Arcane Magic is the magical power wielded by Wizards (who learn their spells from tomes, teachers, and other external sources) and and Sorcerers (who, by way of a mystic heritage, have innate spell-like powers that, rules-wise, are functionally identical to other Arcane spells). It is differentiated from Divine Magic, the magic of Priests, Druids, Paladins, and other servants of the gods in that the basic energy powering Arcane spells comes from the environment or from the spellcaster himself, while the power behind Divine Magic is bestowed by the gods themselves.
Spell Colleges and Philosophies
All Arcane spells used in this campaign are classified by the philosophy behind the magic. These philosophies are also sometimes called “schools” of magic. The philosophies themselves are grouped into colleges.
Wizards characters must take a Power Skill in every magical philosophy from which they wish to be able to cast spells.
College of Change:
College of Forces:
College of Information:
College of Matter:
Occasionally, a spell will be equal parts of several philosophies.
Arcane Spell Pools: All Wizards possess an Arcane Spell Pool from which they cast their spells. The basic Spell Pool, included in the Wizard Package, is built as follows: Arcane Spell Pool: Variable Power Pool (40 Points)(60 Active Points) - Arcane Magic Only (-1/2), Can Only Change Spells With Access To The Wizard's Spell Book And Sufficient Time (-1/2), Only Spells From The Wizard's Known Spell List (-1/4), All Slots Take Requires A Power Skill: Magical Philosophy Roll. Total Cost: 49 Points.
The above-listed pool is considered a base. With GM approval, Wizards can increase the size of their spell pools during character construction. Otherwise, they can increase it during the course of play through the use of Experience Point expenditures as normal.
Once a spell is “prepared” through the Arcane Spell Pool, the Wizard can cast it as many times as he likes (and has Endurance enough to pay for), until he replaces the spell by “preparing” something else.
Spell Construction: All Wizard spells must follow these basic rules:
Sorcerer Powers: Sorcerers buy their spells individually as powers. Such spells cannot be purchased in a Framework (though sometimes a single spell might be constructed as a Framework, if such construction is appropriate and meets the GM's approval), but they do divide the real cost of the spell by 3. Such abilities cannot take the Requires a Power Skill: Magic Philosophy limitation, but like Wizard spells are required to always have an END Cost (that is, they cannot have any form of the Reduced Endurance advantage (including the Costs END Only To Activate advantage). All such powers are subject to GM approval.
If a spell is built as a Multipower, only the reserve cost is divided by 3; the costs of the individual slots are then added to the result to determine the cost of the spell. If the spell is built as an Elemental Control, the total cost of the spell is divided by 3.
Special Effects Rules: Magic spells (whether Arcane or Divine) generally have very broad Special Effects (SFX). In addition to any specific SFX that a particular spell might have (such as electricity for a Bolt of Lightning spell or fire for a Fireball spell), all spells also automatically have the additional SFX of “Magic”, plus either “Arcane” or “Divine”.
All Arcane spells gain the applicable Spell College and Philosophy as additional SFX. This mandatory SFX cannot be altered by any means, including Variable Special Effects. For example: an Arcane spell taken from the Necromancy philosophy always has Magic, Arcane, Matter, and Necromancy SFX, regardless of any other SFX that might be applicable.
Black Magic: Spells that carry the SFX tag “Black Magic” carry a hazard to their caster. Such magic is a corruptive influence on the wizard, and the more he uses black magic spells, the darker his nature becomes until finally he is corrupted and evil. In addition, merely learning black magic spells causes this corruptive effect.
Every time a black magic spell is learned, the caster suffers a Major Transform 2 Points (Adds Psychological Limitation: Utterly Evil and Social Limitation: Corrupted Soul to the Caster For No Disadvantage Points) - Works vs. Ego, Not Body, Cumulative with no possible defense. Once learned, casting a black magic spell causes the wizard to suffer a Major Major Transform 1 Point (Adds Psychological Limitation: Utterly Evil and Social Limitation: Corrupted Soul to the Caster For No Disadvantage Points To The Caster) - Works vs. Ego, Not Body, Cumulative, also with no defense.
When the transformation is complete, the caster has been corrupted by the dark nature of his magic and is now a being of darkest evil. This transformation can only be healed by the application of certain Divine magic spells, usually accompanied by a long and complicated ritual, all of which the corrupted Wizard will be no doubt violently opposed to undergoing anyway.
Skill Levels: Characters can buy Spellcasting Skill Levels, as follows:
“Mundane” skill levels cannot be applied to spellcasting.
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