RULES ADJUSTMENTS

 Here are the new rules for a general fantasy magic system. In Project Infinity, most of the magical worlds have been defined by other game systems, and simply adjusted to fit into the current rules, many fantasy based worlds are unique, and this is their system for casting spells. There are other elements of magic to most worlds as well, including the creation of magic items, potions and scrolls, but this is what magic users will be armed with when out in the field.

PROJECT INFINITY - MAGIC SYSTEM

This is a basic fantasy magic system for use in high fantasy worlds.

The system is strongly influenced by Chaosium’s Worlds of Wonder magic system from 1981.

Magic is the ability to control reality through focused thought. While we do that every day, for instance making fire. We think about how fire happens, gather the needed components, an appropriate fuel, and a source of ignition, then bring the two together, magic takes that concept a step farther and allows pure thought and concentration to be the catalyst of physical change.

Of course, magic requires a Universe with slightly different laws of physics.This system is designed for Universes with magic friendly laws of physics.

A sentient being who can create magical effects has to have a predilection towards magical ability - a high score - and then studies magic and the mental discipline required to successfully cast spells. Once a spell category is learned, many effects can be achieved as long as the magician has the skill and the power. At higher levels of mastery, spell categories can be combined to create impressive magical effects.

Magical ability is generated by averaging Intelligence, Wisdom and constitution  scores. 

(STR+WIS+CON)/3

A character with a magic score of 12+ can learn and cast spells.

A character’s magic score can be increased with 1 character points per 1 magic score point added. There is no upper limit.

When a spell is cast, the points are expended from the character’s magical ability score. Magic points regenerate at 1 per hour. Once a character’s magic ability score reaches zero, the character can no longer cast spells, and must wait for spell points to be regenerated.

Magic is a skill, under the Magic Ability Score.to cast a spell, roll a difficult difficulty(15). Each point of skill in the spell adds 1 to the roll, each spell point used in the spell subtracts 1 from the roll.

Spells are learned like any other skill. The only requirement is that the character must have access to a source to learn from, instructors or at least books. Access to the materials needed to learn spells may be controlled by wizards who charge large fees.

Spell areas are commonly measured in cubic feet. The most common area is 27 cubic feet: a cube 3 feet per side.

SPELLS

Adaptation

Astral Projection

Blast 

Change 

Conjure/Dismiss Elemental

Control 

Countermagic 

Dispel Magic 

Enhance/Diminish 

Fire/Frost 

Heal/Wound 

Illusion 

Invisibility 

Lift 

Light/Dark 

Lightning 

Perception

Pool 

Protection 

Resist 

Seal/Unseal 

Sharpen/Dull 

Speak to Mind 

Teleport 

Vision 

Wall 

Ward 

Adaptation

Range - Touch

Duration - 15 minutes

Cost - 1

Allows the caster or target to adapt to the current environment for the duration of the spell.The caster must concentrate on the spell, so complex actions such as spell casting or combat will break the spell.

Astral Projection

Range - Touch

Duration - 15 minutes

Cost - 1

Astral Projection allows the caster’s spirit to leave his body and move quickly through any obstacle, except a counter magic field. The astrally projected spirit can see and hear everything around it as if the caster was actually there. This spell can be used to scout a location for a teleport spell. The spirit may travel up to a mile away from the caster’s body. Movement is very fast at up to 1000 miles per hour. The astral body is impervious to all physical matter, and cannot interact with its surroundings. However, the astral body is affected by magical energies, having as many hit points as the caster. If the astral body is reduce below 0 hit points, then the caster dies. The spell works only on the caster, and his body is in a deep sleep for the duration of the spell. He cannot be awoken.Each additional point invested in creases the range of Astral Projection by 1 mile.

Blast 

Range – 360 feet

Duration – Instantaneous

Cost - 1 point per d6 damage

This is a bolt of concentrated magical energy that emits from the caster’s fingertip. Each point of power used during casting adds 1d6 damage. Blast can deal stun damage instead of permanent damage, but the player has to state the use of stun before the spell is cast. Stun cannot damage material, do it stun is used on a target wearing armor, the armor will not be damaged. Stun wears off at 5 minutes per point when unconscious, then 1 minute per point when the target is conscious.

Change

Range – 90 Feet

Duration – 15 minutes

Cost -  Each 25% larger or smaller 1 point

Change form same type (animal, Mineral, vegetable): 1 Point

Change Form different type(animal, Mineral, vegetable): 3points

Extend duration each 15 minutes 1 point

Change can transmute anything into another thing. Very handy for turning princes into frogs and ragged dresses into ball gowns. An object or creature can be made larger or smaller in 25% increments from the original size, or even turned into another form altogether.  The types of forms are animal, mineral and vegetable. So changing a human into a cat would be the same form, different size, but changing a human into a stone statue would be the same size, different form. Our cost to turn a human into a cat is 4 points ( 6 foot human 25% smaller is 4.5 feet, 25% smaller again is 3.125 feet, 15% smaller again is 2.5 feet and 25% smaller again is 1.8 feet, which is about cat size. So 4 changes) The cost to turn a human to stone is 3 points as the human would change from animal to mineral. When the spell wears off, the subject is unharmed - unless something really bad happened during the change like being squashed or broken. For 1 point, lead can be turned into gold, but it will only stay that way for 15 minutes.

Creatures turned into other creatures with magical abilities do not get the magical abilities. So a dog turned into a dragon could fly, but not breathe fire, and it would still have a doggie brain.

This spell is also perfect for disguises. For 1 point, a person can be made to look like another person.

Conjure/Dismiss Elemental Range – 36 Feet

Duration – 1 minute

Cost - 1 point per 1d6 HP of elemental

There are 4 basic types of elementals; Earth, Air, Fire and Water. Each type has its own spell which must be learned separately.

Elementals are semi intelligent spirits of their respective element. An elemental will obey its conjurer as long as the spell lasts. When the spell ends, it goes back to wherever it came from and it’s element goes back to it’s natural behavior. To cast this spell, the element that the elemental represents must be present. So, there must be water to conjure a water elemental, fire for a fire elemental and so on.

Elementals cannot be harmed by physical weapons - magical or elemental attacks are required.

Elementals move up to 120 feet per melee round.

Each magic point used in casting adds 1d6 to the elemental’s hit points, 1d6 to the elemental’s strength and 1d6 to the elemental’s combat bonus, including ranged and hand to hand.

Air Elementals - are just coherent air. They are impervious to physical weapons. An air elemental can  lift things into the air - small things - and can knock things over as a gust of wind, and create a whirlwind that does 1d6 damage per spell point used to conjure elemental.

Earth Elementals - Made of dust, dirt and rock, the Earth Elemental is a formidable presence. It can change its form between rock, dirt and dust as needed. In it’;s rock form, it can pound through most materials. It can demolish or build stone structure up to its own size each turn.  The Earth Elemental can move through any stone or earth as quickly as it can run, and can shape any mineral material quickly. Can envelope and smother for 1d6 damage per round.

Fire Elementals -  Fire elementals can be particularly dangerous, as they can cause anything flammable to comust within a 5 foot radius. The Fire Elemental tends to leave a trail of fire. It can also shoot balls of fire. Fire balls and touch do 1d6 damage per spell point invested in the elemental.

Water Elemental - These creations tend to stay in water. They can, of course, become mobile blots of water, capable of running and jumping. A water elemental can control any water based liquid within 5 feet, including wine, fog and blood, up to its own size. Can drown air breathers for 1d6 per round.

Conjure Elemental can also be used to dismiss elemental, draining away the points that were used to create the elemental. So putting 3 points into dismiss elemental against an elemental conjured with 4 points would leave a 1 point elemental with only 1d6 to all stats. If dismiss elemental is cast with equal or greater points than the target elemental was created with, then that elemental discorporates and it’s material components (earth, air, fire or water) become inert. Using dismiss elemental will work on any elemental regardless of which elementals the caster is proficient in conjuring.

Control

Range – 360 feet

Duration – 1 Minute

Cost - 1 point / minute

The caster chooses a target, and controls its speech and actions. The target gets a difficult difficulty (20) wisdom roll to avoid being controlled. Only one creature can be controlled at a time. Causing the target to fall asleep is the easiest way to use the spell. Once the target is asleep, they will remain asleep as they would naturally. Continuing to control the subject requires total concentration. The caster may control all movement, actions and speech for the duration of the spell. Any creature can be controlled this way, and it is even possible for the caster to speak through unintelligent animals.

Countermagic 

Range – 360 feet

Duration – 5 minutes

Cost - 1

When cast, countermagic creates a magical shield around the caster. The attacker must make a difficult difficulty check, using the attacker’s level of magic ability as a bonus. If the roll is unsuccessful, then the spell is bounced back on the caster. The caster can throw this spell onto anyone or anything in range, creating a 5 foot anti-magic bubble. For each additional point added, the bubble may be expanded by 5 feet. This spell stops magical attacks only. Physical attacks are not affected.

Dispel 

Range – 360 feet

Duration – Instantaneous

Cost - 1

Dispel negates another spell that is in effect. The caster makes an average difficulty roll, And a success nullifies the number of points used in the targeted spell by the number of points the caster has used on Dispel. This can be used on any magical effect. However, if the effect is created by an unknown spell, then the caster’s roll is at -2. Dispel can be cast on a magic item, taking away as many points of the item’s magical effect as the caster puts points in. Because it takes a lot of points to create a magic item, dispel rarely destroys an item, but will usually damage it permanently.

Enchant

Range - touch

Cost - 10/hour

 This spell is used to enchant an item. It requires a great deal of time and equipment. The item to be enchanted has to be specially made at 2d10x10 times the cost of a normal example of the item. The item must then be prepared, using expensive materials (3d6x100 cost) which are consumed in the process. Preparing an item for enchantment takes 1 hour times the cost of the item. Then it takes 1 hour per point of magic imbued into the item. So a 6d6 fireball launching wand would require 6 points of magic. The cost of enchanting is 5 per hour, so it would take 50 points of magic to enchant the wand. Items do not stay enchanted. Each item is created with 10d10 charges, and that is it’s maximum. There is always a way to tell how many charges are left on an item, anyone trained in magic will know where to look, and each item is slightly different. This charge limitation includes weapons. A sword can only hit so many times before it is no longer magic. A depleted magic item becomes an ordinary object, but it may be recharged using the enchant spell. Recharging takes 1 minute per charge, and requires total concentration. These costs and times are for items that use standard spells. Devices can be enchanted that do all sorts of things. Each thing an item can do raises all times and costs by 2d10 times.

Fire/Ice

Range – 360 feet

Duration – Instantaneous

Cost - 1

Fire/Ice causes 1d6 damage to everything within a sphere of 1 meter across.Extra points can either add 1d6 per point, or add 1 meter of diameter to the sphere.

Healing/Wounding

 Range – Touch

Duration – Instantaneous

Cost - 1

This spell heals damage, or deals damage, depending on how it’s used. Each spell point spent causes 1d6 of healing or wounding to the target. Healing cannot grow back lost limbs or organs, but it can reattach if the parts are all available. So, a severed arm can be reattached. Subjects can even be brought back from the dead if the total amount of damage below zero hit points is less than the total of the subject’s original hit points. Reattaching limbs or revivication must happen within 15 minutes of the injury.

Illusion

Range – 90 Feet

Duration – 15 minutes

Cost - 1

Illusions can be visual or audio, or both. The base point investment in the spell creates a visual illusion that fits within a cube 3 feet per side. This illusion looks real and is only visual. Each additional point can either increase the size by 1 cube, increase the range from the caster by 30 meters or increase the duration by 15 minutes, or add a sound. An illusion can also be a sound thrown by up to the distance of the spell. The illusion can only be maintained by line of sight. If the caster concentrates only on the illusion, it can be made to move.. 

Invisibility 

Range – Touch

Duration – 15 minutes

Cost  - 1

For each point of invisibility spell cast, an object of up to 27 cubic feet is rendered invisible. The person or object will still smell and make noise, but it will be undetectable to the eye. Each additional point designated towards duration will extend the spell’s effect by 15 minutes. Invisibility requires high levels of mental concentration. While it is possible to walk while the spell is in effect, it is impossible for the caster to run or fight.

Lift

Range – 360 feet

Duration – 15 minutes

Cost - 1

This spell allows the caster to cause objects to levitate or fly. Each point allows control of material that would fit into a cube 3 feet per side. An additional point is required for every 27 cu foot cube added to the size of the object. Additional points can also be designated to extend the duration at 15 minutes per point. The weight of the object being manipulated is irrelevant, as long as it fits within the cube.

Light/Dark 

Range – 360 feet

Duration – 15 minutes

Cost - 1

Light is cast on an object capable of fitting into a cube 1 foot per side. It can be cast on a larger object, but will only cover an area 1 foot per side. The light is bright enough to illuminate a 10 foot area. Each extra point invested in the spell increases the brightness, and so the range of visibility by 10 feet, or increases the range of the spell by 360 feet. This spell can also be used to create darkness with the same dimensions and cost requirements.

Lightning

Range – 120 feet

Duration – Instantaneous

Cost - 1 per d6 damage

Each magic point used adds 1d6 damage from a blue bolt of lightning. Additional points invested in the spell can also increase the range by 120 feet per point. But the maximum range is always line of sight. If the spell roll fails, the spell still goes off, except on a fumble, but it forks and ricochets and hits everything metal within the spell range doing half damage to each. Counterspell stops lightning.

Perception

Range – 120 feet

Duration – Instantaneous

Cost - 1

The caster of this spell chooses 1 thing to perceive. Once the spell is cast, the user can detect the thing within the radius of the spell wherever it is. Things can be something specific, like a particular hat, or as general as an unknown trap or secret door. Each additional spell point used increases the range. The maximum range of this spell is the amount of magic points invested, rather than line of sight.

Pool

Range 120 feet

Duration 15 minutes

Cost - variable

Casting Pool costs nothing, but it allows the caster to share spell points with another caster. Multiple casters may use this spell to pool their magic points so that their target, another spell caster, can cast a powerful spell. Once Pool is cast on another spell caster, the caster is in control of how many points are drained from the pool donors and what spell those points are used to cast. Casting this spell requires total concentration. The caster cannot do anything or even move during the course of the spell.

Protection

Range – 360 feet

Duration – 15 minutes

Cost - 1

Protection creates an invisible force field around the caster. The forcefield has it’s own armor class, starting at AC 14 and increasing 1 for each magic point invested. The force field is a sphere around the caster and can be increased in diameter to 360 feet. The range of the spell cannot be increased.

Resist

Range – Touch

Duration – 15 minutes

Cost - 1

For the duration of this spell, the damage of each heat,cold or electrical attack is reduced by 1 point. Each additional magic point invested in the spell reduces the damage by 1 more point. 

Seal/Unseal

Range – Touch

Duration – 15 minutes

Cost - 1

Seal will fuse the edges of any two non-living objects, which are touching each other, together. The bond is created along the surfaces that are touching each other, like the edges of a door in a door frame. The objects are bonded as one for the duration of the spell. Each extra magic point invested adds another 15 minutes duration. The opposite of Seal is Unseal, which has the same duration and cost, except that the objects unsealed will remain apart if they are still physically separated when the spell ends. So a door that is unsealed will stay open at the end of the spell if it has not been physically closed.

Sharpen/Dull

Range – 360 feet

Duration – 15 minutes

Cost - 1

When sharpen/dull is cast on a weapon or tool, it either becomes sharper or more dull, adding or subtracting 1 to its “To Hit” roll, and adding 1 point of damage to a hit scored. Adding more points increases, or decreases, the hit probability and damage by 1 for each point invested. A dulled weapon can always do at least 1 point of damage, and never go negative.

Speak to Mind

Range – 120 meters

Duration – 1 minute

Cost - 1

One magic point invested allows the caster to reach and communicate feelings and surface thoughts with any target within range. Complete conversations are possible irregardless of language or species. Each additional magic point used will either extend the range by 360 feet, or allow another mind to be contacted. When multiple minds are contacted, each mind contacted will be able to hear the other minds. They are all linked for the duration of the spell and can communicate with each other. This spell requires a great deal of concentration and the caster must either stand still or only walk slowly, or the connection will be broken. For the caster, fighting while the spell is in effect is out of the question.

Teleport 

Range – Touch

Duration – Instantaneous

Cost - 1

Each point allows teleportation of material that would fit into a cube 3 feet per side centered on the caster. An additional point is required for every 27 cu foot cube added to the material to be teleported. Everything within that area teleports.The range of teleportation is 1 mile. The caster must have actually seen the teleportation destination. Additional points can also be designated to extend the range of teleportation by 1 mile.

Vision 

Range – 260 feet

Duration – 1 minute

Cost - 1

The vision spell allows the caster to see and hear anything that is happening within a 360 foot radius as if he was actually there. This also allows the caster to see things that are invisible or being astrally projected. This will work even through walls and floors. Each additional point invested will either allow an increase of the range by 360 feet, or an additional 1 minute of duration. This spell requires a great deal of concentration. Fighting or casting other spells are not possible while Vision is in effect.

Wall

Range – 36 feet

Duration – 15 minutes

Cost - 1

When Wall is cast, a solid stone wall erupts from the floor and remains in place for the duration of the spell. The wall will be 10 feet across, 3 feet tall, 10 feet wide and 3 feet deep. The spell can be cast so that the wall is 10 feet high and 3 feet wide if desired. Each additional magic point invested in the spell will add another wall attached to the first. So with 2 points, the wall would be 10 feet wide, 6 feet tall and 3 feet deep. Or 3 feet tall and 20 feet wide. The wall can be conjured anywhere within the 36 foot range. The wall has 50 hit points per spell point used.

Ward

Range – 10 feet

Duration – 24 hours

Cost - 1

The Ward spell creates a protective circle up to 10 feet across. No magic can cross the boundary of that circle. Any spells cast are bounced back onto the caster, and no magical creatures may cross into the circle. An actual unbroken circle must be drawn onto the ground. If the circle drawn on the ground is altered or erased, the spell is broken.For each extra magic point invested, the circle may gain up to an additional 10 feet.in diameter.

Other magic skills

In addition to spells, here are 3 basic skills used to create magic effects. While the Wizard’s magic score is important, magic points are not actually used for these skills. The skills are Enchantment, Alchemy and Sorcery. Each takes a great deal of time, but can create powerful and lasting magical effects.

Sorcery is the art of summoning and controlling other worldly magical creatures. It is time consuming and difficult. In sorcery, preparation is everything. Hours, days and weeks are spent researching and performing complex calculations. Research must be written into a set of precise instructions that will be used for the summoning. The instructions are different every time summoning is performed, even if the exact same thing is being summoned. Once the instructions are complete, the actual summoning only takes 6d10 minutes.

The only form of sorcery that does not follow these rules, is conjuring elementals, which is a standard spell.

Sorcery Research time:Roll 2d8, then roll a d6 for the time scale.

1-2 Hours

3-4 Days

5-6 Weeks

Add for the type of creature being summoned:

Mundane animal +0

Sentient non-magical creature

Magical creature

Elemental Spirit (other than fire, earth, water, air)

 Most sorcery involves research, copying passages from books and scrolls, and preparation. Spells cast in this way do not cost the caster any magic points, and can be far more varied and powerful than the spells on the list. But this form of spellcasting is tedious and exacting. It takes 2d10 hours to research a spell, another 2d10 hours to prepare the spell, the physical apparatus can be rare and expensive, and changes with each casting of the spell. A spell can be fit onto a single scroll, and cast quickly, but each casting must be calculated ahead of time, and that requires making special notes all over the scroll, rendering it useless after the spell is cast.

Sorcery is expensive to learn and expensive to research. And the base roll for successful summoning is an impossible difficulty (25)

Enchantment and Alchemy can create durable magical items, but require special laboratories, and craftsmen.

Items can be enchanted to do almost anything. Each enchanted item has a trigger and an effect. Some items are capable of several effects, each with its own trigger. 

One of the peculiarities of enchantment is that the more valuable the object, the easier it is to enchant. A plain brass ring that is enchanted must have been created by a powerful enchanter, and therefore must be capable of powerful magic.

The metal Bizintine is used in magic. It is rare and requires expert processing. During the industrial Magic Revolution, techniques were developed to mass produce ingots of Bizintine.