Magic

Magery

Anyone can learn most spells – although in some worlds, you must be a mage to use the spells you know. Some spells specify a particular level of Magery as a prerequisite: if you lack the required Magery level, you cannot learn the spell.

Each magic spell is a separate skill, learned just like any other skill. Most spells are IQ/Hard skills, but a few potent spells are IQ/Very Hard. Spells have no default – you can only cast spells you know.

Add your Magery to IQ when you learn spells. For instance, if you have IQ 12 and Magery 3, you learn spells as if you had IQ 15. There is no maximum Magery level, but no one can ever have more than 50 points into Magery, nor can they start play with more than 25 points on it.  This includes Magery 0, but excludes any Magery levels innate to your race.  

See also: Magery 1+, Magery 0.

Mana and Mana Levels

Mana is the ambient energy that empowers magic. Magic will work only if the mana level of the game world or specific area allows it, as follows:

• Very High Mana: Anyone who knows spells can cast them. A mage who spends FP to cast a spell on his turn gets those FP back at the start of his next turn. However, all failures are treated as critical failures – and actual critical failures produce spectacular disasters! Very high mana is extremely rare in most settings.
• High Mana: Anyone who knows spells can cast them. This mana level is rare in most worlds, but some game worlds have high mana throughout.
• Normal Mana: Only mages can cast spells. These spells work normally, according to all rules given in this chapter. This is the default mana level in most fantasy settings: mages use magic, others don’t.
• Low Mana: Only mages can cast spells, and all spells perform at -5 to skill, for all purposes. (Magic items are similarly affected) However, critical failures have mild effects or no effect at all.
• No Mana: No one can use magic at all. Enchantments and permanent magic effects are suspended and do not function while within a no-mana zone, but resume when taken to an area with mana. Temporary and lasting spells (p. 10) are dispelled when they enter a no-mana zone. This mana level occurs in isolated spots in magical worlds. Some entire game worlds can lack mana, making magic use impossible.

Much of the world has no mana, except for places where magic leaks out into the world through Nexi. Most of Isle of Luachmhar is normal mana, which makes it special and attracts magical people and magic users of all kinds.  There must be a Nexus somewhere on the island, which means it's possible that there are High Mana or even Very High Mana areas on it!  

Most people in the world are unsure whether magic exists, whether vampires are myths or legends, whether werewolves stalk the night, or whether it truly matters if you eat the fae food... but those who live near a Nexus might be more likely to believe...

Finding a Teacher

As far as the characters are concerned, magic is fickle, complicated, full of fine details, and if something goes wrong, you or someone else could get hurt.  As such, the best way to learn magic is to find a teacher.  For those on Isle of Luachmhar, you can look to The Slingers for that.  Perhaps that's the reason you moved here. 

Prerequisites

All but the most basic spells have one or more prerequisites: requirements you must meet in order to learn the spell. If the prerequisite is another spell, you must have at least one point in the prerequisite spell before you can study the advanced spell. Not all prerequisites are spells. Some spells require a minimum Magery level; for instance, “Magery 2” means you must have Magery 2 or more to learn the spell. A few spells require a minimum basic attribute score, an advantage, or even a mundane skill.

Spending your Points

If you are playing a mage, then it's assumed that some of your time is spent studying and practicing unless you say otherwise.  As such, when you have points to spend, you can freely put them into your Spells just like any other skill. Like skills, the first point spent on a spell has to be earned through Practice.   

Houserule: GURPS usually doesn't let you pick up Advantages as you go, except under special circumstances.  We're choosing to interpret that rule quite loosely, allowing PCs to pick up any advantage that seems justified in their story arc.  In the case of Magery, perhaps exposure to the magic of the island unlocked this potential in you, so you can take Magery levels later even if you don't start play with them. If you start play with some Magery, you can take more of it later.  

You must know a spell in order to cast it, unless you possess a magic item that lets you cast it (see Chapter 2). Tell the GM what spell you are casting, then take Concentrate maneuvers for the requisite number of turns (see Time Required, below). At the end of the last second of concentration, make a success roll for the spell.

Casting a spell works like any other use of a skill: roll 3d and compare the total to your effective skill (your base skill with the spell adjusted by any applicable modifiers). Modifiers depend on the class of spell (see Spell Classes, p. 11). If your roll is less than or equal to your effective skill, the spell works. If it is greater than your effective skill, the spell fails.

On a success, mark off the spell’s energy cost against your FP or HP (see Energy Cost, p. 8). Its effects take place immediately. On a critical success, the spell works especially well. Details are up to the GM, who should be both generous and creative. Whatever else occurs, there is never an energy cost if you get a critical success when you cast a spell

On a failure, the spell does not work. If success would have cost energy, you lose one energy point; otherwise, you lose nothing. (Exception: You must pay the full energy cost for an Information spell even on a failure; see Information Spells, p. 13.) On a critical failure, you must spend the full energy cost and the spell fails badly! The GM may use the Critical Spell Failure Table or improvise some other “backfire” he finds amusing.

Critical Spell Failure

Roll 3d on the table included with your spellcasting advantage. If the result is inappropriate – or if it is the result that the caster intended – roll again. The GM is free to improvise instead of using the table. Improvisations should be appropriate to the spell and the situation, and should never kill the caster outright.

Distraction and Injury

If you use an active defense against an attack, or are knocked back, knocked down, injured, grappled, or otherwise distracted while concentrating, make a Will roll at -3 to continue casting your spell. On a failure, your spell is spoiled and you must start over.

If you are stunned while concentrating, your spell is automatically spoiled.

If you are injured but not stunned while concentrating, and succeed on the roll to avoid distraction, you may cast your spell. However, the shock penalty for your injury will reduce your effective skill. See Shock (p. B419) for details on shock

Caster and Subject

The “caster” of a spell is the person who is attempting to cast it.

The “subject” of a spell is the person, place, or thing upon which the spell is cast. If you are casting a spell on yourself, you are both caster and subject. The subject can also be another being, an inanimate object, or even a patch of ground. If the subject is a place, the caster can “touch” it by extending a hand over it or touching the ground, as appropriate for the spell.

Time Required

Most spells take one second to cast. Take the Concentrate maneuver for one turn and attempt your skill roll at the end of your turn. If you succeed, the spell takes effect instantly. Whether you succeed or fail, your turn ends as soon as you roll the dice. No one can interrupt a one-second spell unless he took the Wait maneuver on his own turn before the caster began concentrating.

Some spells take more than one second to cast. This requires multiple, consecutive Concentrate maneuvers in combat. Make the skill roll at the end of the last turn of concentration. You may “abort” an unfinished spell before it is cast, at no penalty, but you must start over if you wish to try again.

Blocking spells may be cast without concentrating, during a foe’s turn, to defend against an attack. See Blocking Spells (pp. 12-13).

Energy Cost

Each spell has an energy cost. When you cast the spell, you must pay this cost in either FP or HP. The better you know the spell, the less energy you need to cast it. If you know it well enough, you can cast it at no cost. Exception: Never reduce the cost of a Blocking spell; see Blocking Spells (pp. 12-13).

If your base skill with a spell – modified only by the -5 for low mana, if applicable – is 15 or more, reduce the cost to cast the spell by 1. If you have skill 20 or more, reduce cost by 2. Cost continues to decrease by 1 per full five skill levels beyond skill 20. Apply the same reduction to the cost to maintain a spell. Calculate the entire cost for a spell (for instance, by multiplying cost for the size of the subject or the area affected) before applying energy cost reductions for high skill. Energy is still going into the spell, but your skill lets you draw it from the surrounding mana instead of supplying it yourself!

You normally pay the energy cost of a spell in FP. You can recover lost FP by resting. A mage with the Recover Energy spell (p. 89) recovers FP faster than normal.

Burning HP

You may also expend life energy to pay the cost of a spell. Mark off some or all of the cost against HP instead of FP – the spell is actually harming you! You are at -1 on your spell roll per HP used. This is instead of the usual shock penalty for injury, and High Pain Threshold has no effect.

Using HP to power spells is dangerous, but it may be necessary if you are badly fatigued and must cast another spell. You may “burn” HP until you fall unconscious. Should a failed HT roll indicate that you have died, you do not actually spend the HP. Instead, you fall unconscious. Treat HP lost this way just like any other injury.

Magic Rituals

The base 'ritual' for casting spells varies depending on what type of magic you're doing.  For Magery, Sorcery, and Glamour, you trace a magical-looking symbol in the air and speaking a special word (a la Dragon Prince). If you can’t perform the ritual, you can’t cast the spell! For instance, if the ritual for a spell requires you to speak, you cannot cast the spell if you are gagged or under a spell of silence.  The symbols you draw are a mix of Celtic Oghams and Sylvan characters.  The verbal incantation is a phrase in The Sylvan Language. 

The higher your skill with a spell, the easier it is to cast. It takes less time, requires less energy, and has less stringent ritual requirements. Spellcasting rituals are detailed with the various spellcasting advantages. In all cases, “skill” refers to base skill, not effective skill. The only modifier that matters here is the -5 for low mana, if applicable. Certain spells always require a specific ritual. Such requirements override the rules above. For instance, high skill has no effect on the cost to cast Blocking spells or the time to cast Missile spells. 

Cap on Spell Skill Level: 

Your effective skill level with any spell cannot be higher than your skill level in Symbol Drawing. Each magical college also has a controlling skill associated with it.  For example, Healing spells are associated with Physician and Esoteric Medicine, so your effective skill level with Healing spells can never be higher than the lower of your Symbol Drawing and your Physician/Esoteric Medicine (whichever is better).  For example, if you have 11 in Esoteric Medicine, 12 in Physician, and 13 in Symbol Drawing, then your Healing spells are capped at 12. See below for a list of allowed colleges and their controlling skills. 

Limits on Effect

The effects of many spells vary with the energy spent. For instance, a healing spell might heal 1 HP per energy point, or a combat spell might inflict 1d damage per point.

If the spell description sets no upper limit, then you may spend as much energy as you can afford! The more you spend, the greater the effect.

If the spell specifies a finite range of effects and associated energy costs, though, you cannot exceed the upper limit without a high level of Magery (see below).

If either type of variable spell is cast on the same subject more than once, only the spell with the most powerful effects counts – multiple instances of a given spell do not “stack” or add in any way. Spells that heal, damage, or otherwise permanently affect the subject are an exception: you may cast such spells repeatedly, healing or damaging the subject by the full amount each time.

Magery and Effect

Talented mages may exceed the usual limits for spells that allow a finite number of “levels of effect” (dice of damage, bonuses to skill, etc.). The upper limit is the higher of the standard number of levels or the caster’s Magery level.

Duration of Spells and Maintaining Spells

Some spells produce an instantaneous effect when cast and then end immediately. Other spells last for a fixed “duration” (given for the particular spell, but most often one minute) and then wear off – unless you maintain them.

If you can maintain a spell, the energy cost to do so appears alongside the cost to cast. When the spell reaches the end of its duration, you may continue the spell by paying its maintenance cost. If you do, the spell endures for another interval equal to its duration. This takes no time and requires no skill roll. Distance is not a factor.

You may repeat this process for as long as you wish, provided you can supply the required energy. As long as you are conscious, you will know when one of your spells needs to be renewed. However, you cannot maintain a spell while you sleep, and you cannot “hand off” a spell to someone else so he can maintain it for you.

High Skill and Cost to Maintain

Energy cost reduction for high skill also applies to the cost to maintain a spell. This can reduce maintenance cost to 0. For instance, if you know a spell at skill 15-19, you may reduce its maintenance cost by 1; if this cost is 1 to begin with, you can maintain the spell indefinitely at no energy cost!

Concentration and Maintenance

You can maintain a spell without concentration unless the spell requires constant manipulation and change; e.g., to maneuver a levitating object. Spells like this require you to take the Concentrate maneuver only. If you are distracted, injured, or stunned, you must make a Will roll at -3. If you fail, the spell does not end, but it remains in precisely the state it had when you were distracted, and does not respond to change until you can concentrate on it again. On a critical failure, the spell ends.

Casting another spell does not break concentration, but you suffer a skill penalty for doing two things at once (see Casting Spells While Maintaining Other Spells, below).

Changing Maintained Spells

A spell with a variable area of effect cannot be expanded after it has been cast. However, a wizard may choose to maintain only part of a spell’s area, paying the maintenance cost for only a portion of the original area affected.

Spell Endurance

Spells usually resist other spells or attacks with the effective skill of the wizard who cast them. Some temporary and lasting spells, however, can be whittled away by repeated assaults. Such spells are said to have Endurance. Like an enchantment’s Power, a spell’s Endurance at casting time is equal to its caster’s effective skill. However, it may be reduced by later events. A spell’s description always discusses whether the spell has Endurance and at what Endurance the spell fails and dissipates.

One Try

Some spells only provide a wizard with one chance. These spells note “One Try” in their descriptions. If such a spell fails, the caster (and any assistants) may not try that spell again on the same subject. Some spells permit only a single try within a given time period – “one try per week,” for example. In this case, the caster(s) may try again after the appropriate time has passed. If no time period is specified, the caster(s) may never try again.

Duration Types

There are five classes of duration for spells: instantaneous, temporary, lasting, permanent, and enchantment.

Instantaneous spells produce an instant effect when cast and then end immediately. Note that some instantaneous spells appear to last longer because they leave behind a persistent but nonmagical effect – Flesh to Stone, for example, instantly turns a living being to stone and ends, leaving behind a stone statue

Temporary spells are spells that require the continuing expenditure of energy to maintain. If it has a cost to maintain, it is most likely a temporary spell. Only temporary spells count as spells “on” (see below).

Lasting spells do not require maintenance, but have a limited effective duration. Typically, they last until some event ends the spell. Bless is a good example; the spell lasts until the blessing is used.

Permanent spells create a magical effect that lasts indefinitely. Zombie is a good example: the magic force that animates the body persists until the body has been physically destroyed. A permanent spell, unlike temporary and lasting spells, does not end in a no-mana zone, but it is suspended until the subject leaves the zone. At that point the spell resumes.

Enchantments produce a still more enduring magical effect – usually one that generates other magical effects in turn. Enchantments are not dispelled by spells like Dispel Magic or Remove Curse. Like permanent spells, enchantments are suspended, not dispelled, by no-mana zones.

Casting Spells while Maintaining Other Spells

You can only cast one new spell at a time. However, you can cast new spells before older ones end. Apply the following modifiers whenever you cast spells while you have other spells active:

-3 per spell you are concentrating on at the moment. See the individual spell descriptions to learn which spells require concentration.

-1 per other spell you have “on” at the moment. Only temporary spells carry this penalty.

In this Google Drive Folder, you will find the spell lists for each college, GURPS Magic, Dungeon Fantasy: Clerics, and the Spell Charts to help you track prerequisites.

Here is a list of all allowed colleges and their controlling skills.  When more than one skill is listed, it takes the best of them. We may be willing to include more on request. Exception: Recover Energy is not bound by controlling skills or by Symbol Drawing. 

• Air: any performance skill with a physical component, such as Dancing or Acrobatics.
• Animal Handling: Animal Handling, Hidden Lore (Faeries)
• Body Control: Body Language, Physician, Esoteric Medicine
• Communication and Empathy: Detect Lies, Body Language, any skill talking-related skill such as Fast-talk or Public Speaking
• Earth: Masonry, Smith, Jeweler, Engineer
• Enchantment: the Enchant spell
• Fire: Smithing, Sex Appeal, Carousing, Massage
• Food: Cooking, Survival
• Gate: Math & Science, Jumping, Hiking, Throwing, any performance with a physical component. [ time travel spells are banned ]
• Healing: Physician, Esoteric Medicine, First Aid
• Illusion and Creation: anything involving trickery, such as Artist (Illusion), Fast-talk, Acting, Sleight of Hand, Disguise, Hidden Lore (Faeries)
• Knowledge: Any knowledge or hidden lore skill
• Light and Darkness Spells: Stealth, Shadowing
• Making and Breaking: any craft skill, such as Leatherworking or Carpentry, Artist (any)
• Meta: Occultism, Math & Science
• Mind Control: Dreaming, Musical Influence, Enthrallment
• Movement: Jumping, Hiking, Throwing, Innate Attack, any performance with a physical component
• Necromantic: Hidden Lore (Undead)
• Plant: Naturalist, Hidden Lore (Faeries)
• Protection and Warding: Shield, Traps, Hidden Lore (your choice)
• Sound: any musical skill of your choice
• Water: Swimming, Boating, Crewman, Karate
• Weather: Survival, Navigation, Area Knowledge

Types of Casters

• The basic type of spellcaster is the mage. They take levels in Magery, potentially with certain limitations on them. A mage is a well-studied caster who learns to harness the flow of mana through hard work and practice.
• Glamour is a special type of Magery, and it's only available to those with Faerie blood. Glamour functions as Magery except where noted in its description. Pureblood Faeries can't take any other kind of magic!
• Genies have inherent racial Magery, which comes in two types. Their Wish Only Magery can only be used when doing so would help them grant their master's wish. The One-College Magery matches their elemental type. Genies can also take normal Magery, or Magery with other restrictions, and applicable Magery levels stack.
• Sorcery is crude, innate understanding of specific magic, which grows with the caster's Will rather than IQ. Spending points on Sorcery represents learning to use the untapped magical potential within yourself.
• Power Investiture is magic gifted to you by the will of a powerful being. You have to devote yourself to their cause, and conduct yourself strictly in a manner they approve of, or your magic will be lost until you repent. Unlike the other kinds of magic, casters of this type don't have to worry about prerequisites.

Colleges of Magic

Spells related by subject matter – e.g., fire, healing, or mind control – belong to the same college. The basic spells of a college are prerequisites for the more advanced ones. Some spells fall into more than one college. For instance, Earth to Air (p. 25) is both an Earth and an Air spell. This is only important when counting prerequisites. Most wizards specialize in only a few colleges. This is the most efficient way to learn advanced magic. However, you may learn spells from as many colleges as you wish, unless your abilities specify otherwise.

Spell Classes

Each spell falls into one or more classes that define how it works in play. These classes are not mutually exclusive, except as explicitly noted in the rules below. The classes are Regular, Area, Melee, Missile, Blocking, Information, Resisted, Enchantment, and Special.

Regular Spells

Most spells fall into this class. A Regular spell affects only one subject. Its energy cost assumes a human-sized subject – that is, one with Size modifier 0. For a subject with a positive SM, multiply cost by 1 + SM: x2 energy for SM +1, x3 for SM +2, x4 for SM +3, and so on. There is no cost reduction for a subject with a negative SM. A few Regular spells have special cost schemes that override these rules.

Regular spells work best if you can touch or see the subject. You do not have to see through your own eyes; any spell that lets you see by magical means will do.

If you cannot touch the subject, apply a skill penalty equal to your distance in yards from the subject; e.g., -5 at five yards. Figure distance at the moment you roll the dice for the spell.

If you cannot touch or see the subject, there is a further -5 penalty. There are two ways to direct such a spell:

• Name a target location. For instance, if you specify “One yard beyond the other side of this door,” you’ll get whoever is standing on the other side of the door. If there is nobody there, you wasted the spell.
• Name a subject; e.g., “The closest person in the next room,” or, “George, who I know is around here somewhere.” The GM determines the actual range to the subject. This is risky! If the subject is farther away than you think – or simply absent – you are inviting failure or even critical failure!

No physical barrier affects a Regular spell. Unless it backfires, the spell never hits the wrong target.

Area Spells

These spells affect an area instead of an individual. They are cast on a surface – floor, ground, etc. – and their effects extend four yards (12 feet) up from that surface. A few Area spells work differently; see the individual spell descriptions for details.

The area’s size governs the energy cost, but not the difficulty of the roll. The cost listed for an Area spell is always its “base cost.” The actual cost to cast the spell is equal to its base cost multiplied by the radius of the area of effect in yards (minimum one yard): base cost ¥1 for a one-yard radius, x2 for a two-yard radius, x3 for a three-yard radius, and so on.

Area spells with a fractional base cost, such as 1/2 or 1/10, cost a minimum of one energy point. A few Area spells specify a minimum cost, which you must always pay, even if it is larger than the base cost multiplied by the desired radius.

If an Area spell affects living beings, it affects everyone in the area of effect. You may choose to affect only a part of the area, instead of the whole circle, but the cost is still the same – i.e., you may create an area of effect with “holes” in it, but must still spend energy as if you had filled the entire radius of the spell.

If you cannot touch any part of the affected area, apply a skill penalty equal to your distance in yards from the nearest edge of the area.

Otherwise, Area spells work like Regular spells.

Melee Spells

Melee spells “charge” your hand or magic staff (see box) with harmful energies that affect the first target you strike. These spells require two skill rolls: a roll against spell skill to cast the spell, and a normal melee attack roll to hit the target with your hand or staff.

To cast a Melee spell, concentrate for the required time, roll against spell skill at the end of the final turn of concentration, and pay the energy cost. No distance modifier applies because you are casting the spell on yourself! On a success, you energize your hand or staff with the spell’s magic. On your next turn, you must either hold your spell or attack with it.

If you hold your spell, your hand or staff remains “charged.” This costs no energy and requires no skill roll. You cannot cast another spell while holding a Melee spell. You can take any other combat maneuver (but an attack with the energized hand or staff discharges the spell). A parry with the hand or staff does not discharge the spell; only an attack in combat is a part of the ritual.

A Melee spell held on a staff persists for as long as you wield the staff. If you lose hold of your staff, even for an instant, the spell drains away harmlessly. If someone grabs your staff, and you are both holding it on your turn, your attempt to wrench it free counts as an attack, and your opponent instantly suffers the spell’s effects!

To attack, roll against DX or an unarmed combat skill to hit with a hand, or the appropriate Melee Weapon skill to hit with a staff. This is a standard melee attack. Your target may attempt any active defense. If he succeeds, your spell is not triggered; you may try again next turn. If he fails, your melee attack does its usual damage and your spell affects him immediately.

Armor protects normally against some Melee spells, not at all against others. If the spell is one that ignores armor, neither an unarmed parry (even with an armored limb) nor a block can protect the target from the spell. Even if such a defense wards off the melee attack, the spell arcs through the target’s armor or shield and affects him.

Some Melee spells are Resisted (see below). These spells require a second roll against spell skill, when the spell actually takes effect, to overcome the target’s resistance.

Missile Spells

This class of spells encompasses long-distance “projectile” or “bolt” attacks, such as Fireball (p. 74) and Lightning (p. 196). Missile spells require two skill rolls: a roll against spell skill to cast the spell, and a roll against Innate Attack skill (p. B201) to hit the target.

To cast a Missile spell, you must concentrate for one second. At the end of your turn, roll against your skill with the spell. There is no modifier for distance – you are creating a magical missile in your hand. On a success, you may invest one or more points of energy in the spell, to a maximum of a number of energy points equal to your Magery level. The missile then appears in your hand, “charged” to the desired level.

On your next turn, you have three options with your missile: make a ranged attack with it, hold it, or enlarge it. If you opt to enlarge your missile, you must concentrate for another second. At the end of your turn, you may invest more energy in the spell – anything from one point to points equal to your Magery level. This does not require a skill roll.

The turn after that, you have the same options: attack, hold, or enlarge. On your fourth turn, you may only attack or hold. You cannot spend more than three seconds building up a Missile spell.

Once you stop enlarging a Missile spell, you may “hold” it in hand, ready to attack. You do not have to launch the missile until you want to. While holding a Missile spell, you may move up to your full Move, take a Wait or Aim maneuver, or even attack using the hand that isn’t “holding” the missile. You may defend normally. However, you cannot cast another spell.

There is one drawback: if you are injured while you have a missile “in hand,” you must make a Will roll. If you fail, the missile immediately affects you!

When you are ready to attack, roll against your Innate Attack skill to hit. This is a standard ranged attack, subject to the usual modifiers for target size, speed, and range. Once launched, the missile flies in a straight line to the target. Physical barriers affect it just as they would affect any missile weapon.

Your target may block or dodge, but cannot parry (Parry Missile Weapons skill may work on some Missile spells, at the GM’s discretion). If he fails, the spell affects him. The strength of the effect depends on the energy invested. Most Missile spells inflict 1d of damage per point of energy. Damage Resistance – natural or from armor – protects normally against damaging Missile spells.

Blocking Spells

A Blocking spell is cast instantly as a defense against either a physical attack or another spell. It is the magical equivalent of a block, parry, or dodge (and often counts as one of these defenses; see the spell description for details). You may cast only one Blocking spell per turn, no matter how skilled you are. You cannot attempt a Blocking spell against a critical hit.

If you try a Blocking spell, it automatically interrupts your concentration. You lose any spell you were preparing, exactly as if you had failed the Will roll to resist a distraction. If you are holding (not casting) a Melee spell, it is unaffected. If you are holding a Missile spell, you cannot enlarge it further but may retain it for later use.

Blocking spells do not get an energy cost reduction for high skill.

Information Spells

Information spells are cast to gain knowledge. Some require you to touch the subject, while others function at a distance; see Long-Distance Modifiers (box) for range penalties. Spells intended to find things are at -1 per “known” item you choose to ignore in your search; it takes some concentration to bypass your canteen when casting Seek Water in the desert. Most Information spells have additional special modifiers, so read the spell description carefully.

When you cast an Information spell, the GM rolls for you in secret. If the spell succeeds, the GM gives you the desired information – the better the roll, the better the information. If the spell fails, the GM will say, “You sense nothing.” On a critical failure, the GM lies to you! Regardless of the outcome, you must always pay the full energy cost for the spell – you have no way to know if it succeeded or not.

Information spells generally allow only one attempt per day by each caster (or ceremonial group). “Seek” spells are an exception to this. Except where specifically noted, Information spells have no duration. They grant a momentary glimpse of insight and end immediately; therefore, you cannot maintain them.

Resisted Spells

A spell of any type can also be “Resisted.” A spell like this works automatically only on a critical success. On a regular success, your spell must defeat the subject’s resistance to work.

The subject always has a chance to resist, even if he is unconscious. A conscious subject who is aware that something is happening may choose not to resist. Individuals who are unconscious, unfamiliar with magic, or wary of hostile magic always try to resist.

To resolve a Resisted spell, you must first attempt your skill roll. If the spell has a single subject (that is, it isn’t an Area spell), you have a penalty equal to the subject’s Magic Resistance, if any – even if he is willing! On a failure, the spell fails and the subject notices nothing. On a success, note your margin of success; e.g., if you rolled a 6 against an effective skill of 13, you succeeded by 7. If the subject is living or sapient, the Rule of 16 applies (see The Rule of 16, p. B349). There is no such limit if the subject is another spell.

The subject then attempts a resistance roll. A character resists using the attribute or other trait indicated in the spell description – usually HT or Will. The subject’s Magic Resistance, if any, adds to his resistance.

Compare the subject’s resistance roll to your skill roll in a Quick Contest. If you win, your spell affects the subject. If you lose or tie, the spell has no effect – but you must still pay the full energy cost! A conscious subject feels a slight mental or physical wrench (depending on which attribute he Resisted with), but no other effect. You know whether or not the subject Resisted your spell.

Resisted Area Spells: When casting an Area spell that is Resisted, make the usual success roll for the spell and record your margin of success if you succeed. Everyone in the area gets a resistance roll, and those with Magic Resistance get double the usual benefit. Your spell affects those who make their roll by less than you did.

Enchantment Spells

Enchantment spells are used to make or unmake magical items.

Special Spells

These spells follow special rules given in the spell description.

Ceremonial Magic

If you know a spell at skill 15 or higher and have a group of willing assistants, you may opt to cast the spell by leading your assistants in an elaborate ritual that maximizes the spell’s power. Such “ceremonial magic” is time-consuming, but lets you cast more powerful spells than you could cast on your own.

When you work ceremonial magic, multiply casting time by 10. Energy cost does not change, but your assistants can supplement your energy input as follows:

• Each mage who knows the spell at level 15+: as much energy as he wishes to contribute.
• Each nonmage who knows the spell at level 15+: up to 3 points.
• Each mage who knows the spell at level 14 or lower: up to 3 points.
• Each unskilled spectator who supports the casting (by chanting, holding candles, etc.): 1 point, to a maximum of 100 points from all spectators.
• Each spectator who opposes the casting: -5 points, to a maximum penalty of -100 points from all spectators!

The sum of the energy from all sources represents the total energy available. If this exceeds the cost to cast the spell, you receive a skill bonus: +1 for 20% extra energy, +2 for 40%, +3 for 60%, +4 for 100%, and another +1 per additional 100% of the required energy.

At the end of the ritual, make a skill roll to cast the spell. Apply all standard modifiers for magic use and any bonus for extra energy. Regardless of the outcome of the die roll, all contributed energy is spent when you roll the dice.

Notes on Ceremonial Magic:

• You must have assistants to perform ceremonial magic.
• High skill does not reduce casting time, energy cost, or the ritual actions required.
• A group aids concentration. If you are distracted during the ritual, roll at Will as opposed to Will-3 to avoid distraction.
• Ceremonial magic is hard to coordinate. A roll of 16 is always a failure, and a roll of 17-18 is always a critical failure – even if effective skill is 16+.
• Once the spell is cast, the participants can continue to provide energy to maintain the spell. The composition of the group may change, as long as the ritual continues uninterrupted. Thus, ceremonial magic lets you maintain a spell indefinitely.
• Ceremonial magic may not be assisted with Wishes, Luck, or Bless spells. In general, magic cannot affect or predict the outcome of a ceremonial ritual.
• A spectator must support the ceremony of his own free will. A mind-controlled subject cannot focus sufficient will to contribute energy.

Magic Staves

A “magic staff” is any wand or staff imbued with the power to extend your reach for the purpose of casting spells. When a spell requires a touch, you can touch them with the staff. Pointing it reduces range to a distant subject. They can also carry melee spells. To do these things, check out GURPS Magic page 13, and the Enchantment spell called Staff.

Long Distance Modifiers

Use these modifiers for Information spells that work over long distances, such as “Seek” spells.

• 200 yards => 0
• 1/2 mile => -1
• 1 mile => -2
• 3 miles => -3
• 10 miles => -4
• 30 miles => -5
• 100 miles => -6
• 300 miles => -7
• 1000 miles => -8

Dissipating Held Melee and Missile Spells

You will sometimes need to dispel a held Melee or Missile spell quickly, without taking a full turn to make an attack – for instance, so you can concentrate on another spell. You can do this as a free action at any point during your turn; simply state that you are dissipating the spell and it “evaporates” harmlessly. You can also get rid of a Missile spell (not a Melee spell) by “dropping” it at your feet. This, too, is a free action. This does not damage you, unless the missile is explosive, but it damages whatever you are standing on. Missiles that inflict burning damage are liable to set fires!