Stone Magic, Stone Pyramids, and Related Material

[Library Ogre]

Stone Magic

Stone Magic is an ancient form of magical technology, related conceptually to Techno-wizardry. Stone Masters are, at the simplest level, able to manipulate stone; mold it, move it, and shape it. However, with the proper materials, Stone Masters can create a wide variety of “traditional” powers, and, working together, can create massive stone pyramids; works of magical technology that heal people, extend their lives, and even piercing dimensions. All True Atlanteans are taught how to use Stone Magic technology; only true Stone Mages (those with the Arcane Background: Stone Magic) and Stone Masters (those with the Stone Master Iconic Framework) can manipulate the stone and call forth powers.

Powers available to Stone Mages
All who have the Arcane Background: Stone Master begin with the powers of Elemental Manipulation: Earth (or, more accurately, Stone) and a limited form of the power Telekinesis, which will only function on stone. These powers may be used as normal for powers; they require only the expenditure of PPE and a roll of the Stone Magic skill. With the New Power Edge, Stone Mages may also learn Armor, Barrier, Blast, Bolt, Burrow, Burst, Entangle, Havoc, Pummel, Slow, Stun, and Wall Walker, all with the trapping of Stone; there must be sufficient natural stone present to make use of the powers; Wall Walker will only go up stone walls, Armor will cover the Stone Mage in stony armor, Entangle will wrap hands of stone around its victims, and so on. Most of these powers require a volume of stone equal to the size of the caster or the area of effect to enact; you can only create a Blast if there is enough stone to manage a Medium Burst template.
Stone Mages may use any power, however, by drawing them forth from gems and crystals. Different types of gems and crystals contain different powers; some have several powers associated with them, and others have only one. Small gems can only be used this way two times each, large gems may be used four times; raises may be allocated to improve the power, or to not use up the gem (or both, if you get enough raises). Likewise, additional uses may be drawn from the gem, with each extra use adding +2 to the Stone Magic roll; thus, someone with a large gem may use it entirely in a single roll, if they like, gaining +6 to the roll (1 use to power the spell, the 3 other uses converting to +6). Powers called forth from gems do not need to be learned, nor are they limited by rank, only to hold the gem itself, spend the PPE, and roll the Stone Magic skill. A failure of the Stone Magic skill normally only means that the magic was not enacted. If the skill die is a 1, however, the use of the gem is still consumed. When a gem is used up, it crumbles at the end of the spell’s duration.

Stone Pyramid Magic
Stone Pyramids are massive structures built upon ley lines and ley line nexuses, controlling their vast power and channelling it into more useful endeavors. They are the work of years, or massive numbers of workers; even small pyramids are no less than hundred feet tall, and the largest pyramids top a thousand. The pyramids are seldom solid, instead containing a warren of tunnels and galleries, and often sitting atop further underground complexes. Their faces, however, must be solid planes.
Stone pyramids have a number of passive abilities that require no magic energy, and little to no skill with Stone Magic. True Atlanteans, Stone Mages, and Stone Masters who sleep in a pyramid do not age; sleeping in a nexus pyramid every night for a year adds a year to their lifespan; they must sleep there for two years to add a single year to their lifespan if only located on a ley line. Stone Mages and Stone masters who sleep in a pyramid may make a natural healing roll every day. Humans, True Atlanteans, and other human offshoots (Ogres, Amazons, etc.) who sleep in a pyramid may make two natural healing rolls a week; dragons find their already impressive healing abilties doubled (for Flame Wind Hatchlings, for example, this is two per day, or two per round if they have the Fast Regeneration hatchling advance. All who sleep in the pyramid gain a +2 to natural healing rolls. Stone Masters and Stone Mages can also place themselves in stasis sleep, aging only one week per ten years of sleep. While inside or in contact with a pyramid, everyone who uses PPE for magic is considered to be on a ley line or nexus (as appropriate) for the purposes for recovering PPE and using magic.
Some abilities of pyramids are available to any with skill in Stone Magic, including True Atlanteans. With a Stone Magic roll, anyone skilled in Stone Magic can leave messages for others who come to the pyramid, or communicate with other pyramids through full-sized holograms; this can function even across dimensions, if they know the destination pyramid. Stone magic can also be used to teleport to any other stone pyramid on the planet; this teleportation takes only a single action, and can be as specific as a single person, or up to two dozen people or fifty tons of material. If one knows of a pyramid in another dimension, one can even teleport there, but it will require two rounds of concentration. All of these abilities require being inside or in contact with the pyramid, and a successful roll of the Stone magic skill.
Stone Pyramids function as a control on the power of ley lines and nexuses. A pyramid prevents the use of Ley Line energy within one mile for every foot of height of the pyramid… along every ley line it is connected to, if located at a nexus. That massive power is instead directed and stored within the pyramid itself, to power the pyramid’s own magical abilities. Stone Mages (those with the Arcane Background: Stone Magic) and Stone Masters (those with the Iconic Framework) can tap this energy if inside or in direct contact with the pyramid; their Stone Magic skill rolls receive a +2 if the pyramid is located on a leyline, and +4 if located on a nexus. Other users of magic are only granted access to the power of the ley line or nexus if they are in contact with the pyramid itself.
This control over the power of ley lines and nexuses extends to ley line storms and rifts. If the GM is randomly determining the presence of ley line storms, they will only occur on a draw of the King of Clubs if near a ley line; if near a nexus, the chance is only that of the Kings. A Stone Mage or Stone Master can also completely cancel a storm if they like, by making a Stone Magic roll at -4. A Stone Mage or Stone Master can also create a Ley Line storm, again with a Stone Magic roll at -4. The storm will last ten minutes times the result of their Stone Magic roll, but that will also drain the pyramid of magic for six hours; only healing, life extension, and stasis will function during that time. Stone pyramids can also be used by Stone Mages and Stone Masters to control the mundane weather in their immediate area, with a Stone Magic roll at -2. These all require being inside or in contact with the pyramid.
If a random Rift opens, it can be closed with a Stone Magic roll at -4, though this will take 2D4 rounds. This same ability can be used to open a Rift to a specific location, but that requires the Stone Mage or Stone Master to roll at -4. Rifts so created are small, Easy rifts, that will last 1 minute times the Stone Magic roll. Creating a medium or large rift inflict an additional -2 and -4 penalty. These all require being inside or in contact with the pyramid.
Most pyramids are “Open”; that is, anyone may call upon their abilities. This can pose some difficulties, when any Stone Mage or Master might step onto a pyramid and summon a ley line storm, draining the pyramid for hours. To prevent this, some pyramids will be controlled; this requires a Stone Mage or Stone Master inside the pyramid to remain on-guard and counter unauthorized actions. While on guard, the base difficulty for any action they do not allow increases to one-half their Stone Magic skill plus two; with a d8 skill, the base difficulty becomes 6, and the Stone Mage or Master can actively try to prevent one non-passive ability per action with an opposed Stone Magic test. An opposed Stone Magic test can usurp control of a pyramid, but it must be made against all Stone Mages on defense. The Splugorth will frequently have several Stone Mages on duty to prevent unauthorized use. Even this control, however, will not prevent incoming teleports, messages, or Rifts; those must be individually seen to.

New Trapping
*Stone: The stone trapping has a two-fold effect. The first is that any power with the stone trapping requires an amount of stone to use; for the Bolt power, this might only be a small amount, but the Burrow power would require an uninterrupted path of stone to travel through. Stone, however, endures, so non-instant spells with the stone trapping have their duration increased by 1.

New Edges:
Arcane Background: Stone Magic
Arcane Skill: Stone Magic (Spirit)
Starting Power Points: 10
Starting Powers: Elemental Manipulation (Stone), Telekinesis (of Stone), Gem Powers
Special: True Atlanteans who are Stone Mages begin with d8 in Stone Magic, not d4.

Pyramid Defense
Requirements: Arcane Background: Stone Magic, Spirit d6
The character is skilled in preventing unauthorized use of pyramids. Their passive pyramid defense improves to half their Stone magic roll plus three, and they have an additional +2 to opposed rolls to retain control of a pyramid (they do not get that bonus to take control of a pyramid, only to retain control.

Improved Pyramid Defense
Requirements: Pyramid Defense, Arcane Background: Stone Magic, Spirit d8
Further experience increases the above bonuses to half Stone Magic plus four, and +4 to retain control of a pyramid.

Improved Gem Powers
Requirements: Arcane Background: Stone Magic
The character is skilled at drawing powers from Gems; they receive a +1 to Stone Magic to draw powers from Gems. When drawing more power from a gem, the character receives a +3 per additional use burned, instead of +2.

Stone Master (Iconic Framework)
There are many Stone Mages in the world; those who have learned Stone Magic and make use of it in their daily lives. Stone Masters, however, have made the study of stone their lives. Ley Line Walkers like to pretend that they have mastered Ley Lines; Stone Masters can control the ley line in ways a Walker can only dream of, and open Rifts with an ease that Shifters might envy. Sure, it requires thousands of tons of stone, but with that, a Stone Master might live forever, blessing his people with clement weather and safety from the ravages of the Rifts.

THE STONE MASTER HERO’S JOURNEY (FIVE ROLLS)
Stone Master gain three rolls on any of the following tables: Enchanted Items & Mystic Gadgets, Education, Experience & Wisdom, and Magic & Mysticism. They also get two rolls on any table of their choice, except for Psionics or Cybernetics.

STONE MASTER’S ABILTIES AND BONUSES
*Arcane Background: Stone Magic. Stone Masters begin with the three standard powers of Stone Magic (Elemental Manipulation, Telekinesis of Stone, and Gem Powers), and five other powers from the list of stone powers above. They have 15 PPE and a d8 in the Stone magic skill; True Atlantean Stone Mages begin with a d10 in Stone magic, or a d12 if they also have a d12 Spirit.
*Gemology. Stone Masters are better able to use Gem Magic. For them, small gems have 4 uses, and large gems have 8 uses. While most Gem powers do not have trappings, a Stone Master may add the Stone trapping to any Gem Power for free, or any non-necromantic standard trapping to a Gem power for 1 additional PPE, plus any cost of the trapping itself.
*Master of Magic. Stone Masters have the Master of Magic edge, gaining Mega Powers for all of their known spells, and for all Gem Powers. They gain Rapid Recharge edge, as well.
*Pyramid Magic. Stone Masters begin with the Pyramid Defense edge. Furthermore, they receive a +2 to all rolls to interact with or control a pyramid’s magic. If the pyramid is not locked, they do not spend PPE while in contact or inside a pyramid.

STONE MASTER COMPLICATIONS
*Cybernetics: Stone Masters are prevented from using cybernetics, much like other users of magic. Every point of Strain imposes a 1 point penalty on the Stone Magic skill.
*Enemies: Stone Masters, like all users of magic, are “Shoot on sight” for the Coalition. Unless they are specifically allied to the Splugorth, the Splugorth also consider them priority targets, as well, given their potential to disrupt the Splugorth’s pyramid-centered cities.
*Shackled to Stone: Stone Masters suffer immensely while away from stone, or deprived of gems. While they have great power when surrounded by rock or on a pyramid, they are nearly helpless when away from it.

STONE MASTER STARTING GEAR
Ley Line Walker Light Armor, NG-33 Laser Pistol or Vibro-Knife, NG-S2 Survival Pack, 4d6*1000 worth of gems, 1d4 × 1,000 credits.

Link to Gem Magic Tables; I don't feel like formatting this for the message board

[Freemage]

Stone Magic

Stone Magic is an ancient form of magical technology, related conceptually to Techno-wizardry. Stone Masters are, at the simplest level, able to manipulate stone; mold it, move it, and shape it. However, with the proper materials, Stone Masters can create a wide variety of “traditional” powers, and, working together, can create massive stone pyramids; works of magical technology that heal people, extend their lives, and even piercing dimensions. All True Atlanteans are taught how to use Stone Magic technology; only true Stone Mages (those with the Arcane Background: Stone Magic) and Stone Masters (those with the Stone Master Iconic Framework) can manipulate the stone and call forth powers.

Powers available to Stone Mages
All who have the Arcane Background: Stone Master begin with the powers of Elemental Manipulation: Earth (or, more accurately, Stone) and a limited form of the power Telekinesis, which will only function on stone. These powers may be used as normal for powers; they require only the expenditure of PPE and a roll of the Stone Magic skill. With the New Power Edge, Stone Mages may also learn Armor, Barrier, Blast, Bolt, Burrow, Burst, Entangle, Havoc, Pummel, Slow, Stun, and Wall Walker, all with the trapping of Stone; there must be sufficient natural stone present to make use of the powers; Wall Walker will only go up stone walls, Armor will cover the Stone Mage in stony armor, Entangle will wrap hands of stone around its victims, and so on. Most of these powers require a volume of stone equal to the size of the caster or the area of effect to enact; you can only create a Blast if there is enough stone to manage a Medium Burst template.
Stone Mages may use any power, however, by drawing them forth from gems and crystals. Different types of gems and crystals contain different powers; some have several powers associated with them, and others have only one. Small gems can only be used this way two times each, large gems may be used four times; raises may be allocated to improve the power, or to not use up the gem (or both, if you get enough raises). Likewise, additional uses may be drawn from the gem, with each extra use adding +2 to the Stone Magic roll; thus, someone with a large gem may use it entirely in a single roll, if they like, gaining +6 to the roll (1 use to power the spell, the 3 other uses converting to +6). Powers called forth from gems do not need to be learned, nor are they limited by rank, only to hold the gem itself, spend the PPE, and roll the Stone Magic skill. A failure of the Stone Magic skill normally only means that the magic was not enacted. If the skill die is a 1, however, the use of the gem is still consumed. When a gem is used up, it crumbles at the end of the spell’s duration.

Okay.... I'm trying to wrap my head around this. Essentially, gemstones are, in the hands of a Stone Mage, a form of potion--a one-shot use of a given Power, with the PPE provided by the Stone Mage. This doesn't seem particularly bad on the face of it. However, the Gem Magic table probably needs a heavy-handed going-over, particularly the prices. SW/SR (unlike PR), makes a direct link between power/utility and cost. The listed prices here are all over the map, particularly for the Novice Powers--they range from an average 50 Credits (Magentite, which offers Beast Friend, Light/Obscure AND Entangle as options) up to 3500 (for Jet, which lets you cast... Darksight? Really?). For the cost of one Darksight gem, I can buy 70 of the other. That's... absurdly unbalanced. So that's the biggest red flag--the prices need to be rebalanced. Since the flavor is about linking the mineral type to the power, the alternative is to state that some gems and minerals need larger volumes to be effective at the same degree. There should also be a bump if a mineral has multiple applications. And the Variable Rank powers should probably be priced according to the Rank they are used at.

I'm also less sanguine with the +2/'dose' approach. I'd suggest a single die-bump in the casting skill (which translates into +1 after you hit d12), instead. That's still a pretty major boost if you want to throw down.

[Library Ogre]

Okay.... I'm trying to wrap my head around this. Essentially, gemstones are, in the hands of a Stone Mage, a form of potion--a one-shot use of a given Power, with the PPE provided by the Stone Mage. This doesn't seem particularly bad on the face of it. However, the Gem Magic table probably needs a heavy-handed going-over, particularly the prices. SW/SR (unlike PR), makes a direct link between power/utility and cost. The listed prices here are all over the map, particularly for the Novice Powers--they range from an average 50 Credits (Magentite, which offers Beast Friend, Light/Obscure AND Entangle as options) up to 3500 (for Jet, which lets you cast... Darksight? Really?). For the cost of one Darksight gem, I can buy 70 of the other. That's... absurdly unbalanced. So that's the biggest red flag--the prices need to be rebalanced. Since the flavor is about linking the mineral type to the power, the alternative is to state that some gems and minerals need larger volumes to be effective at the same degree. There should also be a bump if a mineral has multiple applications. And the Variable Rank powers should probably be priced according to the Rank they are used at.

Believe it or not, there was an attempt to balance that... and some of your examples seem off. Magnetite offers Beast Friend and Entangle, but Light/Obscure is Sulphur. Jet is Deflection; Darksight is Alexandrite which, for the effect, is way overpriced, I agree... but Alexandrite is also one I didn't do much to change, since it's the same cost as it was in Atlantis, and with a similar effect (Atlantis has Eyes of the Wolf for Alexandrite). Part of the design process was to line up the powers in Rank order, and assign them to approximately valued gems... some trended higher or lower, but keeping within limits. The price ranges were determined by Atlantis; I considered balancing them lower, but noted that most gear in the TLPG was about the price it was in Rifts, so unless there was something to do with Techno-Wizards that lowered prices on gems, the price balance point seemed in line with that SR did.

I'm also less sanguine with the +2/'dose' approach. I'd suggest a single die-bump in the casting skill (which translates into +1 after you hit d12), instead. That's still a pretty major boost if you want to throw down.

And very limited by amounts you have present... unless you're sitting on a mother lode of gems, blowing three or four uses on a single spell severely limits your future abilities.

[Freemage]

Okay.... I'm trying to wrap my head around this. Essentially, gemstones are, in the hands of a Stone Mage, a form of potion--a one-shot use of a given Power, with the PPE provided by the Stone Mage. This doesn't seem particularly bad on the face of it. However, the Gem Magic table probably needs a heavy-handed going-over, particularly the prices. SW/SR (unlike PR), makes a direct link between power/utility and cost. The listed prices here are all over the map, particularly for the Novice Powers--they range from an average 50 Credits (Magentite, which offers Beast Friend, Light/Obscure AND Entangle as options) up to 3500 (for Jet, which lets you cast... Darksight? Really?). For the cost of one Darksight gem, I can buy 70 of the other. That's... absurdly unbalanced. So that's the biggest red flag--the prices need to be rebalanced. Since the flavor is about linking the mineral type to the power, the alternative is to state that some gems and minerals need larger volumes to be effective at the same degree. There should also be a bump if a mineral has multiple applications. And the Variable Rank powers should probably be priced according to the Rank they are used at.

Believe it or not, there was an attempt to balance that... and some of your examples seem off. Magnetite offers Beast Friend and Entangle, but Light/Obscure is Sulphur. Jet is Deflection; Darksight is Alexandrite which, for the effect, is way overpriced, I agree... but Alexandrite is also one I didn't do much to change, since it's the same cost as it was in Atlantis, and with a similar effect (Atlantis has Eyes of the Wolf for Alexandrite). Part of the design process was to line up the powers in Rank order, and assign them to approximately valued gems... some trended higher or lower, but keeping within limits. The price ranges were determined by Atlantis; I considered balancing them lower, but noted that most gear in the TLPG was about the price it was in Rifts, so unless there was something to do with Techno-Wizards that lowered prices on gems, the price balance point seemed in line with that SR did.

Not the price on gems--but note that for TW gear, price is directly determined by the Rank of the Power--that's the guideline you want to go for, here.

I'm also less sanguine with the +2/'dose' approach. I'd suggest a single die-bump in the casting skill (which translates into +1 after you hit d12), instead. That's still a pretty major boost if you want to throw down.

And very limited by amounts you have present... unless you're sitting on a mother lode of gems, blowing three or four uses on a single spell severely limits your future abilities.

This, I think, represents the difference between Savage Rifts and Palladium Rifts. Typical combats in SR run 3-5 rounds(1 to 2 rounds of Rocket-Tag aren't completely unheard of); it will be rare that they go much beyond that. One solid casting of a spell (especially one with a non-Instant duration, like Puppet) can be a battle-ender. Beyond Seasoned, frankly, I don't think I've ever seen a well-designed primary spellcaster run out of Power Points from a single battle, even one that's completely over the top. That means that 'throwing down' becomes a much more viable tactic, in turn. You're far less likely to need to manage resources over 10 or 20 actions for a single fight.

That, and flat bonuses to die-rolls are simply a much bigger deal. A +2 on an otherwise unmodified roll means that I get a Success on anything but a Critical Failure. A +6 would be "I get a Raise".

Also, a question--can Gem-based Powers be given any Trapping you desire at the time of casting, or is the Stone Mage still limited to Stone Trappings? That's another big effect. Being able to situationally apply Trappings is a major deal.

[Library Ogre]

You're far less likely to need to manage resources over 10 or 20 actions for a single fight.

But these are not per-action resources... these are per-gem. It's not that you can use your two castings, and then use two more next fight... you use the two castings and that gem is done. It's replacing your gun every 8 shots because you can't reload it. These are powers that do not need to be learned, so they don't require any Edge resources, just access to expensive material components.

Also, a question--can Gem-based Powers be given any Trapping you desire at the time of casting, or is the Stone Mage still limited to Stone Trappings? That's another big effect. Being able to situationally apply Trappings is a major deal.

For Stone mages, they are cast without trappings. Stone Masters can add trappings to them for an additional PPE, and can always add the Stone trapping to them.

(I should be clear; this discussion IS helping and will likely see me making changes to the gem prices... normalizing them, at the very least, instead of the current spread; but I don't think all of your objections have merit).

[Freemage]

You're far less likely to need to manage resources over 10 or 20 actions for a single fight.

But these are not per-action resources... these are per-gem. It's not that you can use your two castings, and then use two more next fight... you use the two castings and that gem is done. It's replacing your gun every 8 shots because you can't reload it. These are powers that do not need to be learned, so they don't require any Edge resources, just access to expensive material components.

Also, a question--can Gem-based Powers be given any Trapping you desire at the time of casting, or is the Stone Mage still limited to Stone Trappings? That's another big effect. Being able to situationally apply Trappings is a major deal.

For Stone mages, they are cast without trappings. Stone Masters can add trappings to them for an additional PPE, and can always add the Stone trapping to them.

(I should be clear; this discussion IS helping and will likely see me making changes to the gem prices... normalizing them, at the very least, instead of the current spread; but I don't think all of your objections have merit).

Glad to hear some of it's helping. And since this is me offering free advice on your game, definitely regard it as worth the price you've paid.

And yes, the gem prices is, in my opinion, the bigger issue. I'd say that the other issue may be mitigated merely by the price of the materials involved. As the prices are now, some of the cheaper spells are very much an issue--I would absolutely be willing to toss down 300 Credits instead of 75 in order to get +6 to my Mind Reading spell, for instance.

The point about shorter combats is this: Over the course of their career, a Savage Rifts mage will cast far, far fewer spells than a PR mage would. Thus, the fact that some of those spells will have a financial cost is, in itself, going to be less of a drawback. That said, I'll leave the issue for you to consider, including the economics of what a fair price/Rank is.

Now, onward:

New Trapping
*Stone: The stone trapping has a two-fold effect. The first is that any power with the stone trapping requires an amount of stone to use; for the Bolt power, this might only be a small amount, but the Burrow power would require an uninterrupted path of stone to travel through. Stone, however, endures, so non-instant spells with the stone trapping have their duration increased by 1.

I'm going to suggest the following:

Stone
All Powers with the Stone Trapping requires an amount of stone to use; for the Bolt power, this might only be a small amount, but the Burrow power would require an uninterrupted path of stone to travel through, and Armor would require stone equal in volume to the surface of the target. There are two Stone Trappings that can be used:
Ready Materials: Stone spells with a duration of "Instant" are easier to cast, because the Stone Mage is merely moving the stone, rather than conjuring the material ex nihilo. Ready Materials Powers are cast at 1 PPE less than normal (but at a minimum of 1 PPE).
Enduring: Stone Powers with a Duration greater than Instant have the durability of their substance. The Duration is increased by 1 of whatever unit of time the spell normally lasts.

[Library Ogre]

Ok, I've made some changes. Rather than repost the entire damn article, I'll just give links.

Stone Magic

Major change here: Gems have fewer uses. Small gems are single-use; large gems are two. Stone Masters are 2 and 4 uses. This allows large gems to be used for the +2 bonus, and stone masters can abuse that a little, but it's far more manageable than the previous version. Also added the suggestion of a cheaper price for instant Stone Trapping powers.

Gem Powers

A hefty rework, here, with all the prices calculated out to their averages, and a renormalization of power costs. I diverged a bit more from the WB2 canon, but I think it creates a better power set for the Gem Magic, with a lot of basic spells being relatively cheap, while anything after Seasoned gets expensive to use... especially when combined with the fewer uses per gem.