Talent/Spell of the Week: Pathfinder

[Shostak]

Originally Posted by Skarg

Well, except for the higher overall chance of failure, and the increased cost.

What is the cost increase?

[Shostak]

Originally Posted by Skarg

… i.e. Casting an information spell locks the available information, at least up to some limit in terms of time or casters/subjects.

This was actually suggested in the opening post.

[WFCoyote]

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Spellsniffer (Variation) (T): This spell gives its subject a combined Detect, Reveal, and Analyze Magic ability. Detect Magic covers everything within 5 hexes at no range penalty. Reveal Magic works within 5 MH. Analyze Magic works in the same hex as the caster. When this spell is successfully cast, the GM makes a roll for all Detectable Magic items, this is a 5 hex range with no DX penalty; also, it takes one turn per detectable item to actually detect it. The caster can forgo the detection of magic items within a 5-hex range, and go directly to Reveal Magic with a 5 MH range, it also gives its information faster than Detect Magic or Analyze Magic. So in one turn, you have your Reveal Magic completed. Just don't forget, to go back to Detect Magic or Analyze Magic and get confused, if the player wants a refresher of what was Revealed after confusion an IQ. roll would be in order.
Analyze Magic is a thrown spell, for it to work it must be cast with a DX roll, "To figure the DX adjustment on a thrown spell, subtract 1 from DX for every hex from the wizard to his target." So if you are Analyzing an item in your hex it is a straight-up roll. "This spell (if successful) tells the wizard the exact enchantment on any one object. (The Wizard casts the spell, and the Game Master Rolls the dice, and tells the Wizard what he learns, not knowing if this roll is a success or failure.) If there is more than one spell on the object examined, this spell will reveal one each time it is cast . . . low IQ spells before higher IQ ones, all in the order they are listed in this book. The wizard may specify that he is looking for “harmful” or “beneficial” spells, in which case (if successful) he will get the simplest spell of that type (if any) – otherwise nothing." If the Caster wants to look for more spells, or try again on their next turn they concentrate on Analyze Magic again.
The cost of this extremely powerful and useful spell is 2 ST to cast, lasts six turns, and can be maintained for 2 ST for six more turns, etc.
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