The word Thread always returns to me
Earthdawn. Of course, I play
Savage Worlds now. So here is a random thought from 2013 trying to convert magic from Earthdawn to Savage Worlds.
Earthdawn Savage Worlds Magic
Arcane Background [Magician]: [Choose One Elementalist, Illusionist,
Nethermancer, Sorcerer or Wizard]
Requirements: Novice, Special
Arcane Skill: Spellcasting (Smarts)
Starting Power Points: 10
Starting Powers: 2 from their spell list
Starting Spell Matrix: 1
All Magicians need a hand free to cast and thread spells.
Arcane Background [Shaman]
Requirements: Novice, Special
Arcane Skill: Nature (Spirit)
Starting Power Points: 10
Starting Powers: 2 from their spell list
Each spell is contained in a spell fetish.
Shamans do not need a hand free to cast spells. Instead they
need to hold a spell fetish in their hand that represents the spell they are
casting.
Shamans are protectors of the untamed, wild lands of
Barsaive. They may find themselves suddenly without their powers if they
knowingly harm nature (such as a blast spell they wielded burning a forest
down) and needing to perform a Ritual of Atonement or Deed in order to regain
their powers.
Special Advancement Rule:
For every 2 New Powers Edges obtained, characters with a Magician Arcane Background gain 1 Spell Matrix.
For every New Power Edge obtained, characters with the Shaman Arcane Background get 1 Spell Fetish to contain the spell. Each spell
fetish weighs at least 1 lb.
Additional Edges:
Enhanced Fetish
Requirements: Seasoned, Arcane Background Nature
Upgrades one Spell Fetish to hold one additional spell
characteristic.
Enhanced Matrix
Requirements: Seasoned, Arcane Background Spellcasting
Holds one additional spell characteristic.
Armored Fetish
Requirements: Veteran, Arcane Background Nature
Upgrades one Spell Fetish to hold one additional spell
characteristic. The Fetish gains a +4 bonus to Toughness to resist all Damage
Types for the purpose of Breaking Things (see p.71 Savage Worlds Deluxe hereafter SWD). In addition, the
Armored Fetish grants the character a +1 Parry bonus when targeted by a Disarm
Called Shot attempt (see p.72 SWD) on the Armored Fetish.
Armored Matrix:
Requirements: Veteran, Arcane Background Spellcasting
Holds one additional spell characteristic. The Matrix gains
a +4 bonus to Toughness to resist all Damage Types for the purpose of Breaking
Things (see p.71 SWD).
Share Fetish
Requirements: Heroic, Arcane Background Nature
Upgrades one Spell Fetish to hold one additional spell.
Share Matrix
Requirements: Heroic, Arcane Background Spellcasting
Can hold 2 spells.
Concept: Characters use their Nature/Spellcasting to thread.
Flow of Casting.
A character can only have one spell in a spell matrix at any
one time (with the exception of Share Fetish/Matrices).
Placing a spell in a Spell Matrix requires a Spellcasting
(4) Test. Shaman spells are already contained in their Spell Fetish, however
they need to grab the spell fetish to cast (which costs them a –2 draw
multi-action penalty unless they have the Quickdraw Edge)
A spell in a Spell Matrix or Spell Fetish requires 0 Power
Points to cast the basic ability. For example, they can cast a 2D6 bolt every
round. A magician can either thread the additional spell characteristics of the
spell costing them time and increasing the difficulty of casting or they can
spend their Power Points to quick cast spells.
Spellcasting (4) Test
Spell Characteristics:
Can be done once:
Adds a D6 to a Damage Spell
Add 25% to the Range Increments of a Spell
Add 1 round to the Spell’s Duration (not available on
Instant Duration).
Add the Heavy Weapon characteristic to a Damage Spell.
Improve a Burst template from Small to Medium or Medium to
Large.
A raise on a thread weaving attempt allows the magician to
add two burst categories if available.
Can be done twice:
Add an additional target to a single target spell.
A raise on a thread weaving attempt allows the magician to
add two spell characteristics of their choosing if available.
The best example of this is the Bolt Spell
0 PP: 2D6 damage, all the time instead of the usual 1 PP as
long as it is in a Spell Matrix.
Spellcasting (4) to thread once or 2 PP: 3D6 bolt
Spellcasting (4) to thread once or 2 PP: Range 16/32/64
Spellcasting (4) to thread once or 2 PP: Heavy Weapon
Spellcasting (4) to thread once or 2 PP: 2 Bolts
Spellcasting (4) to thread twice (Or a single (8) Raise for
one thread weaving) or 3 PP: 3 Bolts
Or a combination such as:
Spellcasting (4) to thread twice (Or a single (8) Raise for one thread
weaving) or 4 PP: 3D6 Heavy Weapon bolt
Restriction: Cannot combine D6 damage with multiple target
bolt options.
Unlike Earthdawn, where magicians cannot thread and cast in
the same round, it is possible in Savage Worlds to do so with the multi-action penalty.
They can also use their small pool of Power Points to quickly cast spells when
needed without threading.
So most Spellcasters will be dealing with MA penalties for
Spell Matrix attunement to switch spells or for Spellcasting Characteristics.
Shamans will deal with MA penalties for switching spell fetishes out for
grabbing different spells.
Spells not in a Spell Matrix can be cast from the magician’s
Grimoire. Spells not in Spell Matrix cost their normal amount of power points
to cast. A 1 on the Spellcasting or Wild Die when doing so causes 2D6 astral
backlash to the grimoire. If the grimoire takes a wound
(Toughness 8), the spell is wiped from the grimoire and the character can not
use the spell again until he can copy the spell from another magician’s
grimoire (this doesn’t cost an advancement)
A character can also cast any spell they do not know as long
as they have access to another magician’s grimoire, as long as they have the
Rank requirements to cast it (Novice spells for Novice magicians, etc.). This
extremely dangerous method of casting is called Raw Magic, and uses the wielder
of the spell as a conduit for the corrupt magical energy. Raw Magic spells
always cost power points. A 1 on the
Spellcasting or Wild Die when doing so causes 3D6 astral backlash to the
caster. Double 1s usually catches the attention of a Horror through a Horror
Mark as well.
Shamans do not have grimoires so cannot grimoire cast. They
can attempt raw magic casting of any spell normally available to them at their
rank using themselves as a conduit for nature’s magic. They make their Nature
skill roll at –2 when doing so however since they have no spell fetish to act as
a focus and must have a hand free to cast in this manner unlike their normal
casting method.
