I spent far more time on this then I should have today, and have a new approach. This time with a flavor much closer to Dying Earth than D&D. (The astute among you may notice certain similarities to another excellent RPG by Mr. Laws...)
Quite untested, but...
Vancian Magic for Heroquest 2.0, take 2
CANTRAPS Cantraps is the first magical ability an aspiring magician learns. The Cantraps keyword governs small blessings and curses, and minor physical effects: souring a gambler's luck, wishing for a favorable wind, ensuring that your hair is not mussed, lighting a candle, etc.
Blessings and curses take ten seconds or so to pronounce, and can be interrupted, which fizzles the effect. No Repeat Attempts rule applies to interrupted attempts as well. Target of the blessing or curse must be visible to the caster, and the effect normally lasts for an hour or so, but spending a Hero Point allows casting enduring cantraps that can last for a specific finite duration (till the end of this deal, till he gets home, till the war ends, etc.) If multiple blessing are in effect at the same time, only the most powerful matters. Multiple curses all take full effect.
Physical effects can be brought about with a quick word and a gesture, and cannot be interrupted due to their quick nature. Target of a physical cantrap must be within arms reach or so from the caster, and the effect lasts for a minute or so at most, but spending a Hero Point allows extending it till for a specific finite duration (till I go back inside, till sun sets, till it stops raining, etc.)
Casting a cantrap is requires a contest vs. appropriate resistance class depending on the effect of the cantrap.
When Cantraps keyword is bought, the character can specify three distinct cantraps underneath it: one blessing, one curse, and one physical effect. Learning new cantraps costs 1 Hero Point each, and doesn't take much in the way of justification.
Improvising cantraps is possible, but is always a stretch.
SPELLCASTING Having mastered cantraps, the adept proceeds to the study of spells. The Spellcasting keyword governs the ability to cast spells of all kinds. Spell are divided into Trivial, Straightforward, and Complex ones.
Casting a spell requires nothing but access to the appropriate spellbook, time to incant the pervulsions and perform the gesticulations, and the foolhardiness to do so. This is resolved as a contest of Spellcasting vs. appropriate resistance class depending on the effect of the spell.
Interrupting or distracting a spellcaster is potentially hazardous for all involved.
When Spellcasting keyword is bought, the character can specify three distinct spells underneath it that he has access to. Additional spells can be bought at character creation for 1 Hero Point each. Afterwards access to each new spell must be gained in game, but after the spells can be cemented for 1 Hero Point each.
Spells cannot be improvised.
ENCOMPASSMENT Once the arcanist has learned the basics of spellcasting, he can engage the mysteries of encompassment. The Encompassment ability enables the student to impress a spell in its entirely into his mind, allowing it to be cast once without recourse to a spellbook - and with much greater alacrity than normally, since most of the spell has effectively already been cast while encompassing it.
A single spell may only be encompassed once: you cannot encompass multiple "copies" of a single spell.
Encompassing a spell takes as long as reading it from a book and requires a number of points of Encompassment ability depending on the category of the spell. Unlike spellcasting, encompassment is a silent activity.
Interrupting a process of encompassment is not dangerous, but wastes the effort spent so far, and is liable to cause headaches in the interuptee.
Casting an encompassed spell works just like casting it from a book, just faster.
TABLES Spell Categories
CATEGORY BOOK TIME ENC. POINTS ENC. CASTING TIME Trivial 15 min 2 Instant Straightforward 30 min 4 1 round Complex 60 min 6 2 rounds
Note: encompassment points as specified allow beginning characters about on par with Turjan in the Dying Earth books. Adjust as appropriate for different power levels.
Effects of Spell Failure
RESULT EFFECT Marginal Defeat Nothing Minor Defeat Annoying Major Defeat Serious Complete Defeat Catastrophic
Interrupted Casting
RESULT EFFECT Complete Victory The caster retains control of the spell. Major Victory Nothing Minor Victory Annoying Marginal Victory Annoying Marginal Defeat Serious Minor Defeat Serious Major Defeat Catastrophic Complete Defeat Catastrophic
Example Spell Effects and Resistance Classes
RESISTANCE CLASS TRANSFORMATION HEALING MISCELLANY ATTACK Low Hair Dye Heal Hurt Light - Moderate Disguise Self Heal Impairment Blur Short Range High Alter Self Heal Injury Summoning Short Range Area / Long Range Very High Polymorph Self Heal Dying Teleport Long Range Area Nearly Impossible Polymorph Other Raise Dead Time Travel Mass Destruction
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