From: neff@diamond.CS.ORST.EDU (Tony Neff) Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc Subject: RM house rules for spellcasting Date: 12 Oct 1995 18:59:44 GMT
Here are some house rules that I have been using because I thought that the different realms of magic played too much alike. The basic idea is that each realm should emphasize it's source of power in play. Essence spell casters draw mana from around them. Mentalists are able to store power within their minds. Channelers gain power as a gift from the gods. The rules presented here have not been exhaustively play tested, but they have worked ok so far, any constructive criticism or comments would be appreciated.
This realm has the fewest changes from the standard version. Mentalism spell casters both absorb mana from the environment, but well before spell casting. The mana is absorbed and stored in the casters mind via meditation for use later. The meditation operates much like the skill but there is no chance of failure (and no ranks are required). The meditation is time consuming, the spell-users must be rested before starting the procedure, no other types of meditation can be done at the same time (power meditation can be done afterwards). The time taken is one hour plus 5 minutes per PP. Optionally skill with meditation can effect the time taken. While meditating no metal armor or arms can be present on the spell user as this will resist the flow of the local mana. The power points stored by the meditation can be used later to cast any mentalism based spells, without any exhaustion do to PP loss.
The essence spell users have no Power Points of their own, using the power inherent in the environment to cast their spells. Because of this, they are highly dependent on the amount of mana in the environment (due to high or low mana area). They are also sensitive to anything that would impede the flow of mana to them, as armor would for example. On the positive side, they have access to a near endless supply of PP. A charitor's listed PP for a Essence spellcaster represents a capacity rather than a quantity. Casting spells this way creates a great strain on the body and as PP are used the strain increases. In game terms, every time the charitor casts a spell a cumulative penalty to all actions is incurred. The amount of the penalty is based on the number of PP used and the charitor's PP 'capacity'. I suggest a rate such that the use of all PP for a charitor will produce a -50% penalty. The penalty is only starts after the spell is cast, and applies to all actions. Every time the spell user casts a spell there is also a chance that she will be effected by a critical. The chance is (spell level / PP total). The level of the critical starts at A and increases by one level each time a critical occurs. All penalties and the level of criticals are removed by a full nights rest. The type of critical is dependent on your campaign, it could be stun or essence or somewhere between.
an example: Fruit Pie the magician (10th level) has a PP total of 30 PP. Early in the day he casts a 5th level spell, for the rest of the day he has a penalty of -8%=(50/(30/5)) there is also a 1/6 (5/30) chance that he will hurt himself with an A critical. In a later attack he starts casting 10th level spells. 1st -25 2nd -42 3rd -59 (note at this time he has cast a total of 35PP worth of spells) each casting also has a 1/3 chance of causing another critical.
Channeling involves the receipt of power from a source on another plane, typically a deity or demon. Keeping with this spirit, I require the channeling spellcaster to pray for daily mana. Without the prayer the spell user will have no PP with which to cast spells. With the prayer the spell caster can gain PP and many other gifts from her patron. The prayer skill is identical to channeling in cost (they could be the same skill). A maximum of once per day a devote follower can pray and receive PP and other gifts. All gifts that the charitor is to receive is to be determined by the GM in the role of the charitor's deity.
To balance the extra power that is available to channeling spell casters the cost of learning all spell lists is doubled. Note that anyone can pray for divine aid but that without the proper devotion to a deity and training in prayer no aid will be given. Non-spell users who successfully pray typically only receive non-spell abilities.
+/- How well has the character followed the teachings of the deity - Character asks for a specific spell - Character asks for a specific list - Character asks for a specific special ability (A/B/C/D/E) + Successfully completes ritual of the church (chanting, dancing...) + Use of an offering or sacrifice + Holy Days/Holy Items/Holy Places +/- Special Modifiers by Profession and Deity For example Moon Mages get a major modifier for the current phase Astronomers will get bonuses during specific astrological events Rangers and Druids will have a penalty in the city Dervishes cannot pray unless they dance Followers of a war god would get a bonus just after or before a battle
The actual table is highly dependent on the exact skill system you use. The number of PP to add is based on the total roll divided by 10. This will usually produce more PP than normal at lower levels and fewer at high levels, than the base system. An alternate way would be to only randomly determine half the charitor's PP for the day (1/2 PP total + skill roll total/20). Determine the special gifts that are given by reading the total skill roll on your favorite weapon or elemental spell chart and looking only at the level of the critical. Which chart and what AT to use is up to you ( I use Broadsword and AT1).
an example: Jeric the generic cleric (5th level) has a total prayer skill bonus of 60%. During the morning prayer he rolls a 45% for a total of 105. This gives him a total of 11 PP for use during the day and the 105 gives him a C Special. The next day the roll is 02 - (75) for a total of -13, Jeric gets no PP for the day, and may well suffer other penalties (ESF).
feel free to mix bonuses, for example an E special could be converted to a D + C + B + 2A = 16A
A One extra base list (or 5 spells) Cast all spells at +1 level Gain a +5 to prayer roll for one week Increase of +5 to one stat bonus Extra hp Gain +10 bonus to all spell resistance rolls (also disease or poison) Combat bonuses to enemies of the church B A * 2 Gain One extra open or closed channeling list A divine answer to a single dilemma Armor Increases +4AT or +20 DB constant 1st level channeling spell effect for the day (aura, blessing) Combat bonuses for all evil/good creatures C A * 4 Gain an extra Arcane or Base list of another channeling profession One weapon becomes 'holy' for the day constant 2nd-3rd level channeling spell effect for the day Ask a question of your deity Gain a Permanent + 5 to prayer D A * 8 Gain an Open List from another realm constant 4nd-6rd level channeling spell effect for the day constant 1st-2nd level non-channeling spell effect for the day all light/repel/banish spells are considered holy E A * 16 Have a short conversation with your deity Your deity has a job for you
The exact nature of the specials to be granted are determined by the GM unless the charitor specifically prayed for one or several (with a corresponding penalty to the prayer roll). Feel free to aid to the lists or change them for specific deities.
I realize that some of the ideas here are fairly vague, and that is intentional. RM has so many optional rule and now two version in use, hard and fast rules are difficult to some by, particularly is the range of bonuses for a given number of skill ranks. As I said these rules are not exhaustively play tested. Some problem areas include: semi-essence professions (penalties from casting spells make all other activities very difficult), low level channellers are more powerful than other spell casters (at least in terms of PP), non-spell casting professions that want to pray, (a non-spellusing profession with prayer skills (a temple gaurd?)) would gain too much.
Depending on what optional rules you use and the magic level in your campaign, some of these rules may seem unballancing. All I can say is that they haven't completely overpowered the spell users in my campaign, but that it has made some interesting changes. Channelers are much more aware of their deities. Essence casters are leery of casting spells needlessly but if the need arises they can cast more of them. Also a mage's realm has more of an effect than just access to specific lists.
-- ============================================================ Tony Franz Neff neff@cs.orst.edu ============================================================