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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Kaptain_Kantrip" data-source="post: 267384" data-attributes="member: 546">Well, the witch PCs only know a handful of cantrips (none have any visible "magical" effect when cast). Each cantrip costs 1 Sanity point per casting. Starting Sanity is equal to Wis score x 5. Factor in Sanity loss from seeing dead bodies, monsters and nightmarish visions from beyond on top of Sanity loss from spellcasting, and you can see why they don't cast many spells!Note: I'm using a mix of Psi HB 0 level powers, Cantrips and Orisons for their spell list possibilities.So, in three sessions, each witch (2) has cast roughly an equal number of cantrips and lost an almost equal number of Sanity points from encountering things they shouldn't, LOL. In the first session, each cast 1 cantrip (missive) so they could communicate with each other through a wall and coordinate their sneaking out into the woods to see the "crazy woman" in the woods for advice... Okay, that's not bad, considering she could have cast more cantrips to 1) cushion falling damage from a tree climb (catfall from PsiHB), and 2) heal 6 hbit points of damage from said fall via cure minor wounds applications. Instead, she chose to take the damage rather than lose Sanity. There was no combat involved in the first session (all RPing/orientation/investigation).Next session, they cast one cantrip between them both! Don't remember which one. Again, no combat (all RPing/investigation).The third session, they finally met a demonic creature, found a hideous mummified corpse, inhaled mystrical vapors that induced nightmarish visions and lost about 9-12 Sanity points each just from that (no spells yet!). During and after the battle with the "demon" (they ran away the first time they saw it!), they cast about ten cantrips each (one daze cantrip, one inflict minor wound/ranged, and the rest all being cure minor wounds to bring everyone back up to 1 hit point each if they had less).They made second level and I gave 2d6 bonus Sanity for that, let them pick another handful of cantrips, and 2d3 bonus Sanity for accomplishing two story goals (tracking the demon down to its lair and killing it and recovering the crazy woman's stolen spellbook). The demon was a CofC Spectral Hunter (invisible, incorporeal monstrous humanoid that turns others invisible to enhance their fear and confusion before killing them). The party almost died, in fact, only one witch was up, and at 1 hit point, when she figured out she should crush the demon's "soul object" (clay likeness). <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f644.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":rolleyes:" title="Roll eyes    :rolleyes:"  data-smilie="11"data-shortname=":rolleyes:" /> So, that's it so far. They returned the spellbook (but both are illiterate peasants) and have the opportunity to learn literacy and eventually more powerful spells if they do the crazy old hag's evil bidding, LOL. If anyone finds out they have magic powers, they will be burned at the stake (after being tortured for confessions and to find any accomplices).The thing is, magic is not limited by castings per day or level. Cast as many spells of differing power levels as you want (if you can pay the cost). The choice is the players... but if they do, they will quickly go nuts or get killed, or both. Having that power is at once liberating and terrifying to players. They must carefully weigh the cost of doing things the "easy way" (with magic) or the "hard way" (without). With great power comes great responsibility! Most will use their "gift" sparingly, and with minimal magic (except for dramatic effect in crisis situations in most cases), magic becomes much more alien, dangerous and mysterious. It really changes the mood and flavor of the game (for the better, IMO, but I'm an elitist Harn snob, so what do I know? <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f600.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":D" title="Big grin    :D"  data-smilie="8"data-shortname=":D" />  )</blockquote>

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