Sorcery
(6GP+/0PP/A)
Cinematically: This gimmick represents
a character’s supernatural
ability to cast spells or perform miracles. By practicing arcane rituals,
tapping into his psychic abilities, manipulating the flow of chi, communing
with nature spirits, or invoking the power of his deity, a character
with this gimmick can perform a wide range of seemingly impossible
feats.
Mechanically: When designing a game that involves magic and spell-casting,
the Narrator designates certain gimmicks as “spells.” Depending
on the cinematic ways that characters gain their gimmicks, the Narrator
may decide that only characters with the Sorcery gimmick have access
to these gimmicks. At initial purchase, this gimmick grants the character
a “Sorcery Level” of one. For every four additional Gimmick
Points spent on this gimmick beyond its initial cost, the character’s
Sorcery Level is increased by one, to a maximum Sorcery Level of 10.
During the game, the character may activate, or “cast,” any
spell with a Gimmick Point cost less than or equal to his Sorcery Level.
Thus, if a character has spent 14 Gimmick Points on the Sorcery gimmick
to gain a Sorcery Level of three, he can choose to cast any spell with
a Gimmick Point cost of three or less, such as Anime Leap or Minor
Blast. He would need to increase his Sorcery Level to cast more powerful
spells, such as Blast Attack, which costs five Gimmick Points and would
require a Sorcery Level of five to cast. Spells with Gimmick Point
costs greater than 10—and all Sentai gimmicks designated as spells—require
an advanced knowledge of sorcery. In order to cast these spells, the
character must already have a Sorcery Level of 10 and he must purchase
each advanced spell at its normal Gimmick Point cost.
The character activates and uses his spells just like they were normal
gimmicks. Most spells have the same Pool Point activation costs, last
the same amount of time, target the same characters, and require the
same ability checks as normal gimmicks. If a spell is normally permanently
in operation, the character must spend five Pool Points to cast it
and the spell remains active until the end of the scene. In addition
to the spells he can cast, a character with the Sorcery gimmick may
also purchase and use non-spell gimmicks normally.
If a spell requires the character to concentrate to maintain it (like
with Illusions and Lure), the character cannot cast other spells while
maintaining concentration, though he can take other actions and use
regular gimmicks normally. A character can concentrate on no more than
one spell at a time. If the character casts another spell or moves
out of range of the spell he is concentrating on, the original spell
ends as described in the gimmick’s entry. If the character stops
concentrating on a permanent spell, the spell ends at the end of his
next turn. If the character is knocked unconscious or killed, he loses
concentration and his spell automatically ends at the end of his next
turn. Thus, a character maintaining the illusion of an attacking bull
is forced to cast Blast Attack to defend himself from an incoming fireball.
The complex illusion instantly vanishes, as explained in the Illusion
gimmick.
Unless the description of a spell specifically state otherwise, it
may be cast only on the caster. Thus, a character who can cast Regeneration
as a spell can cast it only on himself. When he casts this spell, he
regenerates two Health Points every time his turn comes up for the
remainder of the scene. However, he cannot cast Regeneration on someone
else unless he learns the Affect Other metamagic (described in the
section below) for this specific spell.
If a spell’s power can be increased by spending additional Gimmick
Points, the character, when casting that spell, is considered to be
able to create the most powerful effect possible based on his Sorcery
Level. For example, a character with a Sorcery Level of six casts Natural
Armor on himself. Natural Armor grants an Armor Grade bonus of +1 for
every 2 GP the character has spent on the gimmick. Thus, the character
gains a +3 bonus to his Armor Grade; a +3 bonus requires 6 GP to be
spent on Natural Armor, so that level of the gimmick counts as a level
six spell.
Mecha: Non-sentient mecha may not purchase this gimmick. Sentient mecha
may purchase and use this gimmick as described above.
Metamagic Gimmicks
These gimmicks may be purchased in addition to the Sorcery gimmick
to allow characters to modify certain aspects of their spells. Each
metamagic gimmick affects only one spell the character knows how to
cast. When the character purchases a metamagic gimmick, he must choose
at the time of purchase which spell it affects.
Affect Others (2GP/0PP/A): This gimmick permanently affects one selected
spell. The character may cast the selected spell on others. Spells
cast on others take effect instantly, unless the spells apply to combat
actions. If this is the case, such spells take effect on the target’s
next turn. The target can decide whether or not to he wants to use
the spells cast on him for beneficial reasons. If he does not use the
spell on his next turn, the spell is wasted.
Casting this type of spell on an unwilling target requires the caster
to beat the target in a contested Resolve check. This check counts
as an instant action. Mecha may use their Mecha Strength or Mecha Resolve
for the check. This gimmick affects only those spells the character
can normally cast only on himself; it does not affect spells that are
already cast on others, nor does it affect his non-spell gimmicks.
Range Boost (1GP/2PP/A): This gimmick affects one selected spell. The
character may activate this gimmick to double the range of his selected
spell. This gimmick may not be purchased more than once for any selected
spell. He must spend these Pool Points before he casts the spell. Activating
this gimmick counts as an instant action.
Duration Boost (2GP/1PP+/A): This gimmick affects one selected spell.
The character may spend additional Pool Points to increase the normal
duration of the selected spell. The spell must already have a duration
greater than one turn but less than one scene in order to have its
duration increased. Each Pool Point spent increases the duration of
a spell by one turn. These Pool Points must be spent before the spell
is cast. A spell may have a maximum duration of 10 turns. Activating
this gimmick counts as an instant action.
Area Boost (1GP+/2PP+/A): The character may target up to two characters
with the selected spell. For each additional 1 GP the character spends
on this gimmick beyond its initial cost, he may target one additional
character, to a maximum of four characters. Alternatively, if a spell
affects an area, the total area of the spell increases by 100% of its
original area for every 1 GP spent on this gimmick, to a maximum increase
of 300%. In order to target multiple characters with a spell, either
the original gimmick must be able to target others or the character
must also possess the Affect Others metamagic gimmick for the selected
spell.
When casting a spell, the character activates this gimmick as an instant
action and spends two Pool Points for each additional character he
wants to target (or each additional 100% area increase), to the maximum
number of characters or area he is capable of affecting. Casting an
area-boosted spell always takes up the character’s full turn.
If necessary, the character may choose to have the actual effects of
the area boosted spell take effect on his next turn.
For example: A wizard and his three friends are running from rooftop
to rooftop to escape a rampaging hydra. The wizard casts Anime Leap,
spending 1 Pool Point for Anime Leap and another 6 Pool Points to affect
his three friends. Because casting this spell takes up the wizard’s
full turn, he decides to have the spell take effect on everyone’s
next turn. On their next turn, the wizard and his friends may all perform
an Anime Leap to leap to a distant rooftop and more easily escape the
hydra.
Magic Action System: Spellbook
At the Narrator’s option, a character does not automatically
learn every spell at a given Sorcery Level. Instead, the Narrator is
strongly encouraged to use the spellbook action system to keep spellcasting
characters’ powers in check.
When a character increases his Sorcery Level, he automatically learns
two new spells of that level. These spells are chosen by the player
and are subject to Narrator approval. The character must pay for the
ability to learn additional spells of that spell level or lower. It
costs one Gimmick Point for a character to learn a new spell and add
it to his "spellbook." Once a spell is added to the spellbook,
the character is able to cast that spell normally. A character's spellbook
may only contain spells with Gimmick Point costs less than or equal
to his Sorcery Level. That is, a character cannot learn spells that
are beyond his current Sorcery Level. Sentai spells and spells with
Gimmick Point costs greater than 10 must still be purchased at their
full cost (and the character must also possess a Sorcery Level of 10).