Spellcraft & Magic Rules

[Augur]

Spellcraft & Magic Rules, Clarifications, & Revisions

General Rule Regarding the Interpretation and Implementation of Spells:

• The EU default regarding Palladium's material is to not accept that which is potentially implicit, but to restrict interpretation to that which is explicit.

Time required to master new spell knowledge:

• It takes two days per level of the spell being studied to learn a new spell when one has the appropriate materials to study.

Availability, Access, and Cost of spell knowledge:

• Access to materials by which one can learn a new spell above fourth level is restricted to materials found while adventuring, and materials obtained through the Collegiate Arcane. The Collegiate will assign quests and costs commensurate with the value of such spells to the character seeking them. Spells beyond eighth level will require the completion of a task/quest in addition to a hefty "donation" to the Collegiate relative to that character's personal wealth and power. Such quests will be run by that character's GM. Good communication between Oracle and the respective GM is highly recommended.

Purchasing Spell Scrolls:

• Levels 1-5: 10,000 credits per spell level; uncommon availability
• Levels 6-8: 15,000 credits per spell level; rare availability
• Level 9 spells cost 20,000 credits per level, or 180,000 credits per spell; very rare availability
• Level 10 spells cost 500,000 credits each; ultra-rare availability
• Spells level 11-15 cost an additional 100,000 per level above 10 (i.e. level 11 spells cost 600,000 credits each, level 15 spells 1 million each); legendary availability
• Prices for spells of legend are set by the relevant GM and can vary wildly depending on availability and from spell to spell. Minimum cost is 2-3 million credits; legendary availability

Spell scrolls are only available in population centers known to be hubs of magic.

Record-Keeping:

• All spells being learned will be tracked in a manner similar to that used by Tinkerers and will be assigned their own tracking post in reply to the Tinkerer's Thread in their respective group forum.

Miscellany

1. Spells cannot be "traded." -- Spells are not e-clips, folks. A new spell is the equivalent of a new psionic power in gameplay. Even the acquisition of a low-level spell is a permanent expansion of the PCs abilities.
2. Spells will always be more difficult to obtain the higher the level the spell. Likewise, spell materials (books, parchments notes, etc.) are of increasing rarity the higher the level the spell.
3. Spell scrolls are very, very rare on Rifts Earth. This is canonical, and not up for discussion. The process associated with learning from spell scrolls is also entirely canonical, and not up for discussion.
4. "Santa Claus" GMs will receive a spanking if they're found to be lavishing ridiculous rewards, and will have to deal with angry players when such "loot" is surreptitiously removed from that group's/character's accounts. GMs may require a quest via the Collegiate ex post facto for a character to earn such rewards.
5. Spells effects which are written into a spell, but which ignore the possibility of protective spells such as Armor of Ithan (which shield the character from physical harm), do not affect a character protected in such a way.

[Augur]

Magic Combat Rules

"Magic attacks per melee" as per normal Palladium rules is hereby dissolved.

Actions per melee applies to all types of actions so a mage may mix his spell casting with other actions as he sees fit.

Spell Casting Time
All magic spells levels 1-5 take 1 action to cast.
All magic spells levels 6-10 take 2 actions to cast.
All magic spells levels 11-15 & spells of legend take 3 actions to cast.
All normal rules regarding rituals apply (they're time-consuming).

Being Near a Ley line, within two miles, increases the range and duration of spells by 50%.

Being at/on a ley line OR one mile from a nexus point doubles the range, duration, and damage of magic spells. The Mage can also draw an additional 10 P.P.E. (Double for LLW & LLR) every 15 seconds. Magic spells and effects (damage, range and duration) are doubled. Plus his own P.P.E. recovers at the increased rate of 10 P.P.E. per 1/2 hour, without meditation.

Being at a ley line nexus point or within 200 feet of a nexus point triples the range, duration, and damage of magic spells. The Mage can draw upon 20 P.P.E. (Double for LLW & LLR) every 15 seconds. The mage gets a +2 to save vs magic and HF. Spell Strength is +1. P.P.E. Recovery Rate is 20 per 1/2 hour without meditation.

Periods of Increased energy at a nexus point. IAW RUE.

Captured P.P.E. Limit: 3x Normal P.P.E. Time Limit: P.E. in minutes. (page 21, Book of Magic)

Only mages and psychics can channel their P.P.E.

Magic Items & Weapons
Damage and range is increased by 50% when within 1/2 mile of a ley line.
Damage and range is doubled when on a ley line or nexus.
Enchanted items with activated powers require a triggering touch.
Enchanted items cannot be worn in conjunction with other enchanted or magic items in the same location.
As only mages and psychics can channel their P.P.E., only these characters can use Techno-Wizard Devices which do not operate off of P.P.E.-Clips.

[Augur]

Battle Magus O.C.C. Ruling

The Battle Magi in World Book 16: Federation of Magic shows some inconsistency regarding starting spells and learning new spells. The following should be used as the standard for these characters:

Initial Spell Knowledge - begins with Manipulate Objects (as much a mental exercise as anything else), Lantern Light, Globe of Day- light, Armor of Ithan, Escape, Breathe Without Air, Death Trance, Magic Shield, Deflect, Ricochet Strike, Light Target, Energy Bolt, Fire Bolt, Fireblast, Circle of Flame, Electric Arc, Throwing Stones, Orb of Cold, Fist of Fury, and Power Weapon.

Additional Spells - Each level of experience, beginning with level two, the warrior can select three additional offensive/combat oriented spells (energy blasts, magic weapons, area affect spells, augmentation, etc.) and one defensive (shields, walls, repulsion, negation, etc.) - or evasion spell (chameleon, invisibility, escape, fly, teleport, etc.). In the early levels, these spells can be selected from spell levels 1-4, but upon reaching 5th level, the warrior mage can select his spells from each equivalent level that corresponds with his experience (i.e. 5th level Battle Magus can make spell selections from levels 1-5, at 6th level, selections can be made from levels 1-6, and so on).

Ignore the second rule that is provided on page 73, third paragraph: They start with 10 spells that can be selected from any level. However, like the Warlock, they can only cast spells less than or equal to their experience level. They can be taught 2 spells upon attaining a new level.

[Augur]

Mystic Knight Energy Resistance
The energy resistance of the Mystic Knights/Knights of the White Rose extends beyond the knight's body to items worn close to the body such as clothes and armor. This is accomplished as the power not only renders the physical matter of the body itself resistant to energy, but it also creates a field around the knight which protects closely worn objects by dissipating and repelling energy strikes.

[Augur]

Learning Spells from a Scroll
Base Skill: 10% +2% (per level of experience) + I.Q. bonus (if applicable).
Note that the spell is instantly activated the moment it is read aloud and the words then disappear or turn into gibberish or a magic symbol. Any attempt to learn a spell through use of a scroll must be made via a single die roll through the online dice roller.
Note: Spell scrolls are exceedingly rare on Rifts Earth, and are one-use items regardless of the outcome of the reading.

[Augur]

Magic Clarifications & Revisions

Worth posting for general reference:

Can someone casting a spell be interrupted and the spell disrupted?
Yes. The spell caster needs to focus and concentrate his will while invoking a spoken incantation. The simplest way to disrupt a spell being cast is to injure or knockout the spell caster, actually causing him to take physical damage, or forcing him to take defensive action, including dodging. Depending on the nature of the particular spell being cast. parrying in most cases will also cause a disruption in the spell casting. Other actions like tackling or knocking over the caster work too. Likewise, any act that causes the loss of a melee action will disrupt the spell, as will preventing the mage from speaking (Mute spell, Globe of Silence, gagging, choking, etc.).
A Ritual is more durable, with short interruptions usually possible, but if the ritual is disrupted for more than two melee rounds (30 seconds)
or at some critical junction, the magic and focus is broken and the ceremony must be restarted, usually from the beginning.

Clarification: Any spell which requires more than one melee action to cast is interruptible. This same rule applies to any type of time-consuming action.

Related:
Spells which have a duration and which do not specifically state a requirement for concentration to maintain persist until the end of the duration of the spell. This is what an explicit understanding of "duration" provides.

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Energy Sphere (Augur's Concise Version)

• Level: 11
• Range: 100'
• P.P.E. Cost: 120
• M.D.C. of Sphere: 500
• Cannot be moved or stored.
• Cannot receive P.P.E. after creation.
• Moves with mage over one shoulder.
• Only the creator can gift it to another.
• Immune to draining by P.P.E. vampires.
• P.P.E. Capacity: 100 per level of the caster.
• Loses 2D6x10 P.P.E. per minute in an Anti-Magic Cloud.
• Duration: 2 days per level of experience, or until used up.
• Negate Magic will drain it of 6D6 P.P.E. per each negation.
• Only one Energy Sphere can be maintained by a mage regardless of who possesses it.

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Anti-Magic Cloud 11th level invocation
Range: 100' radius per level of the spell caster.
Duration : 20 melees per level of the spell caster.
Saving Throw: Special. Only a Natural (unmodified) 18, 19 or 20 saves against the cloud, and even these lucky few will find their magic reduced to half strength.
P.P.E.: One Hundred Forty

Those who are ignorant of the great old magicks insist that this spell never existed, that it is impossible, merely another myth. They are wrong. This incredible spell creates an ominous, dark gray-brown cloud large enough to hang over an entire town. It can not be dispelled magically or by manipulating elemental/atmospheric conditions. The cloud's effect is as singular as it is spectacular; it simply negates all magic! Spell casters can not use magic of any kind, Techno-Wizard devices, potions and charms are impotent. Any object of magic (except runes and magic weapons) is rendered harmless as long as it is under the Anti-Magic Cloud. The magic returns when the cloud is canceled. Only the creator of the cloud is not affected, giving that mage a tremendous advantage over other sorcerers caught in the cloud. If outside the cloud's range the magic abilities return, but any magic that enters it falters (as above) and magic spells cast from outside into the cloud covered area are negated the instant they enter the Anti-Magic Cloud.

Clarification: P.P.E. cannot be used in the area of effect.

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Fleet Feet 6th level Wizard spell/invocation
Range: Self by spell or ritual
Duration: Two melee rounds per level of experience.
Saving Throw: None
P.P.E.: 20

Fleet feet is an extremely popular and powerful magic spell; it is its popularity and therefore commonness that makes it a 6th level spell.

The incantation doubles the physical prowess, speed and mobility of the enchanted person for 30 seconds (2 melee rounds) per level of the spell caster. This means the character's speed, and P.P. are doubled (providing increased P.P. bonuses to strike, parry and dodge) and perhaps most notably, the character's physical attacks per melee round are all doubled for the duration of the spell. This spell will not effect the mage's spellcasting or psionics, but only his physical actions. Consequently, all future spellcasting or psionics cost twice as many actions. Cannot be cast into a Talisman, nor used in alchemical enchantments.

While the character is a veritable whirlwind of action, the enchantment does have some drawbacks. He is moving so fast and doing so much that the character is -2 on initiative and not likely to see a surprise attack coming (in most cases a surprise attack or strike from behind is automatic). Furthermore, the performance of delicate skills like picking locks or pockets, carving, writing, etc., are all at -20% and the character cannot control his precise movement.

[Augur]

Comprehensive Mega-List of Spells

Book Abbreviation Key
RUE = Rifts Ultimate Edition, BOM = Rifts Book of Magic, WB16 = Rifts World Book 16: Federation of Magic, RMB = Rifts RPG, MA = Rifts Adventure Sourcebook Mercenary Adventures, DB13 = Rifts Dimension Book 13: Fleets of the Three Galaxies, HU2 = Heroes Unlimited 2nd Edition, HUGM = Heroes Unlimited GMs Guide, AUGG = Aliens Unlimited Galaxy Guide, PF2 = Palladium Fantasy 2nd Edition, PFNH = Palladium Fantasy Book 13: Northern Hinterlands, NBMB = Nightbane RPG, NBBS = Nightband World Book 1: Between the Shadows, NBTG = Nightbane World Book 3: Through the Glass Darkly

(This is a resource, not a rule)

[Augur]

SPELL OF LEGEND CANONICAL REVISION

Metamorphosis: Dragon
Level: Spell of Legend
Range: Self or Another up to 100 miles away (by ritual).
Duration: Varies: 1d6 hours per level of the Caster. 6 hours per level using Scale or Tooth from any dragon. 12 hours/Lvl of the Caster using Blood of a Dragon no more than 1 week old (1 ounce/vial). A scale, tooth, or blood from a Dragonwright grant 24 hours per level. Rarity and difficulty obtaining is tremendous. A normal tooth will usually garner about 10,000 gold, bones about 10,000 gold per pound (4.5 kg), dragon blood, about 8000 gold per ounce, and a dragon skull (usually turned into a magical helm), 200,000 gold! Dragonwright material is priceless and comes with its own restrictions depending on the dragon it is retrieved from. All resource are not consumed in casting, but rather are a foci unless designated to be consumed by the caster.
Saving Throw: None or save vs ritual if cast unwilling on another.
Special: Some Component Required to enhance spell!!
P.P.E.: 2000 (200 PPE less per ounce of dragon blood consumed in casting. Only 250 PPE if 1 ounce of Dragonwright material is consumed in casting! Normal dragon scales, teeth, or bones have no additional effect if consumed in casting.)

• Physical Attributes: The dragon form has the maximum P.S., P.P., P.E. and Speed attributes of a member from that race or the caster’s own, whichever is higher. Speed of flight is also maximum for that type.
• : +800 SDC and +200 SDC /Level of Caster and +400 HP and +100 HP/Level. A.R.: Per Dragons and Gods Book for Draconic Race (Add together for MDC realms)
• HF: Per Dragons and Gods Book for Draconic Race
• Natural Abilities, Breath Weapons, Special attacks, See Invisible, Night Vision, Teleportation, Dimensional Teleport, Bio-Regeneration, etc. (in addition to one's own skills and magic abilities): Per Draconic Race
• Magic: Only caster’s own magic knowledge usable. Necromancer’s can combine a dragon skull with this spell to gain dragons spell knowledge as per Necromancer’s OCC abilities.
• Combat Bonuses: Per Dragons and Gods Book for Draconic Race in addition to below Dragon HTH (RUE pg 349) equal to casters level x1.5 round up. Caster chooses to use either their own HTH skill or Dragon HTH. Cannot be combined with any other HtH skill. i.e 6th level caster is equal to lvl 9 Dragon HTH.

Level 1: Starts with three attacks per melee (plus any R.C.C. bonus) instinctively knows the following attack types: Bite, punch, kick, Claw Swipe, and standard use of breath weapon (counts as one melee attack): +2 to roll with impact. and +1 to pull punch. Dragon metamorphosis takes one melee (15 seconds).
Level 2: +2 to parry and dodge. and gains the Tail Slap, Wing Attack Basic, and Crush.
Level 3: Dragon metamorphosis takes half a melee round (7 seconds), and Tail Slap Power Strike.
Level 4: +1 additional attack per melee round, gains Bite & Grip, and Tail Sweep.
Level 5: +1 to strike and parry, +2 to dodge in flight, and gains Tail Parry.
Level 6: +1 to Spell Strength, gains the Wing Sweep and Grappling Hold
Level 7: Gains Wing Attack. Advanced, is +2 to disarm, +2 to entangle, and +2 to pull punch.
Level 8: + 1 attack per melee round, +1 to strike and parry, +1 to dodge in flight, gains the Wing Gliding Sweep Attack.
Level 9: Gains Breath Weapon Concentrated Beam, +1 to roll with impact and pull punch, and an additional +5% to Dimensional Teleport (a natural ability).
Level 10: Gains Teleport Dodge, +1 on initiative, and Critical Strike on an unmodified 19-20.
Level 11: +2 to dodge in flight, and +1 to Spell strength.
Level 12: +1 attack per melee, +1 to strike, and +1 to Teleport Dodge.
Level 13: Gains Breath Weapon Cone, and +1 on initiative.
Level 14: +1 to Teleport Dodge and +1 to pull punch.
Level 15: +1 to Spell Strength.

• Dragon Delusion: Save vs insanity each time spell is cast, failure means that for the duration of the spell and an additional 1d6 hours afterwards the character is under the delusion that they are a dragon! Three unsuccessful saves mean the delusion is permanent. Note number of failures under insanity on character sheet.
• Dragon Sickness: Save vs insanity each time spell is cast, failure means that for the duration of the spell the character develops an obsession with the accumulation of physical wealth. If the character is permanently affected by Dragon Delusion he is also affected with this insanity.