Magic System from my Five Realms Campaign setting

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Another thread here: http://forums.sjgames.com/showthread.php?t=135854 asked about Magic as Powers systems. I figured I'd post the one I recently finished bulding. Note that it is quite setting specific and uses quite a few house rules, so I don't know how interesting it will be. I suppose if there is interest, I can post the whole setting. This will be broken into the general description of the system I show my players at the top, and then the guts and stats for each power including Secrets. To my players: there is no point in reading the top, because a copy is on our forums and I don't want you reading the rest, so go away :P.

Edit: Updated description of format to reflect actual format used.

[dfinlay]

Magic in the Five Realms

There are four styles of magic, each named after one of the High Gods (though traditionally, the gods are written in all capital letters, while the magics are written with only the first letter capitalized. It is common wisdom that each form of magic originates from one of the four towers at the ends of each of the Four Realms.

There seems to be two ways one can obtain magic: one can climb one of the watchtowers to the top, a task most do not survive, or one can obtain magic spontaneously. The spontaneous aquisition of magic appears to generally occur when experiencing a very specific mindset and is more common amongst those who are of the particular culture and/or species associated with the god it is named after and less common amongst those with other magics or enhancments (which the towers also seem to challenge more intensely). Note that one only had to experience the mental state for a moment and thus it need not be a significant part of their personality (though those who are regularly in the state are more likely to develop magic) and that the mental state and not its cause seems to be what matters matter. As such, magic is often developed over minor issues that seemed like a big deal in the moment, puberty is the most common time for magic to develop) due to the emotional intensity and there have even been several cases of method actors developing magic because their characters were in the right frame of mind.

Each path of magic contains four spells, plus another two secret spells (req Thaumatology roll(at +3 if you have the path to know of them. Success by 2 gives knowledge of the general idea of the ritual that unlocks them and a [5] Unusual Background is required to have undergone the ritual or a [10] if you want to also know how to conduct it), as well as one extremely advanced spell (as before, but the roll is at -5, the UBs cost 3x as much and these aren't available to PCs at start).

In game terms, magic reauires an unusual background cost of [20], with a [5] discount for being the correct race, a [5] discount for being the correct culture and a [5] discount if the magic you want to learn is Ael (held in poor regard after the war and so doesn't contain the social regard the others do. The cost also increases by [5] for each level of Augmentation you have and for each other form of magic you previously knew. Then it follows the same framework as Supers, with a Talent and customizably upgradable advantages.

The magic commonly associated with the Kalterysh and the Kahs is called Rys (usually pronounced Reez, some dialects use Rize (as rice with a z sound)). To awaken to Rys, one must know, if only for a moment, with absolute conviction, that they can change the world (or their piece of it: a village, tribe, city, etc.) for the better, that it is up to them to do it, that it is an absolute moral responsibility and that they are not going to let anything or anyone stop them, no matter what. Rys is often called the Path of Rightousness. Rys can be used to fire waves of blindingly white flame that armour cannot protect against, to transfer others wounds and ailments onto themselves, to rapidly restore their own bodies to health and to shield themself in a protective field of light. They are very valued as healers, taking ailments onto themselves and then using their magic to restore their own body to health, though this is an hard life, regularly suffering from some malady. With their armour and their wavws of flames, they also see great use on the battlefield.

The magic associated with the Balampu and the Bahal is called Pru. To awaken to Pru, one must have goven up on hope, understood the certainty of defeat, but decided not to give up but to push on regardless, perhaps out of stubborness or because it was better than the alternative. Then, a glimpse of hope emerges and with the elation that rushes in in that moment, so occasionally does Pru. Pru is often called the Path of Hope. Working magic with Pru requires the consumption of copper. As such, environmental concerns have been raised about the sustainability of Pru, as the copper used up simply seems to disapear. Prices of copper have steadily risen over time as the Pru have used up more and more of it, though there are still large reserves remaining. Pru can be used to control the weather, to create light that inspires hope and euphoria in those who see it, to sap the will to live out of people and to give themselves and others the ability to see clearly, even through rain and fog or illusion. Pru are valued both as weather-workers, as leaders for their ability to inspire and as guides for their clear vision. Their abilities to depress people see less use, but can be put to use in times of conflict and even on the battlefield. A common profession is as a ship's captain or officer, where the three gifts that aren't sapping people of theit will to live all see great utility.

The magic associated with the Mastil and the Tri is called Maäs (pronounced Muh-ahs, though some regional dialects simplify to mass). To awaken Maäs, one must be convinced that some change or decision is going to ruin your life, but that it is already decided and inevitable. Once one accepts this change as the new status quo and not something to be fought against, but something one must learn to live with, one sometimes gains access to Maäs. Maäs is often called the path of acceptance. Users of Maäs can consult their magic to learn which of two options will be the easiest (note, not the best or most rewarding, simply easiest), can learn to speak to spirits, to depart their bodies and to accept injury and thus disregard it. They are sometimes used in a similar way to Tarot, being consulted for their ability to speak with spirits and to see the easier path before major decisions. They also make great scouts, wandering the astral realm, and their ability to disregard injury can make them frightning foes in battle.

The magic associated with the Aelkran and the Kamp is called Ael. To awaken Ael, one must be completely at peace with the world, completely content and have a still mind (no thoughts going through it). Quite often, though not always and perhaps not even most of the time, this is obtained through meditation. Ael is sometimes referred to as the path of serenity. Ael can be used to trap others, the earth sending up tendrils that root people in place. It can also be used to hold ones position, preventing oneself from being displaced. Masters of this art are said to be able to stand on a tree and continue standing there after the tree has been cut down or to stop themselves in midair and simply hover. Ael can be used to blend into one's surroundings with the colours of one's skin changing to match their surroundings. Additionally, Ael-users can transform into a single type of animal. Although Ael-users often seem distracted or confised while using their powers, they can make good guards and policemen, with their abilities to trap wrongdoers and hold their ground. They can also make good theives, criminals and assassins, combining those with their ability to be undetected. The utility of their ability to skinchange depends on what they change into, with bears, for example, being fierce combatants, birds great scouts and the like. While they cannot use their other abilities in animal form, the ability to become an animal is also quite useful to those who are in need of stealth and subtlety.

Note that each of these has limitations and mundane countermeasures that have not been listed here. Thaumatology rolls will be required to know them.

Another ability of great power that some learn is the Tarot. These cards, invented in Agara and most common there, seem capable of telling of the future, the present and the past. A question is asked of it and the cards are dealt out. One can read hints as to the answer in the resulting deal, though it is often quite cryptic. The Tarot is not always correct, but in the hands of a skilled practicioner it is more often than not. The process is quite draining to the practitioner. There are two forms kf deal, the Lesser Tarot and the Greater Tarot. The Greater Tarot can answer questiins the lesser will not and give more detail, but is a much more draining process. Knowing how to use the Tarot requires a [15] advantage ([10] for Agaran) and a Will/H skill.

The final pair of supernatural traits are Gift and Curse of the First. It is said that children who are (un)lucky are Blessed or Cursed by the First, and that is represented by this trait. It makes it so that if you are one off from a crit fail/success, you still crit, but it is due to unusual outside circumstances or flukes: You try to attack, are going to miss, when a crow caws and startles your opponent into jumping into your weapon, for example or you spill a beaker into your cauldron and it just happens to create an improved version of the alchemical formula you were making. These are not mutually exclusive. I have not yet determined a fair pricing for them.

Note that neither Gift/Curse of the First nor Tarot are not considered magic for the purpose of determining the cost of further paths of magic.

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Relevent House Rules:

-All modifiers are changed to multipliers and are all multiplied together: ex: -20% becomes x0.8. Multiple levels of a limitation (but not enhancement) are done exponentially (ie, costs 10FP is a x0.95^10=x0.6 limitation). I don't usually bother with this last if it's going to be within a percent or so anyway (so a small number of levels of a small limitation).

-All rolls aginst attributes are replaced by 10+Talent to use powers and power stunts. 10+Talent should be capped as an attribute (ie if your campaign caps most attributes at 16, cap Talent at 6) rather than capping Talent at 4.

-The lowest tier cost for Power Talents has been bumped up to [7/level], though I give them a small benefit - in this case, a bonus to Will under specific circumstances.

-All abilities are listed with a base and a max. When you take the ability, pay the point cost of the Base version and get it. You can then spend points to upgrade levels, add enhancements and remove limitations up what is included in the max version. The exception is that you can always buy up to Reliable 4, but I didn't include that in the max listings.

-Some abilities are really multiple advantages, but I grouped them together because they were thematically part of the same ability.

-This next section includes secrets and even the non-secrets are full listigs of stats for the whole system which I tend not to want to show PCs without high Thaumatology to retain some mystery. If this were a campaign setting book, everything from this point on would marked be GM'S EYES ONLY (P.S. Is there a way to do spoiler tags on this forum?)

-I have increased the prices of most attributes. The only relevant one (I think) is Will is now [8]

-Affliction is now [5+5/level] in my games.

-All of this was done on a tablet in hotels in Thailand and Laos, so I apologize for all the typos and misspellings, but that's just what you get.

Ael : Modifier: Requires Trance. To enter a trance takes 1 min and a roll against meditation. You can take a -2 per halving of this time. Once in trance, you are at -2 to all tasks that aren't casting Ael or directly being aided by your Ael (ex:When using Ael to camouflage, Stealth is not penalised). When injury is taken, roll against Meditation-Shock or lose concentration. Other things may require rolls to avoid breaking concentration at GM's discretion (Fright Checks, very loud noises, etc.). You can voluntarily leave your trance with a Concentrate maneuver. Power Modifier: x0.75

Talent [7/level]: When rolling Will to resist being compelled to do something, on a failure by Talent or less, you may choose to do nothing.

Binding
-Base: Binding 10 (Malediction 1 x1?, Loses 1ST/min x0.9, Costs 1FP x0.95, Ael x0.75, Environmental:Solid Surface x0.9) [12]
-Max: Binding 20 (Malediction 1 x1?, Loses 1ST/hr x0.95, Costs 1FP x0.95, Engulfing x1.6, Ael x0.75, Environmental:Solid Surface x0.9 ) [39]

Notes: I called Malediction 1 here only x1 because Binding already ignores DR. Not sure if this is the correct pricing but charging x2 seemed crazy. The loses ST just means that the Binding ST degrades over time.

Stillness
-Base: Knockback Resistance (Common 15, +3->/2 x0.33, Ael x0.75, Temp Disadvantage: Sessile x0.6, Environmental: On solid Surface x0.8, Costs 3FP x0.85) [2]
-Max: Knockback Resistance (Common 15, Immune x1, Cosmic:Cannot be moved x1.5), IT:DR 4 both with (Linked x1.1, Ael x0.75, Temp Disadvantage: Sessile x0.6) [61]

Notes: I ruled that +3 Resistance should half knockback and +8 divides it by 5 just based on my feelings of how effective those things are. The cosmic can only be bought once immunity is gained and prevents being moved by things like destroying the platform he caster is standing on. The environmental can only be removed once cosmic is bought and allows stopping your movement in midair. Momentum remains when the power is cancelled, so it does not work as a Catfall substitute.

Chameleon
-Base: Chameleon 1 (Ael x0.75, Requires 1 FP x0.95) [4]
-Max: Chameleon 5 (Ael x0.75) [19]

Alternate Form (Totem)
-Base: Alternate Form (Ael x0.75, Takes Extra Time 1 min x0.8) [9] plus 9/10 template. Weakness is rowan.
-Max: Alternate Form (Ael x0.75, Reduced Time 1 sec x1.8, Partial x2) [42]
Template must be animal form, possibly minus mental disadvantages

Notes: Each caster chooses one (and only one) animal they can turn into. It must be a mundane animal, though any reduced IQ or mental disadvantages may be removed at the player's discretion. Exposure to rowan either in the form of at least a point of damage from rown still inside your body or a rown band around the neck or arm cancels and prevents the transformation. The partial modifier is really an accesibility modifier on Morph, allowing transformations that the GM deems as validly consisting of transforming only part of the body into the animal ("I want to grow the hawk wings, but keep the human body").

Secret: Voicecatcher
-Base: Voice (Only when using a voice that has it x0.5) [5], Mimicry (Cosmic: No roll required x2, Voice Library x1.5, Countered by rowan x0.9, Must have stolen voice x0.5, Gadget (DR 2, SM -9,Stealable: Opposed) each voice x0.84) [10] and Affliction (Malediction x2, Melee C x0.7, Contact Agent x0.7, Permanent x2.5, Mute x1.25, Costs 2FP x0.9, Countered by rowan x0.9 ) [25] for a total of [40]
-Max: Voice (Only when using a voice that has it x0.5) [5], Mimicry (Cosmic: No roll required x2, Voice Library x1.5, Countered by rowan x0.9, Must have stolen voice x0.5, Gadget (DR 2, SM -9, Stealable: Opposed) each voice x0.84) [10] and Affliction 5 (Malediction x2, Melee C x0.7, Contact Agent x0.7, Permanent x2.5, Mute x1.25, Costs 1FP x0.95, Countered by rowan x0.9) [79] for a total of [94]

Notes: This can only be cast by those who have gone tgrough a ritual involving not speaking for a month while performing regular meditation, earing only rice and raw meats and drinking only water straight from mountain streams. This is a [5] Unusual Background. It allows you to touch someone and steal their voice, which is formed into a glass bead. In order to use the voice, the caster must be in contact with it. If the bead is broken, the voice is returned to its original owner. One who is wearing a woven rowan necklace is immune.

Secret: Ael Speech
-Base: Telesend (Ael as per Gravity Ripple 25, Burst 100 x1.6, Ael x0.75, Rare x0.5, Range: 1000km) [15]
-Max: Telesend (Ael as per Gravity Ripple 25, Burst 10,000 x2.2, Video x1.4, Ael x0.75, Rare x0.5, Range:Everywhere x1.3) [38]

Notes: This ritual requires induction into the Night Cabal, a secretive ecoterrorism group (a [5] UB) and allows you to communicate with them via their secret methods. Range everywhere simply means that a x1.3 range modifier covers the whole planet.

Extreme Secret: Rain of Flames
-Base: Crushing Attack 8d (Ael x0.75, Incendiary x1.1, Area Effect 32m x3.5, Emanation x0.8, Costs 10 FP x0.5, Prep Time 8 hours x0.4, Bombardment 14 x0.95, Overhead x1.3, Persistent (10 secs) x1.4) [32]
-Max: Crushing Attack 12d (Ael x0.75, Incendiary x1.1, Area Effect 64km x8, Emanation x0.8, Costs 5 FP x0.75, Prep Time 1 hours x0.5, Bombardment 14 x0.95, Overhead x1.3, Persistent x1.4, Extended Duration 1hr x2) [411]

Notes: This requires having undergone a ritual involving taking burns worth 3d (a [15] UB). GMs should note that serious scarring is almost certain and infection is a very serious risk. It allows them to call down meteors from the sky around them. They are never directly struck but their allies may be and they may be burned by the flames generated.

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Maäs: Must have both feet on the ground x0.85

Talent [7/level] +Talent to Will to avoid dwelling on mistakes or being lost in unreality (ex: Illusions that try to trap people in dream worlds)

Easiest Path
-Base: Intuition (Maãs x0.85, Aspected x0.7, 1/session x0.36) [4]
-1 pt per extra use up to 5/session

Notes: This allows the caster to know which of two options will be the easiest (though not neccessarily the best).

Accept the Pain
-Base: Injury Tolerance:DR 2 and High Pain Threshold, both with (Maäs x0.85, Must be aware x0.85, Temporary Disadvantage: No ADs x0.5)[22]
-Max: Injury Tolerance:DR 4 (Maäs x0.85, Must be aware x0.85, Temporary Disadvantage: No ADs x0.5) [40]

Notes: Any attack you are aware of but take no Active Defense against (including because you all-out-attacked or because it doesn't allow active defenses) recieves the effects of IT:DR and HPT

Astral Projection
-Jumper (World, Costs 1FP/2mins x0.9, Astral Only x0.5, Maäs x0.85, Can Be Accompied x1.5, Naked x0.7, Projection x0.75) [31]
-Can buy up to Reliable 8 for [1.5/level] instead of the standard 4.

Note that your spirit must keep its feet on the ground in the Astral Plane as part of the power limitation, though it may lift one foot at a time in the pricess of walking.

Medium (Maäs x0.85, Universal x1.5, Visual x1.5) [20]

Notes: Spirits can be found wandering tje astral plane. Without this, they are mutually unintelligible to you. With this you can see them from the material plane and speak with them and with both this and Astral Projection, you can also speak to them in the Astral Plane.

Secret: Loa's Horse
-Morph (All forms have slave mentality and lose 1FP/min, giving 50 pts for abilities, Req willing spirit x0.7, Req roll 10+T x0.75, Maäs x0.85, Noncosmetic x0.8, No memory x0.7) [25]
May buy more points for the spirits to fill up to [100] at 9/10 cost for a total of [115]

Notes: This can only be cast by someone who has found one of the Ancient Temples hidden in the Astral Plane and prayed there for a time ([5] UB). It allows one to open oneself up to possession by (hopefully friendly) spirits and gain supernatural abilities in the process. You choose which spirits are allowed to possess you. If you have Medium, you may communicate with the possessing spirit (and it with you), but not percieve what the body is doing. GM's choice in each situation as to whether they wish to RP the spirit or allow the player to RP with instructions as to the spirit's goals.

Secret: Astral Entry
Jumper changes to Jumper (Spirit, Maäs x0.85, Astral Only x0.5) with AA: Astral Projection [50] (increase of [19])
-Reliable costs additional [1/level]

Note: Learning this spell requires drinking a bowl of specially prepared poison. It requires a HT-roll to stay alive with appropriate physician bonuses. Even on a success (but not a critical success), the character should be sickly and in bad shape for several days. At the end of this, they gain the ability to go fully into the Astral plane in their body (and emerge back out into reality, thereby passing through obstacles to travel).

Extreme Secret: Mind Control (Conditioning Only x1/2, Permanent x2.5, Maäs x0.85, Vision and Hearing based x0.7, Suggestion x0.6) [23]

Those who have been taught this art, which takes nearly a year (and a [15] UB) can stare into someone's eyes and speak softly to them and over the course of several hours change their beliefs and memories. Note that things in conflict with the rest of their beliefs or personality have no supernatural ability to persist (ex: If you reprogram someone who hates tomatoes to think they love them, the first time they try a tomato afterwards, they will think its a really bad tomato. After a few, they'll either think their tastes have changed or "they don't make tomatos like they used to" but won't go on liking tomatos).

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Rys

Power Limitation: Requires symbol of faith: Gadget(DR 3-5 x0.85, SM -8 x0.95, Can be stolen but won't work x0.85) x0.69
Rys requires the caster hold up some item that symbolizes the caster's faith (not neccessarily religious faith). These must be familiar to the caster and are usually made by them, but carrying it around for a time also works. They can only have one "attuned" at a time.

Talent [7/lvl]: +Talent to Will to resist brainwashing to compromise ideals

Cleansing Flame
- Base: Burning Attack 1d (No incendiary x0.8, Innacurate 2 x0.9, Cosmic:Ignores DR x4, Costs 2 HP x0.8, Rys x0.69, 1/2 D is max x0.95) [8], Feature: leaves no corpse
Rng 10/10
- Max: Burning Attack 3d (No incendiary x0.8, Cosmic x4, Costs 1 HP x0.8, Rys x0.69, Increased 1/2D by 10 times x1.15 ) [31], Feature: leaves no corpse
Rng 100/100

Take your Burdens
-Base: Healing (Empathic x0.5, Cure Affliction x1.6, Full Injuries Only x0.9, Rys x0.69, Xenohealing:All Earthly Life x1.4, Takes 20s/FP x0.54) [12]
-Max: Healing (Empathic x0.5, Cure Affliction x1.6, Full Injuries Only x0.9, Rys x0.69, Xenohealing:All Earthly Life x1.4, Takes 1s/FP x0.9, Reliable 6 x1.3) [25]

Notes: Takes wounds, illnesses or affliction effects from the subject. Full injuries only means that you cannot take part of a wound from someone. Suffer full consequences for having recieved the injury (HT rolls from HP thresholds, shock, etc), but injury tolerance, DR, etc, do not apply. The Reliable 6 is instead of the usual 4.

Rapid Recovery
-Base: Regeneration (Slow 1/12h, Rys x0.69) [7]
-Max: Regeneration (Fast 1/min, Rys x0.69, inc FP x2) + Regrowth (Rys x0.69) + Recovery (Rys x0.69) + Resistant(Metabolic Hazards 30, +8 x1/2, Recovery Only x0.6, Rys x0.69) [111]

Notes: Recovery only means that it never affects the first roll to see if you suffer the effects of a metabolic hazard, only later rolls to recover from it.

Rys Armour
-Base: DR3 (Costs 3FP x0.85, Hardened 2 x1.4, Force Field x1.2, Rys x0.69) [23]
-Max: DR6 ( Costs 1FP x0.95, Hardened 6 x2.2, Force Field x1.2, Rys x0.69) [52]

Secret: Unaging (Age Control x1.2, Rys x0.69) [13]

Note: This requires a ritual involving coating every inch of your skin in the blpod of one (or more) of the four main sapient races of the setting. Note that if it is drawn from enough people this does not have to kill anyone. It costs a [5] UB.

Secret: Give your burdens
-Base:Leech 1 (Accelerated Healing x1.25, Cosmic: Afflictions and Illness x2.5 Full Injuries Only x0.9, Rys x0.69, Takes Extra time 10s x0.8, Contact Agent x0.7) [28]
-Max: Leech 2 (Accelerated Healing x1.25, Cosmic: Afflictions and Illness x2.5 Full Injuries Only x0.9, Rys x0.69) [57]

Notes: Learning this involves a ritual where two Rys casters transfer injuries using Take your Burdens back and forth repeatedly and allows that channel to reverse, letting the caster send their injuries into other people. ([5] UB) For full injuries only, no damage is dealt or healed until enough time has passed to do the whole injury. Afflictions and Illnesses can be substituted for HP as per Healing.

Extreme Secret: Extra Life
-Extra Life 1 (Requires Body x0.6, Copy x0.8, Rys x0.69) [9]

Notes: This ritual (which costs a [15] UB and [30] if you want to know how to do it again) allows the caster to, by killing a healthy member of one of the four primary sapient races, transfer a copy of their mind into their holy symbol. From there it can be transfered into a specially prepared body which has been previously rendered braindead. If the new body is more points than the old, appropriate acclimitization penties (which can be bought off) will be given to balance this. If it is less, no extra points will be given, but the higher value will be kept in mind to be used as your old body's point value in the case of another death. Note that the ritual killing must be performed every time you wish to update your backup and every time you wish to buy another life, though the UB need only be bought once.

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Pru: Pru are blocked by iron (note: steel doesn't count). Casting on someone wearing or while wearing an iron pendant might give -2. Casting in an iron mine might be -5 or -6 and wearing or casting on someone who is wearing a full suit of iron jousting plate -10. Casting fro the inside of a sealed iron box out or vice versa could be as much as -15. If the ability doesn't normally require a roll, apply the penalty to a roll against 14+Talent. Limitation: x0.9

They all also have consumes copper, a new limitation built from a combination of gadget and trigger worked out for a few specific copper quantities and then interpolated. Copper costs $250/kg in setting and it must be touching your skin. It is completely gone after the casting. The copper should be very pure (say at least 90%) and any imperfections become a dust which is left over after the casting. For sustained abilities, I used the costs FP rules: the given cost is payed immediately to activate and then again for each 2 minutes it's active (evenly spread troughout the 2 minutes). The modifiers are as follows:

100g: Trigger x0.85, Can be stolen x0.9 = x0.8
250g: Trigger x0.85, Can be stolen x0.9, SM x0.95 = x0.75
500g: Trigger x0.8, Can be stolen x0.9, SM x0.95 = 0.7
1kg: x0.68
2kg: Trigger x0.8, Can be stolen x0.9, SM x0.9 = x0.65
3kg: x0.63
5kg: Trigger x0.75, Can be stolen x0.9, SM x0.9 = x0.6
7kg: x0.58
10kg: Trigger x0.7, Can be stolen x0.9, SM x0.9 = x0.55

Talent[7/level]: Gives + to Will to avoid despair or anything for which beig stubborn would help against (giving in)

Weather Control
-Base: Control (Weather) 3 (Natural Phenomena x2, Takes Extra Time 2 hr/3 lvls x0.25, Pru x0.9, Consumes Copper 3kg/3 levels x0.63, Persistent x1, Increased duration 1 day/3 levels x2.3, Unreliable 10 x0.75) [30]
-Max: Control (Weather) 3 (Natural Phenomena x2, Takes Extra Time 10 mins x0.4, Pru x0.9, Consumes Copper 500g x0.7, Persistent x1, Increased duration 1 day/3 levels x2.3, Selective Area x1.2 , Unreliable 10 x0.75 ) + Control (Weather) 6 (Natural Phenomena x2, Takes Extra Time 20 mins x0.36, Pru x0.9, Consumes Copper 1kg x0.68, Persistent x1, Increased duration 1 day/3 levels x2.3, Selective Area x1.2 , Unreliable 10 x0.75 ) + Control (Weather) 9 (Natural Phenomena x2, Takes Extra Time 30 mins x0.34, Pru x0.9, Consumes Copper 1.5kg x0.67, Persistent x1, Increased duration 1 day/3 levels x2.3, Selective Area x1.2 , Unreliable 10 x0.75 ) + Control (Weather) 12 (Natural Phenomena x2, Takes Extra Time 40 mins x0.32, Pru x0.9, Consumes Copper 2kg x0.65, Persistent x1, Increased duration 1 day/3 levels x2.3, Selective Area x1.2 , Unreliable 10 x0.75 ) + Control (Weather) 15 (Natural Phenomena x2, Takes Extra Time 50 mins x0.31, Pru x0.9, Consumes Copper 2.5kg x0.64, Persistent x1, Increased duration 1 day/3 levels x2.3, Selective Area x1.2 , Unreliable 10 x0.75 ) [260]

Notes: Weather changes are measured in steps along a few axis: [Sunny<->Overcast<->Percipitation<->Storm] and [Calm<->Windy<->Gale/Tornado/Cyclone]. Adding lightning to a rainstorm, changing between hail, snow and rain or between gales, tornados or cyclones are each one step. Adding or subtracting each 15C (in the range from -30C to 40C) is one. Adding or removing fog is one. Control Weather comes in tiers (each 3 levels of control) and each can change 1 step or resist one step of natural (or artifical) change. You can always cast below your tier. This uses proportionally less copper and time, but gives less effect. The effect reaches 0.5 km/tier and decreases by 1 tier per day. Trying to hold the weather constant rather than changing it allows it to resist its tier steps of changes that would otherwise occur and costs half the time and copper to use.

Rays of Hope
-Base: Affliction(Sense-based(Vision) x0.8, Malediction 1 x2, Area Effect x2, Selective Area x1.2, Pru x0.9, Takes Copper 2kg x0.65, Grants Will +2(resistances only) x2, Feature: Hope and Euphoria, Feature:Illuminates) [45]
-Base: Affliction(Sense-based(Vision) x0.8, Malediction 1 x2, Area Effect x2, Selective Area x1.2, Pru x0.9, Takes Copper 100g x0.8, Grants Will +8(resistances only) and HPT x6, Feature: Hope and Euphoria, Feature:Illuminates) [166]

Notes: The caster holds up a chunk of copper that begins to glow as it dissappears. All who the caster consider allies feel a sense of elation, hope and euphoria and gain a bonus to will for the purpose of resisting outside influence (and also possibly also HPT.

Clarity
-Base: Affliction (Melee C x0.65, Malediction 1 x2, Grants See Invisible(Visible, all sources x1.5, true sight x1.5) x4.4, Requires 1kg copper x0.68, Costs 2FP x0.9, Extra time 4s x0.8, Pru x0.9) [26]
-Max: Affliction (Melee C x0.65, Malediction 1 x2, Grants See Invisible(Visible, all sources x1.5, true sight x1.5) x4.4, Requires 100g copper x0.8, Costs 1FP x0.95, Pru x0.9) [40]

Despair
-Base: Affliction (Vision and Hearing Based x0.75, Malediction 1 x2, Grants Chronic Depression 12- x1.15, Pru x0.9, Consumes copper 5kg x0.6) [10]
-Max: Affliction (Vision and Hearing Based x0.75, Malediction 1 x2, Grants Chronic Depression 6- x1.3, Pru x0.9, Consumes copper 1kg x0.68, Lasts days instead of minutes x2.2) [27]

Secret: Free Movement
-Base: Walk on Liquid(Submerge x1.2)[18] & Terrain Adaptaion (Active x4) [20]& Permeation (All) [60] All (Pru x0.9, Link x1.1, Consumes copper 10 kg x0.55, Consumes 1FP x0.95) [51]
-Max: Base: Walk on Liquid(Submerge x1.2)[18] & Terrain Adaptaion (Active x4) [20]& Permeation (All) [60] & BM+10 [50], All (Pru x0.9, Link x1.1, Consumes copper 1 kg x0.68, Consumes 1FP x0.95) [95]

Notes: There is no ritual to learn this. Instead it very infrequently unlocks when it would save a caster's life (esp when drowning) Attempts to replicate this are largely futile as it seems to occur les than 1 in 20 times and the rest are likely to kill the caster. This costs a [5] UB.

Secret: Danger Sense
-Base Danger sense (Pru x0.9, Consumes 1kg copper x0.58) [8]
-Max: Danger sense (Pru x0.9, Consumes 100g copper x0.72) [10]

This is learned by obstructing a caster's senses (blindfold, earplugs, nose plugs drugs to numb the sense of touch) and occassionally pelting them with rocks. Having undergone this is a [5] UB. Note that unless the caster chooses to turn the ability off (which they can), the copper is consumed every time the danger sense triggers, whether they want it to or not. This seems to make the copper limitation worse, so I raised the limitation multiplier to the 1.5th power.

Extreme Secret: Death Touch
-Base: Affliction (Melee C x0.65, Malediction 1 x2, Heart Attack x4, Requires 10kg copper x0.55, Costs 5 HP x0.6, Pru x0.9) [16]
-Base: Affliction (Melee C x0.65, Malediction 1 x2, Heart Attack x4, Requires 3kg copper x0.63, Costs 2 HP x0.8, Pru x0.9) [24]

Note: This can only be learned by a caster who has survived having it done to them which is a [15] UB.

[dfinlay]

And that is the full system.

Edit: If you read through all that, I would appreciate feedback and thoughts and sorry about the length.

[Gef]

no comment on the house rules, like it otherwise, though weird that the path of serenity is for ecoterrorists. Not sure the UBs are justified for something anyone can get from a moment of reverie, but I especially like what your magic implies about your personality.

it points out the main issue for magic-as-powers: It's not extensible without a lot of work. Keeping magic modest in scope isn't necessarily a bad thing. Your system is comparable in scope to the chinese elements supplement, and each individually is comparable to a book in Castle Falkenstein. It clearly offers some enticement for character design, though for a 100pt character, I'd be inclined to skip the magic and go for basic competence.

GEF

[dfinlay]

Originally Posted by Gef

no comment on the house rules, like it otherwise, though weird that the path of serenity is for ecoterrorists. Not sure the UBs are justified for something anyone can get from a moment of reverie, but I especially like what your magic implies about your personality.

it points out the main issue for magic-as-powers: It's not extensible without a lot of work. Keeping magic modest in scope isn't necessarily a bad thing. Your system is comparable in scope to the chinese elements supplement, and each individually is comparable to a book in Castle Falkenstein. It clearly offers some enticement for character design, though for a 100pt character, I'd be inclined to skip the magic and go for basic competence.

GEF

The path of serenity isn't exactly for ecoterrorists, just that one spell is (and the culture that is most commonly associated with it is somewhat known for that). The Secret spells are all sort of fringe things that even very powerful casters of that Talent wouldn't neccessarily know.

As for the extensibility, that is very true, but in this case it was desired. I wanted there to be only a few things magic can do so my PCs can prepare better against caster, while stiill having the Secrets to surprise them.

You might be right about the UBs but I did want some barriers to entry and in particular to people going "all the powers".

As for [100] characters ignoring it, I'm hoping it's where some of my [160] characters will pick some up after dropping [60] on required templates and some won't. I like that it's expensive and niche because it means the mages shouldn't overshadow everyone else (as they tend to), but it is possible I went so far that everyone will simply ignore it. We'll see.

[Gef]

I think the copper requirements are unfeasibly high. Twenty pounds of the stuff to keep from drowning? Here's an idea: you'll swim better without the extra weight! And the value of that copper for brass is greater than the benefit of these spells, especially on ships.

23 points (plus UB) for the DR of reinforced leather, and I still have to burn considerable fatigue to use it? Not worth it. I'll buy Very Wealthy and get some good gear.

Chameleon, Regeneration, and animal form are bargains.

Something I noticed, there's no magic for the scientific mindset that hungers for discovery.