Sample file THE SPELL BOOK™ Written by Mike Nystul and Aaron Allston CREDITS TABLE OF CONTENTS Project Editor -Mike "(70-((7 DEF x 5 BODY))/2" Nystul. Introduction .......................................................................... 2 Series Editor -Rob "No one will ever use the equation" Bell. Foreword ......................................................................... 2 Editorial <;:ontribution- John "Yeah, it looks like something Using This Supplement ................................................... 2 <censored> would put out" Brunkhart, S. Coleman "Well I Clarifications and Elaborations ...................................... 3 understand it" Charlton, Eileen "But you got a PhD in Com­ Spellcasting ..................................................................... 3 puter Science" Smith, George "What's wrong with computer Magical Combat ............................................................. 4 science?" MacDonald. Magical Skills ................................................................. 4 Errata ............................................................................... 5 Proofreading - John "Another all-nighter" Brunkhart, Eileen Fantasy Hero Magic System Modifications ................... 6 "Are you sure you prufed this?" Smith. Clarifications to the Fantasy Hero Rules ........................ 6 Cover Art- Walter Velez. Optional Rules ..................................................................... 7 Cover Design -Rick Britton. Existing Effects ............................................................... 7 Interior Art -Shawn Sharp Existing Limitations ........................................................ 9 Page Layout -Eileen Smith. New Rules ..................................................................... 10 Production -Ten-y"The Omnipotent"Amthor, Leo "Emperor New Skills ..................................................................... 11 New Effects .................................................................. 12 of the Universe" LaDell, E. Claire "/ want to be the Emperess of New Advantages ........................................................... 14 China!" Smith, Larry "I want to be the Captain of the Enter­ New Modifiers .............................................................. 16 prise" Brook, Suzanne "Well, good luck" Young, Cheryl "Two New Limitations ........................................................... 17 limes" Kief, Paula "Wonder Woo-man" Peters, and Bill "The Revised Magic Summary Charts ............................. I 8-19 printbuyer in Hell" Downs. Balance of Power ............................................................. 20 Contributing Authors -Robert & Wendy Bruce, Tim Brown Designing Magic Systems ............................................. 21 and Karl Kochvar. Introduction ................................................................... 21 Additional Contributions -Jim Dorethy, Mike Muchisky, Types of Magic Systems ............................................... 21 Peter Mc Kinney, Adrian Ownby, Tim Brewer, Colin McKin­ Designing Your Own Magic System ............................ 24 ney and Doug Tabb. Sample Magic Systems ................................................. 31 Additional Material -Alan Barclay, Lawrence Ban-y, David Magic System Forms ..............................................'. 33-34 Berge, Robert W. Calfee,Mike Case, Ben Hill Passmore IV, The Book of Spells .......................................................... 35 Andrew Robinson, Evan Simpson, Jeff Schrieber, and Barry A. Introduction ................................................................... 35 Wilson. Standard Abbreviations ................................................ 36 Playtesters -Joe "Tarnac" Adlesick, Mitch "Griffon" Gittle­ The Spells ................................................................ 37-84 man, Keith "Quid' Hannigan, Karl "Diamond" Kochvar, Chris The Kalen ........................................................................... 85 "Andros" LaLiberty, Bryan "Malikar" Nystul, Dawn "Tamaria" Background ................................................................... 85 Nystul and Eileen "Loren" Reedy. The Order ...................................................................... 85 Special Thanks to -Rob "No Problem" Bell, Bryan "Chart­ Life in the Brotherhood ................................................ 86 master" Nystul, and my lovely wife Dawn for her patience and Joining the Kalen .......................................................... 87 indispensable assistance. Apprenticeship .............................................................. 87 Journeymen ................................................................... 88 Dedicated to the Memory of Mrs.Genny Nystul and the world The Adept ..................................................................... 89 that died without her. Mastery ......................................................................... 90 Leaving the Brotherhood .............................................. 91 Characters of Note ........................................................ 92 Artifacts ........................................................................ 95 Adventures .................................................................... 96 Appendix of the Spells ................................................... 96 THE SPELL BOOKTM is Hero Games' trademark for its superhero roleplaying game using the Hero system. Champions® and Champions, The Super Roleplaying GameTM are Hero Games trademarks for its superhero roleplaying game using the Hero System. Fantasy HeroTM is Hero Games' trademark for its fantasy roleplaying system. Hero System™ is Hero Games' trademark for its roleplaying system. THE SPELL BOOK Copyright © 1989 Hero Games. All rights reserved. Champions SampleCopyright © 1981, 1984 by Hero Games. All rights reserved. file Hero System Copyright © 1984 by Hero Games. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying (except Character Sheets for personal use only), recording, or computerization, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Publisher: Iron Crown Enterprises, Inc., P.O. Box 1605, Charlottesville, VA 22902. Printed in U.S.A., First Printing January 1989 Stock# 41 Produced & Distributed by Iron Crown Enterprises, Inc., the exclusive manufacturer of Hero Games. ISBN 1-55806-022-7 2 FOREWORD required to form a single atomic particle, let alone a molecule, you Here it is. The book that holds the answers to such timeless will realize that such a task is sheer folly. Time is another absolute. questions as: 'What is Metamorphosis?" and "Do my levels add to Changing one's relationship to time itself is a concept of such my targeting roll?" I know the faithful have been waiting for mind-boggling scope that calculating the repercussions could easily give you a headache, and the idea of moving backward Fantasy Hero support material for a long while. Then, like a bolt through it brings up so many questions that it would be impossible from the blue, Magic Items hit the shelves. And now the Spell to come up with an answer that would please everyone. Book. Rounded out with the Hero System Bestiary, you have at This is not to say that Magic can't do impossible things. In some your disposal all the material you need to construct whatever ways, magic is the science of impossibility. Just remember that fantasy environment you desire. there are degrees of improbability and that characters who can All right, I admit it. FH magic may be the most flexible system currently available, but at times it can be downright frustrating. casually shatter the fundamental laws of the universe will become Thus the tome you are holding in your hot little hands. Inside, you bored fairly quickly. Reserve this kind of magic for immortal will find all sorts of neat stuff designed to make the life of wizards beings, and they will be that much more impressive. Familiarity (and GMs) a little easier. There is a section which clarifies the does breed contempt, after all. And when your plot line calls for original Fantasy Hero rules and offers optional expansions. Aaron powers of this magnitude, don't bother writing them up - just describe what happens. You are the Gamemaster - it is your Allston has contributed an informative treatise on designing magic systems. There is a sample organization which can be used to story. Your power is absolute. Any questions? Good. introduce magic to any existing campaign. And then there are the Read on, and enjoy - spells themselves. Seventy-eight of them, culled from nearly a dozen campaigns, most with four power levels and suggestions which allow for one or more variations on the basic statistics. USING THIS SUPPLEMENT It was obvious from the onset thatFH would need a book of this So you ran out and picked up a copy of the Spell Book. Now kind. The magic system needed a little work and a lot more what? That depends on what you bought the Spell Book for. The examples than we had room for in the original rules. Tackling this obvious approach is to read the darn thing cover to cover, but we project was a bit daunting at first, but after consulting with some both know that most of us will flip right through, reading only what of the most experienced FH Gamemasters around, I think we have concerns us. So, what concerns you? Let's take a moment to go managed to iron out most of the problems,