Looking for a spell...

[Farmer]

...that allows people to don or doff clothes or amour very quickly. Does such a thing exist? If not, is it a bad idea? If it's not a bad idea, what are some ideas on costs and limits to create such a thing?

Different power levels to reduce time in different ways would seem appropriate (i.e. a lot of cost to do heavy armour instantly!).

Thoughts from the assembled minds?

[Kesendeja]

First what magic system are you using? That would affect how it would be built and balanced.

[edk926]

If you are using basic magic, it sounds like it would make a great Enchantment spell. The prerequisites could be Dancing Object and Adjustable Clothing, and the cost could be based on weight. This way it could be pretty cheap to buy instantly donning clothing but very costly to have instantly donning plate armor.

[Fred Brackin]

Originally Posted by edk926

If you are using basic magic, it sounds like it would make a great Enchantment spell. .

The spell details were never revealed but Items that did this were in Magic Items I. They were called "Wardrobe Bands" and were on p. 57. They could be any sort of metal but you needed 2 wristbands and to activate you clashed your wrists together superhero-style.

When you did that up to 5 lbs of clothing vanished and a different 5 lbs worth you had stored previously appeared in their place. It only worked on clothes.

The effect was blamed on Yrth Goblins who are fond of flashy magic. The asking price corresponded to a 1000 energy Enchantment. That could even be 200 energy per pound or 2x Hideaway.

[Farmer]

Originally Posted by Kesendeja

First what magic system are you using? That would affect how it would be built and balanced.

Good point. Basic or Threshold Magic, most likely.

[Farmer]

Thanks, Ed and Fred.

Interesting on both counts. How would one work that back into a "live" spell, rather than an enchantment (Basic or Threshold magic, if it makes a difference)? I haven't really created new spells before and a bit lost of how to cost and balance them.

[Pursuivant]

Arguably, the Undo spell from GURPS Magic is the spell for quickly shedding clothing, although the cost to undo a lot of ordinary fasteners is overpriced.

Teleport Other is another possibility for quickly removing or donning clothing. The casting cost is quite reasonable if you're just dealing with normal clothing which is readily at hand (Teleport within 10 yards = Cost: 3 FP, no skill penalty, and 1/2 cost for less than 10 lbs. of material). Unfortunately, the spell suggests a -5 penalty to teleport clothing being worn, but there might not be any penalty to dress someone.

As a custom spell, a Dress/Undress spell might be a Making & Breaking and Movement College spell loosely based on Apportation.

[Anthony]

You can presumably cause armor to dress itself around a subject with Animate Object or Manipulate, though either spell will be very expensive when applied to armor and it's not clear that it would be significantly faster than dressing the normal way. A custom spell would likely be either Making and Breaking or movement. A spell that teleports the armor into place would be movement (a spell that teleports the target into the armor would also be movement but probably won't work, since the armor is probably not positioned to be worn).

[Farmer]

Thank you Pursuivant and Anthony. Good ideas that give me a good place to start. Some pre-reqs in the movement and making/breaking colleges and a cost based on the mass being affected, with range penalties, and perhaps negatives for items that are strongly fastened (like armour).

Perhaps "Animate Object" (as Anthony suggested), "Fasten" and "Undo".

Animate Object is 1 per 5 pounds and double for stone and triple for metal but lasts a minute (takes 3 seconds to cast) and is an IQ/VH. Given this won't be going on for a minute, and isn't really trying to flex solid things, 1 per 5 pounds without further penalty is reasonable.

Fasten is 3 to cast and 1 to add a knot.

Undo specifically mentions removal of necklaces and the unbuttoning, unlacing, and unbuckling or various items of clothing. 3 to cast and more for more things but at 6 does everything in a 6 yard radius.

Based on that, I'm thinking 3 seconds to cast and 5 seconds to "complete" in one direction (you cast again to "swap" items) at a cost of 1 per pound with a minimum of 4? Range is up to 6 yards for all the items and person.

If someone doesn't want it cast on them, I'd make it a contest between the MoS of the spell and either a ST or DX check to avoid it.

Does that feel reasonable? If not, please feel free to suggest what does and why.

[Anthony]

Did you mean cost 1 per 5 pounds, minimum 4? That's probably a reasonable price.

Based on a quick timing check on a Sailor Moon transformation sequence, thirty seconds or so seems reasonable :)