Spellcraft

Though certainly not exclusive to mankind, spellcraft is one of the few ways that mortal man can compete with the creatures of the Nevernever. True practitioners such as wizards are few and far between (and often come out of specific human bloodlines), but there are lesser practitioners out there as well, able to deliver in less refined and more specific ways.

Regardless how you pursue it, if you’re a mortal spellcaster, you can cause technology to short out around you (see the principles of hexing on page 228).

Evocation is the “thug” side of spellcasting, from some perspectives. It’s all about pushing energy from one place to another, quickly—and subtlety isn't, truly, part of its vocabulary. Worse, it runs a real risk of spiraling out of the caster’s control. Those who have mastered Evocation are among the most feared spellcasters around. It’s not because they can create widespread destruction (although of course they can); it’s because they’re able to do potent spellcasting at a moment’s notice. Those who haven’t quite mastered evocation are usually dangerous as well—but only until they accidentally engineer their own demise. For more on Evocation, see page 249.

Evocation You’re able to use evocation in all of its forms, as described on page 249. You Know What You Know. While Evocation allows the use of a broad range of elements (fire, air, water, earth, and spirit/force, classically speaking), the practitioner doesn't start out familiarized with all of them. When you take Evocation, you must specify three elements you do know. You cannot cast spells using the other elements (which should number two, if using the classical model).

Specialization Full Evocation grants the ability to specialize in one form of Evocation magic, usually by focusing on a particular known element (such as Harry’s predilection for fire). This specialization can take one of two forms—either a power bonus, increasing the caster’s Conviction score by one for any spell of that element, or a control bonus, increasing the caster’s Discipline roll to control the spell by one. One or the other must be chosen, though the specialization does not need to be defined at the time the ability is taken. Additional specializations covering different areas of Evocation may be taken by use of the Refinement ability (page 182).

Item Slots Evocation comes with two free Focus Item Slots (page 278). You can design the items that fit into these slots now, or later on during play. A single Focus Item Slot may be traded in for two Enchanted Item Slots (page 279). You may gain more Item Slots as one of the options on the Refinement ability (page 182).

Thaumaturgy is a subtle art—and slow. It was created by mortal spellcasters due to their need to produce great power but to keep that power under control better than Evocation ever could. This is done through careful preparation and ritual: Thaumaturgy can’t ever be used quickly enough to be much use in a fight.

However, given enough time, preparation, materials, and the right caster, it’s more than a match for supernatural forces. For more on Thaumaturgy, see page 261.

Thaumaturgy You’re able to use Thaumaturgy in all of its forms, as described on page 261.

Specialization Full Thaumaturgy grants the ability to specialize in one form of thaumaturgical magic, usually by focusing on a particular application (such as ectomancy, crafting, or divination—see page 272). This specialization can take one of two forms — either a complexity bonus, increasing the level of complexity you can manage without preparation by one for spells of a particular type, or a control bonus, increasing your rolls to control the specified ritual by one (crafting uses different bonus types—see page 280). One or the other must be chosen, though the specialization does not need to be defined at the time the ability is taken. Additional specializations covering different areas of Thaumaturgy may be taken by use of the Refinement ability (page 182).

Item Slots Thaumaturgy comes with two free Focus Item Slots (page 278). You can design the items that fit into these slots now, or later on during play. A single Focus Item Slot may be traded in for two Enchanted Item Slots (page 279). You may gain more Item Slots as one of the options on the Refinement ability (page 182).

“Channeling” is one of the many general names given to a lesser form of Evocation that is only able to use one particular element. But more often such abilities are referred to by names such as pyromancy (fire evocation) and kinetomancy (kinetic force evocation). Musts You must define the element which your spellcasting is restricted to when you take this ability.

Channeling You are able to use Evocation as described on page 249, but your use is restricted to one particular element, which you must define when you take this ability.

Item Slots Channeling comes with two free Focus Item Slots (page 278). You can design the items that fit into these slots now, or later on during play. A single Focus Item Slot may be traded in for two Enchanted Item Slots (page 279). You may gain more Item Slots as one of the options on the Refinement ability (page 182)—but you may only buy Refinement for that purpose. All items created for those slots must be in keeping with the elemental theme you've chosen for your power.

“Ritual” covers the ability to do one particular application of thaumaturgy—such as crafting or wards—to the exclusion of any others. The application isn't always a technique so much as a subject matter: for example, some ectomancers have this ability, giving them a wide range of thaumaturgic abilities, but restricted only to spirits and ghosts.

Musts You must define which single application of Thaumaturgy your spellcasting is limited to at the time you take this ability.

Ritual You are able to use Thaumaturgy as described on page 261, but your use is restricted to one particular application or thematic subject matter. You must define this limit when you take the ability. For an idea of the options, see page 272.

Item Slots Ritual comes with two free Focus Item Slots (page 278). You can design the items that fit into these slots now, or later on during play. A single Focus Item Slot may be traded in for two Enchanted Item Slots (page 279). You may gain more Item Slots as one of the options on the Refinement ability (page 182)—but you may only buy Refinement for that purpose. All items created for those slots must be in keeping with the single application you've chosen for your power.

You've broken one of the Laws of Magic. For more on the Laws of Magic and the consequences of breaking them, see page 232.

• First You've taken a life with the use of magic, turning a little bit of your soul dark.
• Second You've transformed someone with the use of magic, destroying your victim’s original body and, quite probably, mind.
• Third You've invaded someone’s thoughts with the use of magic, violating the privacy of your victim’s mind.
• Fourth You've enthralled or otherwise laid a compulsion upon another being with magic, likely causing long-term psychological trauma to your victim.
• Fifth You've reached beyond the borders of life and death with your magic, upsetting the natural order of the universe.
• Sixth You've swum against the flow of time, upsetting the natural order of the universe.
• Seventh You've sought knowledge from beyond the Outer Gates, or otherwise drawn power from that forbidden source, upsetting the natural order of the universe.

Slippery Slope Gain a +1 bonus to any spellcasting roll whenever using magic in a way which would break the specified Law of Magic. Increase this spellcasting bonus to +2 if you've broken this Law three or more times; additionally, the refresh cost of this ability increases from –1 to –2 and requires that you change one of your existing aspects into a version twisted by the violation of the Law. Every three times that you break this law past that point, another (different) aspect must be changed, though the refresh cost and spellcasting bonus do not further increase. You cannot stack bonuses if you break multiple Laws with one spell—use the highest bonus.

Trouble Comes in Threes Increase the spellcasting bonus by one if you have three or more Lawbreaker abilities in any combination (i.e., if you've broken three or more Laws of Magic, sporting a Lawbreaker ability for each one), making the maximum possible bonus +3.

Experienced spellcasters learn in time how to refine and focus their abilities, gaining greater strength and diversity.

Refined Spellcraft Refinement is a tool for improving your spellcasting over time. Each time Refinement is taken, choose one option from the following:

1. Add a new element to your Evocation familiarity list. You also get one specialization for that new element.
2. Gain two additional specialization bonuses for Evocation and/or Thaumaturgy. You have to structure your specialization bonuses for each ability according to the same “column” limits for skills (see page 65).

For example, you can’t have a +2 power bonus for water evocation until after you've taken +1 in something else, either a control bonus for water or power/control in another element. You can’t have a +3 bonus until you also have a +2 and a +1. If you have two bonuses at +2, you must have two more at +1, etc.

The same goes for thaumaturgic types and complexity/control bonuses, but when you’re calculating, look at Evocation and Thaumaturgy separately—if you have a +1 complexity bonus to divinations and you want a +2, having a +1 power bonus in water evocation isn't going to help you. You need to take another thaumaturgic specialization at +1.

In addition, you cannot have any specialization bonuses higher than your Lore skill. If your Lore is only Fair (+2), you can’t have a higher bonus than +2 in any specialization. Or, gain two additional Focus Item Slots (or four additional Enchanted Item Slots). For more details on focus items and enchanted items, see page 278.

Some varieties of magic draw on power sources external to the practitioner. Invariably, these sources of power have some kind of agenda of their own. See Spellcasting, page 287, for details about the various kinds of Sponsored Magic.

Notes The cost of Sponsored Magic changes depending on whether or not you already have Evocation or Thaumaturgy. This also affects whether or not Sponsored Magic gives you any additional focus item slots. If you’re paying full price, you get four focus item slots with this ability. If you have either Evocation or Thaumaturgy, thus reducing the cost of Sponsored Magic, you only get two additional focus item slots. If you have both, reducing the cost more, you don’t get any additional focus item slots.