GURPS - Basic Set 3r..

Making Magic Items in aCampaignPlayers will often want magic itemswhich aren't available in the marketplace.One way to get these is to have them madeby PC mages. "Quick and dirty" enchantmentswill be possible for less powerfulitems. But for most important items, the"slow and sure" method will be needed.This requires eight-hour days of work fromall participating mages. But that does nottake the character out of play. He may doother things while he's not working ... orfoes may interrupt him while he works.The following rules apply to any mageinvolved in making a magic item by the"slow and sure" method:(1) If interrupted while at work, he willbe somewhat fatigued; roll 1 die to determinethe amount of lost fatigue.(2) If interrupted while at work, hemust keep concentrating on his enchantment.Therefore, any other spell use willbe at -3. Or he may stop concentrating butthen he loses the day's work.(3) Time spent in making a magicalitem counts 50% as study of theEnchantment spell, and 50% as study ofthe spell being placed on the item.(4) A wizard who is molested while notactively working on his enchantment isunder no disadvantage, unless he has justquit work and is fatigued (the GM maydecide this).(5) A mage may work on only oneenchantment at a time. He may not "worktwo shifts," either on the same or differentitems.GMs do not have to permit the creationof PC wizards who do nothing but makemagic items. Players who want such a wizardin their service must hire one!Controlling PCEnchantmentGMs will probably want to limit thenumber of magic items in the campaign.Restricting magic items may cause playersto decide to make their own. If the GMfeels that any item is too easy to make, hereare some ways to make it more difficult:Rare materials: The item could requirerare ingredients in addition to the energyand time. Attempting to get the neededmaterials could become an adventure initself. ..Side effects: After making the item, thePCs might discover that strange thingshappen when they try to use it. The GMcould rule that additional obscure precautionsor rituals are needed to make the itemsafe.Additional expenses: The GM can rulethat additional common but expensivematerials (such as gems or rare metals) areneeded to make the item, raising the cost towhatever level is necessary.not be noticed until a situation occurs where they can take effect. In such a case, the GM shouldtry not to drop inadvertent clues to the item's true nature!For all "always on" items, unless specified otherwise: Casting time is irrelevant. The itemdoes not let the wearer cast the spell; it puts the spell on him. "Hostile" magic items aresometimes designed to take effect over a period of about five minutes, so it is not immediatelyobvious that they are dangerous. Beneficial items work instantly.Energy cost is zero.The subject gets a resistance roll, if the spell is hostile and can normally be resisted.The item can be used indefinitely; the effect lasts as long as the item is worn.All other effects are as usual for that spell.MAGICAL ENTITIESThere are many different kinds of spirits and magical entities; see GURPS Fantasy Bestiaryand GURPS Magic for thorough listings. Two important sorts of entities are:DemonsDemons are malign magical creatures, summoned from another plane by spells. They oftenappear because of magical backfires. When "summoned" thus, a demon attacks the caster andanyone else in sight, until it is killed. But a demon cannot injure a truly good or innocent person(GM's decision), though it can destroy his property.The GM generates stats for the demon as he wishes. A simple formula for a demon thatattacks with its claws only: ST = 3d; DX = 3d; IQ = 2d; HT = 4d; Move = 2d. Some demonsmay have magic spells or attack with weapons!ElementalsElemental spirits, or "elementals," are the embodiments of the elements: Earth, Air. Fire andWater. Spells to summon, control and create them are listed on p. 156.Elementals will have DX and IQ no greater than 12, but ST and HT are unlimited.Earth elementals have a +2 on any roll to resist control, and a -1 on reactions to most people(+1 to farmers, etc.). Move 3; DR2. Affected by all spells and weapons, but take only halfdamage from Fire and Water combat spells, and none from Air (except Lightning). Fight withtheir hands, doing Thrust/Crush damage for their ST.Air elementals have +1 on any roll to resist control. Move 12. They are unaffected bymaterial weapons, and attack by using Shape Air (p. 157) for knockback and nuisance.Fire elementals, or "salamanders," have a -2 reaction to people in general, +2 to anyproposal to burn. Move 6; no DR. Attack with hands; do Thrust-2 fire damage for their ST. Thehex each occupies is a "fire hex." They take double damage from Water combat spells; regain 1point of ST from a 1-die Fireball, and so on.Water elementals react at -4 to proposals to set fires. Move: 4 out of water, 10 in water. NoDR. Attack as a bare-handed human. Immune to Water spells; take double damage from Firespells. Can merge with any large body of water, becoming invisible and regaining 1 HT perminute. Freezing them solid will immobilize them but not hurt them.SPELL LISTOn the following pages are 97 magic spells. These are by no means all the possiblespells; for much longer lists, see GURPS Magic and GURPS Grimoire. We have selectedspells that are suitable for a beginning campaign. Each spell description includes:Name of Spell and Class(es) it belongs to. A (VH) indicates a Very Hard spell; otherwise,it's Hard.Description of Effect, and special rules. If any particular items are required, assume thespell uses them up unless the description states otherwise.Duration: the time the spell's effect lasts. If maintained, it lasts for a time equal to theoriginal duration. Some spells have an instantaneous effect, so no duration is given.Cost: the energy (ST or HT) spent when the spell is cast. If given as Base Cost, it is thecost for each one-hex radius of an "area" spell - see p. 150. Some spells also have a cost tomaintain. Those with an instantaneous effect can't be maintained.Time to Cast: If no time is given, the spell requires one second of concentration andtakes place at the beginning of the caster's next turn.Prerequisites: Magery and/or IQ requirements, and other spells that must be known at askill level of 12 or better before this spell may be studied.Item: Type of permanent magical item that can be made with the spell, and special rules (ifany). Energy costs to create it, and costs for required materials (if any). See p. 152 for ruleson creating magical items, and p. 160 for the spells used. If there is no "Item" listing, nomagic item can be made with the spell, at least as far as the PCs know.