An Improving Wizard (magic rules rewrite)

[cornixt]

Thought about it some more. Why worry about spells that are the equivalent of Healing Potions when you can just give them Healing Potions instead? There is a slight shift in that it used to be that the wizard could have both healing spells, but I don't think this is especially significant. I have dumped all the one-use-only spells (including the non-healing ones), everything is re-usable again.

I was worried about the elf getting too powerful along with the wizard, but I think I may have been overly cautious. The elf still only gets one spell set, and the wizard will still always be able to pick the fire spells first to get the only pure attacking spell. I've priced up the equipment accordingly, to match the base set costs.

Pass Through Rock is the most awkward spell to consider. While most spells are only useful around monsters, PTR is potentially useful at all times. If there are no monsters around, the wizard can just keep attempting to recast it until he gets enough successes, or cast it on each hero to pass a common obstacle. Because of this, I have decided to limit it to just the caster. Even if he is able to avoid most traps, the rest of the party won't be able to, so it isn't a game breaker.


Equipment
Wand No cost Cast spells with 1 die. Only for Wizard/Elf.
Wizard Staff Cost: 200 As Staff. Cast spells with 2 dice. Only for Wizard/Elf.
Battle Staff Cost: 400 As Staff. Cast spells with 3 dice. Only for Wizard.

Potions of Healing
The Elf and the Wizard get one Potion of Healing per quest. This potion is only good for one quest and must be discarded if unused at the end of the quest.

Rules for Casting
Roll combat dice to determine the effectiveness of the spell. Each skull rolled is a success, so if you roll three dice and get two skulls then you have scored two successes for that spell. Each spell may be used as many times as you like during a quest, unless specified.

Fire
* Fire of Wrath - This spell may be cast on any one monster, blasting it into flames. It will inflict 1 Body Point of damage for each success, which may be defended as normal.
* Courage - This spell may be cast on any one Hero, including yourself. Until the end of his next turn, that Hero may roll 1 extra combat dice to attack for each success.

Air
* Swift Wind - This spell may be cast on any one Hero, including yourself. Its powerful burst of energy enables that Hero to roll an additional red die the next time he moves for each success.
* Tempest - This spell creates a small whirlwind that envelops one monster of your choice. For each success, that monster loses one combat die to attack until the end of his next turn.

Water
* Veil of Mist - This spell may be cast on any one Hero, including yourself. If you roll at least one success, the hero may move unseen through spaces that are occupied by monsters on his next move.
* Sleepy - For each success, the target monster loses one combat die to defend until the end of his next turn. May not be used against Mummies, Zombies, or Skeletons.

Earth
* Rock Skin - This spell may be cast on any one Hero, including yourself. Until the end of his next turn, that Hero may roll 1 extra combat dice to defend for each success.
* Pass Through Rock - This spell may be cast on yourself. You may then move through one wall or one-square blockage per success on your move this turn.

[edited to add next into spell descriptions where needed]

[whitebeard]

I really like the lack of "leveling" in HQ and that all of the players ultimately "plateau". I suppose growth can continue indefintely with artifacts, but to counter this I'm thinking that Prince Magnus will insist that each hero can begin a quest with at most 2 artifacts (Wizard gets at most 3 or 4?). The idea being that the loss to the kingdom would be too great if so many were lost at once to the enemy. And that other heroes may loan these excess items from the royal (artifact) armory (also a great way to start a quest).

The wizard is different though, he starts at almost full power and just goes down from there. By quest 7 "Genie" is not such a great spell (and he rolled all shields in the 6 prior uses so it has been virtually useless!!!). So I really like the ideas in this thread.

However I like the mechanics of taking cards away when a spell is used, so I have purchased a second deck of magic cards. Through the use of artifacts, my wizard will be able to get more powerful. And if the wizard is killed (and his equipment lost), the new wizard can immediately claim new (lesser) artifacts from the prince's armory because he is part of the old party that is still owed many favors and artifacts.

The healing spells are too powerful to duplicate, so I'm thinking of moving them from 4 BP to the roll one 1 red die model. I'm also thinking that "Water of Healing" in particular should allow the caster to create a healing potion and give it to anybody at the beginning of the quest, to permanently keep.

Tempest needs a restriction such as not being able to be cast on the same monster and/or in the same room twice.

Two "pass through rock" spells is not too powerful.

I'm also tempted to allow Genie to target the same creature for multiple turns and/or give him a few extra combat dice (Barbarian +2 at least).

I like the 3 staff progression idea above, but all of my mods will come through artifacts. The limited number of artifacts also forces you to customize you character a bit (do I keep the genie's lamp OR the dragon's fire staff?).

[slev]

As worded, self-casting courage is useless on it's own.
As worded, Rock Skin has zero effect. I think this may be a typo.

[cornixt]

Thanks whitebeard.

As worded, self-casting courage is useless on it's own.
As worded, Rock Skin has zero effect. I think this may be a typo.

You are correct. I should reword them to specify the end of the next turn.

[slev]

I'd recomend these:

* Courage - This spell may be cast on any one Hero, including yourself. During their next turn, that Hero may roll 1 extra combat dice to attack for each success.

* Pass Through Rock - This spell may be cast on yourself. You may then move through one wall or one-square blockage per success on your next move.

[cynthialee]

every time I see 'success' in referral to a dice roll I think about Storyteller game systems, and Saga: the Game.
The nomenclature is messing with my head a little. Find myself thinking stuff like: How many attack dice would I give a glabro form lupine without a glaive?