Editing Rising Sun Eternal: Magic (section)

== Magical Effects ==

There are lots of weird, supernatural things that can happen in your game. In most cases, the style of weirdness and its scope of effect should be tied to the specific setting, or the current adventure/campaign/plotline being played out. Effects should relate to significant plot points or elements of the setting rather than being generic RPG ‘spells’.
The following guidelines may be helpful to Game Moderators inventing custom supernatural powers for their own game.

=== Calculating the Scope of the Supernatural Effect ===


The manifestations associated with a supernatural effect can be virtually anything the Game Moderator can imagine. Where such effects require game mechanics, these can be designed on a case-by-case basis.

For determining the attribute cost of a ritual, it is useful to gauge the overall ‘magnitude of the effect being generated – this is termed the scope of the effect. For convenience, a scale of eight scope ratings (from least to greatest) is shown below, along with a representative Willpower Point cost for fueling effects at each rating.


*Minor: 6
*Small: 9
*Significant: 12
*Substantial: 15
*Major: 22 (or 12 WP + 1 POW)
*Vast: 30 (or 10 WP + 2 POW)
*Sweeping: 45 (or 15 WP + 3 POW)
*Cosmic: 110 (or 10 WP + 10 POW)


The scope of an effect is based on how sweeping a change it causes to the physical (or mental) world. The sections which follow give guidelines regarding how specific types of effects might be rated using this scale.
 
One basic factor for consideration is the range of the supernatural effect (i.e., how far from the ritual site the effect manifests). Generally, it is much easier to create effects nearby and harder to influence reality a long distance away. The table below gives a rough guide.


*Nearby (10 m away): Minor
*Local (100m away): Small
*Line of Sight (1km away): Significant
*Distant (100km away): Substantial
*Global (anywhere on Earth): Major
*Beyond earth, but within our galaxy: Vast
*In another galaxy: Sweeping
*In a separate dimension: Cosmic


Use these base scope ratings as a starting point, adapting them according to the criteria specific to different effect types as shown on the next page. Wherever multiple criteria apply, always pick the greater of the two possible scope ratings (e.g., if one criterion suggests a Significant rating and another a Vast rating, the scope of the effect is actually Vast).


=== Common Types of Effects ===


As Game Moderator you’re free to invent any type of supernatural effect that complements your game world. A few common categories of effects may prove useful starting points for broader invention. 

'''Summoning Supernatural Entities'''

In many settings there exist a family of rituals designed to compel a supernatural being to manifest at the location where the ritual is performed. The specific details of the chants and actions that must be performed to achieve this outcome vary according to the type of creature to be summoned.
In determining the Scope rating for this supernatural effect, the most pertinent factor is the POW characteristic of the supernatural creature summoned. 

*1—8: Minor
*9—12: Small
*13—16: Significant
*17—20: Substantial
*21—30: Major
*31—40: Vast
*41—60: Sweeping
*61—150: Cosmic


'''Binding Supernatural Entities'''

Another category of rituals found in many settings are those compelling a supernatural creature to obey the will of the ritual leader (at least for a period of time). This control is called binding. As with summoning, the Scope of such an effect is governed primarily by the POW of the creature – use the table above. Binding spells which have a long duration (more than a day) may warrant a higher Scope rating than that mentioned on the table.


'''Mental Contact With Gods'''

While many settings include numerous races of supernatural creatures, the major Powers are often more properly thought of as individual ‘gods’. .
Certain sorcerers have at different points in history devised rituals to make mental contact with one of these intelligences. In determining the rating for the scope of such an effect the primary consideration is the potency of the God.

*Minor (e.g., local spirit): Substantial
*Major (e.g., angel, demigod): Vast
*Significant (e.g., god of element): Sweeping
*Cosmic (e.g., Creator): Cosmic


'''Opening Physical Conduits to Gods'''

Some sorcerers are not content with communing with such entities, but instead wish to open conduits for their physical avatars to enter our reality.
Again, the primary consideration in determining scope is the potency of the God, although the act of opening a physical conduit is at least one step greater in scope than merely communicating telepathically.


*Minor (e.g., local spirit): Vast
*Major (e.g., angel, demigod): Sweeping
*Significant (e.g., god of element): Cosmic
*Cosmic (e.g., Creator): Cosmic



'''Dimensional Traversal'''

Settings often incorporate the idea of extra-dimensional locales, whether remote parts of our own universe, realms created by the collective human unconscious mind, or entirely different dimensions. Stories set in such worlds may involve a myriad of different supernatural effects that permit mere mortals to cross the barrier between the normal world and one such outside region.

In determining the scope of an effect which allows dimensional traversal, consider the distances involved. Use the range table provided above, re-imagining the range values as referring instead to the distance traversed. 


'''Cursing and Damaging'''

Although far less common than in traditional tabletop roleplaying games, supernatural effects may exist in some settings which directly inflict physical harm on individuals. The scope for such an effect can be estimated by considering the amount of physical damage which may be potentially inflicted, usually represented by a dice value or Lethality rating.

*Minor: 1D4
*Small: 1D6
*Significant: 1D8
*Substantial: 1D10
*Major: 1D20
*Vast: 2D20
*Sweeping: 10D10
*Cosmic: 10D100


'''Warding and Protection'''

As counterpoint to supernatural effects which may cause physical harm, it is equally possible for supernatural effects to exist which protect individuals from such harm. When estimating the scope of such an effect, consider the worst or most-serious type of damage the effect is likely to mitigate and consult the table from the previous section.