Post by Shonn Bayerleyn on Jun 6, 2012 14:37:56 GMT -5
Spellcasting uses two statistics in most situations. The related Magic / Faith statistic and Focus.
The first affects the efficiency and power of your very spell. The second affects the ability to retaining the first high enough for keeping up the spellcasting.
Both of these rolls are affected by Negative Modifier / Malus if present due to injuries or fatigue or the mix of them.
Each school of Magic / Faith has a list of spells about what they can do. There is a baseline spell for all the Schools which is always something a character can cast as long as they do retain at least 1 point in Magic / Faith. If that statistic drops to 0 they cannot cast anymore and they're exhausted. Nothing prevents them to use their Knowledge for support, or to swing a staff or dagger with their melee (often 0 though).
The system resolves around a Dividend to be applied to your Spell Test (A test where you roll on 50 and add your Magic / Faith * 10; and then use the dividend for a division to see the final outcome.). Fractions are rounded down. Then a Focus Test to see if you preserve your Magic/Faith statistic as it is or you do lose 1 point in it.
Do remember a Focus Test is always a failure on a natural roll of 1-5 (10% chance), because each use of magic can be a toll, for how measly and insignificant it could it. Magic is not a certain science.
EXAMPLE OF HOW THE DIVIDED WORKS.
Let us assume there is this spell, single target damaging spell. It has a dividend of 40, and a focus test of 25.
The player rolls, and roll 20.
Now let us assume the character in question has in three different instances 6, 3 and 1 of that Magic School. In the different instances the totals would be 80, 50 and 30.
The roll result is divided by the Dividend. Thus in the different instances the result would be 2, 1.x and 0.x.
Fractions are irrilevant, round always them down. Thus, it is 2, 1 and 0.
In this case, the first instance implies 2 damage dealt, the second 1 damage dealt. The last represent no damage done (be it the spell missed, or impacted on some armour or anything else but the final outcome is 0 damage.)
End of Example.
Spellcasters in many occasions can tune their Dividend to an extent, making their spell more efficient at the cost of raising the Focus requirement for the test.
Each spell or major type of spell have a "Tuning" shift which can be applied.
The spellcast can apply a Tuning Shift as many times as it is its default, full Magic / Faith stat. (The one written on the character sheet.)
EXAMPLE OF TUNING
Let us pick the example of above. The Turning is -5 Dividend and +10 Focus. The spellcaster in question opts to apply 2 shifts. The Dividend drops to 30, but the Focus Test ascends to 45.
In the same instances of before, 80, 50 and 30, it means that only the third instance change of result.
But on the other hand with a natural roll of 30 instead of 20, we'd have 90, 60 and 40. Implying that the damage for each instance would have been 3, 2 and 1.
End of Example.
Some spells can envision extra possibilities and abilities which are an option - at the cost of added Focus test.
Meanwhile not all of the options can be listed, if one is absent it is up to the discretion of the DM to see if that is viable, and how much harder the Focus test would be.
EXAMPLE OF EXTRA
This spellcaster is casting a Fire single target damage spell on a door, or a monster. By default the spell will only and exclusive do damage.
Consider it a sort of bolt that impacts and burns the spot but that's it.
The spellcaster though wants to actually ignite the target - as per giving a lasting power to the flames. That makes the spell harder, and can result in an increase of the Focus test or even the Spell test too, as tradeoff for more persistant or lasting flames.
End of Example.
The result of the Spell Test (Roll + Spell Skill + Other modifiers / Dividend) can be the final result for Damage, or even for Duration of some spells (To bless your weapon could then last X combat rounds where X is the result.)
This new system should abolish the "roll for damage" upon a successful spellcast - present in the previous system - and embed directly in the first roll the whole success or failure, and degree of effect.
The tuning shifts allow the spellcaster to opt how much they do want their spell to be possibly powerful, at the expence and tradeoff to the increase of risk of losing their magic points.
Massive Focus Fail:
In order to avoid excess of shifts on a regular basis, characters risk to lose up to 2 points in their Spellcasting statistic if their Focus test is failed by a lot (large difference between roll AND required amount.)
The "a lot" is a difference above your Focus * 20.
Example: You have 2 Focus. You do require 70 to pass the Focus Test. You roll 10. You add regularly your Focus, and get to 30. It is a fail. Though, 70-30 = 40, which peels the double of your Focus. It is not a Massive Focus Fail. On the other hand, if you rolled 9 the final difference would be 41 thus the spellcaster would lose 2 points in the spellcasting stat.
Empowered Spellcast:
This substitutes the previous "Almost Ensured Spellcast", but cannot be combined with the use of Resolve for.
It will use the lowermost applicable Dividend by applying as many shifts as you can (enforced), and your spell test roll will be automatically a 50.
You will roll still for the Focus test, and ontop of this you will lose 1 of your Spellcasting school.
OLD INFOS - STILL UNDER REWORK BELOW
Name: Spell of Whatnot
Miminum Skill: 4 (Means you have to have 4 points in the current skill to cast it. Thus over time your access to spell shrinks as you can fail Focus Tests.)
Spell test: 60 (This is the difficulty required for the spell to have effect.)
Focus Test: 60 (This is the difficulty of the Focus test after you have cast the spell. Failing the Focus Test diminishes of 1 your casting Skill for the duration of the mission.) If you failed your Spell Test, thus the Spell has not fired, you have a +20 on the Focus Test for that spell.
Effect: Description of technical effect.
Time: This is not always shown, if not it means it takes one round to be cast. If there is a number, means you need to take that number of rounds to cast it. If it is Instant, usually allows to do a regular action beyond the performing the cast.
A character that is engaged in melee combat cannot spellcast anything except a spell with Instant casting time.
(Almost) Ensured Spellcast:
A caster can choose to be almost automatically succesfull in one spellcast, at the cost to automatically fail the Focus test, and thus losing 1 point in their magic / faith skill.
The Caster rolls the Spell Test still, but is to fail only with a natural 1-5 roll.
This won't speed up the spellcasting process or deny other requirements such as being out of combat.
Spellcasting Procedure:
Declare which spell you intend to Cast.
Roll for the Spell Test to see if you cast successfully.
If that test is passed, the Spell is to have effect.
Roll for the Focus Test to see if you lose the point of Spell Skill.
During storytelling, roll twice in a row, first roll is always Spell Test, second roll is Focus Test.
Apply then the effect, and after it subtract the eventual point loss.
The Focus test is rolled even if you do not cast successfully your spell.
Question to Self:
But many spells have a very high difficulty range, why?
A caster is meant to go often with lower tier spells than his maximum, to cast your most powerful allowed spells is hard, and also difficult to accomplish.
To play a Caster also means you have to balance your resources as they're limited. You risk to lose your top points failing cheap Focus Tests, and not have your spells at avail when most needed; also you could sit and wait to keep your most strong abilities when truly needed.
The Next Question
Can a shield block magic missiles of sort?
No, it cannot. Or well it would maybe ICly, but in mechanic terms the character still suffer HPs.
Are spell lists complete?
Far from. I am giving few spells to each school first and up to level 5 - using actually ONLY the school which are used by characters. I do not want that someone feels a school is stronger than another and go for it for this reason.
I hope over time to be able to expand them, though that costs me time and effort which is to be fumbled with irl, my own RP, handling guild, events and whatnot.
Additional notes:
Spellcasting is a difficult art, and magic is never fully reliable, exactly as a fighter does not know if he will hit.
So what if I fail my "Spell Test"? I get no spell at all? Presently, for simplicity sake, yes. I do not exclude in the future to add inconveniences of sort ... not the first time you heard of a Pyromancer to set ablaze its own robe no?
Keep in mind you can find enemies which are resilient, if not immune to your school of magic. A Fire Elemental will be immune to Fire Magic, but also someone with a magical ring that grants the same capability.
The first affects the efficiency and power of your very spell. The second affects the ability to retaining the first high enough for keeping up the spellcasting.
Both of these rolls are affected by Negative Modifier / Malus if present due to injuries or fatigue or the mix of them.
Each school of Magic / Faith has a list of spells about what they can do. There is a baseline spell for all the Schools which is always something a character can cast as long as they do retain at least 1 point in Magic / Faith. If that statistic drops to 0 they cannot cast anymore and they're exhausted. Nothing prevents them to use their Knowledge for support, or to swing a staff or dagger with their melee (often 0 though).
The system resolves around a Dividend to be applied to your Spell Test (A test where you roll on 50 and add your Magic / Faith * 10; and then use the dividend for a division to see the final outcome.). Fractions are rounded down. Then a Focus Test to see if you preserve your Magic/Faith statistic as it is or you do lose 1 point in it.
Do remember a Focus Test is always a failure on a natural roll of 1-5 (10% chance), because each use of magic can be a toll, for how measly and insignificant it could it. Magic is not a certain science.
EXAMPLE OF HOW THE DIVIDED WORKS.
Let us assume there is this spell, single target damaging spell. It has a dividend of 40, and a focus test of 25.
The player rolls, and roll 20.
Now let us assume the character in question has in three different instances 6, 3 and 1 of that Magic School. In the different instances the totals would be 80, 50 and 30.
The roll result is divided by the Dividend. Thus in the different instances the result would be 2, 1.x and 0.x.
Fractions are irrilevant, round always them down. Thus, it is 2, 1 and 0.
In this case, the first instance implies 2 damage dealt, the second 1 damage dealt. The last represent no damage done (be it the spell missed, or impacted on some armour or anything else but the final outcome is 0 damage.)
End of Example.
Spellcasters in many occasions can tune their Dividend to an extent, making their spell more efficient at the cost of raising the Focus requirement for the test.
Each spell or major type of spell have a "Tuning" shift which can be applied.
The spellcast can apply a Tuning Shift as many times as it is its default, full Magic / Faith stat. (The one written on the character sheet.)
EXAMPLE OF TUNING
Let us pick the example of above. The Turning is -5 Dividend and +10 Focus. The spellcaster in question opts to apply 2 shifts. The Dividend drops to 30, but the Focus Test ascends to 45.
In the same instances of before, 80, 50 and 30, it means that only the third instance change of result.
But on the other hand with a natural roll of 30 instead of 20, we'd have 90, 60 and 40. Implying that the damage for each instance would have been 3, 2 and 1.
End of Example.
Some spells can envision extra possibilities and abilities which are an option - at the cost of added Focus test.
Meanwhile not all of the options can be listed, if one is absent it is up to the discretion of the DM to see if that is viable, and how much harder the Focus test would be.
EXAMPLE OF EXTRA
This spellcaster is casting a Fire single target damage spell on a door, or a monster. By default the spell will only and exclusive do damage.
Consider it a sort of bolt that impacts and burns the spot but that's it.
The spellcaster though wants to actually ignite the target - as per giving a lasting power to the flames. That makes the spell harder, and can result in an increase of the Focus test or even the Spell test too, as tradeoff for more persistant or lasting flames.
End of Example.
The result of the Spell Test (Roll + Spell Skill + Other modifiers / Dividend) can be the final result for Damage, or even for Duration of some spells (To bless your weapon could then last X combat rounds where X is the result.)
This new system should abolish the "roll for damage" upon a successful spellcast - present in the previous system - and embed directly in the first roll the whole success or failure, and degree of effect.
The tuning shifts allow the spellcaster to opt how much they do want their spell to be possibly powerful, at the expence and tradeoff to the increase of risk of losing their magic points.
Massive Focus Fail:
In order to avoid excess of shifts on a regular basis, characters risk to lose up to 2 points in their Spellcasting statistic if their Focus test is failed by a lot (large difference between roll AND required amount.)
The "a lot" is a difference above your Focus * 20.
Example: You have 2 Focus. You do require 70 to pass the Focus Test. You roll 10. You add regularly your Focus, and get to 30. It is a fail. Though, 70-30 = 40, which peels the double of your Focus. It is not a Massive Focus Fail. On the other hand, if you rolled 9 the final difference would be 41 thus the spellcaster would lose 2 points in the spellcasting stat.
Empowered Spellcast:
This substitutes the previous "Almost Ensured Spellcast", but cannot be combined with the use of Resolve for.
It will use the lowermost applicable Dividend by applying as many shifts as you can (enforced), and your spell test roll will be automatically a 50.
You will roll still for the Focus test, and ontop of this you will lose 1 of your Spellcasting school.
OLD INFOS - STILL UNDER REWORK BELOW
Name: Spell of Whatnot
Miminum Skill: 4 (Means you have to have 4 points in the current skill to cast it. Thus over time your access to spell shrinks as you can fail Focus Tests.)
Spell test: 60 (This is the difficulty required for the spell to have effect.)
Focus Test: 60 (This is the difficulty of the Focus test after you have cast the spell. Failing the Focus Test diminishes of 1 your casting Skill for the duration of the mission.) If you failed your Spell Test, thus the Spell has not fired, you have a +20 on the Focus Test for that spell.
Effect: Description of technical effect.
Time: This is not always shown, if not it means it takes one round to be cast. If there is a number, means you need to take that number of rounds to cast it. If it is Instant, usually allows to do a regular action beyond the performing the cast.
A character that is engaged in melee combat cannot spellcast anything except a spell with Instant casting time.
(Almost) Ensured Spellcast:
A caster can choose to be almost automatically succesfull in one spellcast, at the cost to automatically fail the Focus test, and thus losing 1 point in their magic / faith skill.
The Caster rolls the Spell Test still, but is to fail only with a natural 1-5 roll.
This won't speed up the spellcasting process or deny other requirements such as being out of combat.
Spellcasting Procedure:
Declare which spell you intend to Cast.
Roll for the Spell Test to see if you cast successfully.
If that test is passed, the Spell is to have effect.
Roll for the Focus Test to see if you lose the point of Spell Skill.
During storytelling, roll twice in a row, first roll is always Spell Test, second roll is Focus Test.
Apply then the effect, and after it subtract the eventual point loss.
The Focus test is rolled even if you do not cast successfully your spell.
Question to Self:
But many spells have a very high difficulty range, why?
A caster is meant to go often with lower tier spells than his maximum, to cast your most powerful allowed spells is hard, and also difficult to accomplish.
To play a Caster also means you have to balance your resources as they're limited. You risk to lose your top points failing cheap Focus Tests, and not have your spells at avail when most needed; also you could sit and wait to keep your most strong abilities when truly needed.
The Next Question
Can a shield block magic missiles of sort?
No, it cannot. Or well it would maybe ICly, but in mechanic terms the character still suffer HPs.
Are spell lists complete?
Far from. I am giving few spells to each school first and up to level 5 - using actually ONLY the school which are used by characters. I do not want that someone feels a school is stronger than another and go for it for this reason.
I hope over time to be able to expand them, though that costs me time and effort which is to be fumbled with irl, my own RP, handling guild, events and whatnot.
Additional notes:
Spellcasting is a difficult art, and magic is never fully reliable, exactly as a fighter does not know if he will hit.
So what if I fail my "Spell Test"? I get no spell at all? Presently, for simplicity sake, yes. I do not exclude in the future to add inconveniences of sort ... not the first time you heard of a Pyromancer to set ablaze its own robe no?
Keep in mind you can find enemies which are resilient, if not immune to your school of magic. A Fire Elemental will be immune to Fire Magic, but also someone with a magical ring that grants the same capability.