Using Advantages to create whatever magic effect is desired has proven to be the favorite way to "do magic" in our campaigns.

Steps to Creating a Magical Spell

1. Imagine, or recreate, the concept for an ability or magical effect ("Spell")
2. Identify which Advantage most closely matches the effects of the spell
3. Add Enhancements & Limitations [B104, P107] to modify the base Advantage
4. Get approval from GM

Casting a Spell

Base Requirements

Cost

The manifestation and use of magic requires an expenditure of energy to create the magical effects.

• Costs Fatigue, -5%/level (1 FP per level)

Time

Unless the description of the advantages states otherwise, by default a spell takes one second (an action) to cast the spell. The effects of the spell occur at the end of the caster's turn. If the spell is a combat spell, the attack is made immediately unless the spell is "held" for the purposes of Aiming or Waiting--if the power has a signature, the cast power will be visible as a ball of light held in one hand.

• Requires Ready Action to Activate, -5% ... or ... Requires Concentration to Activate, -10%

Some powers may take longer to activate, perhaps representing a longer ritual, additional manipulation of components or a greater time gathering the mana.

• Takes Extra Time [B115], -10%/level (each level doubles the time needed to cast the spell, i.e. 2 sec, 4 sec, 8 sec, etc.)

Skill

Every spell also has an associated skill, used to activate the ability. This is always a Hard skill based on the controlling attribute of the ability, defaulting to that attribute-6.

• Roll against Ability
  • Roll against Will or Per, -5%
  • Roll against DX, IQ, or HT, -10%

In addition to the energy cost, casting time and skill to cast, there are other factors which a spell may require in order to be successfully cast, such as the use of rituals or components.

Ritual Requirements

These are Accessibility limitations in which a specific situation must be met in order to activate the ability as the spell is cast.

Gestures (somatic)

The caster uses his body to perform one or more gestures. If the caster is unable to use the required body part, the spell cannot be cast.

• Accessibility During Activation: One Hand Free (-5%)
• Accessibility During Activation: Two Hands Free (-10%)
• Accessibility During Activation: One Hand & Feet Free (-10%)
• Accessibility During Activation: Whole Body Free (-15%)

NOTE: for One Hand Free, this means the caster's dominate hand. If using the off-hand, the skill roll is modified per using off-hand rules.

Chanting (verbal)

The caster must speak one or more magical words. If the caster is unable to speak, the spell cannot be cast.

• Accessibility During Activation: Whispered Words (-5%) ... -? to Stealth
• Accessibility During Activation: Spoken Words (-10%) ... -? to Stealth
• Accessibility During Activation: Shouted Words (15%) ... -? to Stealth

Components

Components can be handled by combining a number of limitations.

• Trigger [B115] (ability requires exposure to a specific substance or condition, one dose is expended and is required per use)
  • Very Common, -10% to Rare, -40%
• Accessibility [B110] (ability requires exposure to a specific substance or condition, the substance is NOT expended and is required per use)
  • Very Common, -5% to Rare, -20%
• Preparation Required [B114] (in conjunction with Trigger, preparation of the components is required immediately prior to casting; not appropriate for combat spells)
  • 1 minute, -20% to 8 hours, -60%

• Requires Power Focus (Holy Symbol, Magical Staff, Wand, etc) One special form of component is an object that serves as a focus for manifestation of the power, such as a cleric's holy symbol or a wizard's wand for example. These objects have a rarity of Occasional, being very expense and hard to find, however, they are not consumed in use as with Trigger substances. This limitation is comprised of the following:
  • Can Be Lost or Stolen, -5%; Accessibility (requires condition, not expended, Occasional) -15%; Nuisance Effect: One Hand Free During Activation, -2% : -22%

Duration of a Spell

Spells have a default duration of 1 minute, or 1 second (instant) for single-use attack spells (Affliction or Innate Attack) for active defensive spells. Should the caster, or subject of spell power, desire the spell effects to continue, they can expend of half (round up) the cost to cast; this is done as a free action. If the caster (or subject) loses conciseness, either due to sleep, injury or spell effect, active spells cannot be maintained.

• Extend Duration [B105]

Some spells, those of high power or used by notice casters, may have additional requirements to maintain the effects of the spell for the total duration. Rituals Required to Maintain Power (only usable on advantages that normally stay on and/or have a duration)

• Requires Ready Action, -10% [P112] (requires consecutive Ready Actions)
• Requires Concentration, -15% [P112] (requires constant concentration, full action)
• Nuisance Effect: No Stealth, -5% (caster must continually chant)
• Nuisance Effect: One Hand Free, -5%; or Two Hands Free, -10%; or One Hand Free & Standing Freely, -10%; or Two Hands Free & Standing Freely, -15% (caster must gesture with hand(s) and possibly feet for the entirety of power)

Magical Signature

Most spells have a signature (sight, sound, feeling) that is created when the spell is cast or remains like a residue with the effect, however, as a caster becomes more proficient with the spell, the magical signature can reduced or even fully eliminated.

• Normal Signature, +0% (all magical effects are obviously magical and easily observed)
• Low Signature, +10% (no more easily identifiable than a champagne cork popping)
• No Signature, +20% (almost completely unnoticeable as in a blowgun dart; or undetectable by normal means but leaves a magical trace)

Other Common Enhancement & Limitations

• For powers that are ranged attacks (Innate Attack or Afflictions), a minimal level of fairness should be added to allow the target a chance to avoid the effect. If the attack has a signature, the target can potentially see it coming and make an active defense to dodge. If the attack has no signature, then the power should have a resistance limitation.

Enhancements

Based on Different Attributes [P100]

• Caster may change a DX, IQ, HT, Will, or Per Roll to successfully cast a power to another above Attribute, +20%
• Caster may change a DX, IQ, HT, Will, or Per Opposed Roll to avoid the spell to another above Attribute, +20%

Limitations

Accessibility [B110]

• Environmental Accessibility - can only be cast in certain environments
  • Very Common, -5% (in the presence of air, on a planet, in a gravity field)
  • Common, -10% - (in contact with dust, in the presence of microbes)
  • Occasional, -20% - (in a city, in the wilderness, outdoors, touching the ground)
  • Rare, -40% - (in a storm, dense vegetation, desert, underground)
  • Very Rare, -80% - (in lava, quicksand, vacuum)

Unconscious Only [B115] is a good limitation for a character that has a power as a "wild talent".

Uncontrollable and Unreliable [B116] are good limitations when a character is still a novice with their power.

Active Defense Spells

There are five special spells which a caster can use as an Active Defense while in combat.

• Active Defense, -40% (the ability only protects against threats the caster is aware of; DX/2+3, +1 for Combat Reflexes)

Blink (dodge): Warp [100] (Active Defense, -40%; Range Limit: 10 yards; -50%; Reliable: 8; +40%; Emergencies Only, -30%; Extra Carrying Capacity: Light, +10%; Takes Recharge: 1 sec, -10%). CP Cost: 20

Force Shield (block): Damage Resistance 10 [50] (Active Defense, -40%; Roll Against Ability: DX, -10%; Force Field, +20%; Hardened: 1, +20%; Directional: front, -20%; Limited: physical attacks, -20%; Emergencies Only, -30%; Takes Recharge: 1 sec, -10%). CP Cost: 10

Hidden Fist (parry): Telekinesis 10 [50] (Active Defense, -40%; Visible -20%; Roll Against Ability: DX, -10%; Emergencies Only, -30%; Takes Recharge: 1 sec, -10%). CP Cost: 10

Mana Shield (block): Magic Resistance 25 [50] (Active Defense, -40%; Roll Against Ability: IQ, -10%; Directional: front, -20%; Emergencies Only, -30%; Takes Recharge: 1 sec, -10%). CP Cost: 10

Phaseshift (dodge): Insubstantiality [80] (Active Defense, -40%; Can Carry Objects: Light, +20%; Roll Against Ability: IQ, -10%; Emergencies Only, -30%; Takes Recharge: 1 sec, -10%). CP Cost: 24

Sample Spells

The following are sample Magical Powers using Advantages.

Insane Fireball that Kills a Lot of People
The caster takes a Ready Action to retrieve some uncommon components from his satchel. For a full 16 seconds afterwards: the caster chants words of power, makes grand gestures with both hands while manipulating the components, and moves wildly about in a circular pattern. The caster cannot sneak, hold anything but the components, or be bound in any way. As a magical ability, any opposing caster can attempt to dispel the magic within the 16 seconds of the casting time. On the 16th round of casting, the caster makes an attack roll to send the fireball to the destination and deals 6d burn damage to anything within a 16 yard radius.

• Innate Attack (6d burn) [56] (Nuisance Effect (No Stealth), -10%; Nuisance Effect (Requires 2-hands & Feet), -15%; Requires Ready Action, -10%; Takes Extra Time, 16 seconds, -40%; 16y Radius, +200%; Trigger Occasional, -30%; Magic, -10%)