Spellcasters Are People Too (Sometimes)

I've been looking at giving spellcasters a little more juice. In thinking about some of the encounters that Arath is going to have in the Temple of Aluh Tehar, it seemed like some low-level casters were due to make an appearance. I figure that signature spells are a great place to infuse some variety into casters - each caster you encounter could have a unique spell that doesn't necessarily just smack you and deal damage, but which annoys or weakens or slows you down in some way. I also realized that casters and female characters are under-represented in my art so far, so here's a female caster to improve my statistical representation of both. My apologies to the ladies and the casters. I've added some cool little low-level signature spells to the living Hack'D & Slash'D Companion. One of the spells I'll be using soon follows:

 
Dust Storm (1).Use 1 action and check level to animate a small (10’ wide) area of dust that buffets a foe at range for 1 minute, following that foe as they move. The foe must check might at the beginning of every round or suffer -1 edge to all checks during that round.

In Theory... Magic

Okay, the revision to the magic system is coming along VERY nicely. I think there is a nice balance between any caster having some fundamentals in place (all casters can detect magic or stun their foes), but there is also a nice differentiation lining up between the various magical types. 

See for yourself.

However, I want to point out my favorite thing, which is how I've resolved the problem with mana/spell points/tallies. I've stripped down and rebuilt the thing several times, and I'm really happy with the results. Here's a summary (in case you don't feel like perusing several pages)...

You have a pool of spells each turn (1 minute) equal to your level. This is your mana.

Each time you cast a spell, you have to check your linked attribute (for example, persona for a light caster) to see if you spend a point of mana. The more powerful a spell is, the more likely it is to cost you a mana point. The DT of the check is 9 + the level of the spell. On a failed check, you spend a point from your mana pool.

The coolness comes with scaling.... let's look at healing word. This is a simple light spell that restores up to your level d6 hits. However, you get to decide how much risk/reward you are investing with every casting; if you restore 2d6 hits, you need to succeed with a DT 11 persona check or you have spent a point of mana. If you restore 5d6 hits, you now need to succeed with a DT 14 persona check. Since you're probably going to have a linked casting attribute of 6 (primary casters will always maximize that attribute, no doubt), a level 1 spell requires a DT 10 check (meaning you are successful on a 1d12 roll of 4 or better), while a level 6 spell requires a DT 15 check (meaning you are successful on a 1d12 roll of 9 or better). High-level spells are likely to use a mana point, while lower-level spells are less likely to do so. Because of the narrower range of the d12 as compared to the d20, a decision to even roll 3d6 instead of 5d6 on a healing spell increases the likelihood of keeping a mana point by over 16%. This is a genuine 

It ends up replicating a spell point system, keeps the best of the previous tally system I had employed, and makes magic a bit more mysterious, since nobody knows for sure when you're going to run out of power. 

By level 6 or so, you're probably going to make it through most combats without spending all of your points (although deciding to do nothing but drop level 5 and 6 spells might eat up those points quickly), but a playtest will reveal more to me.

Resolute Magic: Elixirs

Updated 3/7/22

Elixir of Haste. Grants the spell effect for 1 turn.

Elixir of Healing. Restores 2 points of Resolve.

Elixir of Heroism. Grants advantage on all combat checks for 1 turn.

Elixir of Invisibility. Grants the spell effect for 1 turn.

Elixir of Levitation. Grants the spell effect for 1 turn.

Elixir of Water Breathing. Grants the spell effect for 1 turn.

Resolute Magic: Advanced Spells

Updated 3/7/22

Boost. Use 1 action to grant +1 to one trait (your choice) of yourself or one ally up to medium range for 1 turn. On a total Focus check of 13+, you grant +2 instead of +1. The maximum bonus is +6.
 
Burst of Frost. Use 1 action to check Focus against the Defense of all foes in a straight line in front of you up to medium range. Deal 1 damage with a success, 2 damage with a total result of 13+.
 
Charm. Use 1 action to check Focus against the Defense of one living foe up to medium range. That foe will listen to you as if you are a trusted friend and ally for 1 turn and will fight on your behalf. You cannot charm creatures of equal or better Renown.
 
Circumvent. Use 1 action to check Focus to open a lock, disarm a trap, bypass a small barrier, or reveal any trap in close range.
 
Counterspell. Use 1 action to cancel a spell effect. Outside of combat, check Focus to cancel a magical effect in close range for 1 turn (this does not affect relics); in combat, use a free action to check Focus to stop a spell that has already bypassed your Defense.
 
Fireball. Use I action to cast a ball of flame up to medium range that explodes at the target, affecting everything close to the blast. Check Focus against the Defend of all creatures in the area of effect; deal 1 damage with a success, 2 damage with a total result of 13+.   
 
Haste. Use 1 action to allow yourself or one creature in close range to move quickly for 1 turn. That creature attempts +1 action per round, may travel to close or medium range as a free action, or may travel to far range with 1 action.
 
Invisibility. Use 1 action to allow yourself or one ally in close range to become invisible for up to 1 turn. Others cannot see that character at all, and the character receives advantage on all Attack, Defend, and Focus checks to sneak while invisible. Invisibility ends at the end of the turn or when the character is reduced to Resolve 0.
 
Levitation. Use 1 action to allow yourself or another creature in close range to be effectively weightless for 1 turn.
 
Light. Use 1 action to illuminate everything in close and medium range with full daylight for 1 turn. Some dark creatures may flee.
 
Lightning Bolt. Use 1 action to check Focus against the Defense one foe up to medium range. Deal 2 damage with a success, 3 damage with a total result of 13+.
 
Spider Touch. Use 1 action to allow yourself or a creature in close range to be able to crawl on walls and ceilings and to be immune to webs and web-like effects for 1 turn.
 
Stun. Use 1 action to check Focus against the Defense of a foe up to medium range; if successful, the foe is stunned for 1 round. All actions against a stunned foe are against CR 6.
 
Tongues. Use 1 action to speak with any creature for 1 turn.
 
Vanish. Use 1 action to immediately teleport to a place you can see at up to long range; if in combat, the foe you have been fighting will not see you, and you can sneak away if so desired.
 
Water Breathing. Use 1 action to allow yourself or a creature in close range to breathe water for your Focus hours.

Resolute Magic: Relics

Updated 3/7/22

Ancient items crafted by the elder gods, these have been granted to mortals to aid their heroic efforts. Crafted by the Thirteenth God, cursed items exist to lead to the fall of heroes.

The Axe of Reckoning grants +1 to Attack and always deals a base of 2 damage.
 
The Boots of Celerity grant permanent haste and +1 to Defend.
 
The Rimer’s Blade grants +1 to Attack as well as advantage resisting any flame magic or attacking flame-using creatures.

Shield of the Final Templar. Granted to the paladin Abel, this shield grants +1 to Defend and Focus.
 
The Stalwart’s Shield grants +1 to both Attack and Defend.
 
The Cursed Blade of Ru Bagan forces disadvantage on Attacks.  
 
The Cursed Dagger of Twilight grants +2 to Attack, but every time you slay another creature with this weapon, you lose 1 Resolve forever. When you reach Resolve 0 in this way, you become a wraith, a powerful form of undead.