GURPS - Basic Set 3r..

oll will not end the spell, but the spell's subject will do nothing until the caster can once againconcentrate on it. A critical failure will break the spell. Casting another spell will not break concentration- but the caster suffers a skill penalty for doing two things at once. See below.Reduced Cost. If you know a spell so well that its energy cost is reduced (see above),then its cost to maintain is reduced by the same amount. If you cast a spell at a skill of 15 orbetter, it costs 1 less point of energy to maintain it. This can be very important! For instance, ifa spell's "cost to maintain" is only 1, and you cast that spell at level 15, you can maintain itindefinitely at no energy cost!Canceling Spells. A caster may wish to have a spell end sooner than it normally would. Forinstance, he might want a created fire (normally good for one minute) to end after only 30seconds. If he specifies this at the time the spell is cast, it will last exactly the timedesired. But if he suddenly decides to "cancel" a spell before its time is up, there is an energycost of 1, regardless of the spell.Casting Spells While Maintaining Other SpellsA character may only cast one new spell at a time. However, a caster may cast a newspell before older ones end. This is relatively easy if the existing spells do not require concentration- that is, active control. If existing spells require control, it becomes much harder tocast a new spell! These modifiers apply to spellcasting in all conditions.-3 for each other spell you are concentrating on at the moment. The Spell List specifieswhich spells require concentration.-1 for each other spell you have "on" at the moment. A spell which lasts permanently(e.g., Beast-Soother, Purify Water, Enchant) does not carry a penalty.DIFFERENT KINDS OF MAGICThere are many different types of magic. Spells are divided into "colleges" according tosubject matter, and "classes" according to the way they work.Colleges of MagicSpells related by subject matter belong to the same college. Twelve colleges of magic arerepresented in the Spell List here; there are others. Basic spells of a college are "prerequisites"for the harder spells. Most mages specialize in only a few colleges (thus making it possible tolearn some advanced magic), but it is possible to learn spells from every college. Some spellsfit in more than one college. For instance. Earth to Air is both an Earth and an Air spell. This isonly important when counting prerequisites.Spell ClassesEach spell falls into one or more classes: Regular. Area. Missile. Information. Resisted.Enchantment and Special.Regular SpellsMost spells fall into this category. A regular spell only affects one subject at a time. For asubject larger than 1 hex (e.g.. a 3-hex chunk of earth, or an elephant) multiply energy cost bythe subject's size in hexes. If the caster cannot touch the subject, apply a skill penalty equalto the distance in hexes from caster to subject. If the spell takes time to cast, figure dis tance at themoment the spell is finished and cast.If the caster can't touch or see the subject, there is a further -5 penalty. He does nothave to see through his own eyes: any spell that lets him see by magical means will do.There are two ways to direct such a spell."The hex on the other side of this door." You'll get whoever is in that hex. If there isnobody there, you wasted the spell."The closest person in the next room." Or. "George, who I know is around here somewhere."The GM figures the actual range to the subject. (This is risky. The caster is invitingfailure, or even critical failure. If the subject is farther away than he thinks, or not there at all,he may get a backfire!)Aside from this, no physical barrier affects a regular spell. Unless the spell backfires, aregular spell never hits the wrong target.Area SpellsThese spells can be cast over an area of several hexes. If the spell affects living beings, allthose within the area are affected. Otherwise, these are just like regular spells.The size of the area governs the energy cost, but not the difficulty of the roll. The cost forthese spells is given as Base Cost. This is the cost to affect just one hex. To affect a circle witha 2-hex radius (e.g.. a hex. and all adjacent hexes), double the base cost - and so on.The Mage's TouchTouching a subject negates any distancepenalty; a wand or staff may be used.Some spells require that the caster touchthe subject. This is "the mage's touch."First the mage casts the spell. As his nextaction (assuming the spell roll was successful),the mage tries to strike his foewith his hand, wand or staff.In combat, roll as for any other attack. If atouch is scored (the mage hits, and the foe'sdefense fails), the spell succeeds. If the magemisses or the foe defends, the spell is lost. PDfrom armor and shield will not normally helpagainst the "mage's touch," and a parry withan arm won't save the subject. A bare-handedor staff attack does its normal physical damage(if the mage wishes), in addition to what everdamage the spell does. A wand touch doesno damage. Note that a wand is very light,and has a 1/3 chance of breaking if parried byanything heavier than a hand or knife!A wizard who enters close combat andattempts a touch on the same turn must roll itas a normal attack; the foe may use anyactive defense.A wizard who is already in close combatat the beginning of the turn may "touch"already, unless both his hands areimmobilized. But since it is impossible toconcentrate while in close combat, onlymastered spells may be used this way.Wand and StaffWands and staffs are magic items,made by the Staff spell (p. 161). Manywands are enchanted so that only theirowner may use them; some contain otherpowerful spells as well. Only once-livingmaterials (wood, bone, ivory, coral, etc.)can be used to make a wand.Touching an item with a wand is as goodas touching it with a finger, for casting purposes.Thus, the basic use of a wand or staffis to increase the mage's "touching" reach.Pointing with the staff reduces the range tothe subject by 1 hex. A wand or staff can'textend range on a missile spell unless it isspecifically enchanted to contain that spell.Magic in the BasicCombat SystemThese rules give precise descriptions ofrange and area-of-effect, on the theory thatmost campaigns will use some or all of theadvanced combat rules. But if you areplaying without a map, use these guidelinesfor "range modifiers" to skill:Missile spells are always cast at thecaster's basic skill. Other combat-typespells are cast at basic skill if the GM rulesthe subject is in "striking range" of thecaster. Otherwise, subtract 3 from the caster'seffective skill.For other spells: On the rare occasionwhen a "mapless" GM needs a preciserange or distance, use those given.Otherwise, just make it fun!