Wizard Specializations

(Version 1.00 - Last Modified: 09/01/2007)

• Introduction
• Combat Magic
• Construct Magic
• Ritual Magic
• Scroll Magic
• Spirit Cauldron
• Staff Magic
• Symbology Magic
• Wand Magic

Introduction

The Wizard class covers a broad array of people with different abilities and backgrounds. Some wizards are professionally trained at the highest places of learning on the planet, while others come from the lowest levels of civilization, and what they lack in technical training, they make up for in raw power and ambition. To reflect this diversity, each wizard learns a number of areas of specialization, which represents their individual focus. These specializations define only a small part of a wizard's total abilities, but are an important way to differentiate one wizard from another.

Some of these specializations are more common than others. Scroll Magic and the Spirit Cauldron are taught heavily at the formal magic academies in the Eastern Territory, while Scroll Magic and Combat Magic are favored in the Western Empire. A large number of wizards have apprenticed under graduates from these institutions and have focused on these areas of specialization as well, making them the most common in the world, but certainly not the only ones available.

Combat Magic

Although most wizards abhor direct combat, some wizards train for it extensively, which gives them a large advantage compared to normal wizards. This specialization does not necessarily mean that a wizard is more violent or aggressive, but many are.

1. Combat Casting:
   All invocation spells that are combat spells, such as Energy Bolt and Armor of Ithan, can be cast with one melee action, regardless of level.
   
   
2. Non-Combat Casting:
   All non-combat spells, such as Sense Magic and Purification, require a full minute to cast, regardless of level and cost 50% additional PPE.

Construct Magic

A number of wizards travel alone, without allies or companions. These wizards are often forced to hire guards and protectors for trips through dangerous terrain, but hiring strangers can just as dangerous. Particularily paranoid wizards learn not to trust anything they do not control, and a number of them specialize in creating golems, the perfect protector.

1. Create Golems:
   With this area of specialization, a wizard knows the Create Golem spell at first level and can use it for the normal cost.
   
   
2. Create Minor Golems:
   In addition to being able to create normal golems, a wizard with this specialization can create minor golems. These golems cost only 10% of the normal PPE to create, plus the regular cost of any golem enhancements the wizard chooses to include, but the resulting golem has only half its regular strength and only 25% of its normal SDC, however, the wizard can only have one active minor golem under his control at level one and an additional minor golem at levels 4, 8, 12, and 15.
   
   
3. Golem Enhancements:
   Each golem enhancement that the wizard uses costs 25% less PPE. For example, the normal cost of increasing a golem's PS by +1 is 30, but for a wizard with this specialization it only costs 23 PPE.

Ritual Magic

Rituals are a powerful way of casting many different spells. Although not for use in a combat situation, casting spells as part of a long ritual gives them more power for a similar investement of PPE.

1. Ritual Casting:
   Any spell known by the wizard that is not already a ritual can be cast as a ritual. The spell then requires 5 minutes per level of the spell to cast as a ritual. For example, a sixth level spell would require 30 minutes to cast as a ritual. The decision to cast a spell as a ritual or as a normal spell is made when the spell is cast.
   
   
2. Ritual Participants:
   Any ritual spell cast by the wizard can include any number of other participants who can share the PPE cost with the main wizard casting the spell. The other participants do not have to be wizards or other types of spellcasters, but the primary caster has to contribute at least 10% of the total PPE cost of the spell.
   
   
3. Ritual Benefits:
   When a ritual spell is cast, the wizard can choose one benefit from the following list and an additional benefit at levels 5, 10, and 15 to affect the spell:
   • Decrease PPE cost by 25%.
   • Double the range.
   • Double the duration.
   • Double the area of effect.
   • Double the effect / damage.
   • Increase the base savings throw to 16 (as per normal ritual spells)

Scroll Magic

Scroll magic provides a Wizard with three related abilities. The first is the ability to create normal magic scrolls that trap a casting of a single spell into written form, which can be read by anyone to release the spell. The second is the ability to create a bonded magic scroll, which is cheaper to create than a normal scroll, but can only be used by the wizard that created the scroll. The third ability is to learn new Invocation spells from any scroll that the wizard acquires.

1. Create Magic Scroll:
   With this area of specialization, a wizard knows the Create Magic Scroll spell at first level and can use it for the normal cost of 100 PPE plus the PPE cost of the spell placed on the scroll. The only difference from the regular casting of the spell is that the wizard can impart none, some, or all of his spell bonus into the scroll he creates, so that anyone casting the spell on the scroll gains the benefit of his spell strength bonus.
   
   
2. Create Bonded Scroll:
   Creating a normal magic scroll can be a costly matter in terms of PPE and generally requires a day or more of preperation to create each scroll, but a wizard with this specialization can short circuit that process with bonded scrolls. Bonded scrolls are similar to magic scrolls in that they are created with a single invocation spell imprinted on the scroll, which can be cast simply by reading the scroll, but they cost significantly less PPE to create. A bonded scroll costs only 20 PPPE plus the PPE cost of the spell placed on the scroll to create, but a wizard can only have one unused, bonded scroll at level one, and an additional bonded scroll at levels 4, 8, 12, and 15. Only the wizard that created the bonded scroll can use it. A wizard always uses his current spell strength bonus when casting a spell on a bonded scroll. In all other ways, a bonded scrolls acts as a magic scroll.
   
   
3. Convert Scroll to Invocation:
   Although it is dangerous, a wizard can try to convert a magic or bonded scroll into a permanently acquired invocation spell. This is a one shot procedure that requires one hour to complete and has a significant margin for error and once tried, the spell on the scroll is lost, but if successful, the wizard can casat that spell at will with the normal expenditure of PPE. Base Skill: 8% +2% per level of experience. If the conversion fails, roll on Table 1: Unsuccessful Conversion table and if the conversion succeeds, roll in Table 2: Successful Conversion.

Table 1: Unsuccessful Conversion
Percentile:	Description:
01-16	An explosion that does 1D6 points of damage per level of the spell in inflicted to a 5' (1.5 m) radius; the wizard is at its epicenter.
17-20	Shock; the wizard is paralyzed for 1D4 hours; makes a full recovery.
21-30	Lightning bolt strikes the wizard; does 6D6 damage.
31-40	Wizard is temporalily blinded for 2D4 days.
41-48	Wizard is metamorphed into a goat or pig for 2D6 days.
49-55	Summons a lesser demon (GM's discetion).
56-60	Weight increased by +300 lbs (+136 kg) for 1D6 months.
61-68	Skin turned pale blue; lasts for 2D6 months.
69-72	Creates 200 gallons of water that soaks the wizards.
73-80	Height and mass are reduced by half; lasts for 2D6 months.
81-91	Wizard is metamorphed into a moose.
92-96	The wizard is surrounded by a continual, soft glow of bluish white light; makes sneaking in the dark impossible and is frightening to children and superstitious individuals.
97-00	Summons a greater demon (GM's discretion).




Table 2: Successful Conversion
Percentile:	Description:
01-20	The correct spell, but always functions at half strength, duration, range, and damage.
21-60	Total success, exactly the correct spell.
61-00	Unstable spell, always different (roll on Table 3: Unstable Spell each time the spell is used).




Table 3: Unstable Spell
Percentile:	Description:
01-08	The original spell on the scroll, at full strength.
09-24	The original spell on the scroll, but everything is at half strength.
25-27	Weightlessness (self); the spell caster is suddenly weightless and will find his speed reduced by 75%, damage is reduced by half (he's too light to inflict full damage), and a sudden movement around him or a gust of wind will send him floating away like a leaf in a storm. Lasts for 2D4 melee rounds.
28-35	Heavy rainful in a 10' (3 m) radius, with the wizard at the center; lasts 1D4 melee rounds.
36-42	Turn self invisible.
43-48	Multiple Image (self).
49-56	Fire Ball; 5D6 damage.
57-65	Reduce self 6".
66-72	Call Lightning; 6D6 damage to the intended target.
73-80	Metamorphosis (others) into mice; lasts for 2D4 melee rounds.
81-86	Magic Net.
87-92	Wind Rush
93-00	Create bread and milk.

Spirit Cauldron

The enchanted cauldron is one of the few component magics that is exclusive to the wizard. The purpose of the cauldron is to summon a spirit into it for either spell knowledge or to use it as a scrying device. The main downside of the Spirit Cauldron is its size. Once a wizard has established his home and placed his cauldron, it is very hard to move without disturbing the enchantment that keeps the spirit locked into the cauldron.

1. Enchant Spirit Cauldron:
   To enchant a spirit cauldron, a wizard requires one small iron cauldron, six pints of fresh Human, Dwarf, or Elf blood, one dead butterfly (to represent the soul), and one owl's feater (to represent wisdom). The components must be stirred with an iron or steel sword for two hours before the moon's zenith. At the end of the ritual that summons the spirits into the cauldron, the wizard must drink one full cup of the brew and determins if the ritual was successful. The chance of success is 14% +6% per level of exeperience. If unsuccessful, the brew is useless and must be disposed of. However, poring it anywhere but in a graveyard will unleash 1D6 ghosts.
   
   
2. Acquire Spell Knowledge:
   If the ritual was successful, the wizard enters into a coma for 1D4 hours. When he awakens, the wizard will possess some of the spell knowledge known by the spirits. Unfortunately, he may also have developed an insanity, if he fails a save vs. insanity, he then rolls on Table 4: Random Insanity. Whether or not the wizard develops an insanity, he rolls 2D6 to determine the number of new spells he learns and for each of these spells, he rolls 1D6 +1 at levels 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, and 15 to determine what level the spell is and the wizard can choose to learn any spell from that level. The new spell knowledge can only be acquired once per enchanted cauldron. To gain new spells, a new cauldron must be enchanted.
   
   
3. Cauldron Scry:
   Once the cauldron is enchanted, there is a 31% chance that the spirits will remain permanently in the cauldron, allowing it to act like a crystal ball. However, each time the wizard wishes to use the cauldron in this way, he must consume a tablespoon of the brew. As long as the wizard replenishes the blood and ensures that it never drops below three pints, the spirits will remain in the cauldron forever.

Table 4: Random Insanity
Percentile:	Description:
01-13	No instanity; lucked out!
14-20	Affective disorder. See insanity section; roll on that table.
21-40	One phobia; roll on that table.
31-40	Two phobias; roll on that table.
41-60	One obsession; roll on that table.
61-80	Neurosis; roll on that table.
81-00	Psychosis; roll on that table.

Staff Magic

One school of wizardry focuses on empowering a magical staff to help channel spells. This specialization allows the wizard to more easily cast a small number of spells that have been placed into the staff.

1. Craft Staff:
   All staves consist of two parts, the shaft and the core. The core of the staff must be something from a creature of magic, costing no less than 1000 gold pieces. The shaft can be of any material, but most wizards prefer wood, and the shaft can be no less than 6' (1.8 m) long for an average-sized Human. A staff will have 80 S.D.C. if it is made from wood. At first level, a wizard with this specialization is given a simple, wooden staff as part of his starting equipment, but if the staff is destroyed, the wizard must craft a new one to replace it and invest 100 PPE into it during a ritual that takes one hour to complete.
   
   
2. Empower Staff:
   A wizard can empower a staff with a small number of spells, so that the spells cost less PPE to cast. The staff can be empowered to hold one spell at level one and an additional spell at levels 3, 6, 9, 12, and 15 and it takes one hour to change the spells that are empowered in the staff. Spells cast from the staff require only half the normal amount of PPE.

Symbology Magic

Diabolists and Summoners study a closely linked and specialized form of magic that revolves around power words, wards, and circles. Most wizards have very little understanding of this world of symbols, but a few have extensively studied this area. While still falling far short of a real Diabolist and Summoner, the wizards with this specialization have more extensive knowledge of scribe magic than wizards without this specialization.

1. Energize Ward Phrases:
   A wizard with this specialization is capable of activating any ward phrase as if he was a Diabolist of the same level. However, activating the ward phrase costs twice the regular amount of PPE and the wizard cannot create new wards, he can only activate existing ones.
   
   
2. Circle Knowledge:
   A wizard with this specializaion knows how to create and activate one Circle of Protection at first level, then gains the knowledge to create and activate one Circle of Summoning at level six, and then gains the knowledge to create and activate one Circle of Power at level twelve. This includes knowledge of all power words and necessary materials for these circles, but only for these circles.

Wand Magic

One school of wizardry focuses on spells that affect a single taget and they use wands to help channel their power. This specialization allows the wizard to increase the power of any invocation spell that affects only a single person or object.

1. Craft Wand:
   All wands consist of two parts, the shaft and the core. The core of the wand must be something from a creature of magic, costing no less than 500 gold pieces. The shaft can be of any material, but most wizards prefer wood, and the shaft can be no more than 1' (0.3 m) long for an average-sized Human. A wand will have 20 S.D.C. if it is made from wood. At first level, a wizard with this specialization is given a simple, wooden wand as part of his starting equipment, but if the wand is destroyed or damaged, the wizard must craft a new one to replace it and invest 50 PPE into it during a ritual that takes one hour to complete.
   
   
2. Channel Spell:
   Any spell that affects a single target that is not the caster, such as Befuddle and Life Drain, can be cast through the wand. Spells that have an area of effect cannot be cast through the wand, even if there is only one target in the area. Spells that are cast through the wand have double their normal range and duration.