View Single Post
Old 05-22-2020, 07:55 AM   #66
ZooProfessor
 
Join Date: Sep 2018
Default Re: Show me the magic!

Here are our IQ 10 spells:

Agility (T): Adds 1 to subject’s DX for every 1 ST the wizard uses to throw spell. Lasts 3 turns. Cannot be used to alter rolls when creating magical items. This is a lower cost than the Aid spell, but it is more limited since it only works to raise DX.

Animate Corpse (T): Brings one dead body under wizard’s control. Animated corpse will have ST and DX that it did in life, and no IQ. The controlling wizard will be able to see through its eyes. Beheaded, burned, or dismembered corpses will not work. Lasts 12 hours. Cost 1 ST (or 3 ST for creatures with a basic ST of 20 or more)

Cleverness (T): Adds 1 to subject’s IQ for every 1 ST the wizard uses to throw spell. Lasts 3 turns. This is a lower cost than the Aid spell, but it is more limited since it only works to raise IQ.

Possess Weapon(T): Like Drop Weapon but you get one chance to hit victim with his own weapon before it drops to the ground. Makes victim drop whatever is in one hand – a weapon, shield, or whatever. Will not make a ring or amulet fall off. Costs 2 ST, or 3 ST if victim’s basic ST is 20 or more. A weapon or other object with Immunity (q.v.) to Drop Weapon will not be affected by this spell either. A wizard who knows this spell also knows the Drop Weapon spell and may cast it instead (since the ST cost is smaller).

Strengthen: (T): Adds 1 to subject’s ST for every 1 ST the wizard uses to throw spell. Lasts 3 turns. This is a lower cost than the Aid spell, but it is more limited since it only works to raise ST.

Summon Swarm (C):
Brings a swarm of bees or flies or any other insect which will be under the direction of the wizard. The size of the swarm will never be less than 15 insects, but when casting a roll of 5 or 6 will produce a swarm of double the number of insects for the ST used to cast and a roll of 3 or 4 will produce a swarm of triple the number of insects for the ST used to cast.
If the entire swarm attacks the same enemy then that enemy will have a -1 DX for each 10 insects until the swarm vanishes. The insects are an annoyance, but do no actual damage. If the wizard desires then the swarm can instead hover around him or another character and make all attacks against that character be at -1 DX for each 10 insects (if some of the original swarm are killed the DX minus holds until the full 10 die), the DX of the person protected does not suffer since the swarm is moving out of the protected figure’s personal space (picture a cloud of insects that dart at your enemy but hover a few feet in front of you).
Flying swarms will move at 20 MA a turn and crawling swarms at 10 MA a turn. They can move their full MA and still do their “action” that turn since it is their mere presence that affects the DX of the enemies. The swarm has no ability to try to resist commands and no intelligence as we know it. ST and DX would vary and this should never come up in a combat situation. If an enemy wants to take the time to kill them, he can kill one each turn without rolling dice, but that is his action for that turn.
Cost varies. It costs 1 ST for each swarm of 15 insects desired. So, if the wizard wished to guarantee a swarm of 30, then he or she could use 2 ST to cast, plus 1 ST per each swam of 15 that the wizard wishes to renew for every minute the spell is continued. IF the wizard only put in 1 ST but rolled a 3 when casting, then even though 45 insects are in the swarm it still only costs 1 ST per minute to keep them there. That is just the benefit of a great roll.
This is a defensive spell that is a higher IQ spell than Blur, but doesn’t protect the wizard (or a character of his choice) quite as well, BUT this spell lasts for minutes and not turns. To get the same defensive benefit as a Blur, the wizard would have to use 3 ST for the initial cast, but that would last for one minute, whereas the Blur spell would put attackers at -4 DX at a cost of 1 ST per TURN. Another difference here is that Blur would protect an individual in the party, but this spell could also be used to distract one particular enemy in ALL their actions against the party. The insects can also be directed to do anything that an insect of that type could reasonably do. Clever wizards will think up interesting things for them to do on adventures. Swarms need not be flying insects. If a wizard wanted a swarm of crawling ants or ladybugs, then that is allowed. Wizards can see through the eyes of these summoned insects, but insect eyes are so different from human that very little information is likely to be gained in this way (someone who uses this spell a lot or who has talents in beekeeping or other insect-specific scholarly studies might do better at deciphering this visual information, as the GM determines). It is more likely to be confusing and might even make the wizard a little ill, so most of the time in a combat situation wizards choose not to do this. In a less stressful situation (as in, NOT combat) the wizard might take the time to try to use the sight and other senses of the insects. GMs should roll versus the wizard’s IQ (number of dice in relation to how often the wizard practices with the spell, how much the wizard knows about insects of this type, other talents of the wizard that might give guidance, etc.) and then determine what information the wizard gains from using his or her swarm in this way.
ZooProfessor is offline   Reply With Quote