MRPG Magic

EDIT: The magic system is currently being overhauled... again.

Let's start with the basic: spell points are gone. Out the door, disappearing. Instead, we are using a system of cool-downs and max-cool downs.

Spell Casting

Spells now all fall into 5 categories: Physical, Mystical, Effect, Aura, and Elemental. Spells can be in multiple categories, and these determine what proficiencies are required to cast them, as well as what impact they have on the world around them. When casting a spell that has multiple types, use the highest proficiency you have for one of those types.

In simplest terms:

• Physical spells have a direct, tangible impact on the material world.
• Mystical spells have some sort of super-natural component
• Effect are exactly what the name implies, instead of dealing damage they cause effects.
• Aura spells are in something of a class of their own; belonging to the Auramancer, these spells can have physical, mystical, or effect components, but still only be considered an aura spell.
• Elemental spells are also a separate class; the soul domain of the Exo-Mage, all elemental spells are also physical, and cannot have mystical effects.
  • Eath
  • Fire
  • Wind
  • Water

Combat

For the purposes of combat, spells are treated only as either physical, mystical, or effect. All elemental spells are automatically also physical. While an Aura might only have Aura as the main type, it will have one of the other three listed in the rules when making combat checks. See: combat for more information.

Not Combat

Outside of combat, spells are just sort of cast. If you are casting an offensive spell, that starts a combat round. If not(like throwing a healing spell on an NPC or something simple) you just sort of do. Assume cooldowns are a few seconds(unless otherwise specified). Just, ya know, be cool. Check the cooldowns page for more information.

Minimum Requirements

Each spell has one or more Proficiency requirements listed according to it's component types. In order to cast the spell, a mage must both possess each proficiency, and have the minimum level specified on the spell. A minimum of 1 point is required in each proficiency in order for it to count.

Spell Lists

Spell Name	Tpyes go here, separated by commas	ML	CD
Description Goes here.

The available school of magic are:

• Earth
• Fire
• Wind
• Water
• Light
• Dark
• Mind
• Life
• Death
• Change
• Holy

These magics are subdivided in two ways: path and charge.

There are essentially three different types of spells: learned, gained, and granted.

• Learned: Learned spells are spells that have to be obtained through the use of scrolls and tomes, using the Transcription and Lore proficiencies.
• Gained: Gained spells are those that the character automatically gains access to as they level. New gained spells become available every 3 levels for Additive and 5 levels for Subtractive, so at levels 3, 5, 6, 9, 10, 12, 15, 18, 20, 21, and 23.
  • Additive Gain: 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 23
  • Subtractive Gain: 5, 10, 15, 20

Each gain is called a Progression. Additive First Progression, Additive Section Progression, etc.

The spell list will only include Learned and Gained spells, while all Granted spells will be found on individual tree-pages.

See: MRPG Spell list, MRPG Spell Trees

Obtaining Spells

However, just because a spell is able to be cast, does not mean the player knows it. For Learned spells, the character will have to track down and obtain special Tomes in order to gain new magics. The character is able to memorize a certain number of spells based on their level (to a maximum of 9 memorized spells). If they have a spellbook, they can then write down additional spells and cast from the book, allowing the player to learn all spells covered by their proficiencies.

Spell Tomes

A tome is a book containing a spell that the player can learn. if the player wishes to memorize the spell from a tome and they have a high-enough lore, they can essentially zap it straight into memory (note that players may only memorize a limited number of spells).

The memorization-check from a tome is: Lore Proficiency + Buffed Intelligence. Players with the Comprehension Skill can also add their Comprehension Modifier to their Intelligence Modifier for calculating their Lore Skill as well as adding their total comprehension X Buffed Intelligence Modifier to the final tally.

Every tome will have a minimum memorization-check listed on it. If the player fails the check, the tome remains in their inventory and can continue to be used to cast spells.

Spell Scrolls

Scrolls, which are primarily a use-item cannot be memorized from the scroll, but can be coppied into a spellbook using the Transcription proficiency. This act consumes the scroll and destroys it. Once a spell is placed in the spellbook, it can then be memorized.

The transcription-check for scrolls is Transcription + Intelligence / 10. Roll the check against a difficulty rating listed on the scroll. If you beat it, you can transcribe the scroll into your spellbook. You still must meet the requirements for casting the spell.

Spellbooks and Memorization

Each mage (or any class that has traded for a magic-proficiency) will require one or more spellbooks to carry all its spells. Spells can be hot-keyed, but only cast from the currently-equipped spellbook.

Different types of spellbooks can hold different numbers of spells. The Grandmaster Spellbook, for example, can hold up to 40 different spells. However, spellbooks do not like to have to many different types of spells in them; Positive and Negative spells, for example, cannot be stored in the same book. Other spellbooks might accept only spells from a specific magic sub-type.

Spells are placed in the spellbook using the Transcription Proficiency, and can be copied to the book from Tomes or from memory. Once a spell is memorized, it can be erased from the spellbook; if the spell is then "forgotten" from memory, the player loses it, permenantly, unless it finds another copy.

Memorization

The character gains the ability to memorize spells at level 2. Every 2 levels up to 14, they gain an additional memorization-slot (for a total of 7). Two additional memorization-slots can be earned through facets, for a total of 9 memorized spells.

In order to change-out known spells, the player must "forget" a memorized spell in a process that will either take several minutes or require them to visit a specific place or NPC in-game. Forgetting a spell should also take at least three steps of verification since it is possible to permanently delete a spell this way. Once the spell is forgotten, the character can then memorize a new spell out of their spell-book in a second process that will either take some time or involve visiting a special place.

Spellbook Tomes

Some spellbooks will contain spells already inscribed.

Spellbooks in Combat

All spellbooks are initially treated as two-handed blunt weapons, and use the mages Bludgeon Proficiency when making an attack. They deal Mortal Damage. using facets; spellbooks can also be made into 1-handed weapons and eventually dual-wielded. If a spellbook is wielded in the off-hand, a more practical weapon can be wielded in the main-hand.

Spellbook Bindings

Typically once a spellbook has been used it becomes Bound to Character, but players with particularly high Transcription Skills can copy spells from tomes into a spellbook without binding.

Path

Every type of magic is considered part of either the Lesser Path or the Greater Path. The exact nature of the division has never been fully understood, though it is widely regarded that 'Greater Path' magics are more grandiose, more complicated, etc., while the Lesser Path is not.

Unlike charge, the concept of Paths is artificial, the significance given to each type of magic exists according to its consideration during the early days of the Mage Wars, most likely the First Chaotic Period. Not the 3 and 8 division found very commonly throughout magical hierarchies.

Lesser Path

The Lesser Path magics are:

• Fire
• Death
• Change

Greater Path

The rest, or so-called Greater Path:

• Earth
• Light
• Dark
• Mind
• Life
• Water
• Wind
• Devotion

Charge

Charge has more to do with the actual mechanics of magic, hence it does not follow traditional divisional lines. The four cardinal magics (earth, fire, wind, and water) have no charge and are considered neutral. The other 8 are considered either positive or negative. The use of the term 'charge' to describe this was invented sometime during the Dynastic Period; earlier books of lore refer to Positive as 'Additive', and Negative as 'Subtractive'.

Positive

• Life
• Mind
• Light
• Devotion

Negative

• Dark
• Death
• Change
• Mind

Spell Resistance

Spell resistance(not to be confused with combat resistance) factors in damage reduction from any magical source (not just enemy casters). And, with the proper gear and facets, a player could become entirely immune to magical damage.

Resistance is a form of damage-reduction and works by percentage, having a combined 100% would reduce the damage to zero.

Stacking Spell resistance stacks. For example: if a player had 15% Ruby Counter-Magic and 10% Lesser Path resistance, they would receive a 25% damage reduction from all fire-based spells.

Cardinal Resistance

As established by the card game, there exist specific counter-magics for three of the four elemental types: Ruby, Diamond, and Sapphire against Fire, Wind, and Water spells respectively. Genesis Counter-Magic will also stop any combination of the three.

There is no counter-magic for Earth, making it the only irresistible spell.

Charge Resistance

You may also take resistances by positive or negative charges, covering the whole range of endo-magics. Unlike path or cardinal, there are no excluded forms, so a player can become entirely immune to endo-magic.

Path Resistance

You can also gain spell-resistance by path, taking either Lesser or Greater (or both) resistances. Greater-path resistance still excludes Earth-based spells.

Since path-based resistance covers all magic-types in just two categories, this is the preferred approach. Items with path-based resistance will be extremely rare.

Genesis Resistance

Genesis is a blanket term for all types of magic, so an item offering Genesis Resistance provides resistance to all magic-types.

See Also

• Mage Wars RPG
• MRPG Combat and Magic
• MRPG Spell list
• MRPG Damage Types