Spell Research

Attributes: .................Intellect x2

Level: .........................DF: 4 BCS 30%; 600 Exp

[TR] This skill indicates that the mage has tricks and techniques for learning spells by researching them in books and scrolls. Of course the character will need access to these sort of Arcane works probably from some library; not all of which might contain such sorcerous texts. The books must contain a treatise on the method of magick he is researching; for example if he is researching an illusion spell, his source must contain works specifically on illusion, not merely general magick texts or other methods.

Given a library with relevant books in the methods he is researching then a specialist requires (13-ML) x MR days of the spell he is searching for information on to try to learn the spell.

If a Hex Master or a Power Word Mage does not have the required access, they may still undertake the research; however, it will take much longer. Under these circumstances they will require (21-ML) x MR days of research to learn the spell.

A non Mage needs a book and 10 days x MR to do research.

At the end of this time he must make a successful Spell Research roll and the crit die roll must be equal or higher than the MR of the spell being researched. Success gives a basic knowledge of the spell and allows reduction of the MR to start and to make if fully his to cast and control.

Druids have an oral tradition and therefore do not use books and scrolls to record the lore of their magicks. So in a addition to learning from a master they also consult the sacred trees and use Read Oghams, a written form of mage speech only taught to Druids. Research using this method consists of meditating upon significance of the oghams often, carved amongst relevant pictograms.

Researching Original Spells (optional)

Depending upon the campaign and the desires of the gamemaster’s a Guild of Arcane Lore might have tight control over how their wizards learn spells. They might have call to restrict access to their library of books. Magick might be incredibly rare and texts or masters will be hard to come by. There might be many reasons that a player character will want to research an entirely new spell, a spell not listed in these rules, something to solve a unique problem perhaps. Here are some rules guidelines:

• The player should definitely make his proposal in full to the gamemaster in order to make sure that the spell is acceptable and reasonable for the campaign world the gamemaster has lavished his time creating. The exact nature and the effects of the spell should be understood by both and clearly established in a written spell description. The ranks and MR of the spell are very important parts of the spell and should reflect its complexity and power in comparison to the other spells already in existence. Approval from the gamemaster is required and his word is final in this matter, it is his world and hard work that has to accommodate this new spell after all.

• The spell must fit within the Mage's modes of magick; a necromancer could not do research on a new plant spell' as this method of magick is closed to him. The gamemaster should deny any original research of a spell that he feels does not embody the mode of magick of the designer.

• A mage may create new spells that have an MR no higher than his Current ML.

• Once the original research project has been approved the mage must spend 10 times the normal time for his preliminary investigations and cogitations before he can create a working formula for the new spell.

• He must make a successful Spell Research roll and must roll +3 or higher than the MR of the spell being researched on the crit die. Any failure will mean starting all over from the basic principles to try to weed out his errors. Success signals that the spell works.

The success with 3 greater than the MR of the spell shows that the mage has acquired basic knowledge of it. Once he has reduced the MR of the spell to MR 0, he then knows the spell well enough to teach it to others should he so desire. Though mages are normally cantankerous and guard their powers and knowledge jealously.

As a general rule, no original research spell can be developed that is above MR 7; however, once a character has enough skill (TSC% above the maximum skill chance available for Spell Research) he gains a bonus to the crit die of +1 per 20% his TSC% is above the minimum percentage chance. Research at this level requires incredible skill.

Also the gamemaster might decide to make the roll in secret, then he has the ability to state that a failure is a success. This is where the crit die is very low and the signs are not obvious to the mage that things aren’t going to go well. This give the opportunity, once the character has learned the faulty spell, for some interesting and unusual effects to occur that can lead to fun and interesting role-play. The severity of these interesting and fun backfires should be down to how low the success and crit die were. Damaging and fatal flaws tend not to give much in the way of story to follow, much better is some lingering effect that the mage must then try to undo. Embarrassment or some disability in an area perhaps.