroyed, the penalty would be -30 to all actions the first week, -20 during the second week after the destruction, and -10 during the third week. After three weeks, the caster would have recovered completely from the loss, and would be able to create a new focus if desired. (If focus and caster are only separated, then after three weeks, the caster would have no penalty but wouldn't be able to create a new focus) This simulates the caster depending on the magical focus to boost his powers, and suffering withdrawal symptoms if it is destroyed or taken away, ... but given time the caster can learn to live again without the support of the focus.
Date: Tue, 13 Jun 1995 16:21:42 -0400 From: "Nicholas H.M. Caldwell"To: Multiple recipients of list Subject: Mind Focus (remarks)
Dear All,
As a result of a discussion with one of my fellow GMs, it was
pointed out that the Pure Mentalist profession had no spell lists other
than the original base lists from Spell Law assigned to them. It was
suggested that perhaps something from the Crystal Mage canon would be
suitable (as I don't use that profession). After having gone away and
thought about this, I designed an additional/optional Mentalist Base list
along the lines of the Wizardstaff and Druidstaff spell lists. Rather
than having another spell list to empower yet more quarterstaves as
adders, multipliers and mighty weapons, I decided that the list would
concentrate on empowering crystals to be adders/multipliers and enhancers
of the caster's spells and (some) concentration skills. (Crystals seemed
suitable aids for focussing a Mentalist's power and mind)
Therefore I proffer the spell list "Mind Focus" for your examination. Permission is given to use, amend or ignore this spell list at your discretion.
It should be noted that the original instigator believes that the Mental Focus spells are too powerful at their current level for his campaign world. Anyone who feels similarly should HALVE the listed bonuses that these spells provide. For my part, I am unrepentant for two reasons:
1. The Mental Focus spells (I through V) have been placed at the same levels as the equivalent Meditation spells on the Sage base list "Absorb Knowledge". However the Mental Focus spells require PPs to be spent, whereas the Meditation spells don't.
2. The Mental Focus spells require that the caster possesses his/her crystal focus. If the focus is unavailable or destroyed, then the Mental Focus spells cannot be cast. Similar sorts of spells on other lists don't require material components.
Attention is also drawn to the heavy penalties that are incurred if the crystal focus is destroyed or even merely separated from owner, and to the fact that it is NOT possible to stack Spell Mastery with appropriate Focus spells.
I hope this spell list is useful,
Yours,
Nicholas HM Caldwell
(nhmc1@hermes.cam.ac.uk)