Magic In Structured Encounters
Magic can be used to attack opponents, protect allies,
summon items or weapons, and do other impressive and
amazing things. The core of these actions follows the
same skill check system that forms the core of Genesys.
The difference is that magic is much more customizable.
You can do quite a bit with magic, but the more you want
to do, the more difficult the check becomes.
Magic Actions and Maneuvers
As with anything else characters might attempt in structured encounters, spells are categorized as either actions or maneuvers. This section presents example magic actions that cover some of the most common things characters might attempt. We try to leave the narrative descriptions up to you and your players; it’s fun to describe the appearance of spells in ways unique to your characters. These actions are presented in the same format as those in Part I–Chapter 6: Combat Encounters, and they can be used alongside other combat actions. Like standard actions and maneuvers, many of these can also be used outside of combat.
Again, these are only examples of what characters might do with magic—common uses that we thought could use some detail and guidance. As you’ve doubtless already guessed, adjudicating activities other than those described here is up to you and your players.
Actions
Here are a few of the most likely actions characters might attempt using magic. Of course, these are just some of the possibilities, and GMs, you can use these as guidelines for creating your own magic actions if you like.
Each entry specifies whether the spell can be sustained using the Concentration maneuver and what skills can be used to perform the action. Not all skills can be used to perform each action; some magic skills are better at performing certain kinds of magic than others. A character must have at least one rank in the skill required by the magic action to perform that magic action.
Where magic gets interesting is in the options a character has for customizing their spell. Before making a magic action, the character may choose any number of additional effects to add to that action (these effects are listed on an associated table). However, each effect has a difficulty increase associated with it. You add each difficulty increase to the overall difficulty of the check. You may not add an effect if it would increase the difficulty beyond Formidable (d d d d d d ) (after any reductions, such as from magic implements, are applied; see page 218). Each effect can be added once, unless the effect specifies otherwise.
Since all magic actions require a check (and are thus spells that require a check), whenever a character performs a magic action, they suffer 2 strain.
Maneuvers
These maneuvers are specific to characters who use magic skills. Like most maneuvers, these don’t actually require checks, but affect the character’s skill checks.
Of course, you and your players might also describe common maneuvers in terms of magic when it seems appropriate. For instance, a player might describe guarded stance (page 99) as their character focusing their attention on erecting a minor magical barrier, or they might narrate assist (page 98) as a subtle push of magical energy to guide an ally’s sword strike.
Magical Interference
Most skilled mages or spellcasters can attempt to counter an opponent’s spells as they are being cast. If the character performs the counterspell maneuver, all opponents within medium range upgrade the difficulty of checks to cast spells once, until the end of the character's next turn.
Concentrate
Some magical effects might require concentration to sustain. If a magical action (or spell) can benefit from concentration, the action description notes this.
Spells that can be sustained through concentration last until the end of the character’s next turn (as noted in their description). However, if the character performs the concentrate maneuver during that next turn, they may choose a spell’s effect to last until the end of the character’s following turn, instead. This can be sustained indefinitely by performing the concentrate maneuver each turn.
Magic Actions and Maneuvers
As with anything else characters might attempt in structured encounters, spells are categorized as either actions or maneuvers. This section presents example magic actions that cover some of the most common things characters might attempt. We try to leave the narrative descriptions up to you and your players; it’s fun to describe the appearance of spells in ways unique to your characters. These actions are presented in the same format as those in Part I–Chapter 6: Combat Encounters, and they can be used alongside other combat actions. Like standard actions and maneuvers, many of these can also be used outside of combat.
Again, these are only examples of what characters might do with magic—common uses that we thought could use some detail and guidance. As you’ve doubtless already guessed, adjudicating activities other than those described here is up to you and your players.
Actions
Here are a few of the most likely actions characters might attempt using magic. Of course, these are just some of the possibilities, and GMs, you can use these as guidelines for creating your own magic actions if you like.
Each entry specifies whether the spell can be sustained using the Concentration maneuver and what skills can be used to perform the action. Not all skills can be used to perform each action; some magic skills are better at performing certain kinds of magic than others. A character must have at least one rank in the skill required by the magic action to perform that magic action.
Where magic gets interesting is in the options a character has for customizing their spell. Before making a magic action, the character may choose any number of additional effects to add to that action (these effects are listed on an associated table). However, each effect has a difficulty increase associated with it. You add each difficulty increase to the overall difficulty of the check. You may not add an effect if it would increase the difficulty beyond Formidable (d d d d d d ) (after any reductions, such as from magic implements, are applied; see page 218). Each effect can be added once, unless the effect specifies otherwise.
Since all magic actions require a check (and are thus spells that require a check), whenever a character performs a magic action, they suffer 2 strain.
Maneuvers
These maneuvers are specific to characters who use magic skills. Like most maneuvers, these don’t actually require checks, but affect the character’s skill checks.
Of course, you and your players might also describe common maneuvers in terms of magic when it seems appropriate. For instance, a player might describe guarded stance (page 99) as their character focusing their attention on erecting a minor magical barrier, or they might narrate assist (page 98) as a subtle push of magical energy to guide an ally’s sword strike.
Magical Interference
Most skilled mages or spellcasters can attempt to counter an opponent’s spells as they are being cast. If the character performs the counterspell maneuver, all opponents within medium range upgrade the difficulty of checks to cast spells once, until the end of the character's next turn.
Concentrate
Some magical effects might require concentration to sustain. If a magical action (or spell) can benefit from concentration, the action description notes this.
Spells that can be sustained through concentration last until the end of the character’s next turn (as noted in their description). However, if the character performs the concentrate maneuver during that next turn, they may choose a spell’s effect to last until the end of the character’s following turn, instead. This can be sustained indefinitely by performing the concentrate maneuver each turn.
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