Magic rules

Magic System

The use of magic is open to any human willing to take the risks involved. Drawing on magical power requires the caster to take doses of fos (rhymes with dose) that have been specially prepared from a rare purplish root of the same name. Fos puts the caster in touch with the underlying source of magical power in the universe.

Fos is a purple powder derived from the root of a plant, and must be processed by a trained herbalist and consumed orally. It dissolves rapidly in the mouth once ingested. 1 dose is approximately equivalent to 1 teaspoon of powder. Fos can be consumed as a move action in any round. The maximum amount of fos that can be consumed in one round is equal to your Constitution score, and the maximum amount that you can have in your system at one time is equal to double your Constitution score. Constitution is also the key ability for all concentration checks (1d20 + caster level + Con modifier).

Fos is a general-purpose consumable - once consumed, it can be used for any magic spell / effect permissible. The Prohibited Spells list details the range of spells that are permissible and forbidden.

To cast a spell, consume some fos and then make a magic check.

The base number of doses of fos is equal to twice the spell level, plus metamagic modifiers if any. The spell level of a spell that is in the sorcerer/wizard spell list is as listed. If a spell is not on the sorcerer/wizard list, the spell level is the highest of all the spell levels among its listed classes. Mystics reduce the number of doses needed by -1 at 1st level, increasing by 1 every level divisible by 4 above that. If you consume the raw (unprocessed) root, it takes twice as many doses to achieve the same effect. 0-level spells require 1 dose of fos each. If a mystic has consumed any amount of fos in a given day, they can cast as many 0-level spells as desired without taking any additional fos.

Metamagic feats may be taken by any character. Treat the level modifier given in the standard ruleset as a doses modifier (i.e. each +1 increases the number of doses needed by +1). Mystics do not receive any additional reduction in the doses required to use metamagic feats. Metamagic feats do not affect the spell’s level nor do they increase the casting time of spells.

Your magic check is 1d20 + Base Magic Bonus (BMB) + Intelligence modifier (plus any additional modifiers), with a DC of 10 plus the number of doses taken. If the check succeeds, the spell effect happens normally. If the check fails by 4 or less, the spell still happens and a side effect occurs (consult Table 1). If the magic check fails by 5 or more, the spell fails and a side effect occurs (consult Table 1). A roll of natural 1 on the magic check always indicates a bad effect, although the spell does not necessarily fail. If the side effect is not possible for the given spell (such as the duration of an instantaneous spell being halved, for instance) then roll again. Manifests roll twice whenever they are required to roll for bad effects, and can choose whichever of the two effects they prefer.

The save DC of spells is 10 + spell level + Intelligence modifier.

Verbal and somatic components, as required by the spell, must be used, but there are no material spell components (other than the fos itself). The words and gestures involved are not learned or memorized, and are not written down in any book - rather, they are created, like speaking in tongues, by the caster at the time of casting, tapping into the Source of the universe, and forgotten immediately afterwards. Mystics do have their own ancient language in which they write their texts, but this is an ordinary human language used to keep their lore secret.

Characters wearing light armor do not experience arcane spell failure penalties. Characters wearing medium or heavy armor do have the penalties listed.

Once fos is consumed, the source power can be held for up to 1 round per level. At the end of that time, if not expended, the caster must make a concentration check (1d20 + level + Con modifier), with a DC of 15 + the number of doses remaining unused. If made, the caster may hold the source for an additional 1 round per level, but if failed, the remaining doses are lost, and a wild surge occurs. If at the end of that time, there is still power remaining unused, another check can be made with a +2 cumulative penalty to each check beyond the first. Manifests can hold magical energy for twice as long (2 rounds per level) as other casters, and receive a +4 bonus on concentration checks. If you take damage while holding unused magical energy, you must make a concentration check with a DC of 10 + damage taken + unused doses, or else a wild surge occurs and you lose the unused doses. Prohibited Spells

In general, casters may use magic to create any spell effect at any time, as long as they have the required fos. You do not need to prepare spells in advance. Subject to GM discretion, any spell listed in the Pathfinder spell lists may be used, other than the following:

• Spells that control life and death or that affect the undead are not permitted; this is a matter for religious practitioners. Most necromancy spells are not permitted but some will be allowed on a case-by-case basis.
• Spells that summon or transport other creatures (animals, monsters, elementals, etc.) to you are not permitted. Spells that attract local creatures are permitted.
• Spells that have alignment-based effects are not permitted, because there is no alignment system.
• Spells with a duration of ‘Permanent’ are not permitted, because magic is dependent on there being some source of energy available to fuel the effect.
• Spells that create energy out of nothing are not permitted. These include, primarily, spells from the evocation school, although case-by-case exceptions will be permitted. Spells that draw on local sources of energy (water, lightning, wind) or that create light or sound, are permitted.
• Spells that heal damage or remove afflictions are not permitted (these are largely spells of the healing sub-school).
• Spells that involve contact with, or transportation to and from, other planes of existence, or that affect creatures from other planes, are not permitted.

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Table 1: Spell Effects

Whenever you fail a magic check, compare the number of doses of fos expended (including metamagic) with the number by which you missed the DC, below. Then roll on the appropriate bad effects table (2A, 2B, or 2C). If you fail by 1-4, the spell still works as usual despite the bad effect. If you fail by 5 or more, the spell fails entirely and the bad effect occurs.

Header text	Fail by 1-4	Fail by 5-8	Fail by 9+
1-5 doses	Table 2A	Table 2A	Table 2B
6-10 doses	Table 2A	Table 2B	Table 2B
11-15 doses	Table 2A	Table 2B	Table 2C
16+ doses	Table 2B	Table 2C	Table 2C