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This is an abbreviated explanation of spell design. For more information, refer to the this book's Introduction and The Aysle Sourcebook.
Spell design begins when the mage observes a supernatural pattern. The mage must have a general idea of what he wants the spell to accomplish. The mage must have all four magic skills and adds in the spell's pattern arcane knowledge.
Pattern Skill: Choose the pattern skill based on the spell's most important effect:
The next three steps require tracing a path on the State Path diagram. When going in the direction of the arrow, the cost is the number on that line. When the path goes against the arrow, the cost is 2. If the path has a knowledge circle upon itself, the direction must agree with the arrow.
Example: The Pattern Knowledge is Magic (cost 15). The mechanism and result knowledge is light. Travelling to light costs 5 (two--against the arrow---to inanimate forces, and three to light). Using light as the result costs 3 (it cannot go against the arrow).
Additional: If impressing the spell into another kindred, trace a path from the Pattern Knowledge to living forces, then to the kindred knowledge.
If impressing the spell into an object, the path from the Pattern Knowledge must go to living forces, then the kindred knowledge that will be able to use the spell (folk for folk, enchanted for enchanted, etc. If the spell can be used by all kindred, the living forces knowledge circles on itself). The path then goes to the element knowledge which best describes the material of the object.
Write down the path and enter the cost.
Mechanism Knowledge: Enter the Mechanism Knowledge and the cost to get there from the Pattern Knowledge. Refer to pages 63-70 of The Aysle Sourcebook for appropriate mechanisms. Magic is one of the most popular mechanisms because its results are not read through the Power Push Table (all other mechanisms are).
Result Knowledge: Enter the Result Knowledge and the cost to get there from the Mechanism Knowledge. Refer to pages 63-70 of The Aysle Sourcebook for appropriate result knowledges.
Check the Knowledge Interaction Chart (Introduction, page 8) to see if this pattern/mechanism/result combination is allowed.
Casting Method: Choose how the spell will be cast. A direct spell is immediately released by the caster and has a cost of O. A focused spell has a cost of 2 and takes effect immediately after the casting and is cast into an object. An impressed spell has a cost of 3 and is memorized, retained indefinitely and released by the caster in one second. An impressed and focused spell has a cost of 5. A ward has a cost of 5 and is cast into an object or person, to be activated when a certain condition occurs (explained under Aspects).
State Total: Add up the Pattern Knowledge, Additional, Mechanism Knowledge, Result Knowledge and Casting Method.
State: Enter the State Total.
Area: This value is the radius for the two-dimensional area the spell affects. An Area may be horizontal or vertical. Unless otherwise stated, the spell's form is a circle (see Form in Aspects) .
Volume: This value is the radius for the third dimension of the spell's effect (area must also be bought). Unless otherwise stated, the spell's form will be a sphere (see Form in Aspects). Area and volume should be equal; if not, the spell's maximum area affected is the smaller value.
Effect: This is how "powerful" the spell is. Effect can be used for any number of things, including damage (fireball spells), and Strength (arm of air). Effect is usually compared to a quality of the target.
Result Modifier: A Result modifier is allowed for spells which do not use magic as the mechanism. Find the spell's effect value on the left column of the Extended Power Push Table (The Aysle Sourcebook, page 83). The bonus number in the right column is the maximum Result Modifier that can be bought. See page 7 of the Introduction.
Pattern: The sum of the Area, Volume, Effect and Result Modifier.
Multi-Attributes: A spell affects one attribute for free, but additional attributes may be bought. All skills governed by an attribute will be increased by the spell's result points.
Specific skills or special abilities may be affected by buying each one individually (called derived effects). Read the spell's result points on the Power Push Table, and increase the derived effects by the final result points.
Any additional attributes, skills or special abilities affected must be bought using the One-on-Many (the cost is the number in the DN+# column). List all Multi-Attributes.
Example: A spell is designed to affect just Dexterity at no Multi-Attribute cost (the first attribute is free).
A spell affects Dexterity, Strength and Toughness. The One-on-Many cost for three attributes (# Char Column) is 6 (DN+#).
A spell affects Dexterity, Strength, Toughness and the dodge and fire combat skills (the skills are derived effects). Five affected items costs 8. In addition, after the Dexterity, Strength and Toughness are increased, read the result points through the Power Push Table, and increase dodge and fire combat by the final result points.
A caster may target only some of the characters within the area of effect if she buys a multi-target and the Effect and Change Target Aspects. Multi-Target costs are figured separately from Multi-Attribute. Add the One-on-Many cost for the number of characters chosen. When the spell is used, if the number of characters in the area is less than or equal, the caster decides who is affected; if the number is greater, the spell affects all characters in the area of affect.
Example: A cost of 8 (How Many Succeed/Difficulty Increase column) allows the caster to determine who is affected if there are six or fewer individuals in the area of effect. If there are seven or more individuals in the area, the spell will affect everyone.
Aspects: Aspects are controllable portions of the spell. Determine the number of aspects chosen and enter the One-on-Many cost. Unlike Multi-Attribute, the first Aspect is not free. For more information see The Aysle Sourcebook, page 74. List all Aspects. List the cost for variable Aspects.
By buying just volume, the caster may form a cylinder up to 30 meters long and 30 meters high. By buying area and volume, the caster may make a cube up to 30 meters high, long and wide. Both of these shapes exceed the original sphere, but do not exceed the area and volume bought with the spell.
Skill: A modifier determined by the Pattern Skill:
Speed: The spell's speed. For a spell to reach its full range by the time the spell ends, use the following formula for the minimum speed:
Range: The maximum range of the spell's effect. An Area/Volume may be placed anywhere within the range, but the spell's Effect will never exceed the Range.
Duration: The spell's duration. A short duration reduces a spell's difficulty.
Generate conjuration, Pattern, divination, apportation and alteration skill totals by adding the skill, the adds in the pattern knowledge and the bonus number. Enter these totals where indicated.
Subtract the knowledge totals from the State, Pattern, Control, Apportation and Duration. Only the Duration minus Alteration total may be lower than -5. Spell characteristics, except Theorems, may not be altered once the mage has begun generating skill totals. Pattern knowledge adds are added to skills only during spell creation. They are never added when casting spells.
Characters may not spend cards when generating knowledge totals; they may spend possibilities.
Magic Skill: Enter the Pattern Skill' s modifier:
Spell Sum: Enter the sum of the entries above it. If the sum is less than zero, enter zero.
Cast Time: A long cast time reduces the spell's difficulty. Impressed spells often have a long cast time because they can be stored in the caster's memory until they are needed, at which time they can be instantly released.
Basic Complexity: The sum of Magic Skill, Process Maximum, and Spell Sum, minus Casting Time.
Theorem Sum: After the calculating the Basic Complexity, the mage subtracts any bonuses generated with theorems. According to Aysle magic theory, the use of theorems aids the caster in pulling the correct magical pattern from the supernatural.
Mages may apply as many or as few theorems as they want on a given spell. Once a mage begins rolling theorem totals, she may not add or remove any theorems. For more information, see pages 61 and 62 of The Aysle Sourcebook. There are two kinds of theorems: Pattern and Process.
Pattern theorems require components or actions, and must be strictly adhered to when casting a spell. Characters may not have skill adds in pattern theorems.
Process theorems are portions of the spell which help characters control the spell. Characters may have skill adds in process theorems (see column on Lab Sheet). If a character has all of the process theorems of a spell he may manipulate it (see pages 78 and 79 of The Aysle Sourcebook).
The character rolls a bonus number to determine the how well the theorem has been applied. When rolling theorem totals, all characters (including Ords) roll again on a 10 or 20. No possibilities or cards may be spent on theorem rolls.
Pattern Theorems
Process Theorems
Spell Log: The Axiom Level should be determined based on the Gamemaster and the Axiom Descriptions (Torg Rulebook, page 93). Impressed spells have a minimum Axiom of 17. The Skill equals the caster's pattern skill plus the caster's adds in the pattern arcane knowledge. Mages who want to cast the spell must have pattern skill + knowledge adds equal to this number. A spell may be designed at less than the caster's full skill level (so less experienced mages can use it. See page 76 of The Aysle Sourcebook for more information). The Bonus Number To must be assigned to Effect, Range or Duration. Find Effect, Range, Duration, and Cast Time on the Spell Lab Sheet. Manipulation lists the Process Theorems used.
The spell's description explains how Pattern Theorems are used, and how the spell uses game mechanics.
Design Time: The initial observation of the spell takes one hour (determining the spell's characteristics and generating skill rolls). The mage may try to observe in less than one hour, increasing Pattern by the value of the time cut short.
If the mage dislikes the skill rolls, he may try to observe the supernatural pattern again in one week, rerolling all skills. This may be repeated as often as the mage likes, but skill rolls from previous observations are lost.
Observing a Theorem takes one week of time. Additional weeks may be spent, adding the value of the weeks as a bonus (spending six weeks observing the contagion theorem yields a +4 bonus). Theorem totals may be generated multiple times, but all previous rolls are lost.
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