Subject: RE: Mana-Tech - tech spells
From: "Geoffrey E. Fagan" <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 9 Sep 1998 03:01:31 -0500

Joinson wrote:
>Has anyone made up items that combine technology and magic?

The following material is Copyright (c) 1998 by Geoffrey E. Fagan

This material also appeared in some form on the old BBS. I have removed the
ones that are redundant w/ Grimoire, but I don't know if any overlap The
Sourcebook Formerly Known as Technomancer.

Energy Spells
-------------

Recharge/TL
Regular
        Recharges a powercell. If the powercell is not built to be
recharged,
it must roll vs. HT (assume 15) each turn, with a penalty equal to the
amount
of energy restored on that turn.
        Duration: Permanent until discharged.
        Cost: The cost to recharge 1 point of energy is equal to 1 divided
by
the percent emptiness of the cell (round up). Thus, a cell with any energy
at
all, up to 50%, costs 2 points of energy per point restored. A cell that is
90% full will cost 10 points per point to recharge.
        Time to cast: 10 seconds. The caster can recharge the cell as
quickly
as he wishes, with a minimum of 1 point per 10 seconds. Assess the discount
for high skill every 10 seconds, so that a mage with skill 20 can half-fill
a
cell at no cost to himself if he works slowly enough.
        Tech Level: 8.
        Prerequisite: Lend Power (G).
        Item: Power cell. The user can recharge the enchanted power cell
only. Energy cost to create: 350. Most are also enchanted with 2 points of
Power, so that they recharge automatically and continuously up to half
capacity. (This Power does not apply to enchantments placed on the separate
item which uses the cell.)

Shape Magnetic Field
Area
        The mage can perform art which is only visible to Magnetic Vision,
but this spell has more practical uses. It can allow electrical devices to
function in close proximity without mutual interference. It can be used to
make a compass point any direction. It can focus a magnetic field, making it
stronger in one direction but much weaker in all others. In the presence of
a
strong magnetic field, it can be used just like Magnetic Apportation
(below).
Finally, it can protect the magnetic field of plasma bottle or antimatter
bottle from being warped by other magnetic fields.
	[In my own fantasy-cyberpunk campaign, I allow magnetic bottles to be
enchanted with Powerstone; see rules for Powerstores in the subsequent post.
The spell above can help to drain a mana bottle by distorting it, transfer
mana from one bottle to another, or strengthen a mana bottle so that it is
not vulnerable to interference from other magnetic fields. The last function
is an enchantment with cost 100 times the energy points in the bottle.]
        Duration: 1 minute.
        Cost: Highly variable. To enable electrical equipment to function in
proximity, 1/2 energy point per cy, half to maintain. To confuse a compass,
1.
The effect can be made permanent for 100 times normal cost.
        Tech Level: 6.
        Prerequisite: Magnetic Vision (G). To use this spell effectively,
the
mage must cast Magnetic Vision first.

Magnetic Apportation                                  Regular; resisted by
IQ
        Allows the mage to actually create magnetic fields. He can thus move
ferrous objects as with Apportation, and he can contain the motion of
charged
particles. In fact, he can manipulate a whole group of ferrous objects with
only one magnetic field, translating, rotating, or expanding or contracting.
Any ferrous object which falls within the magnetic field will be affected,
and the mage must pay the energy cost for the increased weight. Each
maneuver
takes a separate skill roll. Determine distance penalty with the sum of the
group's diameter and the distance to its centroid.
        Even partially ferrous objects can be manipulated in this manner.
The
normal speed for apportation is a yard per second; multiply this speed by
the
percentage of iron in the object. By doubling the energy input of the spell,
the mage can increase the magnetic field strength, adding another yard per
second to speed. Doubling again increases top speed to 3 yards per second,
and so forth.
        Alternatively, the mage can maintain a magnetic field around his own
body, even if there are no ferrous materials within. Any bullet or charged
particle (from a particle beam weapon) which passes through the field may be
deflected. This effect provides 1 DR times the energy used by the caster,
with the same rules as DR from Missile Shield: Armor divisors do not apply,
but if the spell does not wholly deflect the threat, it strikes with damage
potential undiminished. [House rule: Missile Shield protects against
missiles
up to a certain damage value determined by tech level and fatigue spent. Any
missile which exceeds that damage value is not deflected and inflicts full
damage to the target.]
        A magnetic field can also control the motion of charged particles.
The cost for this is highly variable, and the GM will set it according to an
arbitrary notion of the difficulty of the task. As a basis for comparison, a
1-pound object moving at the rate of one yard per second has the same amount
of kinetic energy as an electron moving at almost 5 million miles per hour
(less than 1% light speed).
        Duration: 1 minute.
        Cost: 1 for an object weighing up to a pound, 2 for an object
weighing 10 pounds, 3 for 50 pounds, 4 for 100 pounds, plus 1 per 100 pounds
more. To manipulate a group of objects, use the cost for the combined weight
of the group, plus the radius of the group in hexes. Same cost to maintain.
        Tech Level: 6.
        Prerequisite: Shape Magnetic Field.

Magnetize
Regular
        This spell, when cast on a ferrous object, creates a strong magnetic
field. At base level, the magnetized object has a strength of 4, and will
attract metal objects to it on a Contest of Skill vs. the other object's
"ST"
(or weight divided by 25#, if no other effective ST score seems
appropriate).
Halve magnetic ST for each intervening hex. The caster may set the spell to
repel ferrous objects instead, using the same guidelines. The distance of
repulsion will equal the amount by which the repulsor won the contest.
        Cost: 2 for an object weighing up to 5 lb.s, 3 for up to 20 lb.s;
otherwise 4 per hex. An entire object must be magnetized. For each
additional
point invested (per hex), the ST of the spell may be increased by 2.
        Duration: 1 hour.
        Prerequisites: Magnetic Apportation.

Radio Beacon
Regular
        Emits omnidirectional radio or microwaves; the caster controls the
frequency, but not the direction. He also has no fine control to modulate
amplitude or frequency in order to send a coherent message, although he
could
use Morse code to turn the signal off and on. (This requires a roll against
spell skill and against Morse Code skill every 10 seconds.) The signal is
generally detectable at a range of only 100 yards; use the long distance
range modifiers (sidebar, p. M10) if the mage wishes to increase this
distance. Sensitive equipment may receive the broadcast at greater range.
        Duration: 1 minute.
        Cost: Absolute value of distance penalty, plus 1.
        Tech Level: 6.
        Prerequisite: Radio Hearing (G), plus Light or Shape Magnetic Field.

Radio Broadcast
Regular
        Similar to Radio Beacon, above, except that the mage can modulate
either frequency or amplitude to send a voice message, or he can transmit
data in binary. The latter requires an IQ check every 10 seconds, as well as
a check against the appropriate data transfer protocol (each is a
Mental/Hard
skill) in order to write the message in the first place.
        Duration: 1 minute.
        Cost: Absolute value of distance penalty, plus 2.
        Tech Level: 6.
        Prerequisite: Radio Beacon and Magnetic Sculpture.

Machine Spells
--------------

Computer Interface
Regular
        Allows the mage to use a computer mentally, just as if he were using
a neural interface, the best for which the computer is equipped. He can use
even a keyboard-equipped computer as if he had a marquis interface (p.
CY73).
This spell is of little use without Computer Operation, Programming, or
Hacking, or Cyberdeck Operation. Mathematical Ability adds to skill with
this
spell, just as it does with other computer skills. The caster takes only
fatigue damage from Black ICE which uses the surge or scramble methods, but
he is as vulnerable as any other decker to the program method. Fortunately,
he automatically disconnects if he goes unconscious, within one turn or 1d
of
his phases, whichever comes sooner.
        Programs as spells: An E&M mage can learn Complexity 2 or 3
cyberdeck
programs as spells, mental/hard and very hard respectively. In addition to a
prerequisite of skill 15+ in Computer Operation, Programming, or Hacking,
according to default use of the program, each may only be cast with a neural
interface or with the Computer Interface spell. Duration is instantaneous
for
most, 10 seconds for Disguise, Fuse, Monitor, Stealth, Transfer, and ICE.
Those spells which are not maintained will not generally be useful at a
level
below 21 unless used with Reflex; spell programs which may be cast
"instantaneously" actually fall on the caster's phase (or every 1,000 ms,
whichever is lower.) Remember that when a spell is cast this quickly, its
maximum level for resistance purposes is 16. [House rule.] The range penalty
for a spell
program is -1 per node between the caster and the target. A matrix mage may
cast only one spell per phase, although he can attempt any number of other
actions (like program defaults).
        Duration: 1 minute.
        Cost: 4 to cast; 2 to maintain.
        Tech Level: 8.
        Prerequisites: Schematic and Machine Speech, plus Apportation or
Magnetic Apportation. Cyberdeck Operation skill recommended.

Chipware Interface (VH)
Regular
        This spell lets a mage benefit from a neurotech chip as if he wore
it
in a chipslot. As a function of the magic, no cyberware is necessary (not
even hardwired reflexes), and no period of acclimitization is necessary with
a reflex chip.
        Duration: 1 minute.
        Cost: 5 to cast; 4 to maintain.
        Time to Cast: 3 seconds.
        Tech Level: 9.
        Prerequisites: Borrow Skill and Computer Interface.

Monitor Dataline
Regular
        Enables the mage to actually see electronic traffic. He can read
data
as it is transferred and see the commands issued by one computer to another
(i.e., he can watch a decker deck), but he cannot interpret audiovisual
transmission. Every communication protocol is a separate Mental/Hard skill.
Determine range penalties for the nearest point of the dataline.
        Duration: 1 minute.
        Cost: 3 to cast; 1 to maintain.
        Tech Level: 7. At TL8, you can monitor fiberoptic datalines.
        Prerequisite: Machine Speech (G).

Tap
Regular
        Reveals phone or vidphone conversations over the target wire.
        Duration: 1 minute.
        Cost: 4 to cast; 2 to maintain.
        Tech Level: 7. At TL8, you can tap fiberoptic datalines.
        Prerequisite: Monitor Dataline.

Stimulate Dataline
Regular
        Causes a variable signal in an electronic carrier or fiberoptic
cable, enabling the caster to use remote computers as if he had a terminal;
i.e., he cannot use any programs except those on the host system, but he is
invulnerable to ice. Actually, this spell only enables the caster to
transmit
input; to receive output, he must simultaneously use Monitor Dataline.
        Duration: 1 minute.
        Cost: 3 to cast; 2 to maintain.
        Tech Level: 8.
        Prerequisites: Computer Interface, Monitor Dataline.

Decker Emulation
Auxilliary
        Projects the caster's consciousness along a dataline, much as does a
cyberdeck with an envirnomental interface, enabling him to use Computer
Interface with the long-distance range modifiers (p. M10). As with the
latter
spell, Mathematical Ability adds +3 to this spell. Once in a node, the
caster
can "teleport" to any adjacent node by recasting Computer Interface, so that
he can bypass ice. Although it uses datalines as a targeting aid, this spell
does not transmit over datalines after that first fractional second. Thus,
the "matrix magician" is not affected by Sever or Trace (pp. CY91-92).
Decking by spell is a separate familiarity from normal deck operation,
taking
100 hours (« point) to master.
        Without a cyberdeck, the caster of Decker Emulation can only use
spell programs or program defaults. Fortunately, the direct connection
provided by Decker Emulation provides a couple of bonuses to default program
use; first, the caster's maximum default is 14, not 13, and second, he uses
default programs with their base Execution Time, not base+3. The phase
length
of this spell is 20,000 ms, divided by spell skill, or 800 ms for skill 25.
Reduction for Cyberdeck Operation skill applies.
        Cost: +1; added to the cost of Computer Interface.
        Time to Cast: +0 seconds.
        Tech Level: 8.
        Prerequisite: Computer Interface and Stimulate Dataline. Cyberdeck
Operation skill recommended.

	Gef

P.S.: Decker emulation is spell type Auxilliary; this is what it means:

Auxilliary Spells
        An auxilliary spell is not an independent spell; rather, it is a
specific technique to modify the effects of another spell. It is cast as
part
of the spell it modifies, simultaneously. The caster resolves the action
with
a single roll, at the lowest of his skill with the modified spell or any
auxilliary spells. The attempt is further modified by -1 per auxilliary. Use
this modified skill to determine reductions to the energy cost and casting
time of the whole.
        You can cast an Auxilliary spell to modify the effect of an
enchanted
item, but at -2 instead of -1. The reverse is not true. If an Auxilliary
spell is "stackable" (i.e., if it can have cumulative effect on 1 spell), it
must be repeatedly enchanted into the same item, once for each application
which will be used simultaneously.

	I prefer this rule to casting a helper spell (like Curse Missile) followed
by the main spell. With an auxilliary spell, a second is added to the
casting
time, but with high enough skill you can overcome that.