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Message: <blockquote data-quote="mikelaff" data-source="post: 4306212" data-attributes="member: 39664">Since Urizen mentioned the magic system - we'll spotlight thatQ: So what's up with the Soldiers and Spellfighter's magic system?Wizards and Wiseguys20 introduces the Spellbinding perk for the Magic skill. The spellbinding perk enables the character to cast spells but it differs in some important ways from the spellcasting perk in Modern20. A spellbinding is a relationship that the caster has with a mystical force or powerful supernatural entity. There are roughly three kinds of spellbindings – but the categories aren't hard and fast and there is some overlap in characteristics 1) Divine spellbindings are a pact with a specific deity or mystical entity. They generally require some kind of behavioral restrictions or other obligations on the spellcaster. Occasionally identical or very similar spellbindings have been noted to be practiced by clerics of different religions. The best known example of this is the Practical Kabbalah spellbindings – which are used by holy men of the Christian, Muslim and Jewish faiths. Similarly, the Fear and Darkness spellbinding in the Caribbean is associated with the voodoo Loa Carrefour, while in Italy the spellbinding carries vastly different obligations and is associated with Nyx, the ancient Roman goddess of the night. These overlaps provide additional fodder for the intense theological debates that have raged since the Tunguska event. 2) Elemental spellbindings are an understanding between the spellcaster and an elemental force. The mage has taken the time to become attuned with and gain understanding of the force and in return has been granted some ability to channel and control it. There is generally not a behavioral obligation for elemental spellbindings. Elemental forces are less capricious than deities and do not lightly withdraw their gifts.  There is some overlap with the divine category - with some identical spellbindings emerging in different areas that are considered religious in some regions and elemental in other. Some folklorists, ethnologists and magic scholars have theorized that when a culture deifies an elemental force – a mystical persona is created (perhaps by the strength of the belief of worshipers) that controls and directs the force. This theory is debated by other magical scholars and traditional practitioners who insist that the deities and forces they serve were pre-existent and weren't simply wished into being by the weight of their believer's faith. Despite it's simplistic "chicken and the egg" nature, this argument is the most hotly debated among mainstream magical academia in America and Europe. 3) Arcane spellbindings – this third category is a broad catch-all for the spellbindings that owe no obligation to elemental or divine patronage. Some of these spellbindings owe allegiance to specific Fey entities –for example: the Council of Crimson Wyrm spellbinding, the House of Svaldon spellbindings and the House of Albion. These spellbindings are the result of centuries of labor by the master mages of these noble houses and their spells generally will carry a powerful geas preventing them from being used in against them.  With the "let the buyer beware" attitude of fey traders - these restrictions are sometimes not explained fully or even touched upon at all. Alternately, some of these spellbindings require simply a deep understanding and mastery of a particular facet of magic. Each spellbinding perk your character has grants you access to one spellbinding (which consists of 9 spells plus all the MSRD level 0 spells.)  In Wizards and Wiseguys20, the maximum level of a spell your character can cast is restricted by the character's ranks in the Magic skill. 0 and 1st level spells are available at 4 ranks, 2nd level spells at 6 ranks, 3rd level spells at 8 ranks, 4th level spells at 10 ranks, 5th level spells at 12 ranks, 6th level spells at 14 ranks, 7th level spells at 16 ranks, 8th level spells at 18 ranks and 9th level spells at 20 ranks.  As in Modern20, your caster level is equal to your ranks in Magic divided by 2 and rounded down. Each time you cast a spell, you must make a Will save, with a DC equal to 20 plus the spell's level. If you fail this saving throw, you become fatigued until you rest for one hour. A second failed saving throw will render you exhausted and unable to cast any spells until you rest for 8 hours (in addition to the normal penalties for being exhausted).</blockquote>

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