The Functioning of spells within Dungeon Hero In order to duplicate (more or less) the way AD&D spells work with the Hero System, I have had to invent some internal rules for use with DH. They are not by any means an exact duplicate; rather they follow the philosophy of the mechanics of AD&D spells. Below are the separate sections on the way I deal with certain elements of AD&D spells. Acquisition of Spells Every caster of the appropriate level has the raw ability to cast any spell of the appropriate point value; however, s/he does not have the skill to do so unless they have spent the character points on the appropriate Skills as delineated below. In order to acquire a spell, a player must first have some means under which the character can get the spell (the diety ok's the spell usage by the character, the caster finds some old scrolls, etc). Then, the player must buy a Knowledge Skill of this spell, just as he/she would purchase any other Knowledge Skill. Note that the player can use the Skill Enhancer Scholar to cheapen the cost of the spell, and may have other Knowledge Skills "in" the enhancer. The cost for the skill is 1 point for an 8- roll (appropriate for a magicians apprentice), 2 points for an 11- (a basic practitioner), or 3 points for a stat roll with the spell (EGO for clerics or druids, INT for magicians or illusionists). The character may also to buy up the base roll of a spell, but NOT to buy levels with a group of skills. Purchase of plusses to skill rolls is +1 per point for 11- skills, +1 per 2 points for a stat based rol. Levels from gaining levels as a character (cf. Gaining Levels) can be applied to this roll. Note that a spell will always work when it is first cast; the roll for the spell is needed when dealing with duration. Spell ability itself is just the extra points to increasing the max of the main Aid that builds the character. Mechanically, it looks like this: x pts to spells, all spells (+2), self only (-1/2), does not pass on limitations (-1/2), must have particular spell being cast bought as knowledge skill (-1) => cost of x Spell casters gain Spell Ability as they progress in levels (cf. Character Classes). This spell ability determines the base raw power that the caster is able to wield magically. For example, a 3rd level magician has 15 points of Spell Ability. Each level of spells has a minimum raw power, or Spell Ability, that the caster is required to have before s/he can start casting the spell(s). When the caster's Spell Ability has reached this mimimum, s/he may cast the spell(s) that they have the appropriate skill with, at any power level up to their spell ability. Note that, for any given spell level, the spells are dealt with in respect to real, not active, points. So, all third level magician spells are effectively 15 real points; active points will vary. Example: Ethelred is a 7th level illusionist, and he has 7 (level) * 5 (spell ability/level) = 35 pts of spell ability Examining the list of spells, we see that First level spells require 5 points of spell ability to use, Second level spells require 15 points, and Third level spells require 25 points of spell ability. Assuming Ethelred has spent the character points for the Knowledge Skills, he can have any spell of third or lower level. Looking at the Fourth level spells, he sees that they have a minimum Spell Ability of 40 points; Ethelred cannot use these yet. When Ethelred gains enough experience to progress to Eighth level, he will gain 5 points of spell ability, up to 40 points. Ethelred can then begin using, after purchasing, Fourth level spells. No matter what the case, all spell casters are also limited in the number of spells they may have running at any one time, whether they last seconds or centuries (an exception is permanent spells; they don't count toward the limit). A mage will be limited to casting INT/5 spells, a cleric is limited to EGO/5 spells; this is standard Fantasy Hero rules. Includes in this limitation are all spells, whether on trigger, time delay, or whatever. Duration The way spells are handled is with the basic supposition that all spells have a limited time for which they will run, assuming they are a continuous and persistent spell. All spells work successfully when they are cast, barring internal limitations to the spell. However, there is an interval each non-instant spell has at which the caster must roll against his or her knowledge of the skill. A successful roll means that the spell continues, an unsuccessful means that the spell turns off. This interval can mean a limitation to the spell if it is short, or an advantage if it is long. The table below shows the scaling of this. Please note that a minus means its a limitation, a plus means its an advantage. Time Interval Advantage/Limitation Instant -1.5 1 segment -1.25 1 phase -1 1 turn -3/4 1 minute -1/2 5 minutes -1/4 1 hour -0 5 hours +1/4 1 day +1/2 1 week +3/4 1 month +1 1 season +1.25 1 year +1.5 1 decade +1.75 permanent +2 All spells intrinsically have time limitation, with the following exceptions: Any spells bought with the time advantage Permanent, assuming they are also persistent. Spells that do damage (ie, BODY done by a fireball must be healed by the normal means). Spells that transform or heal a damaged characteristic/power. Entangles of any kind. Spells bought with a trigger. If the spell is of the above type but does abide by time limitations, it is bought with the -1 limitation "fades". Daily use of spells All spells run of an END reserve that each spell caster has for their spells; personal END is not affected (certain spells excepting). Generally, a caster will have 10 END per level, with a recovery of 3 per level that recovers once per five hours. Actual END cost for spells is delineated long with each separate spell; the cost will vary depending on the active cost of the spell. Spells that increase with level (fireball, barkskin, etc) are listed with their base END cost; as a caster goes up in level, the END cost of a spell will increase, as will the effect. For example: fireball at 5th level of power has a cost requirement of 25 pts, does 1.5d6 killing area effect, and costs 5 END. As casters get 5 real points to all spell abilities per level, we see that a caster will be able to cast fireball at 25 pts / 5 pts per level = 5th level The math works out nicely here; for every level beyond 5th, the spell costs 5 END base / 5th level ability needed to cast = 1 END per level Also, 1.5d6 killing works out to 5 DC, which obviously give an increase of 1 DC per level above fifth (per the formulas above). Of note is that although low level spells that increase cost a lot of END to use, they do an increasing amount of damage as well. Barring limitations to the contrary, spell can be used at a reduced power level, down to their minimum, if a caster wishes to be careful on his/her END cost (or simply wishes to do less damage). All of the above is for spells that increase in power with level; spells that do not have a static END cost as well as effect. Spells that have a static cost, ie do not change with level, will always cost the same amount of END regardless. The casting of any spell is considered an attack action. As such, a maximum of one spell per phase can be cast. Interruption of Spells, or Magus Interuptus Spell casting is a difficult thing, and there are ways to disrupt a spell, before the casting, during, and afterwards. Here are common ways to stop a spell; some variations may be used, at GM's discretion. The roll in question is the roll for a spell, whether it be 8- or bought to INT/EGO roll (or higher). All spell rolls are made at the instant of the disruption, and all effects of the disruption still occur. Active spells will still stay active until the end of the segment, but it will be very apparent to those watching that the spell is failing (and doubly so to the unfortunate caster!). Method Casting Pre-cast PRE attack, target's PRE/EGO +4 +8 target's PRE/EGO + 10 +0 +4 target's PRE/EGO + 20 -4 +0 target's PRE/EGO + 30 -8 -4 Damage, per 20 points (10 BODY, -5 -1 20 STUN, 20 STR, etc; includes drains/transforms) Knocked unconscoius fails -5 Killed fails -10 Grappled, fails n/a (if using "gestures"), caster may only use casual STR to resist while casting Muted, fails n/a (if using "incantations"), caster may only use casual STR to resist while casting Knockdown +0 n/a Blinded +4 n/a Deafened +4 n/a Other methods may be added, at GM's discretion. All above methods are cumulative with each other. Some Final Notes When building this subsystem, there are several new advantages and limitations, as well as a few slightly different interpretations of existing powers, that were needed in order to smooth the creation process. When talking about the cost of a power under the Dungeon Hero system, one deals with the real cost of a power. This is different from the standard Hero system approach of dealing with active points (at least when speaking about the Aid power). So, fourth level clerical spells are all 35 real pts each, and active cost will vary. An important effect of this is that all adjustment powers in DH are to/from the real, not active, points of a power. In addition, any skill rolls are based on the real cost of powers as well. In addition to the Time limitations and advantages found under Spells, listed below is a hopefully inclusive list. Common spell advantages/limitations Spreadable (+1/4 advantage): This advantage allows the attack form to be spread, in the same way as a normal energy blast. Maintain at Range (+1/4 advantage): After a successful touch, a spell with this advantage will continue to work. Like "useable at range", but must touch first. Summoning: friendly/unfriendly creatures (varies): Normally, a summoned creature is fairly neutral to the summoner. With this advantage or limitation, the condition varies as follows: Slavish (+1 advantage): Summoned creature will do _anything_ the summoner asks, including laying down its life. Dedicated (+3/4 advantage): Summoned creature will go to great lengths to help the summoner, including putting itself at high risk. Allied (+1/2 advantage): Summoned creature will happily help the summoner, and can be counted on to act as a friend. Friendly (+1/4 advantage): Summoned creature is generally well disposed to the summoner, and will grant aid when possible. Neutral (normal level): Summoned creature is indifferent to summoner, and would just as soon leave as stay (barring reward or common goals). Annoyed (-1/4 limitation): The summoned is not happy with being there, but can be made happy with the situation for certain favors or rewards. Aggravated (-1/2 limitation): The summoned wants to leave and have nothing to do with the summoner; it may wish to leave a small punishment. Favors or rewards have to be fairly substantial to negate feelings. Hostile (-3/4 limitation): The summoned strongly desires to leave or kill/torture the summoner, assuming it is no great bother. Favors or rewards must be extreme to counter the reaction. Violent (-1 limitation): The summoned wants to kill, now and with great pain, the summoner, and leave for its home. Little will convince it to stray from this course, save perhaps an extremely power- ful summoner, or a gift most precious (life's goals, etc). One Roll (-1/2 limitation): Generally applying to adjustment powers, this means that only one roll of the dice is allowed for determining effect. It is recommended that average be taken in many of these cases. No Gain From Aid (-1 limitation): The spell will never change beyond its minimum power for what it gets you. A second level healing spell with this limitation, for example, will never increase in the number of dice of Aid it gives you. Limited Range (-1/4 limitation): Instead of the usual range of points x 5 in inches, this limitation reduces the range to just points in inches. Easy To Dispel (-1/4 limitation, can be purchased multiple times): The reverse of the advantage "Difficult To Dispel"; a power requires half as many points of dispel or suppress to stop the spells function. Aid only goes to part of power (-1/2 limitation, usually): A few spells will have the Aid gain go only to some effect of the spell, generally the area of effect. These points are not going straight to the area of effect advantage for the spell; rather, they go to the spell as a whole, but the base power stays the same. For example, a 2d6 entangle with this limitation will may go above two dice, but its area will increase with increasing caster level. Aid does not pass limitations on to powers (-1/2 limitation): Dungeon Hero Aids to powers/spells (cf. Chromatic Orb) pass on the Aid's limitations to affect the power bought with the Aid. For example, if an Aid to EB is bought with the limitation "self only", this limitation, worth -1/2, is passed on to affect the Aided power (only in value, not in effect). If the Aid does not affect the Aided powers, it is bought with the limitation "does not pass limitations on to powers" -1/2. If the Aid does pass on its limitations, and the power/spell has limitations inherent to itself, then the limitations of the power/spell will be halved, rounded down, before being added to the "passed on" limitations.