M A G I C of URSA

As a Mage in URSA you have two options. A) You can use the rules in the Players Handbook. Or B) Use my variation of the Spells&Options called Spell Points(SP). Spell Points gives the mage more freedom over the number of spells he selects. Each spell is given a certain costs. The mage then uses the SP he earns through expirience and Intelligence to 'buy' the spells and commit them to memory. Using the SP method also allows the mage to use a FREE SPELL. A free spell costs double the normal spell level cost, but it allows the mage to cast ANY spell from that given level in his spell book. When was the last time you fell off a cliff and died because you decided to memorize magic missile instead of feather fall. Free Spell allows you access to any spell in your spell book, as long as you use the points and memorize the Free Spell. There are draw backs...in the long run you do not get the same number of spells as the old method...but I believe the trade is good.

I have made my 'DM cheat sheet' available to you. On this sheet are the costs of each spell level. The number in (parenthesis) is the cost of the Free Spell. Also on this page is how many spell points and the spell level is available to a ceratin level mage. The intelligence bonus is also listed on this page. For Priests(which include clerics, druids and such), the Spell Point Method can also be used, but a FREE SPELL for you entitles you to cast ANY spell from that level. I know this seems unfair to the mages and makes the priests more powerful...but hey...they do have a MAJOR trump card on their side...a god(ess)! The way the Wisdom bonus works for ya'll is, go to your characters wisdom on the right, and each number represents two levels. So a level 4 priest has more 'faith' than a level 1 priest...and so on. of slots and how they effect 'life' Cantrip for mages DO NOT NEED TO BE MEMORIZED. This spells only cost 1 SP and use any left over SP's. So if you plan on using a lot of Cantrip spells...make sure you have enough SP's left over for this. Also, mages ARE ablive to cast spells directly out of their spell books with out memorizing the spell. This has its obvious disadvantages and advantages. The spell book could be ruined if something bad happened, yet this allows the mage to have more casting ability. NOTE: Another side effect is, the spells still use Spell Points. EX: Gandalf is in a battle and has exhausted all of his memorized spells. Yet he sees a perfect opportunity to cast a fireball. He opens his spell book and reads the words directly out of the book. OUT-OF-CHARACTER: the player will make a CON CHK added to it the spell points which he does not have. Say Gandalf had 5 spell points left over, Fireball is a level 3 spell which requires 10 spell points. So The CON CHK is made with a +5. If the roll is failed, the caster suffers 1-2 points of DMG per spell level. ALSO, the ammount of spells points over his total to recover in non-combat rounds. In our example, 5 points over...so Gandalg needs to rest for 5 non-combat rounds (almost 1 turn or 1 hour) before his spell points begin to recover.

Spell casting and duration differs from Combat Rounds and Non-Combat rounds. As stated before, a combat round is 10 seconds. Most spells which a DURATION is listed, will use the non-combat round time. There are some spells which use the combat round instead...these are up to my decision. I will judge if the spell should have a lasting effect or not. Spells such as Protections and what-not will use the Non-combat time but spells like Color Spray and Dancing lights will use the combat round. My decision will be based on this thought, "If the spell is cast in front of an audience...how long would it last?" This is a non-combat round...so if the spell should last several minutes, then the non-combat time will be used. If the spell happens quickly...combat time will be used. This will be the DM fudge factor. Below are some examples of this. The spells I got from the GREAT NET SPELL BOOK.

Quevven't Flame Dart (Evocation)-lvl 1 Range: 60yds 10/lvl Components: V,S Casting Time: 1 Area of Effect: 1 - 5 creatures Save Throw: None Author: Wrb41977@aol.com Use of this spell creates up to 5 darts of material from the Elemental Plane of Fire that shoot forth from the wizard's fingertip and unerringly strike their target. This includes enemy creatures in a melee. ...(skipping some description.)... IN URSA...this spell does the same damage as a Magic Missile: D8...not D4 1 like this spell and PHB says. (I think those spells should be more dangerous.)

Detect Shapechanger (Divination)-lvl 3 Range: 10yds Components: v,s Duration: 1 round/lvl Casting Time: 1 round Area of Effect: 1 creature per level Save Throw: Neg Author: Peter Gourlay Wizard can see the true form of any shapechanging creature. On the first round of viewing, the victim is allowed a save throw v. Spell. Pass: wizard will think the creature can not shapechange. Fail: wizard will know true form. The spell can detect Polymorph..but not illusions.

Casting Time A casting time of 3 is equal to 1 combat round. If the casting time is below 3, the difference is added to the initative roll...if needed. Take: Quevven's Flame Dart. This is similar to the Magic Missile spell but it uses fire instead of 'magic energy' This spell is designed to be very fast in casting and is meant to be used as one of the mage's primary weapons. Hence the term MAGE. SO, in URSA a casting time of 1 is VERY fast. EX:A dwarf is charging a mage with a sword. The mage sees the threat and begins to cast...the dwarf's alley sees this and turns to loose an arrow. Who 'goes first?' The dwarf rolls a 4 on the D6..no pluses because of low Dexterity. The alley, an elf, rolls a 4 and gets to add 2...one for training and 1 for dexterity...6 The mage rolls a 5, but is casting Quevven's Flame Dart AT the dwarf. So the mage adds 2 to his D6. The mage gets the spell off and sends...let say...3 bolts into him, burning him. BUT the elf STILL gets to fire.... Note...this is the ONLY plus a mage gets while Spell Casting. A high dexterity does not mean you can cast faster...all the spells require a certain time length to cast. However, note the spell Detect Shapechanger. This casting time is 1 round....in situations like this I will apply the COMBAT TIME to this...so it takes a full round to cast. But the duration will last in terms of Non-combat round.

One last thing before I am done. Memorization. As a mage increases in level, memorization time decreases. Make since? The rule for URSA is...every 2 levels the mage is above the spell, an additional two minutes is taken off the time to memorize the spell. Up to a mininum time of 4 minutes. After all, would it take the Great Eleminster or Gandalf the Grey the same time to memorize a level one spell as it does a low level mage?

Where do you want to go?

Back to URSA See theNUMBERS page Spell Points/Costs--Proficiences--Aura's for magic--Psionics OR E-mail me! ATC_Webbman@hotmail.com