Advanced spellcasting

An alternate spell system for use with Castles and Crusades

By Al Krombach Requires the use of the Castles and Crusades Players Handbook

Introduction
Guarding the open corridor in front of him, Galwarth cursed when he heard the electric sizzling sound behind him. He turned just in time to see Pela, the dwarf, slump to the ground, his skin blackened and charred. Three doors, the dwarven thief had been investigating, and only one was a safe way out. Pela had chosen wrong. Muttering a quick incantation, Galwarth watched as the unintelligible runes scrawled on the doors seemed to swirl and reform. The middle door, eh? Pela was a goner, but Franze, the Halfling cleric, was only unconscious, the victim of foul monstrous poison. He would revive eventually, if Galwarth could get him out of the dungeon. But even now, guttural orcish voices could be heard advancing down the corridor towards him. He would have to drive them off long enough to get his friends away. Barking another arcane word, Galwarth caused a sphere of light to spring into existence halfway down the corridor, suddenly illuminating the approaching humanoids. Guarding himself against their javelins with a spell of shielding, he sent one magic missile after another into the column. Shrieking, the orcs ran back the other way, leaving two of their number lying dead on the floor, smoking in the pale yellow illumination of the light spell. Knowing it wouldnt be long before the orcs mustered the courage to advance again, Galwarth muttered another incantation, though he was running low on strength to do so. A humming, blue disk of energy appeared beneath the dead dwarf, lifting him gently a few feet into the air. Galwarth carefully put Franzes limp body on the disk next to him. Then, taking a deep breath, he

reached out and yanked open the middle door. No trap went off Offering a silent word of thanks to Istus, Galwarth was through the door, the floating disk squeezing through behind him. Sunlight shined down from the far end of the corridor ahead of him. Shutting the door behind him and warding it so it would not be easily opened once the orcs took up the chase again, he set off with his hapless compatriots in tow. It had been a close one, this adventure, but Galwarth was sure the knowledge he had gained during it would allow him to reach 2nd level at last ASC (Advanced Spell Casting) is an easy to use system of magic, intended for use with Castles and Crusades. It is intended as an advanced alternative to the traditional Vancian systems (aka fire and forget) used with most popular RPGs. ASC features a simple spell-point system, and three new types of cast spells: Practiced Spells, Known Spells, and Recitative Spells. Despite the somewhat different mechanic ASC uses to determine which, and how many, spells a magic-user can cast, it still uses the same standard spells and levels that you already know and love! And, being solidly based on the Vancian framework, issues like balance and ease of use are already solved. ASC covers the following items: A) Spell Point use and generation-pg3 B) Casting Spells-pg5 C) New magic items-pg6 D) Spell Boosting-pg7 E) FAQ-pg8

Spell Point Use and Generation

What is a Spell Point? ASC uses the term spell-point to represent a unit of magical energy that is stored or expended to cast a magical spell. Spell-point (or spp for short) is simply a generic term for ease of use, and GMs can easily use other terms like power-units or mana to spice up their individual campaigns. Casting any standard spell costs a number of spp equal to 1 + the level of spell being cast. So a 0-lvl spell costs 1spp, a 1st level spell costs 2spp, a 2nd level spell costs 3spp, and so on and so forth. While additional spp costs can be incurred by Spell Boosting, that is an optional rule set and not necessary for use of the basic ASC. It is important to note that spp use does not alter casting time in any way. Determining Starting Spell Points The amount of spell energy an individual has is determined both by his bodily health and his spiritual strength. Thus, Constitution and Charisma are added together, and the average (half of the total, rounded down) is the amount of spell points that individual has, whether he is a spell-caster or not, though only a trained spell caster can consciously use such energy. Non-spell users tend to use their energy in more accidental ways, such as seeing a ghost, or getting a feeling of premonition, etc. So, for example, Pela the dwarven thief has a Constitution of 13 and a Charisma of 8, so he has a total of 10spp he will never consciously use! Spell casters, be they Arcane or Divine, know how to use their energy and have a few more points to start out with, as well as 3

being able to cast both 0-level and 1st level spells. Arcane spell casters add their Intelligence modifier and 8 to their natural ability, whereas Divine spell casters add their wisdom modifier and 5 to their natural ability. For example, Franze, the Halfling cleric, has a Constitution of 10, a Charisma of 14, and Wisdom of 16. So he has a natural ability of 12 (10+14=24 divided by 2) plus a Wisdom modifier of +2 (for having a 16 Wisdom) plus 5 for being a divine caster, giving him a total of 19spp! Galwarth the Wizard has Con9, Cha13, and Int18, so he starts with 22spp (11+3+8=22). With 22spp, Galwarth can cast 11 1st level spells, 22 0-lvl spells, 5 1st and 11 0-lvl, or any other combination he desires, until he runs out of energy. Recovering Spell Points Your body and spirit are constantly replenishing themselves, but nowhere near as fast as they are depleted by using spellpoints. A character with no spell energy whatsoever (0spp) is treated as fatigued until they get some energy back. Spell Points are regained at a rate of 1 point per level of caster every four hours of normal waking activity. Therefore, a spent 1st level character simply traveling around town for eight hours would regain 2spp. While sleeping, spp are regained at a rate of 1spp per character level per hour, and while meditating (or praying), 2spp per character level per hour. Therefore, a spent 1st level character who sleeps eight hours and meditates two hours regains a total of 12spp. Regardless of how depleted a character is, 24 hours of undisturbed sleep, meditation,

and relaxation will yield a complete recovery of all used spp. Note that periods of disturbed sleep or meditation only have a recovery rate equal to that of normal activity. GMs may rule under certain harsh conditions that no spp are recovered, such as periods of starvation, imprisonment, torture, disease, etc. Spell Point Advancement Characters gain extra Spell Points as they advance in level, and can cast higher level spells, at the following rates: Arcane (Wizard, Illusionist) Lvl SPP Can cast 2nd +2 rd +3 2nd lvl spells 3 4th +3 th 5 +7 3rd lvl spells 6th +7 th 7 +5 4th lvl spells 8th +9 9th +11 5th lvl spells th +12 10 11th +11 6th lvl spells 12th +13 13th +16 7th lvl spells 14th +17 15th +19 8th lvl spells 16th +18 17th +22 9th lvl spells 18th +22 19th +14 20th +23 Divine (Cleric/Druid) Lvl SPP Can Cast 2nd +3 rd +3 2nd lvl spells 3 4th +5 +4 3rd lvl spells 5th

6th 7th 8th 9th 10th 11th 12th 13th 14th 15th 16th 17th 18th 19th 20th

+8 +7 +9 +9 +11 +14 +13 +16 +15 +19 +17 +22 +22 +14 +14

4th lvl spells 5th lvl spells 6th lvl spells 7th lvl spells 8th lvl spells 9th lvl spells

Spell Point gain is cumulative, and should level loss occur, simply consult the chart for the appropriate level to see how many points were gained and adjust accordingly.

Casting Spells
ASC uses three types of spell-casting methods: Practiced spells, Known spells, and Recitative spells. These are used in place of the standard Vancian system of memorizing a spell, carrying it around in your head, using it, and then forgetting it completely until you can read your spell book again. Practiced Spells Practiced spells are spells the caster knows well, inside and out. A spell caster can use a Practiced spell at will, with no chance of spell failure, as long as he has the appropriate amount of spp available. The number of Practiced spells a caster has is equal to 1 plus the casters Intelligence bonus, if Arcane, or 1 plus the casters Wisdom bonus, if Divine, per spell level the caster is able to use. For example, a 5th level Wizard with 16 Intelligence has 3 Practiced spells of 0-lvl, 3 1st, 3 2nd, and 3 3rd. Practiced spells must be selected from the casters Known spells, and once selected, can not be changed. Optionally, at the GMs discretion, the caster may be allowed to make one change during the leveling-up process. Practiced spells may be chosen immediately upon gaining access to a new spell level, provided enough Known spells are available, or the character may elect to hold off until more Known spells are gained. Known Spells

Known spells are any spells the caster has properly learned and inscribed into his spell book. For Divine casters, all spells on the standard Players Handbook list are considered to be Known spells. New spells are added exactly as per the standard spell casting rules in the Players Handbook. A caster may use a Known spell only if he succeeds in making an Intelligence (if Arcane) or Wisdom (if Divine) check plus his modifier and level, using the spells level times 2 as the difficulty modifier. For example, a 3rd level spell has a DL of 6, a 5th level spell a DL of 10, and so forth. If the Intelligence or Wisdom check fails, the caster loses the Spell Points and the spell fizzles out ineffectively. At the GMs discretion, a natural roll of 1 on this check may result in something calamitous (or at least amusing) occurring. Galwarth (Wizard1, Int18) needs to use a Comprehend Languages spell, which he Knows and has in his spell book. He must pass an Intelligence check of 14 to do so (12 for his prime plus 2 for the DL of a 1st level spell). He rolls a 9, plus 3 for his Intelligence, plus 1 for his caster level for a total of 13. He fumbles the spell, and loses the 2spp he had committed to casting it. Recitative Spells If a caster wishes to use a spell that is not Practiced but is Known, and has the time to get out his spell book (or prayer beads, etc) he may use the slower Recitative method to cast the spell without the chance of failure. To use a Recitative spell, the caster must commit, uninterrupted, an amount of casting

time an order of magnitude 10 times greater than that listed in the Players Handbook. For example, Dispel Magic would take 10 rounds to cast as a Recitative spell; Identify would take 100 minutes, and so on and so forth. If a Recitative spell is interrupted, the caster loses the spp and must start all over again.

Spell Point recovery for the next 1d4+4 hours. (GP 350; EXP 100) Pearl of Power These pearls are determined as per normal rules, but they convey a number of spp to the wielder equal to 1 plus the spell level. For example, a 1st level Pearl conveys 2spp. Rod of Blasting This black iron rod can be used by wizards to direct raw energy at targets. A wizard can channel up to 5spp at once per round. If the caster succeeds at a ranged touch attack, the blast does 1d4 points of damage per spp used, and the victim may make a Charisma save to avoid half the damage. (GP 6,750; EXP 650) Shroud of Healing This shroud is made of pearlescent fabric that is naturally attuned to Divine energy. A Cleric can wrap a person in the shroud and commit a number of spp up to his level into the shroud. After 8 hours of rest, the person so enshrouded will regain 1d6 hp per spp used. (GP 9,500; EXP 800) Stone of Illusion These enchanted stones are naturally attuned to an Illusionists arcane energy. If placed on a stable surface, they will maintain a Major, Minor, or Silent Image for up to one hour per spp committed to the stone. The stones may only be used once, as the energy stored in them eventually burns them out. There is no limit to the number of spp an Illusionist can commit to the stone, provided he has that number available. (GP 1000; EXP 200) Ring of Wizardry When used with ASC, these rings no longer double the number of spells a wizard can cast per day, but instead double the number of spells they can consider Practiced. These

New Magic Items

Following are a few new magic items specifically relating to the ASC system, as well as suggested revisions for a couple of standard items.

Amulet of Power An Amulet of Power contains a reservoir of Arcane Spell Points that Wizards or Illusionists can draw upon at will. It typically contains 1d4+5spp, though some containing more have been rumored. The amulet recharges itself every 24 hours, at midnight, at which time it gives off a faint glow for 1 minute. (GP 5,500; EXP 500) Charm of Focus This charm resembles a small silver holy symbol on a short silver chain. It allows a Divine caster to add +5 to a single Wisdom check while casting a Known spell. The charm may only be used once in any 24 hour period. (GP 3750, EXP 275) Elixir of Mana This cloudy yellow substance tastes vaguely like tree sap and quickly numbs the tongue. When consumed, it doubles the amount of

additional practiced spells are immediately considered Known again if the ring is removed.

Committing an additional 3spp to a nondamage-causing spell makes it last for 24 hours, instead of the normal duration. Prolific Summoning By spending an additional 2spp, the caster doubles the number of creatures summoned with a Summon Monster spell. Note that this does not double the maximum HD the creatures can be, only the number of actual creatures. Lengthy Summoning By spending an additional 2spp, the caster increases the duration summoned monsters serve him to one hour per caster level. Elemental Conversion By spending an additional 1spp, a caster may change the substance of a damagecausing spell to a selected element: Fire, Lightning, Cold, or Acid. Note that this does not change the amount of damage done, unless the victim would normally sustain extra damage from the new type of energy selected. Split Spell By spending an additional 1spp, a caster can split a damage-causing spell in half, doing half damage but affecting twice as many targets. Any odd damage is rounded down. For example, a 5th level wizard could fire off 6 magic missiles for 1d2 pts of damage each or 2 lightning bolts for 2d6 points of damage each. Enhanced Load By spending an additional 1spp per person or weight increment affected, a caster can increase the number of people or weight he can lift or otherwise carry with him when using spells such as Dimension Door, Teleport, Levitate, Telekinesis, etc. Some other suggested Boosts are:

Spell Boosting
Spell Boosting is a completely optional addition to ASC which may only be used at the GMs discretion. Spell Boosting allows the caster to amplify or extend the effects of his spells by committing extra spp to them at the time of casting. The applications of Spell Boosting are conceivably limitless, so a few samples are provided here, and they may be used as guidelines for creating Spell Boosting techniques of your own. Minor Damage Amplification By committing an extra Spell Point to any damage-causing spell, the caster causes an additional 1hp of damage per die. For example, a 3rd level wizard using Minor Damage Amplification does 2d4+4 points of damage instead of 2d4+2, or a 5th level Wizard would do 5d6+5 points of damage with a Fireball. Major Damage Amplification By committing an extra 3spp to a damage causing spell, that spell automatically does the maximum possible damage. For example, a 5th level wizard would automatically do 30pts of damage with his fireball. Minor Duration Extension By committing an extra Spell Point, the caster causes any non-damage-causing spell to last double the normal duration. For example, a Fly spell would last 20min/lvl instead of 10. Major Duration Extension

Minor Healing Amplification Major Healing Amplification Enhanced Turn Undead Minor Area-of-Effect Amplification Major Area-of-Effect Amplification Prolific Animation Prolific Animal Summoning And so on

ASC is actually a good friend to GMs, as players dont have to stop and sleep for a day after every encounter (which most GMs seem to find frustrating) to regain spells and heal. Also, players are more likely to use divination spells like Read Magic and Speak with Undead, spells that allow the GM to bring more of his back-story and plot into play, quite a bit of his hard work that can often get missed or ignored due to simple lack of spells that arent either blowing things up or healing PCs. Will ASC turn clerics into Heal Machines? No more so than they already are! The big difference with ASC is not that they can heal that much more, but that clerics will experiment with other spells more and wont have to bog down your game with endless rest stops. What if one of my players figures out a way to exploit ASC that seriously unbalances my game? Players play to win, and if there is any way to exploit some part of ASC to break your game, someone will eventually find it. So far, no one has. If it occurs, simply ban the exploit, or inform the player he may choose to either ignore the exploit he has found or return to the Vancian system. Reverse conversion, btw, is every bit as easy as converting to ASC in the first place. Why did you come up with ASC in the first place? Mainly to make my favorite RPGs seem more like my favorite books. While I enjoyed Vance, there were many other books where mighty mages fired off lighting bolt after lightning bolt, or chanted for hours over dusty tomes and weird rituals, and the

FAQ
While this Castles and Crusades version is very recent, ASC itself has been around, in one form or another, for nearly fifteen years. It has been ruthlessly play-tested by several groups and so far has not come up wanting in any critical areas. Some common questions Ive fielded from other GMs interested in using ASC include: Wont ASC make spell casters too powerful? While too powerful can be sort of a relative thing, I feel no is the proper answer. More effective is a better description. Keep in mind; players do not get access to higher level spells any faster than they do with the standard Vancian system. Players can certainly cast more spells, but this difference is only noticeable at very low levels. Whatever its current incarnation, the number of spell points gained per level is always based on the Vancian spells-per-day charts given in each editions Players Handbook. Also, though lower level casters get more spells, this is somewhat balanced by a longer recovery time. Plus, giving them more spells and options is the whole point!

current AD&D rules didnt really support that unless you were loaded down with wands or other such items. I also felt like there were a lot of really cool spells out there that werent getting used due to the limited number of spells available; spells that benefited both the party as a whole and the GMs story-line as well. There have always been a lot of spell point systems floating around out there, but they seemed to be very bizarre and unnecessarily complicated, so I set out to make sort of a hybrid; a spell point system based around the Vancian system already provided in the rule books. I hope you like it!

2006 Al Krombach This rule-set is intended for free distribution only. Castles and Crusades is a Troll Lord Games product. Cover art is by Erol Otus and not used with permission, but because he is the best! All OGL stuff is explained here: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=d20/ welcome