Fire

Changes the color of any light. The spell must be cast on the source of the light. If the caster concentrates, multiple color-changes are possible with the same spell.

Duration: 1 minute
Cost: 2 to cast
1 to maintain (permanent on a Continual Light spell)
Prerequisite: Light

Ignite Fire

Produces a single spot of heat, and is used to set fire to a readily flammable object. It works best on paper and cloth, and will not affect any item that would not burn in an ordinary fire. In particular, it will not set fire to a living being!

Once ignited, the fire burns normally.

Duration: One second
Cost: Depends on the amount of heat desired:

1 point – As though a match had been held to the subject. Lights a candle, pipe, or tinder in one second.
2 points – As though a torch had been held to the subject. Ignites paper or loose cloth in one second, ordinary clothes being worn in four seconds.
3 points – As though a blowtorch had been held to the subject. Ignites dry firewood or clothes being worn in one second, leather in two seconds, and heavy wood in six seconds.
4 points – As though burning magnesium or phosphorus had been held to the subject. Ignites coal in one second, heavy wood in two seconds.

Cost to maintain is the same as the original cost to cast.

Light

Produces a small light like a candleflame. It stays still unless the caster concentrates on moving it; then it can travel at Move 5.

Duration: 1 minute.
Cost: 1 to cast.
1 to maintain.

Seek Fire

Information Spell

Tells the caster the direction and approximate distance of the nearest significant fire or source of intense heat. Use the long-distance modifiers. Any known fires or sources of heat may be excluded if the caster specifically mentions them before beginning. The caster may also specify that he is seeking a specific type of fire, based on the fire’s fuel (natural gas flame, alcohol fire, wood fire, etc.).

Cost: 1.
Prerequisite: Magery (Arcana) 1

Simple Illusion

Creates a purely visual image that can be seen by anyone in view of the area it occupies. It may be a single object or an entire scene. It may move to a different area, or change size or shape up to its maximum area, if the caster concentrates. Any sapient creature can dispel it by “disbelieving” – taking a Concentrate action and making a successful Will roll. The illusion is automatically dispelled by any attack, any other spell except Control Illusion, or the touch of any sapient creature.

Duration: 1 minute
Base cost: 1 to cast
Half that to maintain
Prerequisites: Caster must be able to see, Magery (Mind) 1

Tier 1 spells

Bright Vision - Body

Peer safely into intense sources of light (like a roaring fire or the sun) and protect against blinding from the Flash spell, Vision-based attacks, or similar occurrences.

Duration: 1 minute
Cost: 2 to cast
1 to maintain
Prerequisites: Keen Vision, Magery (Body) 1
Subject must not suffer from Blindness

Continual Light

When cast on a small object (up to fist-sized or 1 pound) or a small part of a larger object, makes that object glow with white light.

Duration: Variable. Roll 2d for number of days.
Does not count as a spell “on.”
Cost: 2 for a dim glow like moonlight
4 for the brightness of a torch
6 for a glare as bright as day
Prerequisite: Light.

Complex Illusion

As Simple Illusion, but affects hearing as well as sight. It is not automatically dispelled by a spell or touch; however, any amount of actual damage will dispel the illusion.

Duration: 1 minute
Base cost: 2 to cast
Half that to maintain
Prerequisites: Sound and Simple Illusion, Magery (Mind) 1

Create Fire

Fills the area of effect with fire that requires no fuel (if cast in midair, it produces a sphere of flame, which falls to the ground). This is real fire, and will eventually ignite any flammable objects it touches. Cannot be cast within rock, foes, etc.

Duration: 1 minute.
Base cost: 2
Half that to maintain
- Ordinary fires set by this spell do not require maintenance
Prerequisite: Ignite Fire, Magery (Arcana) 1

Darkness

Cloaks the area of effect in pitch darkness. A person inside the area can see out normally, but can see nothing else within the area. Those outside the area can see only darkness within. Thus, attacks out of darkness suffer no penalty, but attacks into darkness are at a penalty.

The Dark Vision advantage lets you see through a Darkness spell, but Night Vision and Infra-Vision do not.

Duration: 1 minute
Base cost: 2 to cast
1 to maintain
Prerequisite: Continual Light

Encrypt

Regular Spell

When cast on any writing or other visual information medium, this spell makes it unreadable to any but the caster. Anyone can see the writing, but they will be convinced that it is hopelessly arcane, complex, or foreign.

Other media dependent on the senses (including any arcane taste- or smell-based “writing” that might be used by nonhuman races, as well as Braille in modern settings) may be encrypted if the GM permits it.

Duration: 1 week.
Cost: 1 for up to 1000 words of plaintext;
2 for up to 10,000 words of plaintext;
3 for up to 100,000 words of plaintext;
+1 for each additional 100,000 words.
Thus, a stack of six typical GURPS Fourth Edition sourcebooks, at about 175,000 words per book, would cost 12 energy to encrypt.
Prerequisite: Complex Illusion.

Extinguish Fire

Puts out all ordinary and magical fires in its area of effect. Has no effect on materials that are intrinsically superheated – molten steel, lava, plasma, etc.

Duration: Once out, a fire stays out.

Base cost: 3
Prerequisite: Ignite Fire

Fireproof

Prevents ignition of fires within the affected area: matches won’t light, flint won’t make sparks, and so on. Does not extinguish a fire brought in from outside the spell’s area, although such a fire would fail to ignite anything else.

Useful anywhere that fire is a hazard (as in a gunpowder factory, for example). Any magical attempt to light a fire is at -5 to skill. This spell doesn’t resist really intense heat (as from lava or battle lasers), but it does stop guns from working!

Duration: 1 day
Base cost: 3
Doubled cost gives a -10 to magical attempts to light fires, and resists all heat less than star-heat
Same cost to maintain
Time to cast: 5 minutes
Prerequisite: Extinguish Fire

Flame Jet

Shoot a jet of flame from one fist.

Each turn, the caster rolls versus DX -4 or Innate Attack skill to hit, and rolls for damage if he hits. This attack may be dodged or blocked, but not parried.

Treat it as a hand weapon – a flaming sword without the sword – but it cannot parry! This is a wonderfully flashy spell, good for magic shows, melee combat, burning through ropes, etc.

The caster may cast the spell as many times as he has hands and have a Flame Jet in each hand; a Flame Jet held in the caster’s “off” hand suffers the usual -4 penalty to hit.

For cinematic mage-dueling action, the GM may allow a Flame Jet to parry another Flame Jet. This allows fire wizards to duel mano a mano, which some groups may prefer to the casting and dodging of a more typical duel of magic.

Duration: 1 second.
Cost: 1 to 3 points.
Does 1d damage for each point put into the spell.
The jet’s range in yards is equal to the number of dice.
Same cost to maintain.
Prerequisites: Create Fire and Shape Fire.

Flash

Creates a brilliant flash of light. This will totally blind some that see it, and reduce the DX of others by 3 (which reduces all DX-based skills). It may affect anyone who is facing the flash and has his eyes open (GM’s decision, if miniatures are not being used). The caster himself is not affected if he closes his eyes as he casts the spell. Each other creature in range must make a HT roll to avoid the worst effects:

Cost: 4.
Time to cast: 2 seconds.
Prerequisite: Continual Light.

Fool's Banquet

Makes any item seem like attractive, tasty food. The underlying nature of the matter does not change, but those who eat it will find it delicious - not necessarily nutritious, but delicious. Can only be cast on things that can be eaten; it would work on mud, but not on stones. A classic complement to the often dull provisions created with the Create Food spell.

Duration: 1 day.
Cost: 2 per meal.
Cannot be maintained.
Prerequisites: Complex Illusion, Season.

Gloom

Plunges an area into gloom. The more energy is put into the base cost, the gloomier the ambient light becomes. Unlike the Darkness spell, sources of light still work normally within the area.

Duration: Variable. The GM should roll 2d for the number of days.
Base cost: 1/2 for torchlight
1 for moonlight
3/2 for starlight
2 for total darkness
Minimum radius is 2 yards
Time to cast: 1 second per half-point of base cost
Prerequisite: Continual Light

Glow

Suffuses an area with a uniform glow. Objects and beings standing in the area won’t project any shadows unless a source of light stronger than the ambient glow is brought in.

Duration: Variable. The GM should roll 2d for the number of days.
Base cost: 1/2 for starlight
1 for moonlight
3/2 for torchlight
2 for daylight (bright, no Vision penalty)
Minimum radius is 2 yards.
Time to cast: 1 second per half-point of base cost
Prerequisite: Continual Light

Heat

Raises the temperature of an object. It does not necessarily produce fire, though most things will burn if heated enough. Heat will be radiated away normally. (Use this as a guideline for playable effects – don’t try to turn the spell into a physics exercise!) Any wizard planning to make extensive use of this spell should arm himself with a list of the melting points of various materials. The spell can have drawbacks. If you were in jail, you might melt your way through the bars . . . but the radiated heat would probably broil you first.

Duration: 1 minute. Each minute raises the target’s temperature by 20°. Maximum temperature possible with this spell is 2,800°.
Cost: 1 for an object up to the size of a fist, 2 for an object up to one cubic yard, and 2 per cubic yard for a larger object. Temperature change can be doubled to 40° per minute for double cost, tripled to 60° per minute for triple cost, and so on. Slower heating costs no less.
Same cost to maintain.
Time to cast: 1 minute.
Prerequisites: Create Fire and Shape Fire.

Light Jet

Emit a beam of bright light from one finger. This beam can be used like a flashlight. It gives good illumination for 10 yards in the direction it is pointed, and some vision will be possible up to 30 yards away. It can be used as a signal for up to a mile if visibility is good.

Can be used in combat to blind foes within 10 yards, but only in relative darkness (e.g., when the combat penalty is at least -5). Each turn, the caster rolls against Innate Attack skill or DX-4, with a -5 penalty to hit the face. This attack can be dodged or blocked, but not parried. If the target is hit, he will be at a -4 penalty to combat skills on his next turn, and at a -1 penalty for the remainder of the combat. This effect is not cumulative. Foes with Night Vision double these penalties.

Duration: 1 minute
Cost: 2 to cast
1 to maintain
Prerequisite: Continual Light

Lightning

Shoots a bolt of lightning from a fingertip.

This bolt has 1/2D 50, Max 100, Acc 3.

Treat any metal armor as DR 1 against this spell! If the target is wounded, he must make a HT roll, at -1 per 2 HP suffered, or be stunned. He may attempt a HT roll each turn thereafter to recover.

Against electronic equipment, the attack produces an electrical surge that can disable electronics or anything with the Electrical disadvantage.

Lightning behaves unpredictably around conductors. A lightning bolt cannot be fired through a metal grid, between bars, from within a car, etc. - it jumps to the metal and is lost.

However, the GM may (for instance) allow a wizard to shoot a lightning bolt into a metal floor. This would not electrocute those on it, but could shock them all, interrupting concentration and doing slight damage (no more than 1 point, and possibly none at all). The GM may encourage creative use of lightning until it becomes a nuisance.

Cost: Any amount up to your Magery level per second, for up to three seconds.
The bolt does 1d-1 burning damage per energy point.
Time to cast: 1 to 3 seconds (the caster’s fingers sparkle as the spell builds).
Prerequisites: Magery (Air) 1

Night Vision

See clearly as long as there is any light at all, as with Night Vision 9. In utter darkness, the subject is still blind.

Duration: 1 minute
Cost: 3 to cast
1 to maintain
Prerequisite: Keen Vision, Magery (Body) 1

Phantom Flame

Regular Spell; Resisted by Will

Creates an area of imaginary flame. Those nearby feel heat (and pain, if they touch it); items inside appear to burn. However, the flame does not spread, and does no real damage. Even the pain it creates subsides to a tingling after the first shock. Shape Fire and Extinguish Fire both affect this phantom flame; water will not affect it.

Duration: 1 minute.
Base cost: 1. Same cost to maintain.
Prerequisite: Simple Illusion.

Remove Shadow

The subject’s shadow seems to disappear. Unwilling subjects resist with Will. (If there is more than one light source, all shadows vanish!)

Duration: 1 minute
Cost: 2 to cast
1 to maintain
Prerequisite: Light

Restore

Regular Spell.

Temporarily makes a broken inanimate object look as good as new.

Other senses will not be fooled, nor will Mage Sight.

Duration: 10 minutes.
Cost: 2 to cast.
1 to maintain.
Time to cast: 3 seconds.
Prerequisite: Simple Illusion.

Shade

Provides shade for the subject. This prevents sunburn and provides some relief from heat (reducing the effective temperature around the subject by 10 ̊F, if hot light is a significant source of the heat). The effect is that of an invisible parasol.

Duration: 1 hour.
Cost: 1 to cast.
Half that to maintain.
Time to cast: 10 seconds.
Prerequisite: Continual Light.

Shape Fire

Control the shape of any flame.

Each shape change requires a second of concentration. Once shaped, the flame keeps that shape until the spell expires, without concentration. Moving a flame requires constant concentration (the flame moves at Move 5, on the caster’s turn). A natural fire cannot move to a place that it can’t burn, but flame made with the Create Fire spell needs no fuel and can move almost anywhere.

Flame shaped with this spell normally retains its volume. If the fire is “spread out” across twice its original area, it only does half damage; if spread across three times its original area, it does 1/3 damage; and so on.

Duration: 1 minute
Base cost: 2
Half that to maintain
Prerequisite: Ignite Fire

Shape Light

With this spell, the caster may transform a uniform light source into a directional one. The caster may specify any number of “baffles” or restrict the illumination to specific beams. Thus, the spell can change a torch into a hooded lantern of sorts.

Concentration is required to change the light’s shape, but not to maintain it.

The spell can also be used to bend and twist light beams. The GM should allow any effect that isn’t already covered by such spells as Simple Illusion, Small Vision, Invisibility, and so on.

Duration: 1 minute
Cost: 2
Same cost to maintain
Prerequisite: Light

Warmth

The subject remains comfortably warm in cold weather, avoiding the risk of frostbite or hypothermia. This effectively increases the subject’s “local temperature” by 30 ̊F towards his optimum comfort level (p. B93). The spell offers no protection against magical cold attacks such as Frostbite. This is also a Protection and Warning spell.

Duration: 1 hour
Cost: 2 to cast. 1 to maintain
Time to cast: 10 seconds
Prerequisite: Heat

Tier 2 spells

Blackout

Shrouds the affected area in impenetrable blackness. No one can see into the affected area, and no one within the affected area can see anything; see p. B394 for combat rules.

The Dark Vision advantage lets you see through a Blackout spell, but Night Vision and Infra-Vision do not.

Duration: 1 minute
Base cost: 2 to cast
1 to maintain
Prerequisite: Darkness

Blur - Mind

Makes the subject harder to see and therefore harder to hit with attacks. Each point of energy gives -1 to the effective skill of any attack on the subject, to a maximum of -5.

Duration: 1 minute
Cost: 1 to 5 to cast
Same cost to maintain
Time to cast: 2 seconds
Prerequisite: Darkness or Gloom

Breathe Fire - Body

Regular Spell; Resisted by subject spell

Similar to Flame Jet, except that the flame issues from the caster’s mouth, Breathe Fire cannot be maintained, and each energy point buys 1d+1 damage instead of 1d. Caster rolls to hit against DX-2 or Innate Attack skill. This counts as an action; the caster must be facing the target.

No hand gestures are required to cast this spell; certain lip and tongue motions are made instead. Thus, Breathe Fire can be cast “no hands” at any level of skill.

Duration: 1 second.
Cost: 1 to 4.
Cannot be maintained.
Time to cast: 2 seconds.
Prerequisites: Flame Jet, and Resist Fire, Magery (Body) 1

Burning Touch

Melee Spell

Wreathes the caster’s hand in flames. The first target struck after the spell is cast suffers 1d of fire damage for every point of energy that the caster puts into the spell. Armor does not protect, but natural DR does.

Cost: 1 to 3
Prerequisites: Heat

Control Illusion

Take control of an illusion that someone else has cast. If your spell succeeds, you must pay any further energy costs to maintain the illusion. If you fail, the illusion still belongs to the original caster. This spell does not affect an Illusion Disguise. If the spell is cast over something that is not an illusion, the energy cost is still spent but the spell has no effect.

Duration: Once established, control is permanent unless someone else takes control
Cost: 1
Time to cast: 2 seconds.
Prerequisite: Perfect Illusion, Magery (Mind) 1

Dark Vision

Regular Spell; Resisted by subject spell

The subject can see even in pitch darkness, as if he had the Dark Vision advantage. He can also ignore the effects of the Darkness spell.

Duration: 1 minute.
Cost: 5 to cast. 2 to maintain.
Prerequisite: Night Vision or Infra-Vision.

Dispel Illusion

Dispels any Illusion or Illusion Disguise.

Cost: 1.
Prerequisite: Control Illusion, Magery (Arcana) 1

Fast Fire

Makes flames hotter, consuming their surroundings (and burning people) at a faster rate. The damage that the flames do is proportionately increased. This spell acts as a Great Haste spell on fire elementals and beings with the Body of Fire meta-trait.

Duration: 1 minute.
Cost: 2 for a double-rate fire, 3 for a triple-rate fire, and so on.
Same cost to maintain.
Prerequisite: Slow Fire.

Fire Cloud

Creates a swirling cloud of flames and fiery embers. It does not block vision, but inflicts burning damage to all within it. Creatures in the cloud take damage on their own turns. If less than an entire second is spent in the affected area, damage is halved (round down). Armor protects normally. Only highly flammable materials may catch fire.

Duration: 10 seconds.
Base cost: 1 to 5; the cloud inflicts 1 point of damage per second for every energy point put into the base cost.
Same cost to maintain.
Time to cast: 1 to 5 seconds, depending on base cost.
Prerequisites: Shape Air and Fireball.

Fireball

Throw a ball of fire from one hand.

This has 1/2D 25, Max 50, Acc 1. When it strikes something, it vanishes in a puff of flame. This spell is likely to ignite flammable targets.

Cost: Any amount up to your Magery level per second, for up to three seconds.
The fireball does 1d burning damage per energy point
Time to cast: 1 to 3 seconds
Prerequisites: Create Fire

Flaming Weapon

Causes any weapon to burst into flame, which does not harm the user but lets the weapon do +2 damage to foes or flammable objects (after penetrating armor and figuring other bonuses). Metal weapons are not damaged; wooden ones turn to ashes as soon as the spell ends. The weapon also gives off light as a torch.

Duration: 1 minute.
Cost: 4 to cast
1 to maintain
Time to cast: 2 seconds
Prerequisites: Heat, Enchant

Hide

Makes the subject harder to find. A Vision roll is necessary to see a subject in plain sight; Sense rolls to detect a subject already hidden are at -1 per point of energy spent, to a maximum of -5. These effects only apply while the subject remains still, but if he moves and then stops moving before the spell expires, the effects resume.

Duration: 1 hour
Cost: 1 to 5 to cast
Same cost to maintain.
Time to cast: 5 seconds
Prerequisite: Blur

Illusion Disguise

This illusion disguises a living being. The caster must first create the illusion (using any basic Illusion spell). The Illusion Disguise spell then superimposes the illusion over the subject, so it covers him and moves with him. The better the Illusion spell used, the better and more permanent the disguise; a Perfect Illusion Disguise even fools the sense of touch.

Concentration is not required to maintain the disguise. The illusion disguise counts as only a single spell “on.”

Duration: Until the illusion ends
Cost: 3
Cannot be maintained
Prerequisite: Simple Illusion, Magery (Mind) 1

Illusion Shell

This illusion makes a chosen object look, sound, and feel different. The base object must be of the appropriate size and shape. The illusion may be disbelieved, but is otherwise stable. However, it will not move about unless the underlying object moves. Damage done by the underlying object is unaffected. For example, an illusion shell of a horse could be cast over a wooden horse. It would stamp, nicker, and smell like a horse, but could not be ridden!
Concentration is not required to maintain the illusion.

Duration: 1 minute
Cost: 1 for an object small enough to be hand-held, or 2 for larger objects
Half that cost to maintain
Prerequisite: Simple Illusion, Magery (Mind) 1

Independence (Illusion)

This spell can be used with any controlled creation or illusion. It lets the caster “program” the creation or illusion to move about, speak (if it can make sounds), and even react in predetermined ways. All this is done with no further concentration on the caster’s part; it does not count as a separate spell “on.” If faced with some-thing for which it is not “programmed,” it may do nothing or (if an illusion) simply vanish, at the GM’s whim.

Duration: As long as the illusion lasts
Base cost: 2
Does not require maintenance
Time to cast: As long as it takes the casting player to describe the instructions to the GM, or to read them aloud if they are in writing (writing them down will save arguments!). Complex instructions take a long time to cast. Minimum 5 seconds.
Prerequisite: Simple Illusion.

Infra-Vision

See “infrared” or heat rays in addition to normal light.

You can see into the infrared portion of the spectrum, allowing you to detect varying degrees of heat. This lets you fight at no penalty even in absolute darkness, if your target emits heat (this includes all living beings and most machines). It also gives you +2 on all Vision rolls to spot such targets, since their heat stands out from the background. You can follow a heat trail when tracking: add +3 to Tracking rolls if the trail is no more than an hour old.

Infravision does not let you distinguish colors, and only allows you to judge the general size and shape of heat-emitting objects, including living beings (for instance, you might have trouble telling two people of the same size apart). Roll at -4 to distinguish objects of similar size and shape. The GM may also require a Vision-4 roll to read by reflected heat. Sudden flashes of heat (e.g., a flare, fiery explosion, or infrared laser) can blind you, just as a flash of light can blind ordinary vision.

This spell does not let invisible objects be seen.

Duration: 1 minute.
Cost: 3 to cast
1 to maintain
Prerequisite: Keen Vision, Magery (Body) 1

Independence (Illusion)

Area Spell; Resisted by Will

This spell can be used with any illusion. It lets the caster “program” the creation or illusion to move about, speak (if it can make sounds), and even react in predetermined ways. All this is done with no further concentration on the caster’s part; it does not count as a separate spell “on.” If faced with something for which it is not “programmed,” it may do nothing or if an illusion simply vanish, at the GM’s whim.

Duration: As long as the illusion lasts.
Base cost: 2. Does not require maintenance.
Time to cast: As long as it takes the casting player to describe the instructions to the GM, or to read them aloud if they are in writing (writing them down will save arguments!). Complex instructions take a long time to cast.
Minimum 5 seconds.
Prerequisite: Simple Illusion.

Inscribe

Creates an inscription (either writing or images) on any surface.

Appropriate specializations of Artist (Calligraphy, Illumination, etc.) should be used to assess the aesthetics of the result. The image can be as stylish as the caster desires: letters of silver flame, simple block-lettering, reflected light on the surface of water, and so on.

The inscription is integral to the subject’s surface, fading only when the spell is canceled or expires. Any living things to be inscribed get to resist. This is also a Making and Breaking spell.

Duration: 1 minute
Base cost: 1 to cast
Same cost to maintain
Minimum 2
Prerequisites: Simple Illusion, Magery (Mind) 1

Know Illusion

Information Spell

Tells whether the subject is either an illusion or creation, and if so, just what kind it is. The caster must be able to see the subject.

Cost: 2.
Prerequisite: Simple Illusion, Magery (Arcana) 1

Lightning Weapon

The subject melee weapon becomes charged with lightning, visibly spitting and sparking, without harming its wielder. The weapon must be at least partly metallic; weapons made entirely of wood and/or stone won’t hold the spell. The weapon does an additional 2 points of injury after armor penetration and wounding modifiers have been figured. Against metallic armor, the weapon inflicts at least 1 point of damage on any hit.

Duration: 1 minute
Cost: 4 to cast
1 to maintain
Time to cast: 2 seconds
Prerequisites: Lightning, Enchant

Lightning Whip

Creates a whip of lightning in the caster’s hand.
It is wielded like a normal whip, except that it always takes only one second to ready, and it cannot be used to parry or entangle.

The whip inflicts 1d burning damage every time it strikes. The effects of lightning damage listed under Lightning apply.

Duration: 10 seconds
Cost: 1 to cast per two yards of reach (maximum of 8 yards)
Same to maintain
Time to cast: 2 seconds
Prerequisite: Lightning

Mage Light

Creates a small light. However, the illumination that it provides is only perceptible to mages, magical creatures, and those under the influence of Mage Sight. It moves just like Light does. An IQ+Magery roll is not required to see or use the light provided.

Duration: 1 minute.
Cost: 1 for a dim glow like candlelight
2 for the brightness of a torch
3 for a glare as bright as day.
Same cost to maintain.
Prerequisites: Light, Magery (Arcana) 1

Mirror

Creates a reflective surface. It can be cast on an object or can be free-standing (in which case it is two-sided). The mirror surface is not necessarily flat; the caster could create fun-house mirrors, for example.

In a scientific-paradigm universe, casters with knowledge of physics can use this spell to create parabolic reflectors. A simple curve can be sufficient to cook meat; a large and precise one could be used to melt lead, given sufficient sunlight at appropriate angles. Against living targets, the GM can assume that such a mirror would do 1 point of burning damage per yard radius of mirror every 10 seconds. To ignite things, use the Ignite Fire guidelines (p. 72), substituting the Mirror size for the listed energy cost. An 8-yard-radius Mirror ignites heavy wood in about 10 seconds. Other, similar uses are subject to GM approval.

Duration: 1 minute
Cost: 2.
Same cost to maintain
Prerequisite: Colors

Perfect Illusion

Regular Spell; Resisted by Will

As Complex Illusion, but affects all the senses except touch; your hand will go through it. It cannot be dispelled except by Dispel Magic or Dispel Illusion. Any damage at all will temporarily disturb the illusion, revealing it for what it is without dispelling it.

Duration: 1 minute.
Base cost: 3 to cast
Half that to maintain
For double cost, even the sense of touch will be fooled, though you cannot “really” warm yourself from an illusionary fire.
Prerequisites: Complex Illusion, Magery (Mind) 1

Remove Reflection

The subject’s reflection(s) seem to disappear from mirrors, pools, etc. At higher TLs, this may make the subject invisible to sensors that use mirrors as part of their optical pathways, at the GM’s discretion.

Duration: 1 minute.
Cost: 2 to cast
1 to maintain
Prerequisite: Remove Shadow

Resist Fire

The subject (person, creature, or object) and anything he carries become immune to the effects of heat and fire (but not electricity).

Duration: 1 minute.
Cost: 2 to cast.
1 to maintain.
Cost doubles if subject must resist a blast furnace or volcano; cost triples if subject must resist the heat of a star, nuclear bomb, etc. Only the first level of protection is necessary against combat-type Fire spells.
Prerequisite: Fireproof, Magery (Body) 1

Resist Lightning - Air

The subject and anything he carries become immune to the effects of lightning and electricity. In low-tech settings, this is most often used to guard against hostile magic; in higher-tech worlds, it becomes a valuable professional tool.

Duration: 1 minute.
Cost: 2 to cast. 1 to maintain.
Prerequisites: Lightning, Magery (Body) 1

Shocking Touch - Air

Melee Spell

Charges the caster’s hands or staff with lightning. The caster must strike the subject to trigger this spell; hit location is irrelevant. The subject takes 1d+1 burning damage per point of energy in the spell. Armor does not protect.

Shocking Touch has unusual side effects on electronics and conductive materials, as per Lightning (above).

Cost: 1 to 3
Prerequisite: Lightning

Slow Fire

Causes flames to cool down, consuming their surroundings (and burning people) at a slower rate. The damage that the flames do is reduced proportionately. This spell acts as a Slow spell on fire elementals and beings with the Body of Fire meta-trait. Slow Fire resists Fast Fire.

Duration: 1 minute.
Base cost: 2 for a fire that burns at half the usual rate, 3 for a fire that burns at 1/3 the usual rate, and so on.
Same cost to maintain.
Prerequisite: Extinguish Fire.

Smoke

Creates an area of dense smoke.

Even one yard’s thickness of such smoke will block vision. Until it dissipates, it has the effect of tear gas (anyone failing a HT roll is unable to do anything but cough and weep). The smoke is somewhat hot and rises slowly (about one foot per second).

The rate of dissipation depends on the area and the presence of wind; indoors, it usually lasts until the spell expires, but outdoors on a windy day it may last only 10 seconds or so.

Duration: 5 minutes, except in windy areas
Base cost: 1
Half that to maintain
Prerequisites: Shape Fire and Extinguish Fire

Spark Cloud

Creates a ground-level cloud of electrical sparks. It does not block vision, but it inflicts burning damage to anyone standing in it. Armor protects in the usual fashion (metallic armor provides the same minimal protection that it does against Lightning).

Duration: 10 seconds
Base cost: 1 to 5; the cloud inflicts 1 point of damage per second for every point of energy put into the base cost
Time to cast: 1 to 5 seconds, depending on base cost
Cannot be maintained
Prerequisites: Shape Air and Lightning

Summon Fire Elemental

Special Spell

This is a different spell for each of the four elements. It allows the caster to call a nearby elemental – if one exists. In general, the GM should assume that an elemental is available if the location is appropriate, unless the scenario or situation requires that elementals are opportunely absent.

The caster determines the elemental’s power level by the amount of energy he spends on the spell, but the GM determines the elemental’s precise capabilities.

The summoned elemental is not under the caster’s control, but must remain for one hour unless it is dismissed or destroys the caster. Note that a dismissal does not guarantee the elemental will leave. If it is hostile, or simply curious, it may choose to stay!

The caster may question the summoned elemental, request a service, etc. The elemental immediately makes a reaction roll to see how it feels about the wizard. On a good reaction, the elemental cooperates for an hour – no longer – and then vanishes. An elemental’s opinion may be swayed with appropriate enticements, assuming a wizard can figure out what an elemental might desire.

Duration: One hour. May not be maintained.
Cost: 1 point per 10 character points used to build the elemental. Minimum energy cost is 4 (although this will not always summon a 40-point being).
Time to cast: 30 seconds. The elemental may take up to 2d minutes to appear.
Prerequisites: Create Fire, Magery (Soul) 1

Wall of Light

Creates a curtain of light around an area. The wall is four yards high, but may be made higher; simply scale the cost as the height (double for 8 yards high, triple for 12 yards high and so on).

The only thing it blocks is vision, both ways. It has no effect on spells, beings, sounds, etc. Bright Vision allows one to see through the wall.

Duration: 1 minute.
Base cost: 1 to 3 to cast.
Same cost to maintain.
The Wall’s glow depends on the energy put into its base cost, as per Continual Light.
Prerequisite: Continual Light.

Tier 3 spells

Ball of Lightning

Regular Spell; Resisted by HT

Creates a ball of lightning in the caster’s hand. Unlike a regular Missile spell, however, a Ball of Lightning floats away in the direction the caster wills it to; it cannot be hurled in the usual fashion. The ball is utterly silent and moves in a straight line at a maximum speed equal to the caster’s skill divided by 5 (round down), regardless of wind and nonmetallic obstacles – the ball floats right through windows, curtains, walls, etc. It maintains its heading and speed unless the caster concentrates to change it. The ball explodes on the mental command of the caster or upon contact with a living being or metallic object. If the spell is allowed to expire, the Ball winks out of existence without exploding.

Duration: 1 minute.
Cost: Any amount up to twice your Magery level per second, for three up to seconds
Half that to maintain.
The ball inflicts 1d-1 burning damage for every 2 full points of energy to anyone within 1 yard of the explosion.
Those further away divide damage by three times their distance in yards (round down).
Time to cast: 1 to 3 seconds
- The ball grows in the caster’s hand as the casting progresses
Prerequisites: Lightning

Body of Flames

Subject gains the Body of Fire meta-trait (p. B262) for the duration of the spell. Clothes (up to 6 pounds) also become fire, but lose any magic powers they might have had. He can carry nothing while in this form.

Duration: 1 minute.
The spell expires if the subject loses consciousness
Cost: 12 to cast
4 to maintain
Time to cast: 5 seconds
Prerequisite: Breathe Fire

Body of Lightning

Regular Spell; Resisted by HT

Subject becomes an animated shape of lightning, temporarily granting him the Body of Lightning meta-trait found at the bottom of this page. Clothes (up to 6 pounds) also become lightning, but lose any magic powers they might have had.

Stop Power acts as Glue and Steal Power acts as Steal Strength on the subject.

Duration: 1 minute.
The spell is broken if the subject loses consciousness
Cost: 12 to cast
4 to maintain
Time to cast: 5 seconds
Prerequisites: Lightning, Magery (Body) 2

Body of Shadow

Regular Spell; Resisted by HT

The subject’s body fades away, leaving only his shadow. The subject is now a two-dimensional shadow on the wall or floor, gaining the Shadow Form advantage (p. B83) for the duration of the spell. His clothing (up to 6 pounds) also becomes shadow, but while in shadow form it loses any magic powers it might have had. The rest of his equipment tumbles to the ground; he can carry nothing while in this form.

Note that this spell does not augment the subject’s senses to allow him to see in pitch darkness!

Duration: 1 minute
The spell expires if the subject loses consciousness
Cost: 6 to cast. 3 to maintain
Time to cast: 5 seconds
Prerequisites: Shape Darkness, Magery (Body) 2

Continual Mage Light - Arcana

Regular Spell; Resisted by the higher of ST and Will

When cast on a small object (up to fist-sized, or 1 pound), or a small part of a large object, this spell makes that object glow with Mage Light

Duration: Variable. The GM should roll 2d for the number of days.
Cost: 2 for a dim glow like candle-light
4 for the brightness of a torch
6 for a glare as bright as day
Same cost to maintain.
Prerequisites: Mage Light and Continual Light.

Control Fire Elemental

Control all actions of a single elemental while the spell continues. For direct control, the elemental must remain within the caster’s view. If the elemental is simply told to leave, it does so. If the elemental is sent to do a task, rather than controlled directly, its IQ must be sufficient (GM’s decision) to comprehend its instructions!

This spell can also be used as an information spell, to judge the four attributes of that type of elemental (within 15 feet). A successful roll is required, but there is no energy cost.

Duration: 1 minute
Cost: 1 point per 10 character points used to build the elemental
Half that (round up) to maintain
Time to cast: 2 seconds
Prerequisite: Summon Fire Elemental, Magery (Soul) 1

Essential Flame

As for Create Fire, except that the fire created is the magical essence of fire. Any mage can tell the difference by looking. It cannot be extinguished by ordinary water or ordinary magic, but only by a similar quantity of Essential Water or by a Dispel Magic spell. Essential Flame does +1 damage to anyone it burns (+2 to watery creatures).

Duration: 1 minute
Base cost: 3
2 to maintain
This flame ignites all flammable materials, and the entire blaze remains Essential as long as the spell is maintained
If the spell is not maintained, any materials that were ignited continue to burn with ordinary flame
Time to cast: 3 seconds
Prerequisites: Create Fire

Explosive Fireball

Creates a fireball that affects both its target and things nearby.

This has 1/2D 25, Max 50, Acc 1. Can be thrown at a wall, floor, etc. (at +4 to hit) to catch foes in the blast. The target and anyone closer to the target than one yard takes full damage. Those further away divide damage by three times their distance in yards (round down).

Cost: Any amount up to twice your Magery level per second, for up to three seconds
The fireball does 1d burning damage per full 2 points of energy
Time to cast: 1 to 3 seconds
Prerequisite: Fireball

Explosive Lightning

Creates a lightning bolt that affects both its target and things nearby.

This has 1/2D 50, Max 100, Acc 3.

It can be thrown at a wall, floor, etc. (at +4 to hit) to catch foes in the blast. The target and anyone closer to the target than one yard takes full damage.

Those further away divide damage by three times their distance in yards from the explosion (round down). The effects of lightning damage listed under Lightning apply.

Cost: Any amount up to twice your Magery level per second, for up to three seconds.
The lightning bolt does 1d-1 burning damage per full 2 points of energy.
Time to cast: 1 to 3 seconds.
Prerequisite: Lightning.

Flaming Armor

The subject is sheathed in flames without feeling any discomfort – he, and anything he carries, is under a basic Resist Fire spell. The flames provide the usual illumination and heat to their surroundings. The subject’s melee attacks do an extra point of fire damage.

Any melee attack that hits the subject triggers a 1d Flame Jet backlash along the weapon at the foe. This attack automatically hits the hand holding the weapon if the weapon’s Reach was 1 or less. Should the subject grapple or be grappled, the foe takes 3d burning damage, but the spell will be broken.

Duration: 1 minute
Cost: 6 to cast
3 to maintain
Prerequisites: Resist Fire, Flaming Weapon

Flaming Missiles

Like Flaming Weapon, but cast on a missile weapon. The weapon itself acquires a shimmering, fiery appearance. Any missile it fires bursts into flame, doing +2 damage as per Flaming Weapon; it burns to ashes after it hits a target or after 10 seconds, whichever comes first.

Duration: 1 minute
Cost: 4 to cast
2 to maintain
Cost doubles if the missiles to be fired are stone or metal
Time to cast: 3 seconds
Prerequisite: Flaming Weapon

Invisibility

The subject cannot be seen and does not appear in reflections or photographs. He still makes sounds and can be tracked by scent or footprints.

Anything he picks up becomes invisible, unless he wills it to stay visible.

Infra-Vision cannot detect him, but See Invisible can. Invisible characters have a great advantage in combat.

Duration: 1 minute
Cost: 5 to cast.
3 to maintain
Time to cast: 3 seconds
Prerequisites: Blur

Lightning Armor

The subject is sheathed in crackling lightning, without feeling any discomfort (the subject and anything he carries are under a Resist Lightning spell). The subject’s melee attacks do an extra point of burning damage.

Any metallic weapon that hits the subject triggers a 1d-1 backlash of burning damage along the weapon.

This attack automatically hits the hand that is holding the weapon, regardless of the weapon’s length, as long as its entire length is conducting. Should the subject grapple or be grappled, the foe takes 3d-3 burning damage, but the spell will be broken.

Duration: 1 minute
Cost: 7 to cast. 4 to maintain
Prerequisites: Lightning, Resist Lightning, Enchant

Lightning Missiles

Like Lightning Weapon, but cast on a missile weapon. The weapon itself becomes surrounded with an electric halo. Any missile it fires becomes charged with lightning, doing 2 additional points of injury as per Lightning Weapon. The missile’s wooden parts turn to ash after it hits a target or after 10 seconds, whichever comes first.

Duration: 1 minute
Cost: 4 to cast
2 to maintain
Cost doubles if the missiles to be fired are nonmetallic
Time to cast: 3 seconds.
Prerequisite: Lightning Weapon.

Phantom

Like Perfect Illusion, but a phantom can impede movement and inflict real damage. The first time any living creature physically contacts a phantom, roll a Quick Contest between the caster’s effective skill and the being’s IQ. If the caster loses, then the phantom is treated as a Perfect Illusion for all purposes with regards to that character.

If the caster wins, the phantom has substance and may proceed to strike, grapple, shove, and so on as if it were real. A phantom may have any ST and DX up to the mage’s skill with the spell for the purposes of contests, damage inflicted, and so on.

When the spell is first cast, the GM should note the margin of success. If a single attack on the phantom inflicts this amount (or more) of basic damage, the phantom is immediately dispelled. Any spells that work on illusions (Dispel Illusion, Control Illusion, Independence, etc.) work on phantoms.

Duration: 1 minute
Base cost: 5
Half that to maintain
For a base cost of 9, have twice the normal ST (DX is unchanged).
Prerequisites: Perfect Illusion, Apportation, Magery (Mind) 1

Rain of Fire

Fiery droplets rain from the sky onto the area of effect, causing 1d-1 fire damage per second to all within it. Creatures under the Rain of Fire take damage on their own turns; if less than an entire second is spent in the affected area, damage is halved (round down).

The spell can only be cast outdoors. Armor protects in the usual fashion. A shield with a DB of 2 or better can be held overhead to block the flames, but it may take damage. This requires two hands and a Ready action, and succeeds automatically in protecting the character once the shield is readied upwards, but this unreadies the shield from its normal protective functions!

Inanimate objects such as buildings protect with their DR, but some structures may be damaged or catch fire.

Duration: 1 minute
Base cost: 1 to cast (minimum 2)
Same cost to maintain
For double base cost, the Rain of Fire does 2d-2 per second
Time to cast: One minute
Prerequisites: Create Fire

Shape Darkness

Shape and move three-dimensional darkness created with the Darkness or Blackout spells at a Move of 5.

It also allows the caster to shape existing two-dimensional shadows into other two-dimensional shadowy shapes.

Shadows can be reduced in size easily, but enlarging the shadows makes them slightly transparent.

The average casual observer won’t notice, but anyone looking intently at the shadow gets an IQ roll to notice that it doesn’t have the “substance” it should.

Shadows do not have to remain attached to the objects that cast them.

Duration: 1 minute
Base cost: 2
Same cost to maintain
For two-dimensional shadows, the base cost is 1
Prerequisite: Darkness

Spark Storm

Creates a normal Windstorm, with a dangerous addition: every turn Lightning strikes one random victim in the area of effect. To resolve the bolt’s attack, roll against the caster’s Spark Storm skill, without any range adjustments. The victim gets an active defense, as usual.

At the GM’s option, the lightning strikes may not be completely random: tall targets may be at more risk than short ones, and metal armor may tend to attract the lightning. Mages who use this spell know what the true rules are in their world.

Duration: 1 minute after reaching full strength.
Base cost: 2 points (1d-1 Lightning)
4 points (2d-2 Lightning)
6 points (3d-3 Lightning)
Half that to maintain.
Time to cast: The storm starts immediately, but the caster must concentrate for a number of seconds equal to the storm’s radius in yards to bring the storm to full strength.
Prerequisites: Windstorm and Lightning.

Sun Bolt

Shoot a bolt of concentrated sunlight from one fingertip.

It has 1/2D 75, Max 150, Acc 2; use the Innate Attack skill.

The light burns like laser light and does burning damage. Increase a shield’s DB against this spell by 50%, rounding down, if it is highly polished.

Whether or not damage gets through armor, a hit to the face blinds the victim unless he makes a HT roll. A hit to the eyes does double damage and blinds the victim unless he makes a HT roll at a penalty equal to the damage suffered. Treat Sunbolt-induced blindness as a crippling injury for recovery purposes. Any mirror will reflect a Sunbolt; if the GM is uncertain of the exact angle of incidence/reflection (if the Sunbolt hits a hand-held mirror, for instance), determine its new direction randomly.

Use the rules for hitting the wrong target to determine if anything along the new path is hit. Deliberately reflected shots are a much trickier matter; range penalties will be for the total range to the target, with an additional -2 for each “bounce.” And unless the mirrors are very large and/or stable and/or deliberately placed for the purpose, the GM may simply declare the shot impossible.

Defending characters holding mirrors may attempt to reflect the bolt back at the caster – treat this as a Block defense at a -2 penalty; also apply the normal range penalties from the defender to the caster. The DB of the mirror (if it is large enough to offer any; GM call) adds to this roll normally. The caster may defend normally, unless totally surprised.

Sunbolt is not affected by Missile Shield or Reverse Missiles. Force Dome and Deflect Energy do offer protection. Areas of magical Darkness or Blackout resist Sunbolt.

Cost: Any amount up to your Magery level per second, for up to three seconds.
The bolt does 1d-1 impaling damage per energy point.
Time to cast: 1 to 3 seconds.
Prerequisites: Sunlight

Sunlight

The area is illuminated in full day-light – even underground! The area extends skyward, stopping only when it hits some sort of ceiling. If cast in a cave, the area is a huge shaft of light extending upward to the rock. If cast on a cloudy day outdoors, the light appears to break through the clouds above. If cast at night, the light appears to come from an overhead star which brightens to sun level for those inside the area.

Treat the light as natural sunlight for all purposes – it can be used to grow plants, get a tan, etc. Creatures who are susceptible to the effects of sunlight (such as vampires) are fully affected.

Duration: 1 minute.
Base cost: 2 to cast
1 to maintain
Prerequisites: Glow, and Colors

Wall of Lightning

Melee Spell; Resisted by HT

Creates a shimmering, crackling curtain of lightning around an area.

The wall is four yards high, but may be made higher by scaling the cost as the height (double for 8 yards high, triple for 12 yards high and so on).

Every turn, anyone crossing or touching the wall suffers burning damage. It impedes vision and hearing through it: -1 to these Sense rolls.

Duration: 1 minute.
Base cost: 2 to 6 to cast
Same cost to maintain
Each turn, the Wall inflicts 1d-1 burning damage for every two points of energy put into its base cost
Prerequisite: Lightning

Tier 4 spells

Burning Death

Causes the victim to burn from within. The caster must strike the subject to trigger this spell; hit location is irrelevant. Every turn, the victim must roll against HT; on a failure (critical or not), he takes 1d-1 fire damage. On a success, he takes no damage that turn; on a critical success, the spell is broken. Neither DR nor Resist Fire protects against this injury! For the duration of the spell, the victim experiences almost unbearable discomfort, equivalent to the effects of a Sickness spell (p. 138).

If the spell is maintained long enough, the victim’s skin and clothes start to char and little flames dart out here and there. Once the victim dies, his body bursts into flame and burns until only a little pile of ashes remains.

Undead beings are not affected.

The caster must concentrate while maintaining this spell, but need not remain in physical contact.

Duration: 1 second.
Cost: 3 to cast. 2 to maintain.
Prerequisites: Create Fire, Magery (Soul) 2

Continual Sun Light

Illuminates an area as per the Sunlight spell, but lasts longer and cannot be maintained.

Duration: Variable. Roll 2d for number of days
Base cost: 3
Prerequisite: Sunlight

Create Fire Elemental

Special Spell

Create a spirit of the appropriate element. The caster may determine the capabilities of the created elemental by increasing or decreasing the attributes of the basic elemental of that type; he may only change, add or subtract advantages and disadvantages with GM permission. There are no limits to the alteration of attributes, though a very stupid elemental will not understand complex commands.

A newly created elemental serves the caster obediently for one hour. At the end of that time, roll a contest between the caster’s skill with the spell, and the elemental’s combined IQ and ST. If the caster wins, the elemental serves for a further hour, at the end of which another contest is required, and so on. When the caster loses, the elemental escapes control and leaves (or attacks, on a very bad reaction).

Cost: 1 point per 5 character points used to build the elemental.
Time to cast: Seconds equal to the total character points used to build the elemental.
Prerequisites: Control Fire Elemental, Magery (Soul) 2

Initiative (Illusion)