[Magic] New IQ/A Spells

[Tyneras]

A general purpose "Gather material" spell and "recycle material" spell, that each require specialization by material, would seem to be in order. Anything where no additional binder material is required and minimal tools.

Chalk, soap, wax, mercury would all work. I think gather would work for metal shavings (gotta save that expensive bronze) but require a IQ/H spell for the recombining?

[Fred Brackin]

Originally Posted by Tyneras

Chalk, soap, wax, mercury would all work. I think gather would work for metal shavings (gotta save that expensive bronze) but require a IQ/H spell for the recombining?

I think Reshape might already do this even though it isn't mentioned. It lets you treat any solid material like modelling clay.

[Tyneras]

Originally Posted by Fred Brackin

I think Reshape might already do this even though it isn't mentioned. It lets you treat any solid material like modelling clay.

Excellent point. When I think of IQ/A spells, I've been thinking to myself "Would technique of a IQ/H spell?" and a single material version of Reshape seems to fit.

[Tyneras]

Fit Stones
Area Spell, Making and Breaking College, Earth College
Casting Time: 1 minute
Cost: 3 per hex, minimum 1 (1 foot hex)
Duration: Instantaneous

The spell averages out the surfaces of two stones so that they will fit against each other exactly. The surfaces will not be smooth or polished in any way. The caster places one limb on each surface to be fitted and casts the spell, during which the surface visibly flows into its fitted state.

This allows buildings to be built with ashlar construction at the cost of brick (Low Tech Companion 3). The ability to use even more ill-fitted rubble is offset by the higher price of workers who know this spell.


This spell was inspired by Shadversity's video today on the purpose of mortar in castles.

[Anders]

Cat Box
Illusion and Creation
Casting Time: 1 minute
Cost: 1
Duration: One cat-nap

Creates a cardboard box for your cat to sleep in. The box is useless for all other purposes.

[Plane]

One thing I was thinking was perhaps any IQ/H spell could be specified as being "IQ/A" via defining an "optional specialty" where any other non-specialized uses of it are -2.

For example, learning a spell "for all purposes other than casting it" might be enough.

So you'd know the skill at +1 higher than normal for:

1) how much energy you could contribute when aiding a Ceremonial Magic caster
2) establishing upper cap of Counterspell, Suspend Magic and Ward
3) defaulting other spells to it using Thaumatology's -4 option

But when actually casting the spell yourself, you'd be -1 relative to someone else who put a normal point in it.

I don't know if it'd be okay to allow it the other way around though (Average specialty: casting ONLY) because that's the primary use and a lot of people might not care about the above 3 options.

- - -

not a spell, but I think it'd be cool to have a "specialized Thaumatology" (H instead of VH) where you have a relative-to-normal +1 to recognize spells of JUST ONE COLLEGE and a relative -1 (-2 to your H skill) to recognize spells of other colleges.

If using "Ritual Magic" this could similarly let 1 path default 2 points higher than all other paths.

EG "Healing Thaumatology" skill 20 = Path of Healing 14, Path of Necromancy 12 (since "Normal Thamautology" defaults at 18)

[TGLS]

Cat Calling
Animal
Casting Time: 1 minute
Cost: 1
Duration: Instantaneous

All cats within 10 minutes of the caster will be notified of the existence of the caster, as well as any food on the caster's person. The cats may or may not come.

[Sam Baughn]

Balancing Act

Movement
Regular
Duration: Instantaneous.
Cost: 1.


Allows the caster to place an object they are holding in the most stable position possible. The caster must still be able to manipulate the object into the desired position. This can balance a sword on its tip, or a playing card on its edge.

Tie

Making and Breaking
Regular
Duration: Instantaneous.
Cost: 2.

Ties a simple knot in any piece of cordage the caster is touching. Assess range penalties to the place where the knot is to be tied. Unlike the Knot spell, this knot is entirely mundane and can be untied by anyone in the normal fashion.

Quick Release

Making and Breaking
Regular
Duration: Until triggered.
Cost: 1.

Cast when tying a knot, this allows anyone who later unties it to do so with a single ready manoeuvre.

[Astromancer]

Taste of Honey

This spell is both in both the Food and Illusion/Creation. It gives one plate of food a pleasant, if bland and sweet, flavor. If the food is massively salty, spoiled, or has other serious issues, this spell won't help. It's mainly about getting picky eaters to eat wholesome food.

Those that have to get cranky children to eat love this spell. It also works on cranky sick people too!

[Pursuivant]

Originally Posted by awesomenessofme1

I just started reading Magic: The Least of Spells in detail (got it from Backerkit), and it's provided a lot of inspiration. There is a section in it talking about the possibility of making other new IQ/A spells, and it gives some advice throughout. I hadn't seen a thread for this so far, so I thought I would start it!

I'm glad to finally see GURPS rules for "cantrips." There have been house-rules for trivial spells which can be purchased as IQ/A or even IQ/E skills in the past, but nothing that's official other than magical Perks.

With a bit of creativity, you can make almost any spell from GURPS Magic into an IQ/A spell by greatly limiting effects, making it much more cumbersome to cast, limiting the range of targets it can affect, and otherwise nerfing it.

For example:

Practice Fireball
A spell which produces a missile identical in Acc, range, etc. to a Fireball, but which inflicts no damage and is clearly not a real fireball. If the missile hits its target the caster (and the target if it is sapient and willing) gets a brief mental impression of what the missile's effects would have been had it been real. Good for simulated combat or boosting Innate Attack skill without the hassle of casting actual missile spells.

Cost is 1 to cast, the caster must spend extra time "building" the missile if they wish to simulate the effects of a more powerful missile.

Trivial Wish
Allows the caster to wish for, and receive, some inexpensive, common object. Alternately, they can wish for some unimportant, transient event to occur. If the mage asks for an item to be created it must have a value of no more than $1 and must be something that they could readily make or buy on their own in the local environment. The item lasts for 24 hours before it vanishes.

If the mage asks for an event to occur, it must be harmless, likely to occur naturally, and cannot last for more than 10 minutes (e.g., a cloud passing over the sun on a partly-cloudy day, or an empty taxi cab appearing on a busy city street). At best, a trivial event might justify a +1 bonus to a single skill roll, negate -1 point of penalties to a single die roll, or provide some minor roleplaying benefit.

The spell takes 1 hour to cast and can't be cast more than once a month. Once cast, the caster can "hold" the wish for up to 2 weeks before the spell expires. During this time, the spell doesn't count as being "on."