New Common Magic Spells

[Bifford]

However, it might be possible to have a spell that allows the caster to see the target's aura, allowing the caster to judge their current emotional state. Perhaps such a spell would give the caster a bonus to Insight rolls when attempting to assess the target's moods and intentions?

This would be useful without necessarily assuming the existence of good and evil as absolute cosmological forces - although in campaigns where such concepts exist, it might give the caster important clues about the target's ethical stance.

That was the exact idea I was aiming for. Maybe I just went into too much detail with my examples The whole Good/evil thing was the stretch of the resulting aura view and for the high-powered maji. Basic use would show the aura allowing them to decide it's basis.



sam

 

[Prime_Evil]

That was the exact idea I was aiming for. Maybe I just went into too much detail with my examples The whole Good/evil thing was the stretch of the resulting aura view and for the high-powered maji. Basic use would show the aura allowing them to decide it's basis.



sam

I think that the detail should be left to the individual GM - that way it is possible to describe the spell in the way that best suits the needs of your game world. However, in rule terms, the information provided by the spell can be abstracted as a bonus to Insight because it grants the caster an enhanced understanding of the subject's motivations and emotional state. In some cosmologies, it may also allow the caster to distinguish the ethical allegience of the target - but this significantly boosts the power of the spell in worlds where moral alignment is an important factor. It might be advisable to only allow such a deep insight into another person's state of mind if the caster rolls a critical success or expends a hero point. In campaigns where this is not a factor, you might allow the caster to distinguish the target's POW and current Magic Points on a critical success, since the spell would enable the caster to determine the strength of the subject's life force. Note that the spell would also probably permit the caster to distinguish whether the target is an undead creature - or an illusion - on a normal success. I'd recommend restricting the spell to a single target within normal visual range - so the caster can't use the spell to track the exact location of hidden or concealed enemies

I'd treat the ability to see auras as a Common Magic spell, since it seems to be a simple magical effect. But I can understand the position of people who would see this as a Divine Magic effect. And if you are going to introduce a spell like this into your campaign, I would definitely also create a spell that shields a target against this type of scrying...otherwise players will depend upon this spell all the time in social situations.

 

[Prime_Evil]

How does this look:

Aura Sight
Duration 5, Magnitude 1, Progressive, Resist (Special)
This spell enables the caster to see the aura surrounding a single living target, enabling her to assess the target’s current emotional state. The caster gains a +10% bonus per point of magnitude to all Insight skill rolls against the target for the duration of the spell (up to a maximum of +50%). If the caster rolls a critical success when casting this spell, they can also determine the strength of the target’s life force, enabling them to measure the target’s POW characteristic.

Because this spell only works on living creatures, it can often be used to determine whether or not the target is an undead entity. However, sentient undead creatures may expend a magic point to resist this application of the spell with Persistance if they are aware that they are being examined.

Optional Rule: In campaigns where good and evil are discrete cosmological forces, the GM may also allow the caster of this spell to distinguish the ethical allegiance of the target by expending a Hero Point.

 

[Bifford]

Awsum spell write-up Prime-Evil

I would amend one bit slightly - "enabling her to assess the target’s current emotional state." I would expand this to: "enabling her to assess the target’s current emotional state and see any abnormalities such as wounds or illness."

This allows poisons to be detected (silver-grey threads running through digestive system for example), or internal wounds which would normally be missed (like an x-ray).

It doesn't mean they can heal those problems, but they can at least be detected.

Sam / Bifford

 

[Harshlax]

How about adding some of the aura sight functionality into Soul Sight (MRQ2 pg 113, Legend pg 168), such as enabling a perception check to reveal some things reserved for insight (emotional state etc) and potential disruption to the aura as suggested. No curative ability but enough to inform a more detailed diagnostic effort?

Seems little point adding another spell when one already in the book covers the theme to begin with.

 

[PhilHibbs]

How about adding some of the aura sight functionality into Soul Sight (MRQ2 pg 113, Legend pg 168), such as enabling a perception check to reveal some things reserved for insight (emotional state etc) and potential disruption to the aura as suggested.

Soul Sight is divine - but this raises a good point, that any "cosmological forces" aspect should be the province of Divine Magic, not Common Magic. So, a Divine spell to detect Good/Evil, Law/Chaos, Big-Endian/Little-Endian, Vi/Emacs etc., and a Common Magic spell to determine mundane factors such as emotional state makes sense to me.

 

[Bifford]

How about adding some of the aura sight functionality into Soul Sight (MRQ2 pg 113, Legend pg 168), such as enabling a perception check to reveal some things reserved for insight (emotional state etc) and potential disruption to the aura as suggested. No curative ability but enough to inform a more detailed diagnostic effort?

Seems little point adding another spell when one already in the book covers the theme to begin with.

I havn't got that far into reading the Legend rulebook yet! LOL

But that being the case.... then it would make sense to keep Aura Sight as it is, and have Soul Sight as sort of the "next level" of the spell!

Sam / Bifford

 

[Harshlax]

How about adding some of the aura sight functionality into Soul Sight (MRQ2 pg 113, Legend pg 168), such as enabling a perception check to reveal some things reserved for insight (emotional state etc) and potential disruption to the aura as suggested. No curative ability but enough to inform a more detailed diagnostic effort?

Seems little point adding another spell when one already in the book covers the theme to begin with.

Oops, just noticed I used the wrong spell name, I meant Second Sight (same pages). That is a Common Magic spell, so I ask the question again., why not add your ideas into the usages of Second Sight, which seems to be exactly the same as your "Aura Sight".

 

[Prime_Evil]

I did consider the option of combining this spell with Second Sight, but I was concerned that it would make that spell too versatile for common magic. In play, the primary use of Second Sight is to detect magic items and to gauge their relative power. By contrast, the primary ability of Aura Sight is to gain a bonus to the Insight skill.

Both spells do allow the caster to sense the POW of living creatures, but there are some important differences. Second Sight enables the caster to determine the POW of multiple creatures with a single casting, but only provides a rough estimate of the POW of each creature relative to the caster's own. By contrast, Aura Sight provides an accurate measurement of the POW of a single target - but only if a critical success is scored while casting the spell.

Also, note that Second Sight permits the caster to see spirits and invisible creatures, but Aura Sight spell does not. The only overlap in this area is that both spells allow the caster to sense that 'something is wrong' with the aura of corporeal undead creatures, although I have deliberately given sentient undead creatures a way to fool the spell by burning Magic Points.

Finally, note that Second Sight does not provide a bonus to any skills, but Aura Sight does.

I think the two spells do slightly different things and that there are good reasons to keep them as separate spells. However, your mileage may vary, and it is easy enough to combine them for your own game if you wish to do so. I'll see if I can cook up an alternative version that does this, without being overpowered.

The situation with the divine magic Soul Sight spell is a bit more complex. Upon reflection, I agree that the ability to sense the moral allegience of an individual should fall under this spell rather than a common magic spell. It makes perfect sense that priests should have the ability to see into the ethical principles of other people. I'd probably just add an extra line or two to this spell enabling the caster to sense the allegience of the target with a successful Insight roll. It might also enable the caster to sense whether the caster has dedicated any POW to a deity and even which entity the target has a Pact with.

If you are using a system like the Passions from Elric or the Personality Traits from Pendragon, I wounder if the Soul Sight spell might also permit the caster to sense the strength of the target's commitment to a specific ideal?

 

[Prime_Evil]

Oops...I just remembered that I haven't posted my revision of the Second Sight spell.

In the meantime, here's a rough idea for a new Divine Magic spell:

Whispers of Heresy
Duration 15, Ranged, Rank Priest, Resist (Persistence)
This spell causes a single target within range of the caster’s voice to temporarily doubt the strength of their faith. If the target fails to resist, their religious conviction wavers for the duration of the spell. During this period, the target suffers a penalty to all attempts to cast Divine Magic spells equal to -5% per point of Magnitude that the caster has invested in this spell. The maximum penalty that can be imposed upon a specific target by castings of this spell is -50%. The penalty imposed by this spell is not applied to other uses of the Lore (Specific Theology) skill - only to attempts to cast Divine Magic spells. The caster cannot use this spell against members of their own faith, nor on members of any allied cult.

Comments or suggestions would be welcome - I'm a bit worried that this spell might be a bit overpowered at the moment.

 

[RangerDan]

Whispers of Heresy

Hmmm I like the idea, though I'll admit I'm not really crazy about the fluff of the spell.
I've always felt a person's true beliefs (especially powerful ones like religious beliefs) should be off-limits to magical influence.
So while one can certainly be charmed or confused or even dominated into all kinds of undesirable behaviour, a person's core personality or true beliefs are too deep-seated to manipulate through magic.

Personally I would keep the mechanics but repackage the spell like this:

• Seal the Outside
  Duration 15, Ranged, Rank Priest, Resist (Persistence)
  This spell temporarily distorts or severs a single target's mystical connection to his deity, preventing the target from channeling divine energies for the duration of the spell. During this period, the target suffers a penalty to all attempts to cast Divine Magic spells equal to -5% per point of Magnitude of this spell. The maximum penalty that can be imposed upon a specific target by castings of this spell is -50%. The penalty imposed by this spell is not applied to other uses of the Lore (Specific Theology) skill - only to attempts to cast Divine Magic spells.

This is of course only my opinion and can safely be ignored .

A nitpick: "per point of Magnitude that the caster has invested in this spell" does not mean much for Divine casters, who cast at maximum Magnitude for free.
I would leave it at "per point of Magnitude of this spell"

As for balance, the spell is certainly powerful, but only in a very specific circumstance (generally when fighting enemy divine spellcasters). I'd be careful putting it into a PC priest's hands in these circumstances. Using it against said PC priest however...

 

[PhilHibbs]

Seal the Outside sounds like a candidate for a Sorcery spell rather than Divine. Certainly in a Gloranthan context, it's a very God Learner thing to do. In another context - if there is a justification for a deity to have a power that intervenes in other deities' relationships, such as a psychopomp maybe, then this spell is reasonable. Maybe in a setting like Deus Vult, a Christian priest might be able to "exorcise" a pagan's magical powers.

 

[Prime_Evil]

I like the suggestion and I agree that it would make a good sorcery spell. However, I also feel that in a historical medieval setting such as Deus Vult it makes sense to give divine casters the ability to disrupt spellcasting by members of enemy faiths - how often in medieval hagoigraphy do saints chastise pagans for clinging to their old beliefs and render their priests powerless?

It might make sense to treat this as a Sorcery spell in some settings and a Divine spell in others. I don't know.

 

[alex_greene]

Entrance
Duration 10, Magnitude 1, Progressive, Resist (Resilience)
This spell allows the caster to place a victim in a hypnotic trance. The caster must be able to see and talk to the victim, and the caster must understand and speak in the victim's language. The victim is placed in a deep trance and becomes extremely suggestible, following simple instructions the caster can give to the victim. Harmful instructions, such as ordering a victim to attack his friends or himself, automatically break the spell. Overly complex instructions, or dangerous and stupid actions, such as instructing a victim to commit a crime, allow the victim another Resilience test immediately to break the spell. However, simple instructions such as "remove your clothing" and "forget that you were in a trance" will tend to be obeyed without questioning. As part of the spell, the caster can implant a post-hypnotic suggestion that allows the caster to continue to control the victim long after the spell has faded, giving the caster a bonus equal to +CHAx3% to all uses of Influence, Commerce, Courtesy, Oratory, Seduction and Teaching skills with that victim.

From personal experience, I can confirm that you can implant post-hypnotic suggestions that people will tend to obey even if they are no longer in a trance. And I don't just mean triggered instructions either.

 

[Prime_Evil]

I like the idea behind this one - it makes me think of the Master from the old Jon Pertwee days of Doctor Who!

A few suggestions from the top of my head:

This isn't a Touch spell, so it might be worth specifying that it is a Ranged spell.

I'd probably be a bit more specific in the description and state that the caster must maintain direct eye contact with the subject whilst casting the spell. I know that this is implied, but it might be worth explicitly stating this.

I'd probably also allow the subject to resist the spell with Persistence rather than Resilience since it seems to be a mind affecting spell.

Would it be worth allowing the victim an Instight roll to realise that the caster is attempting to put them into a hypnotic trance? If so, what effect would this realisation have?

It might be worth specifying that it has no effect on non-sentient animals, artificial creatures such elementals and golems, and mindless undead such as skeletons and zombies.

 

[Harshlax]

Another point with Entrance - why is it Progressive? What does each point in the spell give you? It appeares to be a definate on or off effect. Why not make it a 2 or 3 pt spell, befuddle is 2 points to cast, and this seems to be more powerful than befuddle so 3pts would seem reasonable.

 

[Prime_Evil]

Another point with Entrance - why is it Progressive? What does each point in the spell give you? It appeares to be a definate on or off effect. Why not make it a 2 or 3 pt spell, befuddle is 2 points to cast, and this seems to be more powerful than befuddle so 3pts would seem reasonable.

I'd probably allow +10% per Magnitude to the social skills rather than +CHAx3%. This follows the pattern established by other common magic spells, but decouples the spell from the force of the caster's personality. For a flat cost, 3 points is probably OK.

Another thought: I can't think of any other common magic spell that provides a bonus to so many skills. I'm concerned that the list might be too broad at the omoment. One solution might be to allow the spell to apply to a single social skill from the list chosen by the caster at the time when the spell is cast - this means that if you use a hypnotic trance as a teaching aide you can't switch to seducing your student while they are under the spell...

 

[alex_greene]

All good points, well made. Revised as follows:-

Entrance
Duration 10, Magnitude 3, Progressive, Ranged, Resist (Persistence)
This spell puts a sentient (i.e. not possessing fixed INT, such as an animal, golem or mindless undead) target in a hypnotic trance. The caster must be able to maintain eye contact with and talk to the subject throughout, and the caster must understand and speak the subject's language. The subject is allowed an Insight roll to realise what is happening; if he succeeds, he may make a Persistence roll to break the spell. Otherwise the subject enters a deep trance and becomes extremely suggestible, following the caster's simple instructions. Harmful instructions, such as ordering a victim to attack his friends or himself, automatically break the spell. Overly complex instructions, or dangerous and stupid actions, allow the victim an Insight test to realise that he is under the spell's influence, and a Persistence test to break it. However, simple instructions such as "remove your clothing" and "forget that you were in a trance" will tend to be obeyed without questioning. As part of the spell, the caster can implant a post-hypnotic suggestion that allows the caster to continue to control the victim after the spell has faded, giving the caster a bonus equal to +10% per point of Magnitude to one skill from Influence, Commerce, Courtesy, Oratory, Seduction or Teaching skills with that victim - the caster chooses the specific skill when casting the spell, and it cannot be changed later without another use of this spell.

 

[Harshlax]

Hmm. It's up to you of course, but I still feel that as Entrance is invading another's mind and influencing their thinking it should more than just 1 mp. Particularly as a brief knock to the mind, Befuddle, is 2mps to cast, as is Fanatacism and Babel, both of which are essentially mind-affecting.

The potential for ongoing influence beyond the usual duration of Common Magic, I feel pushes the spell up to 3pts, comparable in utility and effectiveness to Second Sight.

This would also make it 2CAs to cast so the "keeping eye contact" aspect ia actually open to interruption, thus making it a risky choice in combat, which feels right based on the tone of the spell.

What do you think?

 

[alex_greene]

I've upped the Magnitude to 3. Entrance is a big spell, in terms of its effects.

A simpler version would be something like ...

Command
Instant, Magnitude 2, Ranged, Resist (Persistence)
This caster locks gazes with one sentient (i.e. not possessing fixed INT, such as an animal, golem or mindless undead) target and gives the subject a single, simple command, such as "Sleep!" or "Run!". The subject will perform that command to the best of his ability. Subjects resist with Persistence. Any obstacle blocking the subject from performing the commanded action breaks the effect (for instance, if a subject is ordered to flee, but the door the subject has to go through is locked, the effect ends). Subjects can be commanded to fight, even fight each other; but they automatically disregard commands to perform suicidal or self-harming actions. The sensory effect of this spell activating is specific and distinctive: the caster's voice takes on an echoing, hollow, compelling quality demanding obedience from the listener.