Terram Spells list needing review

[Kal]

Hi all,

About to have our first play session for the new saga, and one of my players has sent me his formulaic spells he is starting -he is a Terram specialist, an area which i have never even looking into myself. Could people give me some feedback on these, are they create right, do the levels seem appropirate?

Cheers

Kal

Wizard’s Sidestep Lv.10: ReIm, as written, Casting Score: 20+Die, penetration.

Symphony of Destruction Lv.30: ReTe, R: Sight, D: Conc, T: Part, Base 3 (move unnaturally), Size x10. Move 100m3 of earth within sight at will for 15 minutes, Casting Score: 35+Die, aimed.

Rule of Burning Iron Lv.15: MuTe (Im req.), Base 1 (change one natural property), Metal, R: Voice, D: Diameter, T: Ind, superheat all metal on one target, Casting Score: 30+Die, penetration.

Crystal Dart Lv.10: MuTe, as written, Casting Score: 30+Die, penetration.

Armour of Stone Lv.25: ReTe (Mu req.), Base 3 (move unnaturally), Stone, R: Voice, D: Sun, T: Ind, stone from a source in range becomes soft and malleable like a viscous liquid, you may shape it at will including complex shapes, as long as it remains within range (Voice) you can command and control it, the primary use for this spell is to form a mobile barrier of stone but it may adopt other shapes. Casting Score: 35+Die, aimed.

Window Into the Stone Lv.20: MuTe, Base 4 (change an unnatural property), Stone, R: Touch, D: Diameter, T: Part, make a 1m3 section of stone transparent, Casting Score: 30+Die, penetration.

Earthen Arms Lv.25: ReTe (Mu req.), Base 3 (move unnaturally), R: Sight, D: Conc, T: Part, make 10m3 of earth malleable and move it within sight at will, changing into complex shapes or smashing or crushing or grasping (think tentacles of earth, just able to lift and move off the ground as well, like Gaara the Naruto Sand Character), Casting Score: 35+Die, aimed or penetration depending on use.

Magi’s Mischief Lv.15: ReTe, enhanced version of Wielding the Invisible Sling, only difference is that objects that are restrained can be moved with a strength of 0+X where X is every 5 points of casting score sacrificed (e.g.: I have a casting score of 35, I put 15 into casting, 15 into penetration and 5 into strength for a strength of 1), this targets individual discrete items, Casting Score 35+Die, penetration, aimed.

(The Magi’s Mischief spell I like as it is a fun little one, it allows me to throw any object (not limited to earth, stone, metal, etc) that could be thrown by a human, my upgraded version means I could jerk swords out of hands or make someone’s glasses fly off their face, if doing this the target can hold onto the item and be jerked by the strength momentarily…I envisage the fun to be had making someone’s left boot fly the opposite direction when they try to walk up some stairs , damage with this spell is capped at +5 as I didn’t upgrade that part, it would be penetration when trying to hit a human/animal/etc and aimed when trying to hit something else like throwing a teapot out a window from across the room, this spell only allows me to throw (or jerk items if restrained), I can’t hover or move them with finesse or control or change their direction mid-flight unless I cast it again part way through flight)

[JeanMichelle]

Symphony of Destruction Lv.30: ReTe, R: Sight, D: Conc, T: Part, Base 3 (move unnaturally), Size x10. Move 100m3 of earth within sight at will for 15 minutes, Casting Score: 35+Die, aimed.

15 minutes is no hermetic duration. Compare Tomb of Kaineus (ToME 55).

Rule of Burning Iron Lv.15: MuTe (Im req.), Base 1 (change one natural property), Metal, R: Voice, D: Diameter, T: Ind, superheat all metal on one target, Casting Score: 30+Die, penetration.

Ignem is hot!

Window Into the Stone Lv.20: MuTe, Base 4 (change an unnatural property), Stone, R: Touch, D: Diameter, T: Part, make a 1m3 section of stone transparent, Casting Score: 30+Die, penetration.

Compare HoH:TL, Tremere spells

Magi’s Mischief Lv.15: ReTe, enhanced version of Wielding the Invisible Sling, only difference is that objects that are restrained can be moved with a strength of 0+X where X is every 5 points of casting score sacrificed (e.g.: I have a casting score of 35, I put 15 into casting, 15 into penetration and 5 into strength for a strength of 1), this targets individual discrete items, Casting Score 35+Die, penetration, aimed.

I'd set a fixed level and strength

[Tellus]

@Kal

Hi all,

About to have our first play session for the new saga, and one of my players has sent me his formulaic spells he is starting -he is a Terram specialist, an area which i have never even looking into myself. Could people give me some feedback on these, are they create right, do the levels seem appropirate?

Cheers

Kal

WARNING: Terram is potentially a hugely destructive Art.

Wizard’s Sidestep Lv.10: ReIm, as written, Casting Score: 20+Die, penetration.

Symphony of Destruction Lv.30: ReTe, R: Sight, D: Conc, T: Part, Base 3 (move unnaturally), Size x10. Move 100m3 of earth within sight at will for 15 minutes, Casting Score: 35+Die, aimed.

Base 3 +3 Sight +1 Conc +1 Part +1 Size = level 25. Can be aimed or require penetration, depending on context. D!= 15 mins, but he might refer to his Concentration skill. Moves only dirt (not rocks or metal etc.)

Rule of Burning Iron Lv.15: MuTe (Im req.), Base 1 (change one natural property), Metal, R: Voice, D: Diameter, T: Ind, superheat all metal on one target, Casting Score: 30+Die, penetration.

No. This is Heat of the Searing Forge with a duration. If he wanted to make it soft, we could talk about it, but simply heating it is CrIg.

Crystal Dart Lv.10: MuTe, as written, Casting Score: 30+Die, penetration.

Armour of Stone Lv.25: ReTe (Mu req.), Base 3 (move unnaturally), Stone, R: Voice, D: Sun, T: Ind, stone from a source in range becomes soft and malleable like a viscous liquid, you may shape it at will including complex shapes, as long as it remains within range (Voice) you can command and control it, the primary use for this spell is to form a mobile barrier of stone but it may adopt other shapes. Casting Score: 35+Die, aimed.

Base 3 +2 Voice +2 Sun +1 Stone +1 Requistite = level 25, checks out.
Could be argued to be base 4 (higher of Muto and Rego guidelines) depending on how unnatural soft and malleable stone is.

Window Into the Stone Lv.20: MuTe, Base 4 (change an unnatural property), Stone, R: Touch, D: Diameter, T: Part, make a 1m3 section of stone transparent, Casting Score: 30+Die, penetration.

Earthen Arms Lv.25: ReTe (Mu req.), Base 3 (move unnaturally), R: Sight, D: Conc, T: Part, make 10m3 of earth malleable and move it within sight at will, changing into complex shapes or smashing or crushing or grasping (think tentacles of earth, just able to lift and move off the ground as well, like Gaara the Naruto Sand Character), Casting Score: 35+Die, aimed or penetration depending on use.

Looks good enough - be sure to ask for appropriately hard finesse rolls when he tries to do overly fancy with this one

Magi’s Mischief Lv.15: ReTe, enhanced version of Wielding the Invisible Sling, only difference is that objects that are restrained can be moved with a strength of 0+X where X is every 5 points of casting score sacrificed (e.g.: I have a casting score of 35, I put 15 into casting, 15 into penetration and 5 into strength for a strength of 1), this targets individual discrete items, Casting Score 35+Die, penetration, aimed.

(The Magi’s Mischief spell I like as it is a fun little one, it allows me to throw any object (not limited to earth, stone, metal, etc) that could be thrown by a human, my upgraded version means I could jerk swords out of hands or make someone’s glasses fly off their face, if doing this the target can hold onto the item and be jerked by the strength momentarily…I envisage the fun to be had making someone’s left boot fly the opposite direction when they try to walk up some stairs , damage with this spell is capped at +5 as I didn’t upgrade that part, it would be penetration when trying to hit a human/animal/etc and aimed when trying to hit something else like throwing a teapot out a window from across the room, this spell only allows me to throw (or jerk items if restrained), I can’t hover or move them with finesse or control or change their direction mid-flight unless I cast it again part way through flight)

Magi's mischief is very nice. I don't personally like the "sacrifice for strength" mechanic, but it's cute enough. Be sure to put a ceiling on how strong itcan be though! (Strength 5 suggested, based on The Unseen Porter and Disarm the Warrior).
Only real problem is that I've seen a number of spells that do this - meaning that this one spell covers the effect normally produced by a number of spells!
I can see it used as the mentioned Wielding the Invisible Sling (ArM5 p.150), but also as The Invisible Sling of Vilano (Societates p.38), Disarm the Warrior (MoH p.50) and The Unseen Porter (ArM5 p. 150) - and that's just off the top of my head!
This is pretty much not a spell, but spontaneous ReTe with a nice casting total.

[Cuchulainshound]

(crosspost, agree w/ most of what's been said. Posting anyway, since it's already writ and all.)

@Kal

for 15 minutes

"15 minutes"? Where does he think he's getting this? (Where do you?)

If you can, try to use the standard spell format - easier to read:
(Base, TeFo specific mods, Range, Duration, Target, Size/etc, Reqs, misc)
IAnd I don't think you needed to include the canon spells...)

Rule of Burning Iron Lv.15: MuTe (Im req.), Base 1 (change one natural property), Metal, R: Voice, D: Diameter, T: Ind, superheat all metal on one target, Casting Score: 30+Die, penetration.

No. No ignem = no heat. End of discussion on that one.

Armour of Stone Lv.25: ReTe (Mu req.), Base 3 (move unnaturally), Stone, R: Voice, D: Sun, T: Ind, stone from a source in range becomes soft and malleable like a viscous liquid, you may shape it at will including complex shapes, as long as it remains within range (Voice) you can command and control it, the primary use for this spell is to form a mobile barrier of stone but it may adopt other shapes. Casting Score: 35+Die, aimed.

(Base 3, +1 for Stone, +2 Voice, +2 Sun, + Mu Req = 25) check.

But I'm not sure this kind of "movement" wouldn't require another level of complexity - it is asking a lot of the effect. Your call.

(Also, "within Voice range" isn't enough - the caster has to be able to "sense" the target to control it, iirc. So if it's hidden, no good.)

Window Into the Stone Lv.20: MuTe, Base 4 (change an unnatural property), Stone, R: Touch, D: Diameter, T: Part, make a 1m3 section of stone transparent, Casting Score: 30+Die, penetration.

Sim to Canon spell effect from HoH:TL, p 141. No complaints. May even be Base 3, altho' "glasslike" stone strikes me as more than "slightly unnatural", but ysmv.)

(Toss in "transparent from one side only" if he wants!)

Earthen Arms Lv.25: ReTe (Mu req.), Base 3 (move unnaturally), R: Sight, D: Conc, T: Part, make 10m3 of earth malleable and move it within sight at will, changing into complex shapes or smashing or crushing or grasping (think tentacles of earth, just able to lift and move off the ground as well, like Gaara the Naruto Sand Character), Casting Score: 35+Die, aimed or penetration depending on use.

Based off canon spell (AM p 156) - see same.

Base 3, +3 Sight, +1 Conc, +1 Part = 20. Canon effect allows "free req", but w/ variable effect I'd add at least +1 complexity. More, to be clear: the target stays the same, "that 10 m3 of dirt", and that dirt moves - the effect does not get shifted around to new dirt and new targets. Won't work on stone/gravel.

With no additional levels, will not move very quickly.

Magi’s Mischief Lv.15: ReTe, enhanced version of Wielding the Invisible Sling, only difference is that objects that are restrained can be moved with a strength of 0+X where X is every 5 points of casting score sacrificed (e.g.: I have a casting score of 35, I put 15 into casting, 15 into penetration and 5 into strength for a strength of 1), this targets individual discrete items, Casting Score 35+Die, penetration, aimed.

Urgh... no. "Casting Score = strength of a low magnitude spell"... bad precedent. Maybe, but I don't like the taste - no other spell works this way, it's not (traditionally) "Hermetic" afaik.

A spell does X, not "X, but X+Y and even more as I get better at it".

[Tellus]

Just quick because I realised what was bothering me

@Kal

Armour of Stone Lv.25: ReTe (Mu req.), Base 3 (move unnaturally), Stone, R: Voice, D: Sun, T: Ind, stone from a source in range becomes soft and malleable like a viscous liquid, you may shape it at will including complex shapes, as long as it remains within range (Voice) you can command and control it, the primary use for this spell is to form a mobile barrier of stone but it may adopt other shapes. Casting Score: 35+Die, aimed.

Spells usually do one fairly fixed thing. All the "flexible" spells I can recall off the top of my head are D: Conc.
I'm fairly certan I've read somewhere that spells are fixed for their duration, except for C: Conc spells, but I have no clue where, and it might very well be in my dreams. Anyone have a source for something like that?

Magi’s Mischief Lv.15: ReTe, enhanced version of Wielding the Invisible Sling, only difference is that objects that are restrained can be moved with a strength of 0+X where X is every 5 points of casting score sacrificed (e.g.: I have a casting score of 35, I put 15 into casting, 15 into penetration and 5 into strength for a strength of 1), this targets individual discrete items, Casting Score 35+Die, penetration, aimed.

Level calculations?
Also: compare to The Unseen Porter, which is generally considered Strength +5 with base 3. Oh, and it explicitly requires requisites for lifting non-Terram objects.

[Cuchulainshound]

@Tellus

I'm fairly certan I've read somewhere that spells are fixed for their duration, except for C: Conc spells, but I have no clue where, and it might very well be in my dreams. Anyone have a source for something like that?

Does sound naggingly familiar, now that you mention it...

I usually charge +1 Complexity, so to turn a flexible Concentration spell to Sun is +2 mags. Seems fair.

But now you've got me second guessing that...