Introduction Vade Mecum of Magic makes the perfect companion to the magic system presented in the D6 Adventure Rulebook or the D6 Fantasy Rulebook. We give you explanations, clarifications, additonal guidelines, and more than XX new spells. So, if you just haven’t had the chance to pick up the D6 Adventure Rulebook or D6 Fantasy Rulebook, can you still get something out of this book? Absolutely! We’ve included a couple of new, simple magic systems that’re compatible with the full-blown version. We also give you information about the skills, so you can use the spells right out of this book. Need more spells? Check out the D6 Bloodshadows world- book! In it, you’ll find more than 60 spells, plus an extended spell failure chart, potions and other magical items, and new horror-inspired species packages. If you feel like trying your hand at making spells but don’t want to number crunch, West End Games offers a basic spell designer on its Web site (www.westendgames.com/d6/ makespell.html). Use it a few times to help you understand how the full magic system works. Expanding and Restricting the Aspects Introduction divination spells, it does not increase the difficulty of locating the target. This chapter takes a closer look at most of the spell creation Note that divination spells with a range and no area of effect aspects, clarifying fuzzy points or expanding on options. provide information about the first thing that it encounters that meets the criteria of the spell. The caster can only look in Area Effect one direction per casting of the spell, regardless of the spell’s The “one alternate shape” modifier allows the magic user duration, unless she includes the change target aspect. to include two possible shapes during the during the design of the spell. At casting, the spell user decides which shape is Area Effect: Odd Shapes more appropriate. “Several alternate shapes” is a more general A sphere might not always be the best shape for a spell’s version of the “one alternate shape” modifier. effect. The measurements for each of the following shapes The targeting bonus for three-dimensional shapes can only is roughly equivalent to a circle or sphere with a one-meter be used against the primary target of the spell. radius. The formula for determing a two-dimensional shape’s area or a three-dimensional shape’s volume is included, for Area Effect: Continuous Effect those designers who want a more precise conversion from Some spell effects are so small that reducing their values the default shape. by 1 as the spell radiates from the center would render them useless. In these cases, the effect retains its total value Default Shapes throughout the targeted region at no additional cost. Circle: +1 per half-meter radius. (Area equals radius But what happens when a caster wants a larger value to squared times pi.) be continuous over an area? This technically falls under the Sphere: +5 per meter radius, with a +1 bonus to hit the domain of the multiple targets aspect. Gamemasters may initial target. (Volume equals radius cubed times pi times 4 choose to allow mages to use area effect; however, the total divided by 3.) value of the aspect is multiplied by 5 and the caster does not get the targeting bonus for three-dimensional shapes. Odd Shapes Wall: +1 for the first meter of length and width and +1 per Area Effect: Divination each additional two meters (total) of length and/or width. Altough a little knowledge can be a dangerous thing, Example: A wall two meters tall and two meters wide (about divination spells can get rather costly for the seemingly little the size of a standard set of double doors) has a value of +2, that they do. To this end, divination spells have their own while a shield one meter wide and one meter tall has a cost cost for the area effect aspect: Look up the radius of the of +1. A wall can be any length or height, but it is considered area of effect as a measure on the “Spell Measures” chart; a two-dimensional shape and thus always only a few centi- double its corresponding value to get the value of the area meters thick. (Area equals length times width.) of effect: divination circle aspect. Triple the “Spell Measures” Blast: +1 for the first meter of length and final width and value for three-dimensional areas. A divination circle with +1 per each additional two meters (total) of length and/or a one-meter radius costs one, while a divination sphere of width. A blast is one meter wide at its base, a few centimeters the same size is two. thick, and extends out from the caster. It catches everyone in Example: A spell that searches a 10-kilometer-wide area at its path, even those behind the first target. It is considered a ground level has an area of effect: divination circle value of 40, two-dimensional shape. Example: A blast three meters long while a 10-kilometer divination sphere has a value of 60. with a terminating width of one meter costs +2, as does a A caster can use the divination area of effect to search cone that’s one meter long and three meters at its end. (Area for multiple targets with no additional difficulty. However, equals 1 plus the ending width, with the result multiplied the caster does not receive the area of effect bonus to target by half of the length.) the spell. Hemisphere: +5 per meter radius, with a +1 bonus to hit To find something that the caster can’t see, add the vari- the central target. This is a three-dimensional shape. (Volume able movement: bending aspect to the spell. When added to equals 2 times pi times radius cubed divided by 3.) Cone: +5 for a basic cone two meters long and a base with five-second round should limit the number of actions to a one-meter radius and +1 for each additional half meter of five. (Of course, gamemasters may wish to adjust this length or meter of base radius. A cone is no more than a limit for super-speedy or super-slow characters.) few centimeters wide at its tip, and it extends out from the As spells have casting times associated with them, caster. This is a three-dimensional shape. Example: A cone it’s easy to see that your character can only cram so that’s three meters long with a base two meters wide (radius many castings into a single round. You can use the of one meter) has a cost of +7. (Volume equals pi times height following formula or reference the chart to figure out times the radius of the base squared divided by 3.) just what you magic user can do. Cuboid: This is a three-dimensional shape. (Volume equals Remember that the multi-action modifier affects length times width times height.) every action that the character takes in a single round. Cylinder: This is a three-dimensional shape. (Volume If the character is casting spells and doing other actions, equals radius of an end squared times length times pi.) figure the penalty for each separately and add 1 to the Pyramid: When used a projection, the pyramid is no more total penalty. than few centimeters wide at its tip, and it extends out from Example: Harold the Magic Student decides to cast the caster. This is a three-dimensional shape. (Volume equals two one-second spells and get out components for a width of base times length of base times height.) longer spell, which he intends to cast next round. Cast- (((sidebar))) ing two one-second spells has a penalty of -1D, while, if he were to only retrieve the components, there would Your Own Expansions and be no penalty. Therefore, Harold has a total multi-action penalty for this round of -2D (1D for the spells + 0 for Restrictions the components + 1). This section expounds on many aspects of the Duration is not figured in when deciding how many spell design system, but it doesn’t cover everything. spells may be cast each round. Gamemasters should add their own restrictions and See the specific rules for multi-actions in each rule- usage notes to fit their concept of magic and its place book for more details on multi-action penalties. in their worlds. (((sidebar))) Spell Multi-action Penalty (in dice) = Total Casting Time (round down) - 1 Casting Time Spells Modi- fier A spell that takes five seconds or longer to cast will go off two 1-second -1D at the beginning of the round after the end of the casting three 1-second -2D time. four 1-second -3D Usually, a character may not cast two spells at the same five 1-second -4D time — especially if either one has a concentration aspect. two 1.5-seconds -2D But, hey, there just might be some brilliant wizard who should three 1.5-seconds -3D have no problem with multi-tasking. Not only should this two 1.5-seconds and one 1-second -3D sort of wizard have his mental attributes at 4D or higher two 1.5-seconds and two 1-second -4D (modified or unmodified), he should also get a multi-action one 1.5-second and one 1-second -1D modifier to his skill rolls when casting the spells. one 1.5-second and two 1-second -2D Similarly, gamemasters may decide that magic users setting one 1.5-second and three 1-second -3D off spells that take a round or longer to cast may not perform two 2.5-seconds -4D any other actions unless the spells include no gestures, incan- one 2.5-second and one 1-second -2D tations, or community, nor take any concentration.