[Template] Adventuring Enchanter

[5too]

GURPS: Thaumatology discusses a number of means by which the steep energy costs of enchanting might be met by material means, rather than by laborious effort. Inanimate Sacrifices and the Raw Energy within certain materials (T:55 and T:96, respectively), Mana Organs within certain supernatural creatures (T:99), and even the distilled essence of Raw Magic itself (T:227-229) are all potential sources of energy for enchantments, depending on the campaign. I've created this Adventuring Enchanter template to take advantage of whichever of these options are available in a given world. This allows players to play enchanters without needing to spend years in-game slowly accumulating energy. The Adventuring Enchanter uses Thaumatology to determine what materials could yield the energy needed for their next enchantment, uses Research or Hidden Lore to determine where these might be found, and then goes out to retrieve it. Usually with some friends - if these things were easy to get, the guilds would already control them! Adventuring Enchanters bring a number of unique abilities to the party - they can grant permanent (if delicate) buffs, wield powerful artifacts, command entire squadrons of golems, and access a vast library of scrolls and spellstones. They can, of course, also create enchanted gear for fellow party members - but generally, these enchanters end up spending most of their time and resources on their own projects. They might be able to refer you to a less adventurous colleague, though.

I'm most familiar with Dungeon Fantasy, so I've blended aspects of the Wizard and Artificer templates. I've set the price point at 250 CP with 45 CP of disadvantages; with the expectation of another 5 CP in quirks. This is intended to represent an experienced enchanter who already has some of their own kit built. For a lower CP version, a reduction in attribute levels, advantages, and some reduction in skill level/spell count should be straightforward. There are also some advantages and skills that are not from the Basic Set or Magic; these are detailed in the next post.

Adventuring Enchanter (250 points)
Attributes (139 points)
ST: 10 [0]
DX: 12 [40]
IQ: 15 [100]
HT: 12 [20]
Per: 12 [-15]
Will: 12 [-15]
Fatigue: 15 [9]

Advantages (90 points)
• Versatile [5] and Visualization [10].
• Either Magery 2 [25] and one extra point in Skills or Spells [1], or Magery 0 [5] + Magery 3 (Enchantment Only, -30%) [21].
• 50 points chosen from among DX +1 or +2 [20 or 40], IQ +1 or +2 [20 or 40], FP +1 to +10 [3/level], Ally (Golems) [var], Ambidexterity [5], Better Power Items [1], Charisma 1-4 [5/level], Earlier Works [var.], Energy Reserve 1-20 [3/level], Equipment Bond [1], Extra Power Items [15/level], Fast Scroll Reading [1], Gewgaw [5/level], High Manual Dexterity 1-4 [5/level], Language Talent, Languages (Any) [2-6/level], Luck or Extraordinary Luck [15 or 30], Rank (Wizard's Guild or similar) [5/level], Raw Magic Store [5/level], Serendipity [15/level], Signature Gear [1], Single-Minded [5], Tenure [5], Storied Artifact [1], Wealth (Comfortable, Wealthy, or Very Wealthy) [10, 20, or 30], Weapon Bond [1]

Disadvantages (-45 points)
• -20 points chosen from among Absent-Mindedness [-15], Bad Sight (Nearsighted or Farsighted, Mitigator (Glasses) -60%) [-10], Curious [-5*], Frightens Animals [-10], Obsession (Some great feat of enchantment) [-10*], Hard of Hearing [-10], Pyromania [-5*], Skinny [-5], Social Stigma (Excommunicated) [-10], Unfit [-5], Unnatural Features 1-5 (Something disturbing or an unusual prosthetic) [-1/level], Wierdness Magnet [-15].
• Another -25 points chosen from the above options or Bad Temper [-10*], Clueless [-10], Combat Paralysis [-15], Cowardice [-10*], Greed [-15*], Jealousy [-10], Klutz or Total Klutz [-5 or -15], Loner [-5*], Low Pain Threshold [-10], Nervous Stomach [-1], Oblivious [-5], Odious Personal Habit [-5 to -15], Overconfidence [-5*], Post-Combat Shakes [-5*], Sense of Duty (Adventuring Companions) [-5], Stubbornness [-5].

Suggested Quirks:
Attentive, Obsession (Current Project)

Primary Skills: Fast-Draw (wand, staff, or spellstone) (E) DX [1]-12; Hidden Lore (Magic Items) (A) IQ [2]-15; Thaumatology (VH) IQ-1 [4]-14‡.

Secondary Skills: Research (A) IQ+1 [4]-16; Writing (A) IQ-1 [1]-14.
• Either one of Axe/Mace, Broadsword, Shortsword, or Spear, all (A) DX+1 [4]-13, and one of Shield (E) DX+2 [4]-14, Cloak (A) DX+1 [4]-13; or else Staff (A) DX+2 [8]-14.
• Either Bow (A) DX-1 [1]-11, Crossbow (E) DX [1]-12, or Innate Attack (E) DX [1]-12‡.
• 2 points in Craft skills from Alchemy (VH) IQ-3 [1]-14, Artist (Body Art, Calligraphy, Drawing, Sculpting, or Woodworking), Engineer (Clockwork), Jeweler, or Metallurgy, all (H) IQ-2 [1]-13, Professional Skill (Weaving or Tanning), both (A) DX-1 [1]-11, Leatherworking or Sewing, both (E) DX [1]-12, Carpentry (E) IQ [1]-15, or Smith (H) IQ-1 [1]-14.
• 2 points in Resource Recovery skills, from Hazardous Materials or Prospecting, both (H) IQ-1 [1]-14, Scrounging (E) Per [1]-12, Search or Tracking, both (A) Per-1 [1]-11, or Surgery (VH) IQ-3 [1]-12.
• 2 more from Construct Handling, Occultism, Speed-Reading, or Teaching, all (A) IQ-1 [1]-14; or buy additional levels of Crafting or Resource Recovery skills.

Background Skills: Select 6 from Armoury (Body Armor, Melee Weapons, or Missile Weapons), Cartography, Hidden Lore (Any Other), or Merchant, all (A) IQ-1 [1]-14, Body Sense (H) DX-2 [1]-10, Climbing or Stealth, both (A) DX-1 [1]-11, Diplomacy or Tactics, both (H) IQ-2 [1]-13, First Aid, Gesture, or Savoir-Faire (High Society), all (E) IQ+0 [1]-15, or Hiking (A) HT-1 [1]-11.

Spells: Enchant and at least 1 spell from each of 10 colleges as its prerequisites, and another 19 points in spells or abilities. With Magery 2, spells will be either (H) IQ [1]-15 or (VH) IQ-1 [1]-14 (Enchant will need 2 points assigned); with Magery 4, spells will be either (H) IQ+2 [1]-17 or (VH) IQ+1 [1]-16.

* Modified for self-control number
‡ Adjust for appropriate Magery level

[5too]

I've used several different sources for some of the advantages; and built a few new ones based on existing advantages.

Advantages modified outside of Basic Set:

Magery: Enchantment Only (-30%): Enchantment Only is from GURPS: Thaumatology.

Ally: This is primarily for Golems and other constructs. Dungeon Fantasy 6 includes rules for groups of very low-cost allies, useful for designs built off of the default 0CP Golem in Magic.

More/Better Power Items: These are from Dungeon Fantasy 18. Instead of Powerstones, DF simplifies the concept to a single Power Item each caster is allowed, which is recharged in town for a small fee. More Power Items allows a caster to use an additional Power Item per level (even in a single spell, I believe); Better Power Items adds a little more charge to carried Power Items for their value. If using Powerstones, both traits could readily be converted, if desired.

Raw Magic Store: This is from Thaumatology, page 228 - only useful if Raw Magic exists in a given world!

Tenure: This is from Dungeon Fantasy 17: Guilds


New Advantages:

Faster Scroll Reading: A new perk, this allows spells to be cast from scrolls at base casting time, rather than double casting time. Requires a DX-based speed-reading roll.

Gewgaw: This is Gizmo, with Cosmic (Magic Items) [+50%], Accessibility (Magic Items Only) [-50%]. This lets the character pull out one magic item per session per level, as with the Gizmo rules. Per DF4, this may also be an item the character could have made during downtime, using the rules there. I propose the following additional enhancement: The character may also spend this to make an additional Assistance Roll with their guild for an item *during the adventure*, with the modifiers listed in DF17 - the idea being that the character "just remembered" that they requisitioned it, or waited until they could perform a dramatic reveal. This would then be capped at Magery + Rank (Wizard's Guild). Modifiers from Assistance Rolls made earlier in the adventure would still apply.

Storied Artifact: This is a perk-level version of Signature Gear; as Signature Gear would be far too expensive to be viable as-is. Storied Artifacts may be stolen, lost, eaten, destroyed, etc; but they'll always show up again soon - just not where you want them! They may have been stolen by a foe (who will be much stronger with it), claimed by a recalcitrant ally (whom you'd have to persuade to surrender it, or possibly alienate said ally), be in the hands of a stubborn merchant, etc. In every case, it will take significant effort to reclaim or repair. You might need to perform an unsavory favor, acquire some rare material, steal from a well-guarded location, even swipe a copy from your goatee-wearing duplicate in a parallel world!

Earlier Works: This is a half-level of Filthy Rich, useable only to purchase enchanted items that the character could make, and available only at character creation. The Adventuring Enchanter template represents an enchanter who has already started to make a name for themselves; this advantage represents any enchanted gear that the enchanter has made previously for their personal use. These items may not be resold, and may only be lent momentarily - getting rid of them would be tantamount to retirement.

Earlier Works is based on Conditional Ownership from GURPS: Spaceships 2 (-1% per 5% of starting wealth subject to it), with an additional -10% Accessibility modifier (Only items the character can create). With Dungeon Fantasy wealth levels, this grants a total of $50,000 worth of gear, with the CP cost varying based on how much of this wealth is subject to it:

• Very Wealthy (30) + Earlier Works (8): $20,000 normal wealth, $30,000 available for made items
• Wealthy (20) + Earlier Works (15): $5,000 normal wealth, $45,000 available for made items
• Comfortable (10) + Earlier Works (22): $2,000 normal wealth, $47,000 available for made items
• Average (0) + Earlier Works (28) + Points for Money (1): $50,000 available for made items; you'll need one Point for Money (B26) to pay for things like rations, torches, and other basic necessities.

New Skill:

Construct Handling: Golems are notoriously literal and have no innate capacity for situational analysis (and are generally IQ 8 besides). The Construct Handling skill represents time spent defining concepts, assumptions, and key phrases ahead of time; and being able to refer to those succinctly and precisely during the adventure. Roll vs Construct Handling to be sure an order is followed without side effects, such as not stopping when left alone (Time Spent applies to this roll!) Mechanically, this is essentially Animal Handling (Golem) - a golem the character has reviewed these phrases with is "trained", and another golem might be calmed or influenced at -5 to -10, depending on its standing orders (this is actually a combination of figuring out what will trigger whatever orders its under, along with attempts to reason with it). The Behavior Prediction defensive bonus for Animal Handling also applies.

[5too]

Customization Notes:

The Adventuring Enchanter is always searching for more raw materials to use in enchanting; the resource discovery and crafting skills selected will determine what kinds of items an enchanter can create. The kinds of enchantments a given enchanter specializes in also define several archetypes:

The Golemancer specializes in creating, maintaining, and deploying golems. In addition to the Golem spell, focus on crafting abilities to create and enhance both the golems and any armor, weapons, or barding they might need. Be sure to get a wand of Healing if allowed, or Shape <Material> or Repair, depending on how golems are healed in the game world. A Reflexes enchantment along with the Tactics skill can help ensure the upper hand in a given engagement, and the Great Voice spell can keep lines of communication open on the field. Note that Dungeon Fantasy 6 includes rules for larger numbers of low point value minions, which the default golem (M59) qualifies for. Also note that animal forms are also traditional, as are larger than life and minature designs; allowing a great deal of flexibility in minion design.

The Wand-Wielder focuses on creating one or a few wands with a number of enhancements, strengthening any spells cast by it. There are other variants possible depending on the artifact focus - a staff-wielder might take advantage of longer reach and Jet spells, a ringbearer might have a variety of utility spells, etc. In addition to the Shatterproof enchantment, taking it as a Storied Artifact will make sure it's never completely unrecoverable; and a Hex (with or without Password) can make it harder to lose in the first place. And don't overlook the humble lanyard! Nevertheless, it's likely that it *will* be damaged or lost at some point; so be sure the character is not completely helpless without it - spreading enchantments across a few artifacts can help, as can keeping some Magery unrestricted so the enchanter can still cast without any items.

The Professor focuses on the opposite end of the spectrum, specializing in small one-off items. Emphasize Magery and Rank (Wizard's Guild) along with Gewgaw to gain access to a vast variety of spellstones and scrolls to handle any situation. When not pulling obscure scrolls out of yet another pocket, the Professor can also handle other supporting roles - First-Aid, Cartography, Architecture, etc. This is often a ladder-climber in their guild, who adventures hoping for a leg up on their guildmates - social skills and advantages fit right in. Teaching skill is practically mandatory, if only to keep your apprentices up to date on your latest findings!

The Field Enchanter works primarily with cheap ensorcelments, casting and maintaining them on the field. Focus on Extra Fatigue Points and Energy Reserve, aiming for a total of 40 points to allow 2-point spells to be cast as Ensorcelments under a 90% discount. These enchantments will be *fragile* in one way or another, so you can expect to have to restore them periodically in the field! Be sure you have a Backpack Enchanting Lab; and if you can get it, a Recover Energy enchantment can allow you to recharge your considerable reserves without slowing the party. Keep Fatigue and Energy Reserves balanced, to take advantage of the fact that they charge in parallel. Boosting Magery directly can also allow you to reduce the time taken on any enchantment by boosting all the skills involved (using Time Spent, B346).


I'll be posting worked examples of these soon (I sketched them out figuring out how to structure the template), but I'd like some feedback on the template first!

[5too]

Some elements of this template have suggested some new equipment options. None of this is vital, take or leave these as you like (or offer more suggestions!)


New Equipment:

Enchanting Labs: Per Thaumatology, Enchanting requires specialized equipment to perform, usually contained in a laboratory. Enchanting Laboratories are constructed using the Enchant spell directly, though up to two of the skills listed on the template under Craft Skills may be used as Assistance Rolls. A lab may be "upgraded" into a higher-quality version of itself, similar to the upgrade process outlined on the Accuracy enchantment (M65). Lab creation is not exempt from needing a lab to be created! (Though a lab may upgrade itself, using its starting quality level) Most apprentice enchanters end up creating a portable lab of their own as part of their training, which they can use to bootstrap a larger one later. Alternatively, they may rent time with an existing lab. Labs follow the usual Equipment Modifiers on B345. Cost given is for raw materials; purchasing a lab outright will also require paying off the energy cost.

• Backpack Enchanting Lab: 50 Energy, $200 in raw materials, 10 lb, -2 to skill
• Portable Enchanting Lab: 250 Energy, $1000 in raw materials, 600 lb, -1 to skill. Requires 100 sq ft, setup and teardown each take 2 hours.
• Enchanting Lab: 1000 Energy, $4,000 in raw materials, no skill penalty. Requires 200 sq ft, not intended to be moved once installed. The typical lab found in most guilds and archmage towers.
• Good-Quality Enchanting Lab: 5,000 Energy, $20,000 in raw materials, +1 to skill. Requires 400 sq ft. Usually requires high rank in whatever guild owns it.
• Fine-Quality Enchanting Lab: 20,000 Energy, $80,000 in raw materials, +2 to skill. Requires 800 sq ft. Generally owned by legendary figures, demigods, and the like.

Golem Codex: Construct Handling presumes that the character has taken time to define a variety of key phrases, concepts, and assumptions with a given golem ahead of time. A Golem Codex is that set of instructions in written form. When an enchanter is expecting to create a series of golems or regularly replace them, this can save considerable training time and ensure consistency in following orders (crucial when giving commands to a group of golems). This also allows the enchanter to review and update the instructions given to existing golems.

Generally, a new golem is given the codex to review with the direction that this represents the caster's instructions; after which it's ready to receive situational orders. An existing golem may also be instructed to review the codex periodically (so the enchanter doesn't need to track when adjustments were made), or to write out another copy of it from memory. The enchanter should take care to be certain that no other changes have been made surreptitiously...


Ambulatory Bottle: This is a bottle filled with a potion, wrapped with a few leather or cloth straps, with a single-point Animate Object spellstone attached. Originally improvised by a field enchanter during an extended campaign, these have become a popular item used to round out a magical arsenal. To use it, you take the bottle in one hand and crush the spell stone in the other; casting Animate Object from the spellstone on the bottle. This will let you control the bottle with Concentrate maneuvers - the straps are cut such that they unfurl into legs, allowing it to scuttle across a battlefield, climb into a convenient position (even operating latches and shifting small objects), and tie itself onto a handy target.

Once the bottle is positioned, you have several options - you can bodily smash open the bottle onto whatever it's grappled, or just upend or uncork it and pour the contents out. You can tie it into position for a friendly archer to shoot out at an appropriate time, or in such a way that it falls based on some other trigger. If an atomizer is attached, you can spray that at will. Or, you can switch to an Explode spellstone accessory to give it an extra kick! Another common accessory is a set of wooden or ivory hooks worked into the ends of the legs. Once animated, these act as "climbing claws", granting a +1 bonus to climbing skill.

• Ambulatory Bottle: Animates for up to 1 minute, effects depending on contents. $75+Grenade cost (Dungeon Fantasy), $88+Grenade cost (Standard cost), 2 lb. Climbing Claws enhancement: +$10. Explode Spellstone: $160 (DF), $186(Std).

When animated: ST 5, DX is user's DX, HT 5. Speed is user's Speed, Dodge is Speed + 3, Move 10. SM -6, HP 10. 4 legs.

[AlexanderHowl]

Adventuring Enchanter are a bit of a contradiction, as enchanters need to stay put to earn money. For example, most high powered enchantments take thousands of energy points at a rate of 1 energy per day, so enchanters need to stay put for years to get anything major done. By the way, Preparation Required only gives one minute of use, so limiting Magery in that way would not really benefit enchanters.

[Fred Brackin]

Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl

Preparation Required only gives one minute of use, so limiting Magery in that way would not really benefit enchanters.

No, you defintely can not get -20% of for adding another minute to something that already takes a minimum of an hour.

There are afew Spells that would work for a travelling Enchanter. He'd need more than the 10 Spells minimum as Prereq for Enchant though.

Making magic Armor piecemeal might be the most viable way. You can make +1 helmets, gauntlets and boots very cheaply.

[5too]

Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl

... most high powered enchantments take thousands of energy points at a rate of 1 energy per day, so enchanters need to stay put for years to get anything major done.

This template is intended to take advantage of the various options for covering high energy costs discussed in GURPS: Thaumatology. In worlds where those options are not in use, you are correct; this template is not intended for use there. In worlds where it is in use, this template represents characters who have decided to go and retrieve energetic materials for use in enchanting, rather than slowly charging things themselves. It might not always be economically optimal - but as long as it's economically viable (and even in some cases where it's not), someone is going to try acquiring them. The Adventuring Enchanter represents someone who's already pulled this off a few times.

Besides, GURPS: Fantasy already has an enchanter template built to stay at home and charge things that way; this is not that!

Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl

By the way, Preparation Required only gives one minute of use, so limiting Magery in that way would not really benefit enchanters.

Originally Posted by Fred Brackin

No, you defintely can not get -20% of for adding another minute to something that already takes a minimum of an hour.

...this is correct. I'll update the template to remove that in a moment.

Originally Posted by Fred Brackin

There are afew Spells that would work for a travelling Enchanter. He'd need more than the 10 Spells minimum as Prereq for Enchant though.

I'm not sure what you're saying here - are you talking about the enchantments that only cost something like 50 energy? Like I said earlier, this template goes and finds energy sources rather than providing the energy from their own reserves; they can just bring it back to their rented room with a portable lab once they've acquired what they need. And there's room for at least 19 more spells in addition to the Enchantment prerequisites, if the desired spells have additional prerequisites.

[Fred Brackin]

Originally Posted by 5too

T
I'm not sure what you're saying here - are you talking about the enchantments that only cost something like 50 energy.

Yes, a single Enchanter of no mfixed address needs to be working on things he can sell locally. He's not in the market for the really expensive Enchantments.

So he sells +1 Helmets. It's what people who aren't big shot nobles can afford.

Your apparent background of unspecified "materials" yielding large but unspecified amounts of energy for enchanting is pretty far from default rules. I'd need a lot more detail befoe I could paly a character like this.

Raw Mana Store from Thaumatology sounds like what you're talking about but does not seem to be listed. If he spent 25 pts on Raw Mana Store he could whip off 500 pt Enchantments any time he could find the Raw Mana.

[maximara]

Originally Posted by 5too

GURPS: Thaumatology discusses a number of means by which the steep energy costs of enchanting might be met.
• Either Magery 2 [25] or Magery 3 (Enchantment Only, -30%) [24] and one additional spell [1]

I'm not clear on where the [24] is coming from:

*Magery 0 [5] + Magery 3 (Enchantment Only, -30%) [30]*.7 = [21] for total of [26]
*Magery 3 (Enchantment Only, -30%, all of it) [35]*.7 = 24.5 which per B9 rounds up to [25]

Note the second option would limit the enchanter to only spells of the Enchantment college in regards to detection and magic-item usage.

[5too]

Originally Posted by Fred Brackin

Your apparent background of unspecified "materials" yielding large but unspecified amounts of energy for enchanting is pretty far from default rules. I'd need a lot more detail befoe I could paly a character like this.

Okay, I see the issue - I mentioned the solutions in passing, but should have included references for the options. I have a tendency to overexplain, and probably overcorrected for that here.

GURPS: Thaumatology offers several other means to pay energy costs for spells, many of which involve materials.

• "Inanimate Sacrifices" (T:55) discusses generally sacrificing valuable objects and materials to gain energy for use in spellcasting. The exchange rate defined here is $(avg starting wealth)/250 per energy point; which is the conversion rate used in other references throughout the book.
  
• "Raw Energy" (T:96) also briefly discusses much the same mechanics as "Inanimate Sacrifices", with a few simple examples and a different flavor.
  
• "Mana Organs" (T:99) touches on using body parts of magical creatures as an energy source. It seems reasonable that these sources in particular would limit their energy usage to certain enchantments or enchantment types. There's a worked example of dragon's blood working as a fluid manastone on T:100.
  
• "Raw Magic" (T:227-229) discusses collecting the essence of magic, and includes a very nice provision for using it in enchanting. And as you mentioned, the Raw Magic Store advantage (T:228) would be a valuable trait, if this option is used. I'll add it to the template soon.

The Adventuring Enchanter is built for a world where at least one of these sources of magical energy is available to harvest. When looking into a new project, they would need to do some research, and probably roll vs Thaumatology to determine what sort of resource could be used in it (or resources, if they roll well enough). With a resource in mind, they would then need to look for where they might find it - another roll vs the appropriate Hidden Lore, Geology, or another similar skill would be used, depending on what they need to find. After that, they just need to convince the party that they should venture out for it - or, alternatively, research something close to where they're going anyway! For larger projects, this would need to be repeated until the enchanter has enough resources (has gathered enough energy) to attempt the enchantment.

Serendipity could also play a role here, allowing the enchanter to simply find some of the materials they're needing for their current project.

These parts of Thaumatology also include relevant information:

• "Spending of Yourself" (T:109-110) lets the enchanter invest character points into energy directly, at a 25CP:1EP ratio. This simplifies the design, but needs a little thought to justify in-world - perhaps the enchanter is questing to strengthen themselves for further enchantments?
  
• "Resonant Designs and Materials" (T:110) grants a discount with careful object creation and design, giving further utility to the Crafting skills.

Originally Posted by maximara

I'm not clear on where the [24] is coming from:

*Magery 0 [5] + Magery 3 (Enchantment Only, -30%) [30]*.7 = [21] for total of [26]
*Magery 3 (Enchantment Only, -30%, all of it) [35]*.7 = 24.5 which per B9 rounds up to [25]

Whoops, you're right - I'll adjust the cost. I tried to quickly rejigger it in my head while otherwise occupied!