Magic IV: True Sorcery (Visible, Low Magic, Spontaneous)

[ Edited to add a shield spell for Susan, and to correct an error in her force blow spell. ]

True Sorcery is a substantial change from True20. Contrary to its name, it is not actually intended for True20; it is an alternate magic system for d20 games in general. It replaces the “spells per day” system with a spontaneous skill-based system. Conversion notes to True20 are written by Kenson.

Spellcasters spend feat slots to learn spells. As in True20, each spell is actually an effect, but where True20 gives a few specific effects which scale by adept level, True Sorcery gives a palette of enhancements which can be added to each spell, thereby increasing its difficulty and making it harder to cast. Spells can easily reach very high difficulty – DC 40 or more being quite common. Magicians reach these totals through feat specialization and by using casting tools for bonuses to the Spellcraft check.

Spells are grouped into “Magnitudes” which are increasingly accessed as the spellcaster gains in level. At first he can choose only from the simpler effects. There are several limits on casting; first, spells take longer than they do in True20. The exact length of time depends on the difference between your skill and the difficulty of the spell you are trying to cast, but can easily be several rounds and might be hours. Casters can partially bypass this restriction by “partially-casting” a very few spells and keeping their last words ready in their mind; magicians can do this with no more than a few spells at once, and sleep or unconsciousness clears the prepared spell.

The more significant restriction to casting is the “casting buffer.” In brief, every spellcaster has a reservoir of points called his casting buffer. Each time he casts a spell, a number of points are deducted from the buffer. This “drain” is based on a die roll and is modified by the power of the spell. Magicians of higher level and greater Constitution will be able to reduce the drain of a spell, thereby casting more spells. Casting buffer replenishes at a small but steady rate, typically replenishing entirely in about four hours.

Finally, several of the most basic spell effects – detect magic, prestidigitation – are skills rather than spells.

Susan Temple
Type: Spellcaster 1st (the Talent)
Abilities: Str –2, Dex +0, Con +2, Int +3, Wis +1, Cha +2
Background: Spiritualist
Skills: Concentration 4 (+6) (B), Detect Magic 4 (+7), Gather Information +5, Knowledge (supernatural) 4 (+10), Knowledge (theology & philosophy) 4 (+7), Language 4, Ride 4 (+4), Spellcraft 4 (+12) (B)
Feats: Skill Focus (Spellcraft) (B), Student of Magic (B), Wealthy
Spells: Dispel, Force, Spirit Lore
Spell Energy 3; Casting Buffer 6
Combat: Attack +0 (-4 with derringer); Damage +2 derringer, -1 hatpin, –2 unarmed; Defense +0; Initiative +0
Saving Throws: Toughness +3; Fortitude +2; Reflex +0; Will +3; Sanity +5
Conviction 3; Wealth 12; Reputation +1; Virtue; Vice
Equipment: hatpin (Dmg +1), whalebone corset (+1 Toughness saves), derringer (Dmg +2), Amulet focus

The Spiritualist Background was redesigned for True Sorcery. First, working magic required that Susan take the feat Student of Magic, so this was one of the Spiritualist background feats. Then, since all spells are cast using Spellcraft, Skill Focus fleshed out that part of the background. Concentration and Spellcraft were her Background skills.

We changed some of Susan’s ability scores for True Sorcery, which places much more emphasis on the spellcaster’s Constitution. Constitution governs how much spell energy the character has, and also increases the size of her casting buffer. True20 Adepts, however, just make Will saves to resist fatigue. This reduced her Dexterity and Charisma. Her saves changed considerably; she is now harder to hurt, but less likely to hit anyone and more likely to be hit. Her Sanity is also lower since she lost the Jaded feat.

Because she had to buy Spellcraft and Detect Magic as skills, Susan lost Diplomacy and Notice. However, many True Sorcery spells grant a +3 bonus to a specific skill, so she gained some Gather Information (from Spirit Lore) and Knowledge (supernatural) (from Dispel).

When it came time to pick Susan’s spells, we were forced to make some choices. It is not possible for a 1st level spellcaster to ignite fire. Seeking a combat magic, we bought her Force instead (the spell for magic missile, shield and spiritual weapon). Instead of Ward she has Dispel. Teleport is not available until 4th level, and is much harder to cast, so we picked Spirit Lore instead.

Susan can modify any of her three spells moment-by-moment. An example might serve best. She is attacked by three thugs in a Limehouse alley. Being a bit unsure in the use of her derringer, she decides to use magic force to defeat the cads.

The Force spell does a non-lethal +0 damage attack on one foe within 10 feet. There is no saving throw. It’s basically a non-lethal magic missile. Susan is armed with a magical focus (an amulet) that adds +10 to her Spellcraft checks, for a total modifier of +22. She could cast this spell easily – the DC is only 10 – and it would be only a swift action, but she would suffer 1d8 drain and she only has 6 points in her casting buffer. Chances are she will get only one shot.

She decides to strike all three thugs at once. This adds +8 to the DC of the spell, and she must add +2 more because the farthest thug is 30 feet away. Now the DC is 20. Still well within her skill. The drain for this would be 1d8+1; likely to take all her reserves, but will it defeat the thugs?

She decides to add more damage. If she makes the force blow a +2 damage effect, the DC rises to 30. The resulting spell takes a full round for her to cast, and will require a verbal component. Invoking the Angel of the 12th Decan, Susan forces each of the three thugs to make a DC 17 Toughness save. Susan suffers Drain of 1d8+3. At best she has 2 points of Buffer remaining; more likely, she is empty. Her casting buffer replenishes at 1 point her hour. Lets hope that derringer is loaded with lucky bullets.

Alternately, Susan could have used her Force to create a defensive shield and kept it ready for emergencies. Such an effect might add +5 to her Defense and last for 1 minute, again requiring a verbal component. Such a spell would have a DC of 40 and would normally take 5 actions to cast. However, in the peace and quiet of her parlour she could add a somatic component (arcane gestures) and take extra time, casting the spell in 3 minutes and holding the final word for the attack of the thugs. When that happens, she would make a Spellcraft check with a +33 die roll modifier, and need a 7 or better for success. At that time, the spell would require a magic word, a gesture, and a standard action. It would cause 1d8+5 drain and empty her casting buffer.

Susan’s other two spells – Dispel and Spirit Lore – are equally customizable. The latter effect is that used to create the Speak With Dead spell, and (with a DC of 55!) can be used to ask a question of an actual spirit instead of just interrogating a dead corpse. Dispel works more or like less Ward does, but requires an additional roll: before Susan can try to dispel a supernatural power, she first has to roll to cast the dispel in the first place.

The result: Because working magic requires starting feats, skills, and more ability scores, Spellcasters are more focused on working magic than Adepts are, and less likely to have other useful talents. (That is, a Spellcaster has to min/max more if she wants to be effective.) Magic is less secret, since spellcasters are more likely to be waving their arms, chanting incantations, or using objects of sympathy to help them cast a spell. Far fewer spells are cast: Susan might have gotten off a couple of force spells in one hour, but it would have taken her half a dozen hours to recover. An adept can cast a half dozen spells in a single hour with the same luck. Spontaneous spell design means that casters can tailor-make their spells for each occasion, but it also means delay of game as the player gets the information he needs from the GM, does the math, and makes tough decisions on benefit vs. cost. Also, requires an extra book – do not even attempt True Sorcery unless you have the book.