[DF] Not obvious spell - magery enhancement

[Christopher R. Rice]

You want the Easy Casting enhancement from GURPS Thaumatology (p. 28). It's +40% a level and basically lets you treat your spell as five levels higher for the purpose of rituals only (p. B236). You'd probably need at least a level - mostly likely two. Skill 20 requires no gestures and skill 15 needs only a small gesture (maybe something like the Clinton "thumb") and a few words (easily masked as tying into the speech or the like.

[the_matrix_walker]

Originally Posted by Ghostdancer

You want the Easy Casting enhancement from GURPS Thaumatology (p. 28). It's +40% a level and basically lets you treat your spell as five levels higher for the purpose of rituals only (p. B236). You'd probably need at least a level - mostly likely two. Skill 20 requires no gestures and skill 15 needs only a small gesture (maybe something like the Clinton "thumb") and a few words (easily masked as tying into the speech or the like.

It's an option for sure, but I think it's overkill, as gesturing subtly while you speak (or having high enough skill to leave out the gestures) isn't far fetched.

In fact if the point is Oratory, I would include the (Song, -40%) Limitation, but call it "Clear Vocalization" or something instead.

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker

It's an option for sure, but I think it's overkill, as gesturing subtly while you speak (or having high enough skill to leave out the gestures) isn't far fetched.

In fact if the point is Oratory, I would include the (Song, -40%) Limitation, but call it "Clear Vocalization" or something instead.

I could get behind that...but it's still obvious what you're doing unless you have high skill or Easy Casting or perks that reduce rituals for a specific spell.

[the_matrix_walker]

Originally Posted by Ghostdancer

I could get behind that...but it's still obvious what you're doing unless you have high skill or Easy Casting or perks that reduce rituals for a specific spell.

I'd allow No Signature for something like this, saying that they must gesture as emphatically, and speak as clearly and loudly as any spell caster, but those words and gestures could be mundane appearing ones. (They would learn their own spells that were written this way, and not the standard wizard's spells, if that's in doubt.)

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker

I'd allow No Signature for something like this, saying that they must gesture as emphatically, and speak as clearly and loudly as any spell caster, but those words and gestures could be mundane appearing ones. (They would learn their own spells that were written this way, and not the standard wizard's spells, if that's in doubt.)

I don't know. That seems a cheap way of getting around the effects of magical rituals to me. I wouldn't allow that. I could be wrong, but I don't think I am. Of course, if you're changing around rituals completely just use the rules for Personal Ritual Styles (also GURPS Thaumatology, p. 37) and call it a 0-point feature for demagogue magic.

[lvalero]

Thanks for the answers!

Enthrallment skills (+johndallman) is a good point of view to this topic. I didn'n remember them. Anyway I am interested in this enhancement because other classes in my DF could benefit from it.

I had also thougth in Easy Casting but after analyzing it I agree that it would be overkill because if someone ties or mutes him I want this class to be unable to cast spells. I don't want the ritual to be "easier" but to be "more difficult to detect by untrained eye"

(+ghostdancer) Thanks for pointing to Personal Rituals! It is an interesting chapter to personalize the demagogue and other casters.

I like most the low signature / no signature idea. I thought this enhancement was for making "invisible" fireballs but it has sense to apply in this context.

After summing up all enhancements and limitations it seems like a global -10% or -0%

If you have any ideas to make this class cooler you are wellcome! For example you could use a supporting cast of demagogues to cast ceremonial magic to expand the area. These supporters would be integrated into the public clapping hands and repeating the "force" ideas of his master.

Other interesting idea could be to redefine some bard songs as demagogue actings.