Magic in the Archetype System is a spontaneous expression of power. While some rote spells exist, they always originate as spontaneous spells that someone decided to save for later; character do not learn them as the primary expression of their magic, but as occasional shortcuts to have on hand if and when they need them. Even rote spells are editable on the fly.
Spells always have a chance to fail. As such, players must roll a successful check in the Casting branch (unless stated otherwise; see below) in order for the spell to work. Failing a spell causes Backlash, with the severity determined by the final DC of the spell. The system below outlines how to determine the final DC of a spell, as well as the effect of using spells in rapid succession.
Spells always have a chance to fail. As such, players must roll a successful check in the Casting branch (unless stated otherwise; see below) in order for the spell to work. Failing a spell causes Backlash, with the severity determined by the final DC of the spell. The system below outlines how to determine the final DC of a spell, as well as the effect of using spells in rapid succession.
Determining Spell DC
Spells start with a base DC of 50. The details of building the spell make it more or less complex, and therefore easier or harder to cast. This means that low-level characters will be forced to build spells with a low enough DC that their dice pool is capable of hitting it, while higher level characters can increase some aspects of the spell and still find them possible. Actions which subtract from the total make the spell easier to cast, while those that add to the total make it more difficult.
The final DC of the spell must be calculated before it is rolled; however, it is possible to declare the function and action length of the spell immediately, and then calculate the DC in the time before the roll actually happens. Since the roll is not carried out until the end of the spell's action length (see Combat), the calculation can be done by the player as time passes for the character.
The Casting skill tree is the fundamental process for casting spells, as it reflects a character's ability to access and manipulate supernatural energy within the setting. However, some circumstances may permit the use of a different skill tree, such as using Computer for technomancy or Medicine for a healing spell. These have a few requirements. First, the use of a different skill must be approved by Fate. Second, the skill being used must directly relate to the spell being cast; it is not possible to use less relevant skills in the same branch. For instance, if a character wished to use the secondary skill Computer Security for a spell to hack into a government account, but they don't have Computer Security, they cannot use Computer in its place, they will simply have to stick to the Casting tree. Third, the spell is relying on forcing a change to reality through their own knowledge and powered by their own will rather than supernatural energy; as such, it must be powered by either Systemic or Mental self-inflicted damage (see chart below). Finally, spells cast in this way will always suffer Backlash, though the Backlash for a successful spell will be treated as though the DC was two steps lower on the chart than the spell's actual final DC. A character that is forbidden from using a certain kind of magic (or all magic) cannot use this system to bypass that restriction.
The final DC of the spell must be calculated before it is rolled; however, it is possible to declare the function and action length of the spell immediately, and then calculate the DC in the time before the roll actually happens. Since the roll is not carried out until the end of the spell's action length (see Combat), the calculation can be done by the player as time passes for the character.
The Casting skill tree is the fundamental process for casting spells, as it reflects a character's ability to access and manipulate supernatural energy within the setting. However, some circumstances may permit the use of a different skill tree, such as using Computer for technomancy or Medicine for a healing spell. These have a few requirements. First, the use of a different skill must be approved by Fate. Second, the skill being used must directly relate to the spell being cast; it is not possible to use less relevant skills in the same branch. For instance, if a character wished to use the secondary skill Computer Security for a spell to hack into a government account, but they don't have Computer Security, they cannot use Computer in its place, they will simply have to stick to the Casting tree. Third, the spell is relying on forcing a change to reality through their own knowledge and powered by their own will rather than supernatural energy; as such, it must be powered by either Systemic or Mental self-inflicted damage (see chart below). Finally, spells cast in this way will always suffer Backlash, though the Backlash for a successful spell will be treated as though the DC was two steps lower on the chart than the spell's actual final DC. A character that is forbidden from using a certain kind of magic (or all magic) cannot use this system to bypass that restriction.
Using The Charts
Every spell starts with a DC of 100. Players choose options from any relevant tables below and add or subtract the displayed value of that option from 100. Certain Natures or Augments may provide additional numbers to add or subtract. Note that the minimum DC is 10. Any number can be stacked, but it cannot be stacked in a way that bypasses a listed change; for instance, targeting three willing characters with a spell uses the "one target (willing)" -10 and two uses of the "per additional target" +2, which nets a total target modifier of -6.
Each table used produces a distinct modifier; so the final result of the target table produces a target modifier, the final result of the metamagic table produces a metamagic modifier, and so on. Action Length, Spell Duration, Spell Source, Target, and Range must be calculated into every spell, but all other tables are optional and only used when they apply to the specific effect being designed. Any trait with a non-instantaneous duration that the target rolls to resist or prevent (such as control or persistent damage) must also have a value from the Frequency table, unless it is a spell that causes an instantaneous effect to occur during a longer duration; for instance, a spell with a duration of 1 hour that causes instantaneous damage when triggered by a specific action does not need a frequency, even if the damage can be triggered multiple times, unless the damage itself is persistent.
Use of some values to bypass others is forbidden. For instance, using an action length of one day only ever grants a -6 modifier; this cannot be changed to a -20 modifier by arguing that your day is 4 applications of 6 hours, and Fate cannot rule that 1 minute is 10 cycles and therefore make a spell duration of 1 minute force a +30 modifier when it is clearly listed as +4.
Each table used produces a distinct modifier; so the final result of the target table produces a target modifier, the final result of the metamagic table produces a metamagic modifier, and so on. Action Length, Spell Duration, Spell Source, Target, and Range must be calculated into every spell, but all other tables are optional and only used when they apply to the specific effect being designed. Any trait with a non-instantaneous duration that the target rolls to resist or prevent (such as control or persistent damage) must also have a value from the Frequency table, unless it is a spell that causes an instantaneous effect to occur during a longer duration; for instance, a spell with a duration of 1 hour that causes instantaneous damage when triggered by a specific action does not need a frequency, even if the damage can be triggered multiple times, unless the damage itself is persistent.
Use of some values to bypass others is forbidden. For instance, using an action length of one day only ever grants a -6 modifier; this cannot be changed to a -20 modifier by arguing that your day is 4 applications of 6 hours, and Fate cannot rule that 1 minute is 10 cycles and therefore make a spell duration of 1 minute force a +30 modifier when it is clearly listed as +4.
Spell Design Charts
Action Length
Action Length is the amount of time it takes to cast the spell. Any duration greater than 24 hours does not require constant involvement; characters must spend at least 6 hours per day for the duration casting the spell (with a minimum total time of 24 hours). These hours need not be consecutive, but since certain things must happen at certain times in that process, the spell can still be disrupted if their concentration is broken while they are engaged in casting the spell.
Target
The target of the spell is the creature, object, energy, or effect that the spell is designed to influence.
Frequency
Frequency describes how often the target of a resistible ongoing effect may roll to resist, mitigate, or break the effect. This also determines how frequently an ongoing effect acts on the target if applicable; so a persistent damage effect with a frequency of 3 ticks deals the effect's damage every 3 ticks, and the target may roll to resist that damage on every tick in which the damage is dealt; similarly, a persistent effect to control the actions of another character with a frequency of 1 day will only give the target a chance to roll resistance once per day, but will also only allow the caster to exert their direct control once per day. To determine a frequency, pick the scale of time (tick, cycle, minute, etc.) and apply that DC value, then add any additional units of that measure as desired. DC costs go lower the less frequently the effect repeats. A frequency of "Duration" means that the effect causes exactly two checks, one at the time the spell is cast, and one at the end of the spell's duration. A frequency of "Continuous" means that the effect only happens once, but that one time lasts the full duration of the spell or until broken.
Metamagic
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Spell Duration
Spell Duration is the amount of time the spell lasts (for something with an instantaneous or continuous effect) or remains viable (for a triggered or concentration-based effect).
Range
Range describes the distance from the caster (or their familiar) a spell is capable of having effect. Building a spell with a range of 25 feet doesn't mean the target must be 25 feet away, but that they must be no farther than 25 feet away. This has some oddities to it, because magic is inherently built around the will and understanding of the caster; that is, the spell itself has no idea how far a mile is, but the caster is operating by their own understanding of the world. As such, at Fate's discretion, the measured distances may be switched to equivalent distances in another system if it makes sense for the character to think in that way (kilometers instead of miles for characters who grew up with the metric system, for instance). Similarly, the nation/continent distinction may need to be changed in certain environments like Australia, where the whole nation is essentially the same range at the continent, and the "nation" scale may be better applied to administrative districts like states or provinces. The point is, the borders the character is likely to think of as the edge of their current land can be the place they envision a "nation" scale power to reach. Fate may make broad decisions about how these larger scales are actually applied when the characters are not on land or are on highly isolated land (like an island far into the Pacific Ocean). Adding five feet can only be used with a baseline DC change of 10 feet or more; adding five miles can only be used with a baseline DC change of 1 mile or more. "Sight" refers exclusively to the distance within the world the character can be expected to have sensory awareness of under normal environmental circumstances, and cannot be used to target stars or planets just because they are technically visible. Effects that relocate the center of a caster's senses (such as scrying) also move the origin space for range; effects that extend a caster's senses without moving the origin space (such as giving oneself touch sense at a distance) do not extend or alter the effects of range. Effects that change the size of the caster may also change the way range is measured at Fate's discretion.
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Spell Source
Spell Source refers to the origin of energy used to make the spell function. The basic method of powering spells is to use whatever innate magical energy exists in the setting, which is simply called Magic on the table. Body refers to bodily damage, usually in the form of bloodletting. System refers to systemic damage, and essentially functions by drawing from raw life force or allowing one's own organs to bear the burden of powering the spell. Mind refers to mental damage, and describes sacrificing one's sanity for power. All of this damage is healed through normal processes. The DC change amount for any source that runs on damage is given as a per point of damage value; for instance, Body (victim) has a value of -2, which means that the DC drops by 2 for every 1 hit point sustained by the victim. In order to use any victim option, the caster must have control over the victim in a way that gives them access to the energy being used. Stored magic describes using a magical device or element to power the spell. Natural energy involves using a nonmagical energy source to power a spell (such as electricity or fire).
Damage/Healing
Damage/Healing allows an effect to cause damage to, or remove damage from, a target. Values from this table stack as much or as little as the spell is designed to handle; for instance, it is possible to build a spell that does 3d8 Systemic damage + 2d6 Bodily damage + 5 Mental damage, though such a spell would have a very high DC to cast. "Half Save" means that characters targeted by the damage only gain half the benefit of their roll to negate damage, rounded down; so a character who rolls high enough to negate 13 points of damage only actually negates 6. An effect with "Induce Save" grants the target an immediate opportunity to roll a specified Recovery check in addition to any such checks they may normally make.
Effect
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Rules of Magic
Counterspell
Anyone capable of casting magic, and anyone else stated to have the ability, can attempt to negate the effects of a spell (called a counterspell). This can be done to prevent the spell from being cast if done during the spell's action length or on the tick when the spell is completed, or to end an ongoing effect. Counterspell can be done either as a Casting check, or a check using the same Casting branch used to cast the spell; in settings where Casting branches have direct opposites, the opposite may be used instead (using fire to counterspell a water effect, for instance). Counterspell uses the same DC as the spell that was being cast, though some characters may have methods of increasing or decreasing the counterspell DC. Counterspell is always a 1 tick action.