Heroquest larp/lrp - Battle Magic Rules

Introduction

Whilst Power is related to the Spheres, Magic is related to Elements, which are commonly referred to as Colours. These Elements can be called upon to utilise Mana, the Magical ability inherent in a character's body, to cast spells.

How Magic Works

Spells are rated in Levels: 1 - 5. Spells of these Levels are called “Battle Magic”. All characters are able to learn to cast the Common Battle Magic Spells of levels 1 - 5 for two colours of magic. Characters who join one of the Schools of Magic as their Primary or Secondary guild may learn to cast from more colours through the use of theCast Additional Colour of Magic skill.

The Elements

All spells are grouped by Colour. The Elements associated with each Colour are described within the section relating to that School. There are eight Schools within the Valley Alliance, each teaching one Colour. These Colours are Black, Blue, Brown, Green, Grey, Red, White and Yellow.

Each School also chooses to specialise in spells of a particular type, such as “defensive” or “informational”. These are again described within the individual School descriptions.

Each Colour has a number of spells of each Level from 1 to 5 that are available to all users of the Colour, these are called the Common Battle Magic Spells and can be found here.

A character gains the ability to cast any two Colours of Magic of his choice upon gaining his first spell slot.

Within the Heroquest system as a whole, it should be noted that the Colours of Magic have no particular alignment or ethos associated with them. However, individuals lead the Schools within the Alliance, and those individuals do have alignments that may affect the actions and choices of those they teach.

Magic Skills

Spell Slots

In order to be able to cast a spell, the character must have spell slots of the relevant Level. A spell slot allows that character to cast a spell of that Level once per day. Spell slots must be purchased with character points and are of a fixed Level. Each purchase of a spell slot increases a character’s total Mana by the Level of the spell slot. Spell Slots go from Level 1 to Level 10 but a character must join a school of magic to gain spell slots of levels above 5

Mana

Spells use Mana as their source of energy. Each Level of a spell is said to use one Mana; a Level 5 spell uses 5 Mana, for example. The maximum amount of Mana - in the form of spell slots - that one person can have within them is 500.

Spell Book

Any character using Magic who is Rank 10 or higher must have a physical representation for his Spell Book with an accurate account of the spells they can cast. In this book all vocals for every spell must be recorded. For primary Mages the Spell Book should have a minimum approximate size of 8 inches by 6 inches. For non-primary Mages who are capable of casting spells the Book only needs to be 6 inches by 4 inches.

Spell slots can be used to cast any of the spells that the caster has learnt and copied into his Spell Book. Each morning he must revise this knowledge by reading his Spell Book for a total of 10 minutes. This process restores the Mana in all the caster’s spell slots, except those considered “out” (see “Mana Out” below). Remember; no Spell Book means no spell slots back!

A Spellbook is also required to perform the Memonic skill.

Using Spells

Casting Spells

To cast a spell, the character must call upon the Elements using a set phrase called a “vocal”. The player must determine his own vocals for each spell that he can cast. A spell vocal is expected to be the same number of lines in length as the Level of the spell being cast, and with at least five words in each line. Therefore Level 5 Spells require five lines of vocals – or 25 words.

It should also be clear from the spoken vocal what the spell will be and you should have a different vocal for each spell that you can cast, which is the same and word perfect every time you use that spell.

It is essential to note that spell vocals do not work unless they are spoken at a volume at least equal to that of ordinary conversation. Spell vocals that are said quietly or whispered will NOT work. Characters with loud, clear, distinctive, characteristic and consistent vocals will be rewarded with a better response from the opposing monsters.

If the caster is interrupted whilst uttering the vocals, then the spell is lost but the Mana is still used by the caster, that is: the spell slot is lost; and any casting damage sustained. Sustaining damage that causes pain will interrupt a casting, as will certain other effects such as the Freeze spell. A continual source of pain, such as a broken bone, will also normally prohibit casting.

Casting of Battle Magic spells causes damage to the caster equal to the Level of the spell cast. For example, casting a Level 1 Endurance incurs a point of damage to the caster, as well as costing a Level 1 spell slot.

At the end of the vocals, the spell is considered “cast”.

Delivering Spells

When delivering a spell the caster needs to employ an empty weapon hand. Touch spells require a one-handed touch at Level 1 and a two-handed touch at all higher Levels, unless specifically stated otherwise. Range spells require one empty weapon hand.

The touch should be a deliberate lunge and if the lunge misses (e.g. shield grabbed instead etc.) then the spell is discharged. For spells above Level 1, to count as a successful two handed touch, both hands need to touch the victim as a result of the same lunge. For some spells, a one-handed connection may result in a lesser effect, as noted in the description; for all others, a one-handed touch exhausts the spell without effect.

If the hand or arm location is not working for any reason (such as being at zero or below locational life points) then the caster cannot use that location to deliver spells.

For all spells, unless stated otherwise in the description, a caster has, after completing the required vocal, 5 seconds to release the spell either by pointing at the desired target or by touching his victim (as specified in the spell descriptions), as appropriate. During this period the caster may speak no other words or sounds, but sustaining damage will no longer disrupt the spell.

Extending Spells

Some spells (as specified in the spell description) can have their duration extended by casting the spell at a lower effective Level.

For every effective Level by which the spell is dropped, the duration of the spell is multiplied by FOUR.

For example: You could cast a Level 5 Shield of Air spell as an effective Level 4 Shield of Air that would last one hour instead of the usual 15 minutes. If you cast a Level 5 Shield of Air spell as an effective Level 1 it would last for 64 hours.

Ceasing Spells

Magic continues to be effective, even after its caster has died, until its duration has expired. In contrast to Power, Magic cannot be released or cancelled at will by the caster, but must be actively Dispelled using the normal Dispel Magic spells if it is to be negated before its duration has expired.

Mana Out

A Spell Slot that is currently being used by a spell (a skin for 1 hour for example) cannot be regained using the Mnemonic Enhance skill until the spell expires or is dispelled.

Again this contrasts Power. Further, the Spell slot that is “out” and cannot be regained is the Level slot that was used to cast the spell, NOT its effective Level.

Overcasting

A character who attempts to cast a spell for which they do not have an available spell slot of the appropriate level (usually because they have already cast them all) are said to have overcast and will immediately fall unconscious for 15 minutes.

Magical Skins

Most Colours of Magic have access to a protective type of spell, which are collectively and commonly referred to as “skins”. These are listed below:

Black Magic: Darkskin

Blue Magic: Shield of Air

Brown Magic: Stoneform

Grey Magic: Plate Self & Plate Other

Red Magic: Fireskin

Yellow Magic: Static Field

These spells are described in the rule sections devoted to their Schools of Magic. However, they have a number of collective rules that are detailed here rather than under the individual spell descriptions:

A character can only ever have one Magical skin in effect at a time. If the target has a skin of any Level or Colour already in effect then the new skin fails and the slot is wasted.

A Magical skin can only be cast on a willing target. In this case the target is considered to be “willing” if their spirit is willing. That is, an unconscious character could be willing, but may not be.

The protection afforded by a Magical skin will stack with armoured dexterity to provide improved protection. It will not combine with the protection of physical armour but the recipient will gain the benefit of the higher physical armour class provided by either the physical armour plus skills, or the skin.

All Magical skins will render unarmoured dexterity unusable. The recipient gains only the armour class of the skin, even if your dexterity would have normally provided a higher armour class.

: Common Spells : Casting High Magic : Casting Arcane Magic : Magic Spells Index : Rules Index