Spell slots, exhaustion - And to counter-balance the exhaustion, anyone who fails a save badly when seeing magic is aflicted by fear. That would be in-genre, I think.

Quote from: Hairfoot;308117... if I write up a character sheet for this rule pack, what extra stuff needs to be accommodated?

I can spot:

• White/grey/black categories in spell list
• CON damage box

Oh yeah, a place for temporarily lost WIS would be helpful (or a 'TEMP WIS' box beside the 'permanent' WIS box).

Below is the final version of the article that I submitted to Knockspell.  I trimmed it down a fair bit, focusing only on the alternative system of understanding hit points, the rules for sanity, the 'colours of magic,' and the magician class.  (Obviously, further changes may be necessary, depending on what the editor Mythmere thinks.)  

I plan on revising and eventually presenting the other material in a separate article, either in Knockspell or Fight On!  It will be less 'rules oriented,' focusing more on campaign and adventure elements (keeping magic and 'weird' monsters rare, etc.).

Eventually all of these ideas will be posted at my new gaming blog: http://akraticwizardry.blogspot.com/

Thanks again to everyone for all their helpful comments!  


THE COLOURS OF MAGIC AND PULP HEROES

'Swords & Sorcery' Style Magic and Damage Rules for Swords & Wizardry

By Akrasia

Among the literary inspirations for the original 1974 fantasy role-playing game (which, of course, Swords and Wizardry draws upon) are the classic 'swords and sorcery' tales penned by authors such as Robert E. Howard, Fritz Leiber, and others.  Despite this source of inspiration, though, the magic system of the original fantasy role-playing game, as well as the descendents of that game (including 'first edition,' 'Basic,' and Swords and Wizardry), does not very closely resemble the way that magic typically works in the adventures and realms described by most pulp 'swords and sorcery' authors.  For one thing, there is nothing that resembles the 'cleric' class in most classic 'swords and sorcery' tales.  For another thing, magic, and especially 'destructive' magic, is typically portrayed as being quite rare, and, moreover, as generally having a 'corrupting,' and potentially even 'sanity-undermining,' effect on sorcerers.  

These rules are meant to modify the Swords and Wizardry magic rules so that they more closely resemble the way that magic works in most classic 'swords and sorcery' tales.  Specifically, they introduce the idea of the 'colours of magic' – magic spells are classified as 'white,' 'grey,' or 'black' in nature.  A system for treating Wisdom as a measurement of a character's sanity is also introduced, as are the ways in which characters might lose points of Wisdom, both temporarily and permanently.  A new system of casting spells is also outlined, as well as a new class, the 'magician,' that replaces both the standard cleric and magic-user classes.  First of all, however, an alternative system for understanding damage suffered by player characters is introduced, so that they might better reflect the resilience of the 'pulp heroes' of classic 'swords and sorcery' fiction.

Pulp Heroes and Damage

The protagonists of classic 'swords and sorcery' tales are a remarkable lot.  They are a 'cut above' the common stock of humanity, physically and mentally superior to most people, although perhaps sometimes less prudent.  Even this occasional lack of prudence, however, is compensated with superior luck and drive.  Characters such as Conan, Kull, Fafhrd, and the Gray Mouser are capable of overcoming foes and surviving challenges that would easily defeat most common men.  Classic 'swords and sorcery' tales focus on highly exceptional and powerful individuals, not the 'little guys' of the world.  Even as neophytes, most 'swords and sorcery' characters are exceptionally tough and capable.  

To reflect this aspect of the 'swords and sorcery' genre, it is recommended that first-level player characters start with the maximum number of hit points possible for their class, plus five additional hit points (modified by their constitution scores, as appropriate).  Hit points should be rolled normally after first level.  

Only player characters and important non-player characters (namely, noteworthy allies and antagonists) should use this system for determining hit points.  The Game Master should roll normally for the hit points of 'regular' non-player characters, as well as most 'monsters.'

Player characters' hit points represent only 'superficial' damage (i.e., exhaustion, light bruises, minor scrapes, and so forth.).  Because of this, all lost hit points may be recovered by sleeping without interruption for eight full hours.  Resting (not sleeping), or sleeping for less than eight hours, will enable a player character to recover one hit point per full hour of rest or sleep.
 
Cure Wounds spells and potions of Healing do not heal hit points, but only lost points of Constitution (as explained below).  However, a draught of 'strong drink' (ale, wine, liquor) can 'invigorate' a character, enabling him/her to recover immediately 1d4 hit points.  Game Masters may also want to allow alchemists to sell 'Elixirs of Invigoration' for 200 to 300 gold pieces.  Drinking such an elixir might enable a player character to recover instantly 1d6 + 2 hit points.  Only one such draught, whether of strong drink or an elixir, will have this effect per day.

Once a player character's hit points have been depleted, any further damage is done to the character's constitution score.  Damage to a character's constitution score represents 'serious' damage.  Every time a character takes damage to his/her constitution, he/she must make a saving throw (versus 'death' if using a system other than S&W) or fall unconscious.  In addition, a character that has taken damage to his/her constitution suffers a -2 penalty to all actions (including attack rolls and saving throws).  If a character's constitution score is reduced to 0 or lower that character is dead.

Characters who have suffered damage to their constitution and have fallen unconscious regain consciousness after eight hours of rest.  If that character's constitution is still reduced, he/she continues to have 0 hit points and suffers the -2 penalty to all actions until he/she can rest and recover.  Characters subsequently can recover one constitution point for every two days of complete rest (i.e., no travelling or adventuring).  The care of a doctor or other non-magical healer can improve the rate of healing to one constitution point per day of rest.  A character cannot recover any hit points until all constitution points have been recovered.

Game Masters should assume that most non-player characters and monsters are dead or unconscious when they reach 0 hit points or lower.  Only player characters and special non-player characters – important figures in the world, whether allies or antagonists of the player characters – should use the complete rules outlined above.

Wisdom and Sanity

Witnessing unspeakable supernatural horrors – always a professional risk for any protagonist in a 'swords and sorcery' adventure – can drive a mortal man or woman mad.  Deliberately delving into ancient eldritch secrets for the purposes of unleashing unnatural forces or contacting demonic intelligences radically increases this risk.  Insane sorcerers and men whose minds have been broken by ancient evils are standard staples in 'swords and sorcery' tales.

In order to simulate this aspect of the 'swords and sorcery' genre, these rules treat a character's Wisdom score as a measurement of his/her sanity.  A character with a Wisdom score of 18 has a firm grasp of the nature of reality, considerable self-discipline, and remarkable strength of will.  In contrast, a character with a Wisdom score of 3 is barely lucid, easily confuses reality with fantasy, and is on the border of lapsing into madness.  Characters with Wisdom scores of 2 or lower are utterly insane, and must be treated as non-player characters.  (If this Wisdom loss is temporary, as explained below, the character is under the control of the Game Master until he/she regains his/her sanity.)

If a character witnesses an unspeakable horror, the Game Master may require the player to make a saving throw (versus 'spells,' if using a system other than S&W).  The saving throw should be modified by the severity of the horror in question.  If the character fails his or her saving throw, he or she loses points of temporary Wisdom.  The exact amount should be determined by rolling 1d6.  If a '6' is rolled, the character also permanently loses one point of Wisdom (i.e., one permanent point of Wisdom and five temporary points of Wisdom).  Temporarily lost points of Wisdom may be regained at a rate of one point per day of complete rest.  The spell 'Restoration' (which is treated as a 6th level spell of 'white magic' in this system) will restore instantly temporarily lost Wisdom points, but will not restore any permanently lost Wisdom points.

Characters may also lose Wisdom by casting spells that are characterized as 'black magic' in nature.  This is explained below.

The Magician Class

The magic-user and cleric classes are replaced with the magician class.  Magicians may be benevolent witches, reclusive shamans, eccentric sages, enigmatic priests, malevolent necromancers, or megalomaniacal sorcerers – their exact nature depends on their background, goals, spells, and sanity.

There is no longer any division between 'cleric' and 'magic-user' spells.  Instead, spells are categorized as 'white,' 'grey,' or 'black' (as explained below).  Magicians may learn and cast any kind of spell.  Magicians who focus on white magic tend to be called wizards, savants, or thaumaturges.  Magicians who focus on grey magic often are called enchanters, mages, or illusionists.  Magicians who focus on black magic tend to be called sorcerers, warlocks, or necromancers.  Magicians of any focus who are associated with a cult or religious order might be called priests, seers, or acolytes.

The Prime Attribute of Magicians is Intelligence.  Magicians with an Intelligence of 13 or greater receive a bonus of 5% to all experience points earned.  Magicians with an Intelligence of 15 or greater can prepare an additional first-level spell.

Magicians use the 'magic-user' experience chart, spell chart (ignoring spells above level 6), and saving throws.  Like magic-users, they typically eschew armour, although they may wear leather armour without interfering with their spell casting, and are not trained in the use of shields.  

Magicians may use any weapon, although they receive a -1 to all damage rolls (but always do a minimum of '1' point of damage), unless they are using daggers, darts, quarterstaffs, or slings.  (If using the 'Class-Based Damage' system that I presented in Knockspell #1, magicians use the 'cleric' damage table, and do not suffer any penalty to their damage rolls.)  Since magicians normally need at least one hand free in order to cast their spells, they rarely will use two-handed weapons (except for quarterstaffs, which are easily held in one hand when necessary).  

Magicians use the 'cleric' attack chart when using one-handed weapons (including slings, throwing daggers, and darts) or quarterstaffs.  They use the 'magic-user' attack chart when using any other kind of weapon (including missile weapons other than slings, throwing daggers, and darts).

Magicians use a d6 (no modifier) as their hit die.  (Thus, using the damage rules outlined above, first level magicians start with 11 hit points, prior to any constitution modifiers.)  They receive one hit point per level after level nine.  

First-level magicians start with a spellbook that contains three first-level spells (player's choice) and one second-level spell (player's choice).  All other spells must be found, learned from a tutor (usually for a steep fee), or purchased (also usually for a steep fee).

Magicians can prepare a number of spells as determined by their level (see the magic-user spell chart; as noted earlier, magicians with an Intelligence score of 15 or greater may prepare an additional first-level spell).  A magician may change the spells that he/she has prepared with eight uninterrupted hours of study (the magician's spellbook must be available).

Magicians may cast any spell that they have prepared any number of times – however, as explained below, they suffer exhaustion (loss of hit points) every time that they cast a spell, which limits how many spells they can cast before resting.

Magicians can write their own scrolls, copying the spells from their spellbooks, at the cost of 200 gold pieces per spell level for supplies (special ink and parchment).  It takes one full day per spell level of careful work to copy a scroll (one has to be very careful when dealing with the mystical powers!).  Thus writing a scroll of a fourth-level spell would cost 800 gold pieces and take four full days of work.  Spells cast from scrolls, whether prepared by the magician or found, cause exhaustion – and, if the spell is classified as 'black magic,' corruption – just as if the magician had cast the spell normally.  Scrolls increase the range of spells available to a magician; they do not reduce the physical costs of casting spells.  (Exhaustion and corruption are explained below.)

Magician Summary

Prime Attribute: Intelligence, 13+ (5% experience)
Hit Dice: 1d6 (Gains 1 hp/level after 9th level)
Saving Throws: As Magic-User
Experience Chart: As Magic-User
Armour/Shield Permitted: Leather only
Weapons Permitted: Any, but does less damage with certain weapons (see description above)
Attack Charts: Cleric (if using one-handed weapon or quarterstaff) or Magic-User (all other weapons)
Spells Prepared: As Magic-User
Spell Casting: Any number of times per day, but spells cost exhaustion (hit points), and possibly corruption (if a 'black magic' spell is cast)

Spells

There is no division between 'clerical' and 'magic-user' spells – all spells can be learned by magicians in the same way that magic-users do (i.e., by recording them in spellbooks, and 'preparing' them to be cast later).  If a spell has both a 'cleric' and a 'magic-user' version, use the 'magic-user' version.  

No spells above level 6 exist, although powerful but costly 'rituals' may be created by the Game Master in order to simulate the powers of higher-level spells – including especially the summoning of vile demons!  

There is no 'read magic' spell.  Instead, all magicians know the ancient eldritch language in which all magic is written.

Spells are divided into White Magic (spells that promote or maintain life, protect against harm, and generally are 'in tune' with the natural laws and forces of the universe), Grey Magic (spells that typically involve the manipulation and/or alteration of objects and/or minds), and Black Magic (spells that typically are destructive and/or 'contrary to nature,' say, by being necromantic in character or by drawing on forces beyond this universe).  

White Magic

First Level: Cure Light Wounds (applies only to lost constitution points, not hit points), Detect Evil, Detect Magic, Light, Protection from Evil, Purify Food and Drink, Read Languages, Shield.

Second Level: Bless, Continual Light, Detect Invisibility, Find Traps, Speak with Animals, Strength.  [Excruciating Cauterization] [Force of Forbidment]

Third Level: Cure Disease, Dispel Magic, Prayer, Protection from Evil (10 ft radius), Protection from Normal Missiles, Remove Curse, Water Breathing.  [Word of Ioun]

Fourth Level: Create Water, Cure Serious Wounds (applies only to lost constitution points, not hit points), Neutralize Poison, Plant Growth, Protection from Evil (10 ft radius), Remove Curse, Speak with Plants.  

Fifth Level: Animal Growth, Create Food, Dispel Evil, Insect Plague.  

Sixth Level: Anti-Magic Shell, Control Weather, Conjure Animals, Legend Lore, Restoration.

Grey Magic

First Level: Charm Person, Hold Portal, Sleep

Second Level: ESP, Invisibility, Knock, Levitate, Magic Mouth, Miror Image, Phantasmal Force, Pyrotechnics, Silence (15 ft radius), Snake Charm, Web, Wizard Lock.

Third Level: Clairaudience, Clairvoyance, Darkvision, Fly, Haste, Hold Person, Invisibility (10 ft radius), Rope Trick, Slow, Suggestion.  [Ball of Ice]  [Filigree]  [Omar's Mistake]  [Red Bull]  [Rejectment]  [Strange Waters]

Fourth Level: Charm Monster, Confusion, Dimension Door, Fear, Hallucinatory Terrain, Massmorph, Polymorph Other, Polymorph Self, Sticks to Snakes, Wall of Fire, Wall of Ice.  [Hylogenesis]  [Imperfect Suspension]  [Infuse]  [Seven Gates]

Fifth Level: Feeblemind, Hold Monster, Magic Jar, Passwall, Quest, Telekinesis, Teleport, Transmute Rock to Mud, Wall of Iron, Wall of Stone.  [Crystallogenesis]  [Magpie]

Sixth Level: Animate Object, Enchant Item, Geas, Lower water, Move Earth, Part Water, Project Image, Repulsion, Speak with Monsters, Stone to Flesh, Word of Recall.  [Twilight of Thieves]

Black Magic

First Level: Magic Missile.

Second Level: Darkness (15 ft radius), Stinking Cloud.  [Strangulations]  [Tarnu's Collaring Coiffure]

Third Level: Fireball, Lightning Bolt, Monster Summoning I, Speak with Dead.  [Tarantella]

Fourth Level: Ice Storm, Monster Summoning II, Wizard Eye.  [Beast of Chaos]  [Deadly Bliss]

Fifth Level: Animate Dead, Cloudkill, Commune, Conjure Elemental, Contact Other Plane, Finger of Death, Monster Summoning III.  [Deadly Dissolvative]  [Most Horrible Absorption]  [Six Mouths of Horror]  

Sixth Level: Death Spell, Disintegrate, Invisible Stalker, Monster Summoning IV.  [Cohesive Cocoon]

Spell Notes

In addition to all 7th-9th level spells (except for 'Restoration,' which I have made a 6th level spell), I have removed the spells 'raise dead' and 'reincarnation,' as they seem inappropriate for a 'swords and sorcery' flavoured magic system.  To ameliorate the consequences of 'permanent death,' the modified rules concerning hit points and damage presented earlier should make character death somewhat less frequent.

The 'Extension' spells (I-III) do not belong to a particular colour (white/grey/black).  Rather, they belong to the same colour as the spell they are used to 'extend.'  So using Extension I to extend the duration of a 'fly' spell means that the magician in question has cast two 'grey magic' spells (and thus would suffer 12 points of exhaustion damage, as explained below).

Remember that the 'cure wounds' spells only heal lost constitution points – not hit points!

Spells in square brackets are taken from Matt Finch's 'Eldritch Weirdness: Book One.'

Spell Casting: Exhaustion, Corruption, and Sanity

When magicians cast 'white magic' spells they suffer exhaustion damage equal to one hit point plus one hit point per level of the spell cast (so a magician who casts a third level white magic spell would suffer four points of damage).

When magicians cast 'grey magic' spells they suffer exhaustion damage equal to twice the level of the spell cast (so a magician who casts a third level grey magic spell would suffer six points of damage).  

When magicians cast 'black magic' spells they suffer exhaustion damage identical to that caused by 'grey magic' spells (twice the spell level).  In addition, magicians casting 'black magic' spells must make a saving throw (versus 'spells' if using a system other than S&W) in order to avoid corruption.  If this saving roll is failed, the magician is corrupted slightly and suffers a loss of temporary Wisdom points equal to the spell level (e.g., 3 points of temporary Wisdom for a third-level spell).  Temporarily lost points of Wisdom can be recovered at a rate of one point per complete day of rest and meditation (no other action possible).  The spell 'Restoration' will restore instantly all temporarily lost Wisdom points.  

Furthermore, if a magician casting a 'black magic' spell fails his/her saving throw by rolling a '1,' then that magician loses one point of Wisdom permanently (so if a magician fails his/her saving throw casting a third-level black magic spell by rolling a '1,' he/she would lose one permanent point of Wisdom and two temporary points of Wisdom).  The spell 'Restoration' will not restore any permanently lost Wisdom points.

A magician whose permanent wisdom score is lowered to 2 becomes insane, and possibly the thrall of an extra-planar demonic force.  He/she henceforth is a non-player character!

Sample Magician: 'Neveldar the Grey'

Human ('city dweller') magician ('mage')
Strength 7, Intelligence 18, Wisdom 13, Dexterity 10, Constitution 5, Charisma 12
Level 4.  
Hit Points: 18
Armour Class: 6 [13] (No Armour, magical bonus from quarterstaff)
Background Profession: Aristocrat
Special Items: Spellbook of Blyth (includes all 1st, 2nd, and 3rd level 'Grey' magic spells).  Quarterstaff of Blyth (magical, grants +1 to hit and damage, and provides a -3 [+3] bonus to armour class when held).

Brief Background: The sickly fourth child of a decadent noble family in the city of Arsilon, Neveldar quickly realized that his forte lay in study and not in physical feats.  For years he studied under his master, the caustic mage Gareth Blyth, in the scholarly town of Bookbridge.  Eventually Gareth died by choking on a chicken bone at dinner.  Rather than reporting this event to the local magistrate, Neveldar quietly collected his master's spellbook and staff before heading out of town in the darkness of night.  He vowed to not return to his family in Arsilon until he had accumulated considerable wealth and fame.  They would eventually rue their cruel taunts from his childhood years!

Further Information

Readers interested in my other variant rules and ideas for the Swords & Wizardry game (which generally can be used with other 'old school' games, such as 0e, Basic, 1e, and so forth) are encouraged to check out my articles in the magazines Knockspell and Fight On!, as well as my game blog, Akratic Wizardry (http://akraticwizardry.blogspot.com/).   I hope eventually to compile all of my S&W rules into a single supplement – most likely also entitled Akratic Wizardry – in the near future.

Acknowledgements

My thanks (in alphabetical order) to Eldrad, hawklord, Kapten, Lord Vreeg, Luke Fleeman, MachFront, Mythmere, Narf the Mouse, Spinachcat, Steve, and ZenDog, for their helpful comments on an earlier version of this article (and my apologies if I forgot anyone!).  My thanks as well to my players: Jo-Anne, Marcus, and Peeter.

Cool beans.
Your articles in Knockspell have been my favorites, so far, Akrasia.

Quote from: Benoist;309858Cool beans.
Your articles in Knockspell have been my favorites, so far, Akrasia.

Wow ... thanks!      :emot-cheers:

Welcome. I'm going to use your Save unified mechanic and the weapon damage per class rearranged to fit in my own version of the Thief, at the very least.
I guess you consider the Thief as a Fighter for the purpose of weapon damage, or am I mistaken?

Quote from: Benoist;309867...
I guess you consider the Thief as a Fighter for the purpose of weapon damage, or am I mistaken?

Yeah, although they only do 1d8 with large weapons (so it is: d6/d8/d8).

EDIT: Actually, that is only for my version of the thief (which I consider a sub-class of the fighter).  For the 'standard' thief (as found in Greyhawk, Basic D&D, and AD&D), I'd recommend the 'cleric' table.

Quote from: Akrasia;309872Yeah, although they only do 1d8 with large weapons (so it is: d6/d8/d8).

EDIT: Actually, that is only for my version of the thief (which I consider a sub-class of the fighter).  For the 'standard' thief (as found in Greyhawk, Basic D&D, and AD&D), I'd recommend the 'cleric' table.

*nod* My thief is sort of a mix between your version and the standard.

I actually rebuilt the weapon damage table this way:
Weapon......Sm....Md.....Lg
Fighter....- 1D6 - 1D8 - 1D10
Thieves.. - 1D6 - 1D6 - 1D8
Cleric......- 1D4 - 1D6 - 1D8
Magic U.. - 1D4 - 1D4 - 1D6

Seems logical to have the thief manipulate small and medium weapons just as well and the MU suck with pretty much everything.

You could even have the thief doing more damage with less weapons and...Hmm...

Thief Sm, Md, Lg: 1d8, 1d6, 1d6

...For more of an 'assassin' vibe.