Magic and Spellcasting
How magic works in ACKSBERRON. See the Arcane Spell List, the Divine Spell List, and the Spell Index for the spells themselves.
Sources of Magic
In ACKSBERRON, there are many magic types: arcane, artifice, divine, and warcraft. Mages and other arcanists tap the ambient power that suffuses the cosmos to cast arcane spells. Clerics and other divine spellcasters draw from the power of a major deity to manifest their will with divine spells. Artificers concoct alchemical infusions to imbue physical objects with magical power. Practitioners of warcraft channel their personal energy to perform impossible battlefield maneuvers.
Spell Lists
Each type of magic has its own spell, infusion, or technique list. For game purposes, the terms spell, ceremony, infusion, and technique are mostly interchangeable terms for magical effects brought about by a character, though it is important to note that spellcasting, performing a ceremony, concocting or applying an infusion, and performing a technique are all different actions which characters of the appropriate classes might take to bring about these effects.
The arcane spell list presented here contains the most common formulae catalogued by the Towers of Knowledge, whether because it teaches them or has banned them. The divine spell list presented here includes all divine spells recorded by the theologians of Sair. Nevertheless, it is likely that the wider world contains spells and variations not seen here.
The infusion list and technique lists presented elsewhere are known to be scattered and incomplete, recording only a portion of the spells that may exist among the various practitioners in Sair, as many of these practitioners are known to experiment wildly and likely keep secret their latest ceremonies, infusions, and techniques.
Spellcasting
The most common means of producing magical effects is spellcasting, which involves using the caster’s own personal power to channel an external power source (almost always arcane or divine, though this is not strictly required) to cast their spells. Each spellcasting class is limited in the number of spells they may cast at each spell level per day. Unlike traditional D&D, spellcasters do not “memorize” or “prepare” spells each day, but instead may choose which spell to cast from their repertoire. The caster replenishes their spell slots after 8 hours of restful sleep (a maximum of once per 24 hours).
Casting Requirements
All spellcasters need to be able to move their hands and speak in order to make the gestures and say the incantations that bring their spells to fruition. Therefore, they cannot cast spells if they are gagged, their hands are bound, or they are under a silencing magical effect.
Casting a spell typically takes one round of game time. A caster cannot take any other actions during the round the spell is cast, and spellcasting must be declared prior to rolling initiative at the beginning of the round. If the caster takes damage or fails a saving throw that round before the spell is cast, their spell is disrupted and has no effect. They still lose the spell slot and their action for the round.
Some spells require other conditions be met before they can be cast, such as being able to touch a target or being within a certain distance of a fire. Each spell’s description will list these conditions if they apply.
Mutable Spellcasting
| Spell Level | Spell Point Cost |
|---|---|
| 1st | 1 |
| 2nd | 2 |
| 3rd | 3 |
| 4th | 5 |
| 5th | 7 |
| 6th | 10 |
Rather than having a limited number of spell slots by level, a character with mutable spellcasting has a number of spell points available each day. To cast a spell from their repertoire, such characters spend spell points as indicate on the Spell Point Cost table. Spell points are recovered in the same manner as spell slots (after 8 hours of rest) and with the same restriction (no more than once per 24 hours). The character’s choice of spells is still limited to those in their repertoire (but see Extemporaneous Spellcasting below).
Extemporaneous Spellcasting
A character with the extemporaneous spellcasting ability can compose a new spell from pieces of spells he already has in his repertoire. The resulting spell may not include any basic effects or elemental subtypes not already present in the caster’s repertoire, and will treat any spell cost modifiers of lower than x1 as x1. An extemporaneous spell may even be of a higher level than the character normally knows, though these will be difficult or impossible to successfully cast.
To successfully cast an extemporaneous spell, the character must still declare at the beginning of the round and may be disrupted by damage or failed saving throws as with normal spellcasting. In addition, the character must succeed on an extemporaneous casting throw, modified by CHA, with a target number based on the Extemporaneous Casting Table below. If the spell is drawing its energy from a place of power, apply a -4 penalty to the throw. A failed throw indicates that the spell is disrupted and lost; a natural 1 always fails and may cause a mishap.
Extemporaneous Casting (columns: caster level)
| Spell Level | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 14+ | 13+ | 12+ | 11+ | 10+ | 9+ | 8+ | 7+ | 6+ | 5+ | 4+ | 3+ |
| 2 | 16+ | 15+ | 14+ | 13+ | 12+ | 11+ | 10+ | 9+ | 8+ | 7+ | 6+ | 5+ |
| 3 | 18+ | 17+ | 16+ | 15+ | 14+ | 13+ | 12+ | 11+ | 10+ | 9+ | 8+ | 4+ |
| 4 | 20+ | 19+ | 18+ | 17+ | 16+ | 15+ | 14+ | 13+ | 12+ | 11+ | 10+ | 9+ |
| 5 | 20+ | 19+ | 18+ | 17+ | 16+ | 15+ | 14+ | 13+ | 12+ | 11+ | ||
| 6 | 20+ | 19+ | 18+ | 17+ | 16+ | 15+ | 14+ | 13+ |
Because these rules are so flexible, it is advised that players work up some possible spells in advance. Judges are encouraged to minimize the time spent concocting the precisely perfect spell in the middle of combat, for example! Extemporaneous casting can be a powerful tool, but it requires a significant degree of system mastery from the player and Judge to use. In general, extemporizing spells is intended to allow a caster to flexibly apply what he knows, rather than extemporaneously cast what he does not know. As magic is fickle and no mere mortal can always comprehend its workings, the Judge may veto or re-design any extemporaneous spell at his complete discretion where necessary for balance and fun.
To find out if a mishap occurs, the caster must make a mishap throw - another caster throw with the same modifiers and target value as the throw she just made. If the mishap throw also results in a failure, then a mishap occurs. When a mishap occurs, the caster must roll 1d10 on the Extemporaneous Mishaps table and suffer the effect listed in the column matching the degree of mishap. The degree of the mishap depends on the level of the spell that caused the mishap. If the spell was 1st, 2nd, or 3rd level, a minor mishap occurs. If the spell was 4th or 5th level, a major mishap occurs. If the spell was 6th level, a catastrophic mishap occurs.
Repertoires
Just because a spell is listed on a magic type’s list doesn’t mean that all casters of that type can cast it. Each caster has a spell repertoire which consists of the spells they can actually cast. This is always a small subset of the possible spells the magic type has to offer. The two main types or repertoires are studious and prayerful.
Prayerful Repertoires
Prayerful casters receive their repertoires directly from prayer to the deity (or other power?) they serve. In order to maintain their repertoire, they must pray each day.
Repertoire Rules
Each prayerful caster has a repertoire of 5-15 spells of each level that they can cast, The prayerful repertoires presented here are divided by class, with each class representing a particular aspect of the deity. The cleric repertoire has two slots reserved for spells specific to the cleric’s deity, with a default option specified for cases in which a Judge just needs an NPC without thinking too hard.
These lists are a set of possible examples that could be expanded to an array of classes and variants. The Syncretism proficiency allows a prayerful spellcaster to alter their repertoire somewhat.
Prayer Requirement
To stay in favor with their deity, a prayerful spellcaster must pray at an appointed time (usually sunrise or sunset) for at least one hour per day. A prayerful spellcaster who misses this obligation more than once per seven days becomes disfavored. While disfavored, he must roll 1d6 each time he casts a spell, or the spell fails. The failed spell still counts against his daily limit.
Studious Repertoires
Studious casters (such as mages, ceremonialists, and changeling faithstealers) receive their repertoire from the study of spell formulas. A spell formula consists of diagrams, illustrations, texts, and charts detailing the precise gestures and sounds that will invoke the spell’s effects as well as minor modifications that apply based on the season, the phases of the moon, the position of the Ring of Siberys, or other environmental factors. As such, the caster must spend some time each day reviewing the spell formulas in their repertoire or risk forgetting one or more spells from their repertoire.
A spell’s formula always takes up one page (or equivalent) per spell level. A caster must be able to read the language used in the formula in order to study it, making the ability to speak many languages very valuable for every studious caster. Recovering the favor of your deity may require intense prayer, sacrifices, a major quest, or an atonement spell depending on the nature and intensity of the transgression; in the case of missed prayer a week of dedicated proselytization will typically suffice.
Repertoire Rules
Each studious caster has their own unique repertoire of spells based on the formulas they frequently study. The maximum number and level of spells they might have is determined by their class and level, and is improved by their INT bonus.
Because a studious caster must have access to spell formulas in order to build his repertoire, it is possible (indeed, common) for a studious caster to have fewer spells in his repertoire than the maximum amount his class level and Intellect would otherwise permit. Conversely, it is also possible for a fortunate studious caster to end up in possession of far more spell formulas than he has room for in his repertoire.
To organize their collection of spell formulas, studious casters gather them together in spell books. A spell book can be, but does not have to be, an actual codex. Some spell books are true works of art, cased in precious metal or rare wood, with vellum pages illumined and illustrated with colorful inks. Others resemble a pile of scrolls shoved in a box in alphabetic order. A typical spell book is a sturdy leatherbound parchment codex with 100 pages. A blank 100-page spell book costs 20gp.
Study Requirement
Each day, after he rests, a studious caster must spend at least one hour reviewing their formulas. A studious caster who misses more than one day in seven becomes forgetful. Each time a forgetful caster casts a spell, they must roll 1d6. On a 1-2 the spell fails, while still counting against the daily limit. This condition ends as soon as the character meets his daily study requirement.
Poor or inexperienced studious casters often have just one small spell book, which they guard jealously. More established studious casters tend to own many spell books, with one or more “traveling” spell books containing the formulas for the spells in their repertoire, and the rest containing the formulas for spells not in their repertoire. These latter spell books can be consulted should the caster wish to change his repertoire (see below). Extra spell books are usually kept in a library, laboratory, or secure vault.
Starting Spell Repertoire
A 1st level studious spellcaster starts with one 1st level spell, plus potentially bonus spells based on their INT. The Judge should work with the player to determine an appropriate starting spell that is likely to be useful in the initial adventure. Additional spells might be determined randomly, assigned by the Judge based on the character’s background or template, or left blank to be filled in during play. If you are playing a studious caster, be sure to let your Judge know your preferences, but prepare to be flexible. Not every spell is available in every game region, and some campaigns may be sparse in overall arcane knowledge. Once the character has some adventuring under their belt, they will learn additional spells from their master or mentor, as well as having the opportunity to buy (and perhaps sell) formulas from other mages.
Whichever method is used, the caster starts with the spell formula for each of the spells in his repertoire recorded on the pages of his starting spell book.
Acquiring Formulas
As a studious caster advances in character level, their maximum repertoire will increase. There are multiple ways for the character to acquire formulas to fill these additional slots.
-
He can copy a formula from a magic scroll, another caster’s spellbook, or similar source directly into his own spellbook. He can copy the formulas at a rate of one page per day, plus one additional page per day per rank in Art (calligraphy) or Caft (scribing). He must have a book with blank pages to do so.
-
He can buy or steal a spell formula or even an entire spellbook from another mage. He need not re-write such formulas in his own hand unless he wants to.
-
He can engage in spell research in order to discover the formula for a new or existing spell. Spell research is a lengthy and expensive process that can only be pursued by experienced casters.
As discussed previously, mages are typically assumed to have a master who will teach them some spells as they level up. These masters typically provide formulas for the base repertoire for a caster of the student’s level, but will not automatically share enough to fill the student’s INT bonus. In any event, most markets of Class IV or better will have some kind of organized library or Tower of Knowledge where arcane formulas can be bought and traded.
Adding Or Replacing Spells
Once the caster has a copy of a desired formula, he must spend one week studying the formula to add it to his repertoire. Time spent scribing the spell by hand can be counted against this requirement as well. A character whose repertoire is already full can use this same process to replace one spell with another.
Recovering from a Lost or Destroyed Grimoire
Sometimes, through bad fortune or enemy action, the spell book containing the formula for a studious caster’s repertoire might get lost or destroyed. If necessary, a studious caster can re-write the spell formulas from memory. He can rewrite one page per day of dedicated activity, plus one page per rank in Art (calligraphy) or Craft (Scribing).
Spell Reversal
Some spells, marked with an asterisk (*) on the spell lists, can be cast reversed. A reversed spell results in an effect that is opposite to the effect the spell normally causes. For example, when a mage casts petrification, he can turn a flesh-and-blood creature into stone. But when a mage casts the reverse spell, depetrification, he can restore a creature that has been petrified back to life. Where it is not self-evident, the spell descriptions below will explain what reversed spells do. If a spell name is not marked with an asterisk, the spell is not reversible.
Studious spellcasters must treat the normal and reversed version of a spell as separate spells for purposes of their repertoire. Prayerful spellcasters know both the normal and reversed form of any spell on their spell list. However, Lawful divine spellcasters prefer to cast spells in their normal form, e.g. favoring remove fear over cause fear and cure light injury over cause light injury, and will use the reversed forms only against Chaotic opponents**.** Conversely, Chaotic divine spellcasters will freely cast reversed spells such as cause fear, while using the normal version only to aid comrades and followers. Some divine spellcasters might be restricted entirely by their deity from using normal or reversed versions of particular spells (Judge’s discretion).
Spell Signatures
While spells have general effects that are common to all who cast them, the specific sensory effects associated with the spell inevitably vary from caster to caster. This specific sensory effect is known as the spell signature. The player of a spellcaster can write a short description of the signature for his caster or detailed descriptions of the signature of each spell, as he desires. For arcane spellcasters, the signature might be based on a particular school or style of magic, or simply be a reflection of the spellcaster’s personal taste. For divine spellcasters, the signature should reflect the caster’s relationship with his deity. A character’s choice of proficiencies can be suggestive of appropriate spell signatures.
A character with the Sensing Power proficiency can sense the spell signature of arcane casters up to 24 hours after a spell has been cast. A caster who casts scry can inadvertently reveal his spell signature to those he scries upon. A caster who casts reveal ritual magic can discern the spell signature of whoever is casting the ritual. A character can make a Collegiate Wizardry proficiency throw to identify famous casters or particular schools of magic by their spell signature. A character can make a Theology proficiency throw to identify famous religious orders by their spell signature.
Spell Types
Every spell is classified according to its spell type, which gives a broad description of what the spell is supposed to do. There are 13 different types of spells: blast, death, detection, elemental, enchantment, esoteric, healing, illusion, movement, protection, summoning, transmogrification, and wall spells. Some spells have just one type, while others have several.
List of Spell Types
Blast Spells
Blast spells can deal damage or detrimental effects to individual targets or over areas of effect through evoking a medium such as arcane force, fire, or toxic gas*. Battering ram, mage missile,* and thunderbolt are examples of blast spells. (In contrast, a spell that deals damage directly through magic, such as dismember, is a death spell.) Blast spells usually require the caster to make an attack throw or the target to make a Blast saving throw. Blast spells that require an attack throw benefit from the Battle Magic proficiency. Some blast spells are elemental and will benefit from Elementalism proficiency.
Death Spells
Death spells can deal damage or detrimental effects to targets directly. Death spells also deal in necromantic energy, capable of draining and transferring life energy or animating the dead. Animate dead, dismember, and necromantic potence are examples of death spells. Death spells usually require their targets to make Death saving throws avoid their effects. Death spells benefit from the Black Lore of Zahar proficiency.
Detection Spells
Detection spells can discern or locate particular categories of creatures, powers, or objects within range. Discern magic, locate haunting, and reveal ritual magic are examples of detection spells. While very useful, detection spells can never be used to detect abstract or ambiguous concepts such as “danger” or “traps.” Detection spells do not benefit from any particular class powers or proficiencies in this book, although the Judge may create these if desired.
Elemental Spells
Elemental spells can conjure, destroy, or manipulate one of the fundamental elements of air, earth, fire, and water. Each elemental spell denotes its sub-type in parentheses, e.g. elemental (fire). Earth’s excrescence, fan of flames, thunderbolt, and wall of frost are examples of elemental earth, fire, air, and water spells respectively. Elemental spells benefit from the Elementalism proficiency. All elemental spells always belong to another type as well. For instance, fan of flames is a blast and elemental fire spell, while wall of frost is a wall and elemental water spell.
Enchantment Spells
Enchantment spells can bewitch, dominate, halt, frighten, mesmerize, or otherwise affect the mind and will of target creatures. Bewitch humanoid, halt monster, and slumber are examples of enchantment spells. Enchantment spells are more difficult to detect than other types of spells. Enchantment spells benefit from the Mastery of Enchantments & Illusions proficiency.
Esoteric Spells
Esoteric spells can produce supernatural effects that no other type of spell can. Esoteric spells were discovered or developed in ages long past, and many of the esoteric spells written about in ancient accounts have been lost to the Tower of Knowledge. Those that remain known are some of the most important spells in existence. It is almost impossible for casters in this fallen age to create new esoteric spells or to enchant them into magic items, so many casters seek out ancient ruins and lost civilizations in the hopes of discovering them. Communion, perpetual illumination, and rune of warding are examples of esoteric spells.
Healing Spells
Healing spells can regenerate, revitalize, or even resurrect creatures. Healing spells can be reversed to damage or kill, in which case they function like weak death spells (above). Cure light injury, neutralize poison, and restore life and limb are examples of healing spells. Reversed healing spells can benefit from the Black Lore of Zahar proficiency, just as death spells do.
Illusory Spells
Illusion spells can create or suppress sensory data in the minds of those they affect. Illusion spells work by invoking a special pattern of light and/or sound that, when witnessed, triggers a particular hallucination in the mind of those who witnessed it. The pattern of the illusion has an objective existence but the hallucination it induces exists only in the mind. Because they exist in the mind, illusion spells are vulnerable to disbelief. A creature who successfully disbelieves an illusion sees or hears the pattern of the illusion but does not experience the hallucination it induces. Chimerical figment, illusory interior, and mirage are examples of illusion spells. Illusion spells benefit from the Mastery of Enchantments & Illusions proficiency.
Movement Spells
Movement spells allow creatures to move, or be moved, directly through the application of magical power. Flight, teleportation, and telekinesis are all movement spells. In contrast, a spell that allows a character to fly by taking on the characteristics of a bird would be a transmogrification spell. Movement spells do not benefit from any particular class powers or proficiencies in this book, although the Judge may create these if desired.
Protection Spells
Protection spells enhance armor and saving throws, ward off foes, and provide protection from various spells, weapons, and elements, directly through magic. Blast ward, holy circle, and shimmer are examples of protection spells. In contrast, a spell that increased a character’s armor class by taking on the characteristics of a turtle would be a transmogrification spell. Protection spells benefit from the Bright Lore of Aura proficiency.
Summoning Spells
Summoning spells bring creatures from “elsewhere” to serve the spellcaster. There are three sub-types of summoning spells. Callings summon non-sapient creatures to arrive by means of their own locomotion to serve for a day. Call of the wolf is an example of a calling. Conjurations summon powerful creatures to serve the caster for a brief period of time. Conjured creatures are usually very powerful but actively hostile and must be controlled through concentration. Conjure genie is an example of a conjuration. Summons summon one or more creatures for extended periods of time. Summon hellhounds is an example of a summons. Callings are widely used by divine casters, while conjurations and summons are favored by arcane casters of a Chaotic bent. Whatever their sub-type, most summoning spells take a long time to cast and some are quite restricted in the frequency and method of use. Summoning spells benefit from the Mastery of Conjuration & Summoning proficiency.
Transmogrification
Transmogrification spells transform the physical and/or mental characteristics of creatures or objects. Most transmogrification spells can only affect man-sized targets; the larger the target, the more powerful the magic required. Some transmogrification spells affect the creature’s entire being, whereas others only modify a characteristic while leaving the creature mostly unaltered. Adjust self, transform other, and winged flight are examples of transmogrification spells. Transmogrification spells benefit from the Transmogrification proficiency, naturally. Some transmogrification spells have an elemental component (usually stone) and will benefit from Elementalism proficiency.
Wall Spells
Wall spells create barriers of physical, elemental, or magical substance. While drawing on similar energies as blast spells, wall spells benefit from having malleable or mobile areas of effect with very long durations. Barrier of blades, cloud of poison, and wall of thunder are examples of wall spells. Many wall spells also are elemental and will benefit from Elementalism proficiency. Unusual wall (one might say “off the wall”) spells can sometimes benefit from other proficiencies. For example, wall of corpses creates a wall made of undead, and so benefits from Black Lore of Zahar.
Spell Type Abbreviations
In the spell lists below, the following superscripts are used to designate particular types of spells. This can be helpful to the player or Judge in quickly determining which spells are affected by various proficiencies and class powers. The spell type is also listed for each spell in its spell description.
bst blast
dth death
det detection
elm (type) elemental (type)
enc enchantment
eso esoteric
ill illusion
mov movement
nec necromancy*
pro protection
sum summoning
trn transmogrification
wal wall
*All necromancy spells are formally part of the death type, but we have differentiated them to assist players in quickly identifying those spells which harm living creatures from those spells which control or create undead.
Unusual Magic Types
Artifice
Artifice is a unique magic type with its own strengths and weaknesses. Rather than casting spells or performing ceremonies to work magical effects on the world at large, practitioners of artifice concoct infusions charged with specific magical effects. When a concoction is applied to an appropriate object by touch (consuming it after a single application), it generates a magical effect centered on that object. Each infusion’s description will detail what kind of objects it may be applied to and what effects it will have when applied.
Artifice is a Studious magic type. Concoctors store formulas for their infusions in an experimentation notebook or similar written collection. Each concoctor has a repertoire if infusions that they may concoct. They may copy formulas from other concoctors into their experimentation books and may add or change which infusions are in their repertoires just as mages may learn and copy spell formulas and alter their repertoires.
While concoctions are often confused for potions or alchemical substances, they are actually powered by the concoctor’s own personal energy, bound into physical form. As such, only the concoctor himself may apply his concoctions (the Judge may make exceptions if he deems it appropriate), and these concoctions lose all potency whenever the concoctor sanitizes himself of vexation.
For purposes of magical transparency, concoctor level is mechanically identical to caster level, and an infusion can be interacted with as if it were a spell.
See the Artifice document for more details and a list of infusions.
Warcraft
Warcraft is a unique type of magic based on the martial traditions of House Deneith. It draws upon the primal heartbeat of life-and-death combat to fuel a wide range of martial techniques, ranging from those which appear fully mundane to those which allow its practitioners to stretch the arts of belief. Many of these techniques affect not just the practitioner, but their allies as well, allowing superb coordination, precision, and maneuverability on the battlefield. The full range of techniques is a closely guarded secret of House Deneith, but rumor has it that changelings have infiltrated the House and spread the practice of warcraft to other races, developing new techniques in the process.
What is known is that warcraft is a studious magic type. Its practitioners, collectively called warlords, store formulas for their techniques in a book of strategy and may copy formulas from other warlords as mages copy spell formulas. Like ceremonial magic or artifice, warcraft is less reliable than spellcasting – it can and will sometimes fail due simply to poor battlefield conditions, as well as active disruption from opponents.
For purposes of magical transparency, techniques are similar to spells with a spell level equivalent to their technique level. They cannot be dispelled, though they are subject to discern magic, Sensing Power, and similar effects. For more information, see the Warcraft document.