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Old 05-29-2021, 09:12 PM   #21
Michael Thayne
 
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Default Re: [Sorcery] Michael's daily sorcerous spells thread

Explosive Lightning
Keywords: Area (Fixed), Missile, Obvious.
Full Cost: 16.5 points/level*.
Casting Roll: None. Use Innate Attack (Beam) to hit.
Range: 100 yards.
Duration: Instantaneous.

Creates a lightning bolt that inflicts 1d burning surge damage on all targets within 4 yards of wherever the attack lands. The attack roll gets a +4 bonus for targeting an area.

Metallic armor counts as DR 1 against this attack, but nonmetallic armor protects normally. Targets stuck by this attack must make an HT roll, at -1 per 2 points of penetrating damage, or be physically stunned. On subsequent turns, they can roll HT to recover. Lightning behaves unpredictably around conductors; see Lightning (GURPS Magic, p. 196) for more details.

This is also a Weather spell.

Statistics: Burning Attack 1d (Area Effect, 4 yards, +100%; Nuisance Effect, Behaves erratically around conductors, -5%; Sorcery, -15%; Surge, Arcing, +100%; Side Effect, Stunning, +50%) [16.5/level].

* Calculate the total cost and then round up.

Last edited by Michael Thayne; 06-04-2021 at 08:07 PM.
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Old 05-30-2021, 11:39 PM   #22
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Today was hectic, leading to a somewhat incomplete entry I will hopefully expand given time. Anyone know the best way to put a table in a form post? Use a code block and take advantage of the monospaced font? Or what?
Falling Sky
Keywords: Area (Leveled).
Full Cost: 12 points for level 1 + 2.5 points/additional level (or more)*.
Casting Roll: None. Use Innate Attack (Gaze) to aim.
Range: 100 yards.
Duration: Instantaneous.

This spell rapidly increases the atmospheric pressure of the area, inflicting crushing damage on everyone within. The effect resembles an explosion, so Pressure Support does not protect. Anyone damaged by the spell must roll vs. HT at -1 per 2 points of damage inflicted. On a failure, the victim is stunned (roll vs. HT each second to recover) and gains Hard of Hearing for 20 - HT minutes. On a failure by 5 or more, the victim gains Deafness instead of Hard of Hearing (i.e. the victim still recovers completely after 20 - HT minutes). The basic version inflicts 1d crushing damage.

More potent versions of Falling Sky exist. Increasing the full cost of the spell increases the crushing damage by the same factor, as indicated by the table below.
Code:
Spell Strength		Full Cost
1d crushing		12 points for level 1 + 2.5 points/additional level*.
2d crushing		24 points for level 1 + 5 points/additional level.
3d crushing		36 points for level 1 + 7.5 points/additional level*.
4d crushing		48 points for level 1 + 10 points/additional level.
5d crushing		60 points for level 1 + 12.5 points/additional level*.
Statistics: Crushing Attack 1d (Accessibility, only in atmosphere, -5%; Area Effect, 2 yards, +50%; No Signature, +20%; Side Effect, Hard of Hearing, Stunning, Secondary Deafness replaces Hard of Hearing, +90%; Sorcery, -15%) [11]. Additional levels add Area Effect (+50%) [+2.5*]. The expanded versions raise the Crushing Attack level.

* Calculate the total cost and then round up.

Last edited by Michael Thayne; 07-06-2021 at 09:39 PM.
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Old 06-01-2021, 08:00 PM   #23
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Took off yesterday for Memorial Day. Today's spell is heavily based on the handling of Black Sphere in GURPS Sorcery: Protection and Warning Spells.
Grave Grounding
Keywords: Resisted (HT).
Full Cost: 106.
Casting Roll: Will.
Range: Unlimited.
Duration: Instantaneous.

Transforms the subject and up to 6 lbs. of clothing to electricity – as per the Body of Lightning spell – which it instantly and fatally grounds out. This magic can destroy any material being, living or not, but the target must be in electrical contact with the ground or a body of water; footwear, pavement, or anything metallic or wet (e.g., the deck of a ship at sea) is no defense, but a non-conducting floor protects completely.

Witnesses without Enhanced Time Sense see the subject vanish in flash. The victim is gone, leaving behind possessions not turned to lightning (roll vs. HT for electronic or electrical devices, with failure meaning a short-circuit that requires repairs). Examination will find a branching pattern on the ground, with fulgurites buried beneath it in suitable soil.

This is also a Weather spell.

Statistics: Affliction 1 (HT or other; Cosmic, Reduced Time can turn Heart Attack into instant destruction, +300%; Heart Attack, +300%; Malediction 2, +150%; No Signature, +20%; Reduced Time 10 on Heart Attack, +200%; Sorcery, -15%) [106]. Notes: This use of Cosmic is very potent and always requires GM approval. This spell originally appeared in GURPS Magic: Death Spells, p. 22.
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Old 06-02-2021, 08:22 PM   #24
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The article that started it all, "The Power of Sorcery" from Pyramid #3/63, established a trend of converting explosive spells to simpler (if arguably less realistic) area effect spells. Under that approach, it becomes somewhat confusing what an "improved" area spell should be, but for GURPS Sorcery: Sound Spells gave a simple answer for Improved Concussion: double the radius. I followed that precedent for Improved Explosive Lightning.
Improved Concussion
This spell has a canonical writeup in GURPS Sorcery: Sound Spells, p. 7.

Improved Explosive Lightning
Keywords: Area (Fixed), Missile, Obvious.
Full Cost: 19 points/level.
Casting Roll: None. Use Innate Attack (Beam) to hit.
Range: 100 yards.
Duration: Instantaneous.

Creates a lightning bolt that inflicts 1d burning surge damage on all targets within 8 yards of wherever the attack lands. The attack roll gets a +4 bonus for targeting an area.

Metallic armor counts as DR 1 against this attack, but nonmetallic armor protects normally. Targets stuck by this attack must make an HT roll, at -1 per 2 points of penetrating damage, or be physically stunned. On subsequent turns, they can roll HT to recover. Lightning behaves unpredictably around conductors; see Lightning (GURPS Magic, p. 196) for more details.

This is also a Weather spell.

Statistics: Burning Attack 1d (Area Effect, 8 yards, +150%; Nuisance Effect, Behaves erratically around conductors, -5%; Sorcery, -15%; Surge, Arcing, +100%; Side Effect, Stunning, +50%) [19/level]. Notes: This spell originally appeared in GURPS Magic: Artillery Spells, p. 29.

Last edited by Michael Thayne; 06-04-2021 at 08:07 PM.
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Old 06-03-2021, 07:19 PM   #25
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Jolt
Keywords: Missile, Obvious, Resisted (HT).
Full Cost: 19 points.
Casting Roll: None. Use Innate Attack (Projectile) to aim.
Range: 100 yards.
Duration: Instantaneous.

Electricity arcs from your hand. Anyone hit must roll vs. HT, with a bonus equal to DR (treat metal armor as DR 1), and +3 beyond 1/2D range. Failure means being stunned. The subject rolls against HT each turn to recover.

This is also a Weather spell.

Statistics: Affliction 1 (Surge, Arcing, +100%; Sorcery, -15%) [19]. Notes: This spell originally appeared in GURPS Magic: The Least of Spells, p. 17.

Last edited by Michael Thayne; 07-06-2021 at 10:10 PM.
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Old 06-04-2021, 08:08 PM   #26
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Just noticed I accidentally left of "surge" in the burning damage of Explosive Lightning and Improved Explosive Lightning. That's fixed now.
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Old 06-04-2021, 08:11 PM   #27
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Lethal Lightning
Keywords: Missile, Obvious.
Full Cost: 26.5 points/level*.
Casting Roll: None. Use Innate Attack (Beam) to hit.
Range: 100 yards.
Duration: Instantaneous.

Creates a lightning bolt that inflicts 1d burning surge damage on a single target. Metallic armor counts as DR 1 against this attack, but nonmetallic armor protects normally.

If any damage penetrates DR, the victim must make an HT roll, at -1 per 2 points of penetrating damage, or be rendered unconsciousness for (20-HT) minutes followed by -2 to DX for another (20-HT) minutes. If the victim critically fails the HT roll, or fails by 5 or more, the victim suffers a heart attack instead.

This is also a Weather spell.

Statistics: Burning Attack 1d (Nuisance Effect, Behaves erratically around conductors, -5%; Sorcery, -15%; Surge, Arcing, +100%; Side Effect, Disadvantage, DX -2, Secondary Heart Attack, and Unconsciousness, +350%) [26.5/level]. Notes: This spell originally appeared in GURPS Magic: Death Spells, p. 22.

* Calculate the total cost and then round up.
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Old 06-05-2021, 07:46 PM   #28
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I was never totally satisfied with just slapping an Aura on Resist Lightning to get Lightning Armor, because the effects of Lightning Armor in GURPS Magic are more complicated than that. Possibly there's a way to be more faithful to Magic using imbuements, or a weird variation on DR (Reflection), but I wasn't able to work out the details before the day to post Lightning Armor rolled around. Maybe some day I'll return to this one.
Lightning
Pyramid #3/82 p. 13 has a version of this spell. I realize Pyramid articles don't get the same level of editing other GURPS releases do, but I couldn't improve on this one and have used it as a basis for my own lightning spells.

Lightning Armor
Keywords: Buff.
Full Cost: 82 points for level 1 + 51 points/level.
Casting Roll: None. Use Innate Attack (Gaze) to aim.
Range: 100 yards.
Duration: 30 minutes.

As Resist Lightning (GURPS Sorcery: Protection and Warning Spells, p. 10), with the addition that anyone who you touch or who touches you takes 1d burning surge damage per level. If a weapon strikes you, apply this damage to the weapon. Metallic armor counts as DR 1 against this attack, but nonmetallic armor protects normally. Targets stuck by this attack must make an HT roll, at -1 per 2 points of penetrating damage, or be physically stunned. On subsequent turns, they can roll HT to recover.

This is also a Weather spell.

Statistics: As Resist Lightning but add Burning Attack (Always On, -40%; Aura, +80%; Melee Attack, Reach C, -30%; Surge, Arcing, +100%) [11/level].
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Old 06-06-2021, 07:33 PM   #29
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Lightning Missiles
I posted a version of this spell then realized it would make far more sense to roll it together with Lightning Weapon, the way GURPS Thaumatology: Sorcery does for Icy Weapon.

Last edited by Michael Thayne; 06-10-2021 at 06:19 AM.
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Old 06-07-2021, 08:20 PM   #30
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It may feel like today we've been on lightning spells forever, but today's entry is the last of them: Lightning Stare (Lightning, but a Malediction!) and Lightning Weapon. Following what GURPS Thaumatology: Sorcery does for Icy Weapon, this version of Lightning Weapon rolls in Lightning Missiles.

Before you get too comfortable, though, we're not done with spells that involve lightning. There's still Wall of Lightning, not mention multiple spells with "Spark" in their name. But at least starting tomorrow we get a break from them.
Lightning Stare
Keywords: Obvious, Resisted (HT).
Full Cost: 15 points/level.
Casting Roll: Will.
Range: Unlimited.
Duration: Instantaneous.

You can shoot lightning from your eyes! You must roll a Quick Contest of Will vs. the subject's HT. If you win, the target takes 1d burning surge damage per level. Armor does not protect. The target is also stunned unless they make an HT roll at -1 per 2 points of damage. On subsequent turns, they can roll HT to recover.

Even though the spell can bypass armor, the lightning still traces a visible path from your eyes to the subject, and it has the same issue with erratic behavior around conductors that Lightning does.

This is also a Weather spell.

Statistics: Burning Attack 1d (Malediction 2, +150%; Nuisance Effect, Behaves erratically around conductors, -5%; Side Effect, Stunning, +50%; Sorcery, -15%; Surge, +20%) [15/level].

Lightning Weapon
Keywords: Weapon Buff.
Full Cost: 19 points.
Casting Roll: None. Use Innate Attack (Gaze) to aim.
Range: 100 yards.
Duration: Three minutes.

Once cast upon a weapon, this spell causes it to do an additional 1d of follow-up (p. B105) burning surge damage. If the weapon's damage roll fails to penetrate DR, the extra damage still ignores all but 1 point of DR from metallic armor. The wielder will feel a faint tingle of electricity from the weapon, but not enough to cause discomfort.

This is also a Weather spell.

Statistics: Affliction 1 (HT; Accessibility, Only on weapons, -20%; Advantage, Lightning Weapon, +90%; Fixed Duration, +0%; Increased 1/2D, 10×, +15%; No Signature, +20%; Sorcery, -15%) [19]. Notes: "Lightning Weapon" is Burning Attack 1d (Follow-Up, This weapon, +0%; Magical, -10%; Surge, Arcing, +100%; Visible, -10%) [9].

Last edited by Michael Thayne; 06-07-2021 at 08:24 PM.
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