Monday, April 13, 2009

Warlock High: Schools of Magic


Magic in the game is divided into ten types. A normal freshman student with good grades should be able to reliably cast a few basic spells in all ten areas, be proficient with a large variety in at least two, and know how to pull off a handful of advanced magical effects (the kinds listed after the categories in italic). But then, the players in this game probably aren't normal freshman students- in fact, some probably won't be students but teachers or janitors instead.

The nature of Trigger Discipline's mechanics means that schools of magic have no direct mechanical effect on character creation and gameplay. This means that their role is instead to provide a guide to players regarding what magic is capable of in-game (and perhaps more importantly, how magic can be used to a given result). My aim is a setting where magic's basic effects are more raw and elemental nature, and that careful effort and control are necessary to produce any manner of sophisticated effect.

* Mind (Telepathic communication, heal mental fatigue, read surface thoughts); Manipulation (Charm, confuse, put to sleep) and Mentalism (Mind Blast, read memories, plant false memories or commands)
* Growth (Heal physical fatigue, accelerate healing rate, enhance physical ability); Healing (Heal wounds, cure disease, regenerate limbs) and Shapeshifting (Change features, grow wings, change size)
* Force (Move object, kinetic blast, arrest motion); Forceshaping (Magic Missile, wall of force, grasping hand) and Telekinesis (Wield weapon, levitate, fly)
* Matter (Mold object, shatter, alter composition); Transmuting (Reinforce or weaken object, enhance item, craft object) and Shaping (Conjure and control material, duplicate object)
* Sense (Fool sense, augment sense); Illusion (Conjure illusion, baffle sense) and Perception (True sight, detect)
* Fire (Conjure and control fire); Flameshaping (Fireball, wall of fire, conjure fire elemental) and Heat Control (Heat or chill target, endure elements, absorb heat)
* Space (Remote viewing, locate target, fate manipulation); Timetwisting (predict future, slow/hasten target) and Teleportation (Call item, group teleport, create portal).
* Machine (Animate, control or dismantle device); Energy (Drain, store and provide power, lightning bolt) and Technomancy (Baffle sensors, read or erase data, control or disrupt golem)
* Entropy (Disrupt life, accelerate decay); Necromancy (Create and control undead) and Demonology (Conjure demon, extract spirit) Note: Demons in this setting are more of a superpowered evil side that can get switched on permanently. Mr. Hyde with red skin and a tail.
* Void (Dispel magic, suppress spellcasting); Voidshaping (Antimagic field, antispell shield) and Banishment (Disrupt undead, dispel conjuration, smite)

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