Confused about spells with high energy cost

[Arith Winterfell]

I've noticed (as a newbie GM) that a number of spells have relatively exorbitant energy requirements for casting (for example Solidify at 50 FP). So I'm a little confused, is it meant that the wizard casting the spell should actually have to have an Energy Reserve (Magical) of nearly or around 50 just to be able to cast it?

Or is it meant to be cast in some other manner that I'm not following? If so, how is it suppose to be done?

[Refplace]

High cost spells are typically cast using ceremonial magic (helpers) or using power stones and possibly sacrifice.

[Arith Winterfell]

Okay, having re-read over the Ceremonial Magic Casting rules in the core rule book, I can see what you mean there.

But how would a wizard (say in your typical Dungeon Fantasy game) gather enough people to power spells like Solidify, or Summon Demon, or say Wish?

And where are the rules about sacrifices?


Like for example, how might that PC Summon an incorporeal demon, then while holding it prisoner using a Pentagram, then Solidify it so that it may act as he desires? (Assuming an wild-eyed eccentric but not necessarily evil PC wizard).

[apoc527]

There are some Perks or other rules floating around for basically doing Ceremonial Casting but by yourself. Essentially, the idea is that you can take a lot longer to cast a spell and therefore have a lot more time to build up the energy needed to cast it. I can't recall exactly where it is, but I've seen it quite recently.

[Refplace]

Originally Posted by Arith Winterfell

Okay, having re-read over the Ceremonial Magic Casting rules in the core rule book, I can see what you mean there.

But how would a wizard (say in your typical Dungeon Fantasy game) gather enough people to power spells like Solidify, or Summon Demon, or say Wish?

And where are the rules about sacrifices?

GURPS Magic and GURPS Thaumatology expand on the magic system in GURPS Basic a great deal. Magic adds some rules, options, Alchemy, and lots of spells. Thaumatology is mostly about optional rules and ideas to expand things.
Wish is not something I can see being cast in a dungeon. High cost spells can be precast using scrolls or other magic devices.

[RGTraynor]

Or, well, there's always applying Occam's Razor. How would a wizard without large Powerstones, some manner of power reserve, or the ability to gather together a large enough group for a ceremonial casting manage to cast some of those high energy cost spells? Answer: "They don't."

[Refplace]

One thing that might not be obvious, especially coming from other systems.
GURPS Magic is not just assuming combat or adventure magic. It includes spells that are useful for a world setting, many of which casting with helpers or lengthy preparations is not a problem.

[Witchking]

Originally Posted by Refplace

One thing that might not be obvious, especially coming from other systems.
GURPS Magic is not just assuming combat or adventure magic. It includes spells that are useful for a world setting, many of which casting with helpers or lengthy preparations is not a problem.

Right. One of the spells mentioned by the OP (tho not in his 1st Post) was Wish. Wish in an Enchantment which (even done as a Quick and Dirty) has a casting time of 1 hour.

Enchantment is the very definition of NOT a combat spell.

[ehrbar]

Originally Posted by Arith Winterfell

But how would a wizard (say in your typical Dungeon Fantasy game) gather enough people to power spells like Solidify, or Summon Demon, or say Wish?

How would a wizard in a typical Dungeon Fantasy game do it? Well, he'd gather the minions of his Evil Demon Cult to do so.

If you're asking how a typical PC wizard in a typical Dungeon Fantasy game would do it, well, he wouldn't. He's part of a band that's going around smashing Evil Demon Cults and the wizards who organized them as a means of gaining power.

"Universal" means that not everything in a general rulebook book is for player characters in every kind of game. The book, after all, is not "Dungeon Fantasy Magic". Once you've specified "in a typical XYZ game", you've often enough already explained why something wouldn't be used by PCs.

[Plane]

Originally Posted by RGTraynor

How would a wizard without large Powerstones, some manner of power reserve, or the ability to gather together a large enough group for a ceremonial casting manage to cast some of those high energy cost spells? Answer: "They don't."

Just get the "Pact with a Demon" perk bro.

Interesting thing I just thought of folks... is there anything that would prevent a mage with a legion of Zombies from having each of those Zombies (M151 spell) contribute 1 energy to his Ceremonial Casting?

M152 doesn't mention them having the "No Fatigue" trait introduced in GURPS Zombies, but even if that were the case, does M12 rules for Ceremonial make it mandatory the energy come from FP or could worshippers at 0 FP opt to burn HP to contribute 1 energy instead?

What I figure may prevent this is the final part though:

A spectator must support the ceremony of his own free will. A mind-controlled subject cannot focus sufficient will to contribute energy

Spell-created zombies are Automatons with Slave Mentality whose Immunity (all mind control) has an exception via their Reprogrammable disadvantage which is over-ridden by the innate programming of (Create) Zombie plus Control Zombie and Turn Zombie.

So probably a Zombie could not contribute energy because they are always considered to be under mind control of the caster?

So I guess you'd need to do stuff like use your zombies to coerce free-willed humans to contribute FP under duress?