Steve Jackson Games Forums - View Single Post - [Sorcery] Michael's daily sorcerous spells thread

Michael Thayne · 05-24-2021, 06:34 PM

I'm uncertain whether oxygen-to-nitrogen or oxygen-to-CO2 is a better fit for the rules in Magic for noticing the change, copied below. I ended up going with CO2 because that makes the effects more comprehensible for a society that is just beginning to develop modern science (such as 17th century Europe).

Devitalize Air
Keywords: Area (Special).
Full Cost: 4 points/level.
Casting Roll: IQ.
Range: 100 yards.
Duration: The spell is instantaneous, but the effects last until they dissipate naturally.

You can remove the life-sustaining essence from the air within a radius (in yards) up to your level of this spell, rendering it unbreathable. In a setting with scientific chemistry, this spell might be known to convert molecular oxygen into CO2. Until the "dead" air dissipates, any being who needs to breathe begins to suffocate (see Suffocation, p. B436), and flames within the spell’s area of effect flicker and die. Victims may not notice the spell’s effect until they begin losing FP; roll vs. Per to notice the changed quality of the air. Sleeping victims must roll vs. HT to wake up once they begin suffocating.

The spell lasts until living air diffuses back into the affected area. This takes 1 minute per yard of radius in an unventilated area, or as little as 10 seconds on a windy day outdoors. In an airtight room, the air stays devitalized indefinitely! Purify Air reverses this spell’s effects.

Statistics: Create (Ranged, +40%; Transmutation Only, Air to Devitalized Air, -50%; Magic, -10%) [4/level].

05-24-2021, 06:34 PM	#16
Michael Thayne Join Date: May 2010	Re: [Sorcery] Michael's daily sorcerous spells thread I'm uncertain whether oxygen-to-nitrogen or oxygen-to-CO2 is a better fit for the rules in *Magic* for noticing the change, copied below. I ended up going with CO2 because that makes the effects more comprehensible for a society that is just beginning to develop modern science (such as 17th century Europe). Devitalize Air Keywords: Area (Special). Full Cost: 4 points/level. Casting Roll: IQ. Range: 100 yards. Duration: The spell is instantaneous, but the effects last until they dissipate naturally. You can remove the life-sustaining essence from the air within a radius (in yards) up to your level of this spell, rendering it unbreathable. In a setting with scientific chemistry, this spell might be known to convert molecular oxygen into CO2. Until the "dead" air dissipates, any being who needs to breathe begins to suffocate (see Suffocation, p. B436), and flames within the spell’s area of effect flicker and die. Victims may not notice the spell’s effect until they begin losing FP; roll vs. Per to notice the changed quality of the air. Sleeping victims must roll vs. HT to wake up once they begin suffocating. The spell lasts until living air diffuses back into the affected area. This takes 1 minute per yard of radius in an unventilated area, or as little as 10 seconds on a windy day outdoors. In an airtight room, the air stays devitalized indefinitely! Purify Air reverses this spell’s effects. Statistics: Create (Ranged, +40%; Transmutation Only, Air to Devitalized Air, -50%; Magic, -10%) [4/level].