What’s a fantasy game without magic? This installment of musings focus on a couple of wizardly tropes not found in TFT.
About Familiars
Familiars are real animals or creatures, not summoned beings, but Detect Magic show them to be magical, Reveal Magic will indicate that they are familiars, and Analyze Magic will reveal to whom they belong. A roll of 3 or 4 on the casting roll brings multiple familiars, or, at the GM’s discretion, one somewhat larger animal, so wolves and leopards are possible as familiars, but quite rare.
Familiars prefer to be close to their wizard, usually staying within sight or earshot, but they may be sent on short errands that take them farther away. A wizard can give their familiar verbal commands, which it will follow as best it understands (treat as a Trained Animal following commands of an Animal Handler, see ITL 94). A wizard who concentrates can perceive through their familiar’s senses as though it were an illusion or summoned being.
Familiars start with their normal animal IQ, but a wizard may spend XP to raise its IQ to up to two less than their own, at 100XP/point up through IQ 10, and at 200 XP/point for IQ 11 and beyond. At the GM’s discretion, a familiar with at least 8 IQ may be capable of limited speech in the wizard’s native tongue, which can be understood by anyone who succeeds on the same type of roll used for animals to obey commands. A wizard will immediately know if Control Animal is cast on a their familiar, and they may attempt to cancel the spell with a roll of 4d/IQ by spending one turn concentrating.
A wizard who knows Familiar II may imbue their familiars with mana, similar to the mechanics for a mana staff. A wizard who knows Familiar III can gain access to their familiar’s mana reserve from a greater distance, and can cast spells as though they were in their familiar’s hex. See the spell descriptions for Familiar II and III below for details.
A wizard may have several familiars, but can sense through only one at a time. When a familiar dies, it’s wizard’s attribute total is reduced by one permanently; it is prudent to protect one’s familiar.
New Spells
IQ 9, Familiar I (S): This spell calls from the surrounding area a small native animal, no larger than cat or hawk, which forms a bond with the wizard which lasts as long as they live. A wizard may invest 200 XP to magically extend the lifespan of a familiar by a year. Costs 7 to cast.
IQ 11, Familiar II: Empowered Familiar (S): This level of Familiar allows the a wizard to imbue their familiars with mana, up to the wizard’s ST, similar to a manastaff. Each familiar must be imbued with mana separately. This mana makes a familiar more resilient; when damage is done to them, it is first applied to their mana stat and then against ST. Mana lost this way is not available for spellcasting until recharged. In order for a wizard to use this mana for powering spells, they must be in the same megahex as the familiar. Prerequisite: Familiar
IQ 13, Familiar III: Wizard’s Proxy (S): Wizards with this level of Familiar can cast spells through their familiar as though they were standing in its hex, at a penalty -1DX and +1ST/megahex the familiar is beyond the wizard’s own megahex. If the spell’s IQ prerequisite is higher than the familiar’s IQ, a further casting DX penalty equal to the difference is incurred. Wizards with Familiar III casting spells from their own hex have access to their familiar’s mana if the familiar is within two megahexes, and those casting at range through their familiar have full access to the familiar’s mana, regardless of distance. Prerequisite: Familiar II.
Mana Gathering
The original Wizard microgame introduced a magic system in which mages wielded arcane powers by expending their own strength, and this has remained part of the core of TFT’s magic system. But, in Advanced Wizard, the concept of mana, magical energy which could be used instead of one’s own life force to power spells, was introduced. To do this, one had to accumulate and store the mana in an enchanted gem, which acted like a mana battery, and the Legacy Edition rules even allow a wizard’s staff to store mana. This begs the question of why, if one can accumulate mana to store for later use, why not also allow wizards to gather it for immediate use? If you are intrigued by this, read on.
New Talents
IQ 10, Mana Adept (2). This talent represents a wizard’s becoming attuned to the mana field so as to be able to accumulate energy for spell casting. A Mana Adept may move up to one hex and attempt to gather mana, rolling 3d/ST. On a successful roll, 1d-2 points of mana gathered (min 1). Energy accumulated this way must be used to power a spell the following turn or it is lost; it cannot be used to charge a mana staff or cure fatigue. Rolls of 3 and 4 give triple and double results, as normal. Failures are exhausting, inflicting one point of fatigue. A roll of 16 is an automatic failure, rolls of 17 and 18 cause double and triple fatigue AND shut down spellcasting ability for 1d turns. Prerequisite: Wizardry.
IQ 13, Mana Master (2). Mana Masters are more capable than Mana Adepts, being able to accumulate energy for up to two consecutive turns. A failure on a second gathering roll dissipates any energy gathered in the first turn. Accumulated mana may be stored briefly, but attenuates at the rate of one point per turn and it must be used to power a spell or discharged (a free action) prior to another gathering attempt. Prerequisite: Mana Adept.
The material presented here is my original creation intended for use with the The Fantasy Trip system from Steve Jackson Games. This material is not official and is not endorsed by Steve Jackson Games. It may not be reproduced for commercial purposes without permission.
Musings from Myriangia 