Magic (Patreon)

Kelsey doesn't like to talk about magic, so I don't think we'll do this as an Omake,  my precious patrons can get the inside scoop.

Magic in Dungeon Fun is based on the system for Ars Magica. It doesn’t work the same way though. If you’re interested you can look it up and glean a lot more details about what spells are like. Since this isn’t Ars Magica, I’m going to avoid using Latin, though.

How it works here is that Mages have traits that can cast spells. There’s one trait for each magnitude of spell (which is the level divided by five). As mages progress, they get the choice of taking spell-casting traits or traits that allow various mage-like abilities.

Mag 1 spells (level 5) are pretty much a cute effect. One of the more useful ones puts a candle-sized flame in your hand. Useful for lighting the room or threatening people.

Mag 2 spells can be useful in specific situations. Say… setting fire to something flammable.

Mag 3 spells are transitioning into something dangerous. The utility ones are more widely useful, and some Forms with high combat potential have combat spells at this level

Mag 4 spells are either generally useful, or genuinely dangerous. Think spear of fire that launches itself.

Mag 5 spells tend to be powerful utility spells. There are a few upgraded combat spells.

Mag 6 and above tend to be deadly spells. Stopping a person's heart at range is Mag 8. Lightning bolt and fireball, both doing more than enough to kill someone, are Mag 7

Unlike DnD mages can invent new spells on the fly, but they do tend to have their favourites

In Ars Magica, what spells you can cast are determined by a bunch of magical skills. In Dungeon Fun, it's determined by your core. Each core has different values for each of what Ars Magica call Techniques and Forms, but we will call Actions and Nouns.

You take an Action, pair it with a Noun and add the two numbers together. If they’re equal to or higher than the spell level you need, you can cast the spell - if you have the appropriate trait. You can upgrade your core by absorbing other cores.

You can’t have an Action-Action spell or a Noun-Noun spell. If a spell does require two of either an Action or a Noun, you use the lower of the two values. (And the spell is a magnitude greater, so suck it)

So what are these Action/Nouns?

There are five Actions: Create, Destroy, Control, Change, Perceive

Control tends to mean moving it about, while Change means changing a thing's nature. Changing something into a different Noun is going to need two nouns, so changing someone into a best is going to be Change/People/Animal

The 10 Nouns are

The elements: Fire, Water, Earth (includes metal), Air (includes lightning)

Living things: People, Animals, Plants

The more ephemeral: Illusions, Mind, Magic

And that's the basics! There's a lot more, of course, about the levels of various effects, range, targets, and duration… but for those, you’re going to have to find an Ars Magica book.