I took your 4x5 system and remodeled it a wee bit to fit in line with some of my thoughts on magic. I am calling it 5x5:
Magi begin play at 1st level knowing three Words of Power - either Two Actions and One Realm, or Two Realms and One Action. They learn one new Word of Power every two levels (3,5,7, etc).
The Five Actions
- Enhance (augeo): Strengthen, Heal, Enlarge, Repair, Sharpen, etc.
- Diminish (infirmo): Weaken, Damage, Injure, Reduce, Break, Dull, Deteriorate, etc.
- Communicate with (defero): Sense, Read, Seek, Inform, Determine, Understand, etc.
- Control (tempero): Shape, Hold, Command, Direct, Dictate, etc.
- Create (genero): Summon, Create,
Create is difficult to learn, and you may not learn Create spells until you have learned all of the other Actions.
The Five Realms
- Body (corpus): Living body of sentient beings, animals, plants.
- Mind (mentis): That which normally inhabits and animates a body
- Energy (navitas): Fire, water, air, magic, [electricity, etc.] - and, if the GM is willing, time.
- Matter (materia): Solid material with no mind - stone, metal, wood, leather, paper, [plastic, etc.]
- Spirit (animus): The essence or soul. Spirit is difficult to learn, and you may not learn Spirit spells until you have learned at least three other Realms and three Actions
Difficulty Checks
Spells are cast by combining a Word with an Action and successfully making a Magical Attack (Level+MIND) check.
Note: characters must be able to speak the enchantment to be able to cast.
The DC for the check is determined by the GM at the time of casting. There is no
'set in stone' list of modifiers and allot is left up to the GM to determine. The list below is examples of what can affect the difficulty of the casting:
- Exact circumstances of when the spell was cast
- Willingness of the target
- Distance to the target
- Area of effect
- Intended effect of spell
- How rushed the caster is
- Caster's familiarity with the spell (have they cast it often before)
The Cost of Spells
Each spell has a cost that is associated with it. The previous list of things that can affect the DC, also affect the cost in HP of. A simple easy spell, such at lighting a torch, or mending a cloak might only cost 1HP, where as casting a massive fireball that engulfs 3 orcs might cost 6HP. Prior to casting a spell, the GM will announce the DC and the cost of the spell. Players may opt to spend addition HP to increase their chance for success, 1HP per +1 modifier to the casting. If a magi reaches 0HP due to casting, he passes out, regaining 1HP per hour of rest. The HP lost due to spell casting cannot be healed and must be regenerated over time, HP lost due to spell casting recovers at a rate of about 1 per hour.
Duration of Spells
Spells that affect inanimate objects are generally permanent; an enlarged pebble will stay large, a broken belt will stay mended. Magically created fires, etc, will die down naturally. Living creatures will eventually revert back to their normal form, though any healed damage stays healed. Some spells can have continuing costs that must be spent to keep the spell 'active'.
Spell Effects
Every 5 (or part) points of success is equal to 1d8 effect, thus if the DC was 10 and the player rolled 11, it produces 1d8 worth of effect, if they rolled a 16, then 2d8 worth of effect was caused. This can take the form of damage, healing, transformation, or length of effect; to turn one thing into another the total effect rolled must equal the difference between the two hit point totals. That’s why it’s so easy to turn commoners into toads, but Magi turn into dragons.
