barsoomcore
Unattainable Ideal
Hey gang. Here's the new magic system I'm implementing on Barsoom. First note to point out -- there are NO spellcasting classes on Barsoom. Magic is purely skill-based. These rules are mainly an amalgamation of Dark Sun and Wheel of Time rules, altered for the Barsoom cosmology. It's a big chunk of crunchiness, but I hope some of you will dig through it and provide your thoughts. Read on:
Magic
Magic (or sorcery, as it's commonly referred to) is a dangerous pursuit on Barsoom. Sorcery draws upon the power of the Shadow Realm, which is deadly to mortals and must be controlled through rigid mental control and complex mathematical formulae, complex calculations that must be performed within the mind of the spellcaster as she accesses the Shadow Realm. One mistake can lead to instant death, not only for the sorcerer, but for those around her. Even at its most innocuous, sorcery sucks the essence out of all life where it manifests. Spending time in the company of a sorcerer is risky in the extreme.
There are two skills involved in the use of magic: Spellcraft and Grasp Shadow. Spellcraft is used to memorize spells and cast them, while Grasp Shadow is needed to connect to the Shadow Realm and draw forth the power needed for a spell. The process is as follows: Memorize (Spellcraft), Draw Power (Grasp Shadow), Cast (Spellcraft). There is a cost associated with so much contact with the Shadow Realm, and insanity and madness are always pressing upon the sorcerer should her control waver even once. Sorcerers can ease the burden of magic use through their trusty familiars, and augment their spell-casting abilities with magic feats.
Skills
Grasp Shadow (Wisdom)
On Barsoom, sorcerers must first draw enough energy from the Shadow Realm to power their spells before they can actually begin casting them. This energy washes over the living world around the sorcerer, draining the life from anything it contacts. The more powerful the spell, the broader the influx of Shadow energy required.
Check: Attempts to grasp shadow must be successfully completed before a spell can be cast. Grasping shadow is a move-equivalent action (but see below) which must immediately precede the spell casting. To draw enough energy for a spell, the DC is 10 + (2 x spell level). Once this has been accomplished, the sorcerer must immediately (on her next action) begin casting the spell. If for whatever reason the sorcerer does not begin casting the spell on her next action, she must make a Concentration check that round and every round thereafter at DC = (2 x Spell Level) + (number of rounds since Grasp Shadow) or suffer the consequences of miscasting a spell (see below). Only successfully casting a spell can release the energy harmlessly.
Note that the sorcerer can change her mind about which spell(s) to cast after the Grasp Shadow check, but if she elects to cast a lower level spell than the amount of energy she drew, she must still deal with the remaining levels.
As the shadow energy is released into the area, a circle of shadow energy forms, centered on the spellcaster, with a radius of (Spell Level x 10) feet. This energy drains Constitution from any living creature except the spellcaster in that radius, at a rate of 1 temporary Constitution point per Spell Level.
Grasping Shadow as a Free Action: If the DC is exceeded by 10 or more points, the sorcerer has drawn the needed energy so quickly that the drawing is considered a Free Action.
Retry: Yes.
Special: You may take 10 on any Grasp Shadow check, but since this represents a more deliberate and use of the skill, there is no chance of gathering as a Free Action.
If you have five or more ranks in Concentration, you gain a +2 synergy bonus to Grasp Shadow checks.
Further uses for Grasp Shadow:
Madness: A sorcerer always runs the risk of madness from the constant contact with the inimical forces of the Shadow Realm. The more experienced and competent the sorcerer, the more likely is the slip into insanity.
When certain conditions are met (Trigger Events), a sorcerer may be forced to make a Will Save or drop into temporary insanity. These Trigger Events become more and more common as the sorcerer grows in power. The Will Save is made against the sorcerer's current Grasp Shadow ranks. The conditions that trigger a Will Save are determined by the character's current Grasp Shadow ranks:
Ranks/Event
0-5/Never
6-10/Use of Con for spellcasting
11-15/Injury
16-20/Will Save
21-25/Grasp Shadow check
These Trigger Events stack, so that a sorcerer with 17 ranks in Grasp Shadow will be forced to make a Madness check anytime she has to make a Will Save, suffers and injury or uses her Constitution for spell levels (see Other Uses for Spellcraft: Spells per Day).
If a Madness check is required, the character must make a Will Save using their current Grasp Shadow ranks as the DC. Success means that the player resists the onset of madness this time. Failure means that the character falls into Madness, described on the table below:
Paranoia: The character considers all friends and acquaintances as deadly enemies who cannot be trusted. Anyone trying to reassure the character must make a Bluff check at a -4 penalty.
Dementia: The character suffers hallucinations that seems completely real. The character perceives people and objects that do not exist, and will ignore everything around herself to deal with these imaginary elements.
Rage: The character goes into berserk rage and attacks the nearest person with whatever weapon is handiest. The character is unable to cast spells and automatically fails any Concentration check for the first 15 minutes in this state. After that, the Rage becomes a cold, implacable thing and the character can make use of any and all his resources as he attempts to destroy the objects of his hatred -- whoever happens to be within sight.
Terrors: The character develops a sudden fear of immediate danger and becomes panicked. Any attempts to calm the character must be made as Bluff checks at a -4 penalty.
Depression: The character is overwhelmed by self-pity and despair and is unable to take any actions.
The duration of the Madness is determined by the trigger event:
Trigger/Duration = ranks as:
Use of Con/rounds
Injury/minutes
Will Save/hours
Grasp Shadow/days
Spellcraft (Intelligence)
On Barsoom, Spellcraft is an integral part of spell casting. There are two new checks to be made with this skill: Memorization and Casting.
Checks:
Memorization: To memorize a spell, the sorcerer must make a Spellcraft check at DC 10 + (Spell Level x 2). A single check requires half an hour. If successful, the sorcerer has now impressed upon her brain the complex formulae and computations that she will be required to perform when she attempts to cast the spell.
If the check is unsuccessful, there is a chance that the sorcerer has endangered herself. Any Memorization check that is missed by more than 5 not only fails to impress the spell into the sorcerer's brain, it also confuses her mind and makes it difficult for her to cast that spell at all. This means that if, after missing a check by more than 5, the sorcerer tries again to memorize that spell (and is successful), she will suffer a -2 penalty when casting that spell. Repeated failures cause this penalty to stack.
Four hours or more of sleep erases all memorized spells in the sorcerer's mind. This means that she will have to again memorize any spells she wishes to cast that day, and that any penalties she is suffering for missed memorizations are erased.
Casting: The DC for using Spellcraft to cast a spell is 10 + (Spell Level x 2). If the sorcerer fails her roll, the spell does not go off. There may or may not be unpleasant side-effects, however. If the Spellcraft roll was less than 5 under the needed value, the spell and the energy previously gathered dissipate harmlessly. Any failure of 5 or more beneath the needed value, however, and the spell becomes uncontrolled, and threatens to consume the sorcerer herself.
An uncontrolled spell deals 1d4 points of temporary Constitution damage per Spell Level. If the caster makes a Fortitude Save at DC 10 + (Spell Level), they can direct the majority of this energy away from themselves, and take only 1 point of temporary Constitution damage per spell level. The rest of the energy explodes away from the caster in a straight line, 5' wide, in any direction the caster chooses. Any living creature struck by this energy must make the same Fortitude Save or take 1d3 points of temporary Constitution damage per Spell Level. Non-living materials (including undead) are unaffected by the energy stream.
Note that any time a sorcerer is forced to make a Concentration check while casting and fails, they immediately lose control of the spell.
Further uses of Spellcraft:
Spells per day: A sorcerer can cast a number of spell levels per day equal to his Spellcraft ranks. If after casting this many spell levels the sorcerer wishes to cast more spells, he may elect to take temporary Constitution damage, losing one point of temporary Constitution per spell level + 1d4. That is, a third level spell would cost 3+1d4 points of temporary Constitution damage. The sorcerer may elect to have his familiar take any portion of this Constitution damage.
The sorcerer's pool of available levels resets after at least four hours of sleep. After four hours of sleep, the sorcerer can once again cast as many spell levels as she has Spellcraft ranks.
Things I didn't include:
How to select which form of insanity gets applied (varies with Trigger Event)
How all this applies to undead characters (fairly important on Barsoom)
Things I don't know:
If Madness can become permanent and if so, how.
If this is balanced at all.
Thanks for any comments.
Magic
Magic (or sorcery, as it's commonly referred to) is a dangerous pursuit on Barsoom. Sorcery draws upon the power of the Shadow Realm, which is deadly to mortals and must be controlled through rigid mental control and complex mathematical formulae, complex calculations that must be performed within the mind of the spellcaster as she accesses the Shadow Realm. One mistake can lead to instant death, not only for the sorcerer, but for those around her. Even at its most innocuous, sorcery sucks the essence out of all life where it manifests. Spending time in the company of a sorcerer is risky in the extreme.
There are two skills involved in the use of magic: Spellcraft and Grasp Shadow. Spellcraft is used to memorize spells and cast them, while Grasp Shadow is needed to connect to the Shadow Realm and draw forth the power needed for a spell. The process is as follows: Memorize (Spellcraft), Draw Power (Grasp Shadow), Cast (Spellcraft). There is a cost associated with so much contact with the Shadow Realm, and insanity and madness are always pressing upon the sorcerer should her control waver even once. Sorcerers can ease the burden of magic use through their trusty familiars, and augment their spell-casting abilities with magic feats.
Skills
Grasp Shadow (Wisdom)
On Barsoom, sorcerers must first draw enough energy from the Shadow Realm to power their spells before they can actually begin casting them. This energy washes over the living world around the sorcerer, draining the life from anything it contacts. The more powerful the spell, the broader the influx of Shadow energy required.
Check: Attempts to grasp shadow must be successfully completed before a spell can be cast. Grasping shadow is a move-equivalent action (but see below) which must immediately precede the spell casting. To draw enough energy for a spell, the DC is 10 + (2 x spell level). Once this has been accomplished, the sorcerer must immediately (on her next action) begin casting the spell. If for whatever reason the sorcerer does not begin casting the spell on her next action, she must make a Concentration check that round and every round thereafter at DC = (2 x Spell Level) + (number of rounds since Grasp Shadow) or suffer the consequences of miscasting a spell (see below). Only successfully casting a spell can release the energy harmlessly.
Note that the sorcerer can change her mind about which spell(s) to cast after the Grasp Shadow check, but if she elects to cast a lower level spell than the amount of energy she drew, she must still deal with the remaining levels.
As the shadow energy is released into the area, a circle of shadow energy forms, centered on the spellcaster, with a radius of (Spell Level x 10) feet. This energy drains Constitution from any living creature except the spellcaster in that radius, at a rate of 1 temporary Constitution point per Spell Level.
Grasping Shadow as a Free Action: If the DC is exceeded by 10 or more points, the sorcerer has drawn the needed energy so quickly that the drawing is considered a Free Action.
Retry: Yes.
Special: You may take 10 on any Grasp Shadow check, but since this represents a more deliberate and use of the skill, there is no chance of gathering as a Free Action.
If you have five or more ranks in Concentration, you gain a +2 synergy bonus to Grasp Shadow checks.
Further uses for Grasp Shadow:
Madness: A sorcerer always runs the risk of madness from the constant contact with the inimical forces of the Shadow Realm. The more experienced and competent the sorcerer, the more likely is the slip into insanity.
When certain conditions are met (Trigger Events), a sorcerer may be forced to make a Will Save or drop into temporary insanity. These Trigger Events become more and more common as the sorcerer grows in power. The Will Save is made against the sorcerer's current Grasp Shadow ranks. The conditions that trigger a Will Save are determined by the character's current Grasp Shadow ranks:
Ranks/Event
0-5/Never
6-10/Use of Con for spellcasting
11-15/Injury
16-20/Will Save
21-25/Grasp Shadow check
These Trigger Events stack, so that a sorcerer with 17 ranks in Grasp Shadow will be forced to make a Madness check anytime she has to make a Will Save, suffers and injury or uses her Constitution for spell levels (see Other Uses for Spellcraft: Spells per Day).
If a Madness check is required, the character must make a Will Save using their current Grasp Shadow ranks as the DC. Success means that the player resists the onset of madness this time. Failure means that the character falls into Madness, described on the table below:
Paranoia: The character considers all friends and acquaintances as deadly enemies who cannot be trusted. Anyone trying to reassure the character must make a Bluff check at a -4 penalty.
Dementia: The character suffers hallucinations that seems completely real. The character perceives people and objects that do not exist, and will ignore everything around herself to deal with these imaginary elements.
Rage: The character goes into berserk rage and attacks the nearest person with whatever weapon is handiest. The character is unable to cast spells and automatically fails any Concentration check for the first 15 minutes in this state. After that, the Rage becomes a cold, implacable thing and the character can make use of any and all his resources as he attempts to destroy the objects of his hatred -- whoever happens to be within sight.
Terrors: The character develops a sudden fear of immediate danger and becomes panicked. Any attempts to calm the character must be made as Bluff checks at a -4 penalty.
Depression: The character is overwhelmed by self-pity and despair and is unable to take any actions.
The duration of the Madness is determined by the trigger event:
Trigger/Duration = ranks as:
Use of Con/rounds
Injury/minutes
Will Save/hours
Grasp Shadow/days
Spellcraft (Intelligence)
On Barsoom, Spellcraft is an integral part of spell casting. There are two new checks to be made with this skill: Memorization and Casting.
Checks:
Memorization: To memorize a spell, the sorcerer must make a Spellcraft check at DC 10 + (Spell Level x 2). A single check requires half an hour. If successful, the sorcerer has now impressed upon her brain the complex formulae and computations that she will be required to perform when she attempts to cast the spell.
If the check is unsuccessful, there is a chance that the sorcerer has endangered herself. Any Memorization check that is missed by more than 5 not only fails to impress the spell into the sorcerer's brain, it also confuses her mind and makes it difficult for her to cast that spell at all. This means that if, after missing a check by more than 5, the sorcerer tries again to memorize that spell (and is successful), she will suffer a -2 penalty when casting that spell. Repeated failures cause this penalty to stack.
Four hours or more of sleep erases all memorized spells in the sorcerer's mind. This means that she will have to again memorize any spells she wishes to cast that day, and that any penalties she is suffering for missed memorizations are erased.
Casting: The DC for using Spellcraft to cast a spell is 10 + (Spell Level x 2). If the sorcerer fails her roll, the spell does not go off. There may or may not be unpleasant side-effects, however. If the Spellcraft roll was less than 5 under the needed value, the spell and the energy previously gathered dissipate harmlessly. Any failure of 5 or more beneath the needed value, however, and the spell becomes uncontrolled, and threatens to consume the sorcerer herself.
An uncontrolled spell deals 1d4 points of temporary Constitution damage per Spell Level. If the caster makes a Fortitude Save at DC 10 + (Spell Level), they can direct the majority of this energy away from themselves, and take only 1 point of temporary Constitution damage per spell level. The rest of the energy explodes away from the caster in a straight line, 5' wide, in any direction the caster chooses. Any living creature struck by this energy must make the same Fortitude Save or take 1d3 points of temporary Constitution damage per Spell Level. Non-living materials (including undead) are unaffected by the energy stream.
Note that any time a sorcerer is forced to make a Concentration check while casting and fails, they immediately lose control of the spell.
Further uses of Spellcraft:
Spells per day: A sorcerer can cast a number of spell levels per day equal to his Spellcraft ranks. If after casting this many spell levels the sorcerer wishes to cast more spells, he may elect to take temporary Constitution damage, losing one point of temporary Constitution per spell level + 1d4. That is, a third level spell would cost 3+1d4 points of temporary Constitution damage. The sorcerer may elect to have his familiar take any portion of this Constitution damage.
The sorcerer's pool of available levels resets after at least four hours of sleep. After four hours of sleep, the sorcerer can once again cast as many spell levels as she has Spellcraft ranks.
Things I didn't include:
How to select which form of insanity gets applied (varies with Trigger Event)
How all this applies to undead characters (fairly important on Barsoom)
Things I don't know:
If Madness can become permanent and if so, how.
If this is balanced at all.
Thanks for any comments.
My fighter has to be over 90 feet away from this walking disaster area when he casts Power Word, Kill or lose half his CON and a grunch of bonus hps! 
Should be open season on arcane casters on Barsoom. 
Second thing is that caster who has the Power Word spell is going to spend all day memorizing at 1/2 an hour per spell! All this may fit in with your world concept, but it sure doesn't with mine. I'd suggest tweaking those two things to start. 
