Basic Fantasy Chargen: Wizard

[Jame]

Wizard Character Generation Data
Prior Service Table:
Enlist 9+
DM +1 if Edu 8+
DM +2 if Magic Attribute 6+
Career Restriction: Must have Magic Attribute (this is the attribute which allows the usage of magic)
Draft 6, if Magic 2+, otherwise not eligible
Survival 8+
DM +1 if End 8+
Commission 9+
DM +1 if Magic 9+
Promotion 8+ for commisioned, 6+ for enlisted
DM +1 if End 8+
Special Duty 7+
Reenlistment 8+

Table of Ranks:
E1 Servant
E2 Upper Servant
E3 Lab Staff
E4 Assistant's Assistant
E5 Assistant Apprentice
E6 Apprentice

O1 Spellcaster
O2 Magician
O3 Magus
O4 Wizard
O5 High Wizard
06 Master Wizard

Automatic skill: Research-1

Personal Development
1. +1 Physical
2. +1 Mental
3. +1 Magic Attribute
4. Spellcraft
5. Technical (Mechanic, Combat Engineer, Craftsman, Locksmith)
6. Melee Combat (Brawling, Sword, Axe, Spear, Blade, Dagger)

Service Skills
1. Ranged Combat (Sling, Bow, Crossbow)
2. Alchemy (the skill necessary to create potions or magic items)
3. Spellcraft (the skill necessary to cast spells)
4. Conjuring (the skill necessary to summon spirits)
5. Technical
6. Equestrian

Education
1. Academic (Research, Language, Admin, Legal, Instruction, Philosophy)
2. Spellcraft
3. Conjuring
4. Clandestine (Bribery, Forgery, Streetwise, Gambling, Intimidation)
5. Outdoors (Riding, Navigation, Hunting, Survival, Survey)
6. Alchemy

Advanced Education
1. Medical
2. Science (History, Biology, Geology, Psychology)
3. Spellcraft
4. Conjuring
5. Interpersonal (Perform, Steward, Leader, Liaison, Language)
6. Academic

Mustering Out Benefits

Material Benefits:
1. Ship Passage
2. +1 Attribute
3. +2 Attribute
4. Weapon
5. Spellbook
6. Mount (or Riding-1 Skill if not possessed)
7. Laboratory

Cash:
1. 5000 Cr
2. 10,000 Cr
3. 15,000 Cr
4. 20,000 Cr
5. 25,000 Cr
6. 30,000 Cr
7. 50,000 Cr

 

[Golan2072]

I like the way you've included the cascade options in the basic chargen tables - less pages to look out this way. Also, how does magic work IYTU, given that you have both a Magic attribute and a skill? This isn't the same as attribute-based CT psionics, is it?

 

[Jame]

Magic Attribute is basically psionic strength, but it doesn't mean that you can actually cast spells.

Spellcraft is for spells like fireball or heal, while Conjuring is for summoning or dispelling spirits. Spellcraft is also used for stuff like astral travel and astral combat. Alchemy is for creating potions, and when combined with Craftsman-variants can be used to make magic items like wands and magic weapons.

It works somewhat like Shadowrun (Fourth Edition), in that you can have a magic rating and no skill at casting spells or summoning spirits (though this often means that your talent is dormant).

 

[Golan2072]

So, basically, you are talking about three components needed to cast a spell:

1) The Magic attribute itself, probably giving a DM to the casting throw (or maybe limiting the power of spells available like the Psi Strength stat?)

2) The skill, giving a DM to the casting throw (so spellcasting is a task like any other, roll 8+ with DMs to successfuly cast?)

3) The spell itself, which has to be known beforehand in order to cast.

A point to consider if this is true is how would the spells themselves be received during chargen? would they be a function of the Magic stat like CT psionics? A function of skill? Or an item by themselves? A major problem with the CT psionics system was that it was not readily combinable with the CT chargen system.

 

[Jame]

So, basically, you are talking about three components needed to cast a spell:

1) The Magic attribute itself, probably giving a DM to the casting throw (or maybe limiting the power of spells available like the Psi Strength stat?)

2) The skill, giving a DM to the casting throw (so spellcasting is a task like any other, roll 8+ with DMs to successfuly cast?)

3) The spell itself, which has to be known beforehand in order to cast.

Essentially, yes. But for (1.), the Magic attribute limits the amount of spells you can cast, at (Magic times Endurance) or (MAG plus End).

A point to consider if this is true is how would the spells themselves be received during chargen? would they be a function of the Magic stat like CT psionics? A function of skill? Or an item by themselves? A major problem with the CT psionics system was that it was not readily combinable with the CT chargen system.

The number of spells you recieve is limited by your rank-in-service and number of terms served, which is to say a low-rank 5-termer will know more spells than a low-rank 2-3 termer, but will know about the same as a high-rank 3-termer. This is modified by the referee's desires, of course :devil: .

 

[Golan2072]

The number of spells you recieve is limited by your rank-in-service and number of terms served, which is to say a low-rank 5-termer will know more spells than a low-rank 2-3 termer, but will know about the same as a high-rank 3-termer. This is modified by the referee's desires, of course :devil: .

In other words, they're Mustering-Out Benefits or an equivalent.

 

[Jame]

In other words, they're Mustering-Out Benefits or an equivalent.

Not quite. A wizard may get some spells in that spellbook, but it's assumed that he has spells already. Muster-out is when we determine what they are.

 

[Golan2072]

Not quite. A wizard may get some spells in that spellbook, but it's assumed that he has spells already. Muster-out is when we determine what they are.

Still, same mechanism.

 

[Jame]

Still, same mechanism.

Okay, probably.

 

[Mithras]

Do you have any spells ready to show us from those spellbooks, as a guide?

 

[robject]

From our trial game, we've got some potentials:

Teleport self+other
Heal
Quickness
Curse/Remove Curse

 

[Jame]

Do you have any spells ready to show us from those spellbooks, as a guide?

No, not really; if you want to give me a bit of time, I'll create a list and a thread for it.

 

[Golan2072]

A few spell ideas:

- Torch Light (small flame grows from the caster's hand; treat as a torch for the duration but without it's heat)
- Ignite (starts a fire; treat as a modern pocket cigarette lighter)
- Firebolt (treat as a HE snub-pistol round)
- Fireball (treat as a RAM grenade)
- Meteor (treat as a PGMP shot with a burst radius)
- Starburst (treat as an FGMP shot with a burst radius)
- Starfall (treat as a Plasma-C shot)
- Meteor Shower (treat as multiple Meteor spells, very high-end magic)
- Lightning Bolt (treat as a Laser Rifle shot)

- Holy Light (illuminates surroundings and causes weaker undead to flee)
- Holy Ray (treat as a Laser Rifle shot vs. undead)

- Mystic Armor (treat as Cloth)
- Carapace (treat as Combat Armor, user looks kinda like a giant bug with this spell on)
- Mage Shield (treat as Combat armor, Looks like a shell of light, helps against magic as well)

- Black Resurrection (raises one corpse as a Zombie; probably ties up some Magic points as long as the zombie is active to sustain its magic)

- Call the Inner Beast (unarmed attacks are treated as Claws)
- Cat's Eye (low-light vision)
- Beast's Sight (IR vision)
- Hawk's Eye (vision magnification, equivalent to TL5 binoculars)

- Town Portal (a limited version of Teleport that transports you to a town where a special obelisk/monument/crystal/mage-guild stands)
- Mage Beacon (a limited version of Teleport in which a beacon is first set - probably by planting a special gem into the ground - and later the mage could recall himself to it)

- Haste (gives the subject a Speed of 2 like some Traveller creatures have)

 

[Jame]

Increase Own Dexterity (or Endurance/Strength/Intelligence/Education/Charisma)

Heal Minor Wounds
Heal Serious Wounds
Cure Minor Disease
Cure Moderate Disease
Cure Serious Disease

Major Curse

Mage's Sword/Spear (or other hand weapon): Causes a weapon to do more damage
Mage's Bow: Causes a missile weapon to do more damage

Sense Life: Senses living creatures within a radius. The type/amount/intelligence of life and radius of detection is modified by the magic attribute and Sorcery skill level.
Sense Unlife: Like Sense Life but detects undead instead.

Telekinesis

 

[robject]

Increase Own Dexterity (or Endurance/Strength/Intelligence/Education/Charisma)

Heal Minor Wounds
Heal Serious Wounds
Cure Minor Disease
Cure Moderate Disease
Cure Serious Disease

Major Curse

Mage's Sword/Spear (or other hand weapon): Causes a weapon to do more damage
Mage's Bow: Causes a missile weapon to do more damage

Sense Life: Senses living creatures within a radius. The type/amount/intelligence of life and radius of detection is modified by the magic attribute and Sorcery skill level.
Sense Unlife: Like Sense Life but detects undead instead.

Telekinesis

Yes! I like all of these.

 

[Mithras]

Excellent! Have the magic replace the technology. That's a simple way to produce spells that every GM can get their head around. I like it! Sort of fits the ethos of 'change as little as possible'

A few spell ideas:

- Torch Light (small flame grows from the caster's hand; treat as a torch for the duration but without it's heat)
- Ignite (starts a fire; treat as a modern pocket cigarette lighter)
- Firebolt (treat as a HE snub-pistol round)
- Fireball (treat as a RAM grenade)
- Meteor (treat as a PGMP shot with a burst radius)
- Starburst (treat as an FGMP shot with a burst radius)
- Starfall (treat as a Plasma-C shot)
- Meteor Shower (treat as multiple Meteor spells, very high-end magic)
- Lightning Bolt (treat as a Laser Rifle shot)

- Holy Light (illuminates surroundings and causes weaker undead to flee)
- Holy Ray (treat as a Laser Rifle shot vs. undead)

- Mystic Armor (treat as Cloth)
- Carapace (treat as Combat Armor, user looks kinda like a giant bug with this spell on)
- Mage Shield (treat as Combat armor, Looks like a shell of light, helps against magic as well)

- Black Resurrection (raises one corpse as a Zombie; probably ties up some Magic points as long as the zombie is active to sustain its magic)

- Call the Inner Beast (unarmed attacks are treated as Claws)
- Cat's Eye (low-light vision)
- Beast's Sight (IR vision)
- Hawk's Eye (vision magnification, equivalent to TL5 binoculars)

- Town Portal (a limited version of Teleport that transports you to a town where a special obelisk/monument/crystal/mage-guild stands)
- Mage Beacon (a limited version of Teleport in which a beacon is first set - probably by planting a special gem into the ground - and later the mage could recall himself to it)

- Haste (gives the subject a Speed of 2 like some Traveller creatures have)

 

[Golan2072]

Excellent! Have the magic replace the technology. That's a simple way to produce spells that every GM can get their head around. I like it! Sort of fits the ethos of 'change as little as possible'

That's one of the greatest strengths of CT - the rules are very flexible and are abstract enough to represent things other than their original intended purpose if the descriptions are modified or replaced.

 

[Jame]

I still have to compile a spell list, so bumping this so I can go through it and compile.