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Old 09-14-2022, 05:16 PM   #1
calmquist
 
Join Date: Dec 2016
Default Temporary Enchantment Power

This is an idea for a power based on temporarily transforming objects into magical items. For simplicity, it will create items following similar guidelines to the ones in Thaumatology: Sorcery, but it should be modifiable to work with other gadget based magical items or even super science gadgets.

Simple Enchantment
A single enchantment ability is fairly simple: Affliction 1 (Advantage with gadget limitation, varies; Costs Fatigue 1, -5%; Gadget, varies; Melee Attack, Reach C, -30%; PM, -10%; Takes Extra Time, 1d seconds, -20%)

Example: Amulet of Reverse Missiles: Affliction 1 (Advantage, Amulet of Reverse Missiles 1, +460%; Costs Fatigue 1, -5%; Melee Attack, Reach C, -30%; PM; -10%; Takes Extra Time, 1d seconds, -20%) [50]. Note: Amulet of Reverse Missiles is Reverse Missiles, Thaumatology: Sorcery p.24, with Gadget, Amulet, see Thaumatology: Sorcery p.28, applied.

To create the amulet, a character must pay 1 FP and touch an amulet for 1d seconds. Most inanimate objects don't resist, so the object rolls HT+1. If successful, the amulet is enchanted with Reverse Missiles 1 for margin of success x 1 minutes.
Alternatively, add Fixed Duration, +0% to make the duration a fixed 3 minutes.

Next, we can allow multiple enchantments as alternative abilities. In the simple case, each combination of spell and item form could be its own ability. For example, Ring of Invisibility and Cloak of Invisibility could be separate abilities. The character pays full price for the highest cost affliction and 1/5 cost for each additional affliction.

This is the simplest solution, but it may be too fine grained for some people.

The more complicated question is how to handle a character that can perform multiple enchantments. This is a 2 dimensional question.
  1. How to handle alternative item forms
  2. How to handle alternative spells
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Old 09-14-2022, 05:17 PM   #2
calmquist
 
Join Date: Dec 2016
Default Re: Temporary Enchantment Power

Alternative Gadgets

As an alternative, each spell could be its own ability if we have some way of handling all available item forms as a single modifier. Two options are presented below.

For simplicity, assume that the items will work immediately for the thief and give full value to the gadget limitation. Because of the short duration of the enchantments, a thief probably wouldn't be able to use them at all if using them took special effort.

Temporarily enchanted gadgets are never unique.

Alternative Spells

The simple case is to have each affliction as an alternate ability, but there are other options. A few additional options are presented below.

Temporary Enhancements

Temporary Enchantments can be used for individual enchantments. The main complication with this is that the skill penalties may become high very quickly. This would make many Sorcery spells difficult to use.

A RAW-ish alternative to Temporary Enhancements from Powers or Psionic Powers is to modify the FP cost and % enhancment using the following schedule:
Code:
1 FP for 5%/-1 penalty (normal extra effort)
2 FP for 10%/-1 penalty (normal temparary enhancements)
3 FP for 15%/-1 penalty
etc.
This will allow limiting the enhancement penalties to -10, -15 or some other desired level.

Using Abilities at Default

This is relatively simple. Since everything is an affliction, the maximum penalty is -8. Individual enchantments could also be techniques like some psi techniques from Psionic Powers.


Temporary Alternate Enhancements

I don't believe this option is RAW, and it seems suspect to me even if RAW. I add it for completeness sake.

The idea is to purchase the highest cost enchantment as a single affliction and use Temporary Enhancements to add new enhancements as alternates to the Advantage enhancment. This would add 2% enhancment/point because of the 1/5 discount.
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Old 09-14-2022, 05:19 PM   #3
calmquist
 
Join Date: Dec 2016
Default Re: Temporary Enchantment Power

reserved for additional thoughts
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