Magic

Magic Points and Spells Known

Each spell costs its level in magic points. Metamagic is calculated normally; if a metamagic feat requires the spell to be memorized two level higher, for instance, the spell costs two additional magic points. I might make an exception in the future for Maximize Spell, since there's potential for abuse, but at the moment, we'll leave it as is.

Cantrips and orisons (0-level arcane and divine spells) cost half a magic point each. I know we usually avoid using fractions in this sort of thing, but I'm sure it won't be too hard to keep track of.

Clerics

A cleric's magic points and known spells are very easy to figure out. Simply calculate how many spells of each level the cleric should be able to memorize, including bonus spells for Wisdom; then add the total spell levels together, ignoring 0-level spells. A cleric who can memorize two first-level and one second-level spell would have 4 magic points. The cleric may use these magic points at will, to cast any spell in his spell list, up to the maximum level shown on his chart. Divine magic points are also used to summon angels, to boost the power of guardian angels, or possibly for other granted powers.

Mages

Mages have a different deal. Since arcane magic comes from within, rather than from the intervention of a divine Power, arcane magic points are determined by the mage's attributes as well as his level. The primary attribute is always Intelligence; depending on the mage's style, the second attribute is usually Wisdom or Constitution, and sometimes Luck or Dexterity.

Each level, the mage gains magic points: new level + Intelligence modifier + Secondary attribute modifier. A Spellbreaker with a 16 Intelligence and a 14 Wisdom, for example, when rising from level 4 to level 5, would gain 5 points for the level, 3 for Intelligence, and 2 for Wisdom, for a total gain of 10 magic points.

Even though arcane magic looks simple—a quick gesture and a single word can call forth elemental doom—the physical aspect is simply the tiny tip of a treacherous mental iceberg. To cast a spell, a mage must focus with absolute mental intensity on mind-boggling logical and metaphysical processes; the spellcasting process has been described as "reciting a text on theoretical mathematics backwards, in K'siri, while visualizing the positions of every ant in three separate ant farms." Spells are so complicated that even the most masterful of arcane spellcasters can keep only a limited number of them fresh in his mind.

A mage may scribe an unlimited number of spells into spellbooks; and for game purposes, we'll be nice and say that a single easy-to-carry spellbook (or equivalent) can hold as many spells as the mage needs. However, a mage can only hold a certain number of spells "loaded into memory" for spontaneous casting. These memorized spells simply form the mage's spell list; he may cast any of them at will, as many times as he wants, until his magic points give out. At first level, he can memorize two first-level spells and four cantrips. Every level thereafter, he gains an additional spell slot in all open spell levels. Every two levels after first, another spell level opens up, starting with two slots. For example, a mage at third level would be able to memorize six cantrips, four first-level spells, and two second-level spells (6/4/2). At fourth level, it would be 7/5/3; at fifth, it would be 8/6/4/2. Dead simple.

Types of Mages

Guilds and Traditions

This information is duplicated on the Organizations page. Look there for a partial listing of mage guilds and traditions.

A guild of mages is an organization devoted to the instruction and control of a specific type of magic. Each guild trains mages, and reserves a say in how they use their power in the future. Some guilds allow their mages to act freely, hiring on with whom they choose and pursuing their own ideals, as long as the mages pay yearly dues (or a tithe of their earnings). Some guilds act as brokers for their mages, meaning that all hirings must proceed through guild channels. Some guilds charge an exorbitant fee to train a mage, but then place no future restrictions on how he uses his powers.

The guild system arose in the confusion after the destruction of the elves. Previously, arcane magic had been almost exclusively an elven science. Suddenly, other mortals were free to explore what was once secret. Immediately, dragons stepped in, recognizing unfettered magical study as a source of potential trouble. Almost all guilds are headed by dragons, and no one guild is allowed to gain undue influence. In fact, mage guilds often war among themselves, as dragon guildmasters attempt to gain control of more "subjects." The most recent and spectacular such war was the conflict between the Explodists and the House of the Eternal Flame in the mid-80s.

A tradition is the opposite of a guild. The traditions are very loose systems of magical training that were begun by mortal mages who refused to join guilds. Today, traditions are passed down from master to apprentice, and students of the same nominal style might have a very different set of spells and powers. In general, a tradition mage has a smaller spellbook and weaker spells than a guild mage, but makes up for this with a greater selection of metamagic feats.

Sorcerers

A Sorcerer is an evil mage who worships the Archdemon Yves. Sorcerers devote themselves so completely and irrevocably to evil that their soul is utterly stained, causing them to radiate malignant energy that is evident even to the least sensitive mortal. Sorcerers have three stages in their development: in the first, they rampage, killing many people in a short time, offering the souls to Yves in exchange for power. If the rampage is successful, the sacrifices and rewards form a feedback loop, and the sorcerer's power snowballs unti he has become far too strong for any normal force to defeat.

After the rampage, the sorcerer enters the fortification phase: he builds a fortress of some sort, stocks it with hideous monsters and deadly traps of his own creation, and waits there, engaged in constant meditation and prayer to Yves. During the fortification phase, the sorcerer slowly gains in knowledge and wisdom, and learns to exercise his power with greater subtlety and effect. His fortress could easily be designed to be impregnable; but instead, the sorcerer prefers to make it an inviting trap for aspiring adventurers, with challenges that lead the intruder from close battle to close battle, puzzle to puzzle, increasing the adventurer's power and karma as he progresses. When the adventurer finally reaches the sorcerer himself, the sorcerer defeats the intruder and sacrifices his newly-empowered soul to Yves.

The final stage of a sorcerer's power is seldom seen: most sorcerers are killed during their rampage, or at worst they are overwhelmed in their fortress, although this requires much more power. A sorcerer who is left to his own, however, will eventually emerge to challenge the world itself, sending forth hordes of monsters and brainwashed mortals to invade nearby countries. The goal, one assumes, is a global reign of evil and misery. Fortunately, these sorcerous domination attemps are very rare, and have always been defeated; they are the stuff of heroic legend. No such event has occurred during the Dragon's Reign, possibly because Yves knows such an attack would be doomed in the face of dragon power.

Sorcerers study powerful necromantic magic, but they are best known for their terrifying ability to summon angels against their will, and torture them into obedience. Often the implements of torture are integrated into the clothing or weapons that the angels are forced to use, making the angels themselves a horrifying sight. Needless to say, the destruction of sorcerers is the single most overriding priority of every being or Devotee of the Sacred World.

As a sorcerer increases in power, he gradually transfers his mind, soul, and powers to his staff. When a sorcerer is killed, his Sorcery Staff must be taken up by a person of absolute moral correctness and unflinching faith; this person must then live every day in resistance to unceasing whispers and temptations of evil, as the Staff attempts to take control of his mind. This is preferable to the alternative: if the Staff is left behind, it will take flight, even repairing itself if shattered or burned, to find a weak-willed mortal and possess his body as its own—and the sorcerer will use his newfound body to begin his rise to power once again.

In general, the Dragonhunt setting embraces moral ambiguity. The Churches of Kahan, Jodin, and even Ghoster all have non-Evil elements running through them, even though no convincing argument can be made that they are Good. Sorcerers, however, are always utterly Evil, and so is their patron Yves; make the capital "E" as large as you wish and you'll still be correct.

Wizards

Wizards are mages who specialize in the conjuration and domination of demons, faeries, or chaos beings. To avoid becoming the target of a crusade, most wizards summon only independent beings, instead of trespassing on the territory of a divine Power. Whereas sorcerers carry a great deal of baggage, wizards are generally considered to be just another type of mage, largely because they dominate through offers of payment and force of will rather than torture. Wizards may be of any alignment.

Types of Magic

Clerical magic continues to follow the rules laid forth in the Player's Handbook. Each religion has a few of its own custom spells, and draws on appropriate spheres, but for the most part, spell selection is what you'd expect.

Arcane Schools

All arcane magic in the Dragonhunt setting is limited to "schools," just as in traditional D&D3. In the Dragonhunt, however, these schools are more flexible during character creation and more focused in their scope. A school of magic is a collection of spells that are organized by a single theme: fire spells, time spells, transportation spells, and so forth. Each school of magic has two roles, or purposes: direct damage, personal defense, object summoning, and so forth. Each school of magic must draw 90% of its spells from those two roles; only one spell in ten, roughly, can be "miscellaneous." A single-classed mage may learn two schools of magic; he can multi-class into additional mage classes if he wants, gaining an extra two schools for each class. I know it sounds odd, but the differences between styles of magic really are so great that a multi-classed Spellbreaker/Psychic Investigator is entirely logical.

On the other hand, a mage might choose the signature schools of two separate guilds as his two schools of magic. A mage who knows the core Explodist school and the core Transducer school would be a single-classed Explodist/Transducer. Clear as mud?

My aim here, in game terms, is to give each mage more magic points and more flexible spellcasting, but to limit his versatility. This means that the mage can cast freely without worrying about blowing through his mana; but he can't duplicate (and thus obviate) the skills of other party members as easily as a normal D&D mage can.

Examples of Schools

I'll just provide three examples here—they should get the point across.

Explodism—This school is dedicated entirely to hard-hitting attack spells, primarily elemental ones. Classics like Magic Missile and Fireball are a given; the Explodists also use spells like Iceball and the concussive Exploding Thunder. The Explodists have what they call the "five-second rule." If they can't destroy their opponent within five seconds, they've failed. To maximize their single-round damage, they've developed spells like Lock, which "paints" a target for annihilation, and Arm, which allows them to "pre-cast" spells and release them all at once. The roles of Explodism are direct attack and supporting metamagic.

Space Magic—This school manipulates the physical laws of space in the caster's favor. It includes short-range teleportation, limited planar transit, a spell that transforms the caster's reflexive flinches into dodge-teleports, and control over gravity, distance, and ballistics. The roles of space magic are transportation and environment control; the teleport-dodge is a miscellaneous spell whose role is personal defense.

Soul Power—This school has its roots in necromancy, but uses the power of life and death only for healing and beneficial purposes. Spells include regeneration, revivification, protection from harmful necromancy, detection of life energy, and turning or destruction of undead. The roles of Soul Power are healing and the negation of death magic. Notice how "negation of death magic" includes two effects—turning undead and guarding against necromantic attacks—that could fall into two different roles. Roles are flexible, just as schools are. Oh, and the detection of life energy is a miscellaneous spell; there'd probably also be a detect undead in there.