Technomancy

[Scott Adams]

After reading the Babylon 5 Techno-Mage 2 books I fell in love with
some of their spells.  So I was considering adapting these into
P&P.  I've not created new spells in years so bear with me.  I am
also doing this document on the fly at work mianly as a first draft.

Bear in mind I don't have my spell book and my memory is gray
in some areas.  I don't recall the below items being including
in any spell group though I've not memorized the entire list.  :)
I know bad way to write spells up but its slow at work :)

  There were several points I liked about them.  Yes they depended on
technology for their spells through implants in their body.  But
for thsoe who don't know they were very powerful in the B5 universe.

  Balls
    A simple ball either solid or clear.  Generally the size of
    a hand and slightly larger.  Inside they could contain a single
    light source, small object like a key, water, or small burst
    of fire.  To include the object inside you have to use the
    ball near the source to surround it (if say key on table then
    ball must start around key on table or dive into water).  Unless
    one GM decides the object just is conjured.
    Note: Why use it?  Could use it for light source a single ball
      of light can follow people.  A fire ball could scare natives.
      A water ball could send water or a object to someone out of
      touch.  Telekinsis is part of spell but this adds a bit
      of spice.  Addition mana must be spend to move object.
      Once conjured the ball is in place but more mana to move.
    Cost: 1-3 points for either ball.  +1 mana for every hand
      sized ball increase in size.  Cost can include holding cost
      or without if GM desires.  +1 Mana for ball to move.
    Range: EL+1" feet away from caster.
    Duration: (ELx2)+1 turns.
    Alignment: Any
    Damage: A fire sphere may be the only thing to fire could
      base the damage on the size. So say for basic size
      1d6 per size or ELd6 per size or just use a small fireball
      spell.


  Illusions
    P&P covers this well enough though the books cover a bit
    of class variance.

  Healing
    They cover this part through use of organelles that would
    flow from the hand (nano-bots) to the victim and use
    crystals for energy transfer.  P&P covers this weel enough.

  Shields
    A energy shield.  The caster can decide on its form or use
    the basic templates.  The three basic forms are sphere which
    cover the entire body.  The hand shield (though not in the
    books I like this idea) that can form the looks of a buckler
    or other shield.  The Wall shield just a simple wall.  There
    could be other forms but thoe are the basic 3 I envision.
    There are seveal types of shields defense, sound and protection.
    For defense it simply blocks projectile and weapons entering
    the shield.  Magic may penetrate if the spell of the magic
    (say fire dart) is greater than sheild caster's EL).  For
    simple objects like arrows the damage would have to be
    greater than the damage factor (protection).  For sound you
    can create a sphere shield that surrounds one or more people
    (plus 1 mana per person inside up to 3).  Inside the sound
    sphere no sound exits.  This is useful for talking in the
    middle of a dungeon without being heard.  The protection
    shield is like defense but protects from environment rather
    than weapons.  For example a protection shield (sphere) could
    allow the caster to go underwater or through fire without
    harm.
    Note: Could be subdivided into a family of spells.
      I read in the books many examples of the book and the
      shields were awesome.
    Cost: Defense- 3-5 (+1 per 1 damage increase)
          Sound - 1         (+1 mana per +1 turn duration)
          Protection - 1-2  (+1 mana per +1 turn duration)
    Range: Up to 3 feet around body or hand.
    Inclusinos: 3, +1 per person included
    Duration: (ELx2)+1 phases (?) Sound and protection - (ELx3)+1
       phases.
    Air: Same as duration for air upply
    Damage:
      Defense Protection:
        ELx2 for HAnd shields
        Option 1: EL for Sphere Defense shields
          (Only el due to thin membrane)
        Option 2: EL+5 (or some value) for spheres
      Sound: None - no protection or maybe juse 1 point
      Protection: 0 or 1.  GM can determine based on situation
        more mana to spend for higher protection.  For intense
        fire could be more mana or through long depths of water.
    Protection could be like shield rules or if its magic the
     shield will either deflect the damage value listed or
     it can absorb the damage (like armor).
    I don't recall shields in the books but a form of protection
    like water diving spell is in there.  But this is a variation.
    Unlike balls these move with the caster.


  Platforms
    Another spell I fell in love with.
    This spell creates a invisible solid platform.  They are tiny
    or large like a surfboard.  They can be used mainly to move
    things around or push things.  A mage in the book used a
    tiny platform to change a dice in a game to roll another
    side very quickly :).  But mostly they wre used for moving
    people around (wounded and non-wounded).  The book ahd these
    cast then another spell of motion was used to move it.  So
    you can either mix it that way or keep divided.
    Note: I know levitate and illusions cover this pretty much but
      this combines it into one and adds a variety of things these
      spells may not since its physical.  Platforms to knock
      things over for example.
    Cost: 1-2, +1 for every foot in size (expanding out).
      As amsll as a coin in size or as large as say a tennis
      ball table?  +1 mana to move the platform.
    Inclusions: Automatic but depends on size
    Range: Touch or EL"
    Duration: (ELx2)+1 phases
    Damage: If used as a weapon depends on size.  The largest
      could do some damage say (3d6) while the smallest
      a coin size object would only be like a rock hitting
      a person.


  Probes
    Though not a spell but pure technology but fantasy games
    could adapt them into things like magic things or demons
    or something weird.  Faerry I read soemwhere used similiar
    things in various genres so it could be done.
    These probes were smaller than dust (nano-bots) they were
    put onto places and people.  They then crawled (very slowly)
    to good locations to observe things.  They had video and
    sound in the book's case.  They then let the mages access
    the info in the minds eye.  This could get to be powerful
    weapon for many players so many may not like it.  But
    you could put disadvantages on it like duration or range.
    They could not be seen but could be detected (maybe in
    fantasy's case through a spell or mana reading).
    Cost: 5-7 (or more since it could be a big advantage).
      This creates a group of them d10 say that can be used
      at any time later on.  They can be stored in a bag
      or object to where they don't dissolve (no duration)
      only dissolve once outside the bag (say a purified bag).
    Range: EL+1 miles (or feet if GM wanted) to get access to probe
      information and material (currently going on).
    Duration: EL+1 days or EL+1 hours depending on GM.
    Detection: To detect them spells must be cast (not sure
     what form yet) but detection success could EL roll modifier.
    These woudl be only for data gathering.  Though I guess
    a evil GM could use them for damage or a weapons?

  Messages
    The mages uses a network of relays around planets that
    could send msgs to each person great distances in space.
    I know P&P has telepathic powers but I liked the way
    the books did it.  It was fast and simple text messages
    in the mage's mind's eye.  They could be retrieved (though
    through technology) and read or read right away.  I don't
    know how I could adapt this to fantasy but I'll have
    to consider it :)

  Energy signature:
    Not a spell but I liked how each mage had their own energy
    signature.  They uses 4 frequencies adn a key that
    only they could decode to get names of people on ships.
    I thought that was rather cool.  I know we have Mana
    Reading/Sensing that does pretty much the same.  But
    in the books they could detect mage energy from a distance
    (say a city wide area).  But Mana R/S are limited in
    range.  Maybe there could be a Wizard Detection or
    something like it in the form of a spell.  If it could be
    done then maybe
    Cost: 2-3, +1 for say every mile in range.
    Range: EL+1 miles
    Effect: Bearing of wizards (or could be alignment oriented
      so have to learn the spell for Sidh finding, etc.)
      in the area by bearing and estimated distance (within
      say X feet).
    Duration: EL phases (while effect lasts).


  Just some ideas.  I'll probably toss them out to my players
  for comments.  But I appreciate comments from you guys especially
  since some of you have done spells already like Burton.

 This is just a rough draft.


Any comments?

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