Friday, June 20, 2014

Sorcerers in Mutant Future

Magic has its place in the strange world of Mutant Future, though what that place is varies from setting to setting. Clearly the Ancients of The Mutant Future world were delving into some pretty strange sciences. Powers such as Plane Shift in particular point to some pretty wild developments and can easily explain the kind of reality-warping effects that spellcasters use.
In the Atomic Dawn and Mutant Mars settings, we embrace Comic Book Physics. That is to say that if it happened in Golden and Silver Age comics, it could have happened in the setting at one time or another. Aliens, super-powered mutants, cyborgs, mad science, sorcery, giant robots, parallel dimensions, and atomic monsters all have had an influence in the post apocalyptic world of Mutant Future.
So here is my take on a spellcaster in Mutant Future:

Sorcerer (Race)
Hit Dice: 1d6 per point of CON
Ramses Doubleday. Sorcerer/Priest
Mutations: none (replaced by magic, see below)
Maximum Level: 12
Sorcerers are the magic-wielders of the Atomic Dawn and Mutant Mars settings. They are able to draw upon mystical forces, bending, shaping, and warping them to their will. They are able to cast spells of an offensive, defensive, healing, and/or destructive nature. Sorcerers are powerful, yet sometimes feared by humans as the source of their powers is usually in question. How the sorcerer uses his or her powers makes a huge difference of course. Some embrace the wizard motif with robes and wild beards, while others are more like mad scientists or inventors. Many still mix these extremes in the pursuit of power.
Sorcerers appear to be Pure Strain Humans unless they have suffered additional mutations via radiation or magical mishaps. Due to their training and study of the magical arts, Sorcerers gain a +2 when rolling for Intelligence and Willpower. Sorcerers do not initially have any mutations, but can mutated as Mutant Humans when exposed to radiation. Unfortunately, some sorcerers will willingly expose themselves to radiation in the hopes of gaining additional powers, leading to warped flesh and minds.
Sorcerers have a fascination with Ancient culture as Sorcerers study the Ancients during their training in the mystical arts. The ML is encouraged to allow a Sorcerer PC to choose one facet of the Ancients that he has studied (technology, history, language, etc.).
Sorcerers are able to cast spells just as if they were of the same level of an Elf in Labyrinth Lord, casting Magic-User spells, but still able to wield any weapon and wear any armor. However a Sorcerer MUST have at least one free hand to cast spells. If a Sorcerer's hands and arms are bound or otherwise immobile, a spell cannot be cast. The magical powers of Sorcerers are drawn from the same source as Mental Mutations and therefore susceptible to anything that would remove or hamper mutations (like Ancestral Form).
Reaching 9th Level: When a Sorcerer reaches the 9th level, he is able to create Artifacts of his or her own design, including Vehicles and Robots. Also, a sorcerer may build a stronghold, often a great tower, when he reaches level 11th level. He will then attract sorcerer apprentices (1d6).
Spell List: Sorcerers have access to the following spells (see Labyrinth Lord for details).
1st Level- Bless/Curse, Charm Person, Detect Magic, Floating Disc, Hold Portal, Light, Magic Missile, Protection from Evil, Read Languages, Read Magic, Shield, Sleep, Ventriloquism.
2nd Level- Arcane Lock, Continual Light, Detect Evil, Detect Invisible, ESP, Invisibility, Knock, Levitate, Locate Object, Mirror Image, Phantasmal Force, Web.
3rd Level- Animal Growth, Clairvoyance, Dispel Magic, Fire Ball, Fly, Haste, Hold Person, Infravision, Invisibility 10' radius, Lightning Bolt, Protection from Evil 10' radius, Protection from Normal Missiles, Water Breathing.
4th Level- Arcane Eye, Charm Monster, Confusion, Dimension Door, Hallucinatory Terrain, Massmorph, Plant Growth, Polymorph Others, Polymorph Self, Remove Curse, Wall of Fire, Wall of Ice.
5th Level- Animate Dead, Cloudkill, Commune, Conjure Elemental, Contact Other Plane, Feeblemind, Hold Monster, Insect Plague, Magic Jar, Passwall, Telekinesis, Teleport, Transmute Rock to Mud, Wall of Stone.
6th Level- Animate Object, Anti-Magic Shell, Control Weather, Death Spell, Disintegrate, Geas, Invisible Stalker, Lower Water, Move Earth, Part Water, Project Image, Reincarnation, Stone to Flesh.

Game Info 
Mutant Future and Labyrinth Lord use the same basic OSR game rules, with only thematic changes. Still, there are times when things can become confusing.
Saving Throws: Comparing saving throws is very straight forward. Saving throws always use Character Level rather than Hit Dice when spells are cast by and on player characters and NPCs. When spells are cast of creatures, use the creature's Hit Dice to determine saving throws.
When converting saving throws between Mutant Future and Labyrinth Lord, refer to the table below for the direct equivalent:
Labyrinth Lord Mutant Future
Breath Attacks                    Energy Attacks
Poison or Death Poison or Death
Petrify or Paralyze                Stun Attacks
Wands                               Radiation
Spells or Spell-like Devices *See below
*There is no Mutant Future equivalent to Spells or Spell-like Devices. Use the equivalent level from the Fighter saving throw table for Spells or Spell-like Devices in Labyrinth Lord.

No comments:

DISNEY & DRAGONS: D&D in Fantasyland

Many times, in recent years I have encountered would-be players of Dungeons and Dragons whose sole experience with the fantasy genre h...