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WIP: Spellcrafting

Echoes categorizes magic into six domains, each providing basic spells that players can further customize. Upon reaching Level 1, characters can choose one Level 1 spell from any domain for free. Additionally, they can spend Talent Points to unlock and progress within a specific domain (Talent Trees TBD).

Empowered Spells

Each spell can be empowered in various ways. Unless specified otherwise, each effect can only be purchased once per cast, but different effects can be combined on the same cast. Players may propose additional effects based on the situation, with costs determined by the GM.

Magic Domains

Gravis: Gravity

Gravis allows casters to manipulate spacetime itself. This domain grants control over the battlefield, enabling powerful buffs and debuffs that can turn the tide of combat.

Modifier: Cognition
Modifier (1 TP): Influence

Level 1
  • Pull: Pulls the target toward the caster if the target can be moved and its weight is less than the caster's, otherwise the caster is pulled toward the target. When weight is hard to ascertain, size can be used instead with with smaller or equal targets being pulled toward the caster. If the target is an object, the Control roll automatically succeeds.
    • Type: Control - Physical
    • Casting Time: 1 Tick
    • Range: 3 squares
    • Empowerings:
      • Push (1 EP): Invert the effect of the spell. If the target is an object, it can be accelerated in a straight line, behaving as ranged weapon that deals 1d8 Kinetic damage. In this case, the Control roll follows the rules of an Offense activity against the final target that would be hit by the object, but the activity still counts as a Control activity.
      • Reach (1 EP): Increase the range to 7 sq but the movement is still limited to 3 sq.
      • Boost (1 EP): Increase the movement to 5 sq but the range remains 3 sq.
  • Weight: Increase the weight of the target. If the target is an entity, they suffer 1 tier of Sensory Impaired; if the target is an object, its weight increases by the caster's weight (i.e. becomes heavier than the caster, if not already).
    • Type: Control - Physical
    • Casting Time: 1 Tick, 1 Tick to refresh
    • Range: 4 squares
    • Focus Pool: 5 Focus Points
    • Empowerings:
      • Sustain (1 EP): Increase the Focus Points to 11.
      • Heavyweight (1 EP): The weight increases further. If the target is an entity, they also suffer 1 tier of Slow; if the target is an object, its weight increases by twice the caster's weight.
      • Counterbalance (1 EP): As the weight of the target increases, the caster's weight reduces increasing their movement speed by 1 sq/t and jump height by 1 sq. If Heavyweight is also used, these values are doubled.
  • Reflex: The target's perception of time slows. The caster chooses whether to grant them a 1d4 Bonus to any Offense roll or increase their Physical Defence by 1 against Offense activities that have a Kinetic Damage component.
    • Type: Control - Physical
    • Casting Time: 2 Ticks, 1 Tick to refresh
    • Range: Touch
    • Focus Pool: 6 Focus Points
    • Empowerings:
      • Bubble (1 EP): Increase the Focus Points to 12. The caster and up to two targets of their choice gain the effect as long as they remain within 3 sq of the caster. Maintaining the effect costs 1 Focus Points per target.
      • Enhance (1 EP): The target gains both effects of the spell.

Phatos: Emotion

Pathos empowers casters to harness the raw energy of emotions. This domain delves into the psyche, allowing magic users to inspire allies, demoralize foes, and sway perceptions.

Modifier: Influence
Modifier (1 TP): N/A

Level 1
  • Inspire: The target entity gains a 1d4 bonus to any d20 roll of their choice performed within the next hour. Each entity can only have one Inspiration bonus stored at any given time.
    • Type: Support
    • Casting Time: 2 Ticks
    • Range: 6 squares
    • Empowerings:
      • Bolster (1+ EP, Max 4): Increase the die size of the Inspiration bonus for each EP spent (Max 1d12 for 4 EP).
      • Speech (1+ EP): Increase the number of targets by 2 for each EP spent.
      • Comfort (1 EP): The target entity immediately restores 1d8 HP.
  • Discourage: The target entity suffers 1d8 Psychic Damage.
    • Type: Offense - Mental
    • Casting Time: 1 Tick
    • Range: 6 squares
    • Empowerings:
      • Gloom (1+ EP): Increase the number of targets by 1 for each EP spent.
      • Daunt (1 EP): Impose a 1d4 malus on the target entity's next d20 roll. When used as a reaction, affects the current roll.
      • Distract (2 EP, Reaction): Only usable as a reaction against a Critical Success roll, the result no longer counts as Critical.

  • Bias: Whether it's the caster's tone, appearance, posture or just... something. The affected entity is charmed (1 Tier) by the caster who gains 1d4 on their next Influence roll.

    • Type: Social
    • Casting Time: 2 Ticks
    • Range: 3 squares
    • Empowerings:
      • Presence (1 EP): Extend the effect to cover all entities within range.
      • Prepare (1 EP): Casting time increases to 10 minutes, change the source entity of the charm from the caster to another entity of their choice.
      • Mesmerize (1+ EP): Increase the duration and Charm Tier based on the number of EP spent (the GM might allow more powerful effects with more EPs):
    EP Cost 1 2 3 4 5
    Charm Tier 1 2 2 3 3
    Duration 5 min 15 min 1 hour 1 day 1 week

Sanguis: Blood

Sanguis taps into the vital force that courses through all living beings. This domain focuses on the power of blood, offering both healing and harm. Sanguis is a domain of balance and comes with its own risks.

Modifier: Cognition
Modifier (1 TP): Strength

Level 1
  • Transfusion: The caster suffers 1d8 damage to heal another entity by the same amount. The damage type is undertermined and cannot be avoided; can be subtracted from THP, if available.
    • Type: Support
    • Casting Time: 1 Tick
    • Range: Touch
    • Empowerings:
      • Antibody (1 EP): Remove 1 Tier of Disease from the target. If the condition is permanent, the Disease tier is not reduced but the target gains 7 TPH instead.
      • Improve (1 EP): On top of healing, the target gets the roll result as TPH.
      • Donor (1 EP): The caster gains the same amount of lost HP in TPH.
  • Leech: Deal 1d12+1 Energy Damage to the target, the caster heals half as much in HP (rounded down).
    • Type: Offense - Physical
    • Casting Time: 2 Ticks
    • Range: Touch
    • Empowerings:
      • Drain (1 EP): Add one damage die
      • Break (1 EP): Dealing at least 9 points of damage also adds 1 Tier of Injury
  • Drop: Coat a nearby entity or weapon with a drop of the caster's blood for the duration of the focus. On activation, the caster suffers 1d8 damage and, if refreshed at the beginning of their turn, causes an additional 1d4 damage but does not consume any focus points. The damage type is undertermined and cannot be avoided; can be subtracted from THP, if available. The caster can change target with each refresh, and choose between the following two effects: a weapon deals 1d6 Energy Damage OR an entity recovers 1d6 HP.
    • Type: Support
    • Casting Time: 2 Ticks, 1 Tick to refresh
    • Range: 3 squares
    • Focus Pool: 7 Focus Points, costs HP to refresh
    • Empowerings:
      • Pour (1+ EP, Max 4): Add one target for each EP spent, can be empowered up to four times. On activation the caster suffers an additional 1d8 damage die for each EP spent, and the refresh damage die increses in size for each target (max 1d12).

Gnosis: Knowledge

Gnosis revolves around the power of knowledge, enabling magic users to communicate across vast distances, reveal weaknesses, and create enchanted sigils. Gnosis is the domain of scholars and seekers, those who value understanding above all else.

Modifier: Cognition
Modifier (1 TP): N/A

Level 1

  • Message: The caster sends a brief (~5 seconds) mental message to an entity in range of which they know the general direction. The target can reply to the message.

    • Type: Social
    • Casting Time: 2 Ticks
    • Range: 100 squares
    • Empowerings:
      • Extend (1+ EP): Remove the directional constraint, increase the distance to cover a radius according to the following table:
    EP Cost 1 2 3 4
    Km 5 100 World Extra
    Miles 3 60 World Extra

  • Glyph: Cover a 3x3 area in runes causing one of the following effects to any entity entering the area or starting their turn in it. The effect is applied only once per entity per round. The glyph expires once triggered 3 times or after 1 hour. Only one glyph can be active in one area at any given time.

    • Type: Variable based on the chosen effect among
      • Offense: Take 1d4 Energy Damage
      • Control: Lose 1 sq/tick speed
      • Support: Gain 1d4 bonus to their next roll (once per round)
      • Support: The caster is notified once triggered
    • Casting Time: 3 Ticks
    • Range: 2 squares
    • Duration 3 charges OR 1 hour
    • Empowerings:
      • Shape (1 EP): Reconfigure the area so that it can take any shape as long as squares are adjacient to one another. Diagonals are allowed.
      • Store (2 EP): Assign the effect of any other Level 1 non-empowered spell known by either the caster or an ally (Support, Reaction, 1 Tick, 2 sq from area). The spell must have a single entity as target.
      • Prolong (1+ EP): Both charges and duration increase according to the following table:
    EP Cost 1 2 3 4
    Charges 6 9 12 15
    Duration 8h 24h 3d 1w

Elementis: Elements

Elementis allows casters to wield the raw power of the elements. This domain encompasses fire, water, lightning, and earth, offering a vast array of offensive, defensive, and supportive spells.

Modifier: Influence
Modifier (1 TP): Finesse

Fire

Level 1
  • Heat: Increase the temperature of metal objects within range for the duration of the focus. If concentrated on a small area of (e.g. the tip of an arrow, the blade of a sword), the weapon causes an additional 1d6 Energy Damage when hitting.
    • Type: Offense - Physical
    • Casting Time: 1 Tick, 1 Tick to refresh
    • Range: 4 squares
    • Focus Pool: 5 Focus Points
    • Empowerings:
      • Sustain (EP 1): Increase the Focus Points to 11.
      • Reach (EP 1): Increase the range to 10 squares.
      • Overheat (EP 1): Double the heat produced by the spell. Weapons deal 2d6 Energy Damage. Medium sized metallic objects become too hot to touch, dealing 1d6 Energy Damage.
  • Flame: Produce a flame in the caster's hand that lasts for 1 tick. Entities that come into contact with the flame immediately take 1d4 Energy Damage and an additional 1d4 Energy Damage at the start of their turn. The lasting damage does not stack when casted multiple times. One or multiple subsequent casts can be used to set on fire fairly combustible objects (e.g. paper = 1 tick, kindlings = 3 ticks).
    • Type: Offense - Physical
    • Casting Time: 1 Tick
    • Range: Touch
    • Empowerings:
      • Reach (1 EP): The flame becomes a mote that can be thrown up in a straight direction, increasing range to 6 squares
      • Disperse (1 EP): Requires both hands, creates two flames instead of one
      • Afterburn (1 EP): The lasting damage increases to 1d8 and can be stacked with other casts of the same spell, even if not empowered

Water

Level 1
  • Cleansing Water: Produces a small amount of pure water that can be used to clean up wounds or soothe injuries, restoring 1d6 HP.
    • Type: Support
    • Casting Time: 1 Tick
    • Range: Touch
    • Empowerings:
      • Spray (1 EP): Water can be directed up to 6 squares away from the caster, its effectiveness is reduced to 1d4 HP
      • Balm (1+ EP, Max 3): Increase the effectiveness by one die, can be empowered up to three times
  • Freeze: Reduces the movement speed of an entity within range, causing 1 Tier of Slow for the duration of the focus.
    • Type: Control - Physical
    • Casting Time: 1 Tick, 1 Tick to refresh
    • Range: 3 squares
    • Focus Pool: 5 Focus Points
    • Empowerings:
      • Sustain (1 EP): Increase the Focus Points to 11.
      • Wind (1 EP): Increase the range to 8 squares.
      • Ice Floe (1 EP): Immediately deplete all focus to target a body of water and create a floating 3x3 squares platform of ice. The platform is an object with Wear equal to the number of FP used and has a PD 14. It gains 1 Wear per minute. The platform is considered difficult terrain that reduces the movement speed by 1 square per tick.

Lightning

Level 1
  • Spark: Unleash static electricity against an entity, causing 1d10 Energy Damage. It can be used in place of flint stones to set kindlings on fire.
    • Type: Offense - Physical
    • Casting Time: 1 Tick
    • Range: Touch
    • Empowerings:
      • Scatter (1 EP): Hit up to 3 entities within a range of 2 squares from the primary target, damage is reduced to 1d8 for the primary target and 1d6 for the others.
      • Arc (1 EP): Increase the range to 5 squares; used in conjunction with Scatter, its range increases to 3 squares from the primary target
      • Dynamo (1 EP): Add one damage die.
  • Spasm: The target entity moves unpredictably, suffering 2 tiers of Sensory Impaired until the start of the caster's next turn.
    • Type: Control - Physical
    • Casting Time: 2 Ticks
    • Range: Touch
    • Duration: Until start of the caster's next turn
    • Empowerings:
      • Stun (2 EP): The target entity also loses 1 tick.

Earth

Level 1
  • Sand Skin: Protects the target entity as long as they stay within 6 squares from the caster and in touch with the ground for at least 1 tick per round. Their Physical Defence is increased by 1 against Offense activities that have an Energy Damage component.
    • Type: Support
    • Casting Time: 1 Tick, 1 Tick to refresh
    • Range: Touch
    • Focus Pool: 5 Focus Points
    • Empowerings:
      • Rock Skin (1 EP): Increase the Focus Points to 10. The Physical Defense increases by 1 against any activity that may result in Kinetic and/or Energy damage.
      • Earth Sync (1 EP): The protection is applied to the caster as well, without spending additional focus points, for as long as the effect remains on the target entity.
  • Difficult Terrain: A solid, 4x4 squares area becomes difficult terrain until the start of the caster's next turn. Entities starting their movement in the area have their speed reduced by 2 sq/t regardless of where they end their movement. Entities trying to enter the area must have at least 2 squares of movement left - which are immediately consumed - or cannot move through.
    • Type: Control - Physical
    • Casting Time: 2 Ticks
    • Range: Touch
    • Duration: Until start of the caster's next turn
    • Empowerings:
      • Harsh Reshape (1 EP): Entities already in the area take 1d6 Kinetic Damage.
        • Marginal Success: Halve the damage
        • Critical Success: Add one damage die
      • Escape Route (1 EP): Speed reduction increases to 3 sq/t. Entities designated by the caster are immune to the effects of the spell.

Animis: Spirit

Animis enables casters to interact with the ethereal realm and the spirits that inhabit it. This domain is for those who dare to tread the line between the mortal world and the beyond.

Modifier: Influence
Modifier (1 TP): Cognition

Level 1
  • Ethereal Hand: Summon a spectral hand within range for the duration of the focus. While the caster can see the hand and the hand is within range, the caster can use 1 tick to have the hand perform one among:
    • Move up to 5 sq
    • Lift an object weighing up to 10 kg (20 lbs)
    • Partially impede or help (+/-1 flat) an entity performing an activity that would benefit from a hand
    • Type: Control - Physical
    • Casting Time: 1 Tick, 1 Tick to refresh
    • Range: 10 squares
    • Focus Pool: 5 Focus Points
    • Empowerings:
      • Ethereal Weapon (2+3 EP, Offense): Focus points increase to 11. The hand brands a weapon that uses the caster's ability modifier to hit a target they can see, and deals 1d8 Energy Damage; can be empowered adding one damage die every three additional EP spent.
      • Third Eye (1 EP): The hand grows an eye that the caster can use to see through (1 Tick, flat d20 to perceive). The caster no longer needs line of sight to control the hand, can telephatically impart commands and the range increases to 30 sq. together with Ethereal Weapon enables hitting without direct line of sight from the caster (flat d20 to hit).
      • Strong (1 EP): The hand can move up to 6 sq, lift an object weighing up to 30 kg (60 lbs), grapple an entity causing 1 tier of Slow, impede or help (+/- 1d4) an entity perfoming an activity that would benefit from a hand; together with Ethereal Weapon increases the damage die to 1d10.
  • Eerie Sensation: A frightnening sense of danger takes hold of an entity within range, causing 1d8 Psychic Damage.
    • Type: Offense - Mental
    • Casting Time: 1 Tick, 1 Tick to refresh
    • Range: 6 squares
    • Empowerings:
      • Death Mask (1 EP): The sensation takes form, add one damage die.
      • Dread (1 EP): Causes 1 Tier of Sensory Impaired; the target can make a Willpower roll (Failure Threshold: 11) at the end of their turn to get rid of the effect.