Magic

Written by Cowboy (CJ Tipton)

This set of Mystic and Psion rules is intended to provide an alternative to the existing Spycraft/Shadowforce Archer rules for magic use. These alternate rules tend to suit a more active style of magic use, while not requiring the character spend levels on a magic using class. Enjoy!

Magic

Magicians in this setting are mostly self taught, learning from discovered books and scrolls, and occasionally discovering a long lost mystic focus to aid them in their search for power. Magic is not considered a true field of study, and there are no schools at which one can enroll to learn the Craft. Nor is it a true profession, as you are unlikely to find a regular job as a wizard or seer that does not involve telemarketing. This makes the idea of spellcasting classes inappropriate to this environment. In this setting, people with Mystic feats are gifted individuals who are born with unusual abilities. They have no normal outlet for formal training, and instead pursue some other path of expertise while using their spare time to study ancient tomes, collect obscure artifacts, and hone their innate magics. Those rare Magicians employed specifically for their abilities are often given additional time to work on their abilities while pursuing training as a team leader or support specialist.

Latent Magicians

In order to play a Magician, the character must begin play with the Mystic feat. This feat is unavailable for purchase after a character enters play. Without it, the character will never have access to the Arcanist feat, which allows the character to learn spells.

Caster Level

A character with the Arcanist feat gains the ability to cast spells at a level equal to the number of Mystic feats the character possesses.

Magical Pointman

Agents of the Pointman class who possess the Arcanist feat may choose Mystic feats for which they meet the prerequisites with their Cross Class Ability. Additionally, at 9th-level they may take the feat Epiphany as their Cross Class Ability if they meet its prerequisites in order to gain the Magician core ability. This ability allows the agent to subtract the result of any action die spent to increase their effective caster level from the drain of that spell casting only. They may still only take Epiphany once.

Spell Drain

In order to cast the spells that are his stock in trade, a Magician must channel tremendous amounts of power through himself to create even the most minute effects. As one might imagine, this is a tiring and often even injurious process. The amount of energy channeled, and the resulting physical drain, are determined by the Spell Level (see Chapter 11 of the Players’ Handbook and Call of Cthulu, page 286). Note that certain Mystic feats also increase the drain of a spell and a Magician may voluntarily cast a spell at a higher spell level in order to make it more difficult to resist. Drain is taken first to Vitality, and then to Wounds when all of the characters Vitality has been absorbed. Wounds lost to drain are generic, and no hit location roll should be made.

Ability Bonuses

Upon gaining the Thaumaturgist feat, the character gains access to a group of feats based on the meta-magics of Dungeons & Dragons and must choose a spell casting attribute. That attributes bonus is added to the DC of any save made against the characters spells and also provides a bonus pool of Vitality points which may be used exclusively to absorb spell casting drain. To determine the amount of Drain bonus Vitality received multiply the attribute bonus by the characters caster level.

Learning New Spells

In the event that a character should come across a book or scroll containing a spell, it must be studied extensively in order to be of use. A Knowledge (Occult) skill check with a DC of 15 plus the spells level must be made, with a base time of 24 hours plus an additional 24 hours per spell level. A successful check indicates that the spell has been learned and can now be cast normally. Only a character who possesses the Arcanist feat may use the Knowledge (Occult) skill in this fashion.

Thirst

Like rituals, each spell has a Thirst DC. Unlike rituals however, the number of spells you know are not factored into the Thirst DC (although known rituals still increase the DC normally). The Thirst DC of any spell is equal to the spells normal save DC (10+ the spells level + the casting attribute bonus). As with rituals, if the caster fails the Will save vs. the Thirst DC, he gains 1 thirst level.

Note that innate spells do not cause Thirst checks, as these powers are natural to the user and do not carry with them the tainted allure of an Arcanists spells or a Magis rituals.

Psionics

Psionic abilities in this setting are not “trained” any more than magic is. This makes the idea of the Psion classes inappropriate in the same way as spell casting classes. In this setting, people with Psion feats are gifted individuals who just happen to possess certain knacks and unusual abilities. They have no normal outlet for formal training, and instead pursue some other path of expertise while using their spare time to hone their latent abilities. Those rare psions employed specifically for their abilities are often given additional time to work on their abilities while pursuing training as a team leader or support specialist.

Latent Psions

In order to be a Psion, a character must begin play the Psion Prodigy feat. This feat represents the character having been born with that little something special that makes them able to tap into the hidden resources of their mind and come out with things besides old phone numbers and where they left their car keys. This feat may be taken again at later levels if the character already possesses it, but is otherwise unavailable for purchase. Without it, the character cannot purchase the Psionicist feat, which is the only way to gain access to the Mentalist, Physical Adept, and Telepath feat trees and through them learn Psion skills.

Psion Level

A character with the Psionicist feat gains the ability to use Psion powers at a level equal to the number of Psion feats the character possesses.

Psionic Pointman

Agents of the Pointman class possessing the Psionicist feat may choose a Psion feat for which they meet the prerequisites with their Cross Class Ability. Additionally, at 9th-level they may take the feat Epiphany as their cross class ability if they meet its prerequisites in order to gain the Psionic core ability. This ability allows the agent to the result of any action die spent on a Psion skill check to their Psion level for determining the effectiveness of the power for that skill check only. They may still only take Epiphany once.

New Feats

Advanced Skill Feats

Epiphany

The character has achieved enough active experience in a secondary class that, after a particularly traumatic/enlightening episode, he sudden learns the true depth of his alternate field of expertise.
Prerequisite: Agent Level 7+, Secondary Class Level 4+, Wisdom 13+, Intelligence 13+, and must have achieved an exploding action die on a check that the secondary classes core ability normally affects.
Benefit: Allows the character to use the core ability of a single secondary class.
Special: This feat can only be taken once.

Style Feats

Congregation

Prerequisite: Ordained Minister, Agent level 6+
Benefit: The character gains access to a congregation. The congregation is considered to be helpful for the purposes of interaction. Use the rules for Leadership in the Dungeons & Dragons Dungeons’ Masters Guide, page 45 to determine the size of the congregation. The minister does not gain access to a cohort.

Ordained Minister

Prerequisite: Knowledge (religion) or Profession (Priest) at 5+
Benefit: the Character is a priest or priestess of his/her religion. He receives a +1 on all checks when dealing with members of his faith.

Mystic Feats

Arcanist

The character is a student of the Craft.
Prerequisite: Mystic, Knowledge (Occult) rank 1+
Benefit: The agent gains the ability to learn and cast spells at a caster level equal to the number of Mystic feats possessed, with a Save DC determined by spell level only.

Delay Spell

Prerequisite: Must possess a feat that lists Thaumaturgist as a prerequisite.
Benefit: see Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting, page 34. Spell drain increases by 3d6.

Empower Spell

Prerequisite: Thaumaturgist
Benefit: see Players’ Handbook, page 82. Spell drain increases by 2d6.

Enlarge Spell

Prerequisite: Thaumaturgist
Benefit: see Players’ Handbook, page 82. Spell drain increases by 1d6.

Extend Spell

Prerequisite: Thaumaturgist
Benefit: see Players’ Handbook, page 82. Spell drain increases by1d6.

Faith’s Blessing

Prerequisite: Great Faith, Agent Level 12+
Benefit: the character may set his True Faith ability on an area no more than 10 ft. by 10 ft. Setting this “ward” requires 30 minutes of preparation and materials suitable to the characters faith (holy water, incense, etc.), during which time he makes a Will save to set the Will save DC for any Undead encountering the protected area. There is no limit to the number of Undead that may be turned at once by this effect, but if even one creature succeeds in a Will Save vs. the sanctified area, the warding effects are lost until the area is re-sanctified.

Great Faith

Prerequisite: True Faith
Benefit: Allows a turning attempt to be made against up to (characters Charisma modifier +2) targets.

Intense Faith

Prerequisite: True Faith
Benefit: The character receives a +4 to Will saves made using the True Faith feat.

Maximize Spell

Prerequisite: Thaumaturgist
Benefit: see Players’ Handbook, page 83. Spell drain increases by 3d6.

Not Afraid of the Dark

Prerequisite: Knowledge (Occult) at 5+. Additionally, the character must have succeeded at a Will save versus a Supernatural Entity (such as a Demon, Zombie, etc.).
Benefit: Provides a +4 on Will saves against Supernatural Entities, including fright checks.

Persistent Spell

Prerequisite: Extend Spell
Benefit: see Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting, page 37. Spell drain increases by 4d6.

Quicken Spell

Prerequisite: Thaumaturgist
Benefit: see Players’ Handbook, page 84. Spell drain increases by 4d6.

Rebuke the Unholy

Prerequisite: True Faith
Benefit: The characters True Faith ability can now be used to effect other types of supernatural entities, such as demons.

Silent Spell

Prerequisite: Thaumaturgist
Benefit: see Players’ Handbook, page 85. Spell drain increases by 1d6.

Still Spell

Prerequisite: Thaumaturgist
Benefit: see Players’ Handbook, page 85. Spell drain increases by 1d6.

Thaumaturgist

The character has become highly proficient magician, wielding the Craft with great skill.
Prerequisite: Arcanist, Initiate, either Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma at 13+
Benefits: The character gains access to a spell casting attribute, choosing between Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma. The chosen attributes bonus will be added to the DC of saving throws made against the characters spells, and be used to determine the characters Drain Bonus (see Magic below).

True Faith

Prerequisite: Wisdom 13+, and either Ordained Minister or Not Afraid of the Dark.
Benefits: As a standard action, a character can present a symbol of faith (such as a cross or pentacle, etc.) with the purpose of turning the Undead. Any Undead creature so opposed who fails a contested Will save vs. the character cannot approach within 10 ft. of him and is stunned for a number of rounds equal to the amount by which the save was failed.

Twin Spell

Prerequisite: Must possess a feat that lists Thaumaturgist as a prerequisite.
Benefit: see Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting, page 39. Spell drain increases by 4d6.

Undead Slayer

Prerequisite: Great Faith, Agent Level 12+
Benefit: The character no longer needs to spend an action die to activate a critical against the Undead.

Psion Feats

Psionicist

Having grown beyond your meager beginnings, you have learned to tap the hidden reservoirs of your mind.
Prerequisite: Psion Prodigy.
Benefits: Agents with this feat may choose feats from any of the Psion feat trees (Mentalist, Physical Adept, and Telepath), and gain a Psion level equal to the number of Psion feats possessed.