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PDFI’m thinking about mages this week, trying to add some new angles to them. I think they should be able to astrally project themselves once per day for a limited time and very limited range. It’s gives the low-spell-count mage a chance to peek around a corner to see if anyone is waiting without giving away any great secrets. I’d like it to be as exploit proof as possible without making too many conditions. You remember the Lord of the Rings Movies and how they portrayed the world when Frodo had the ring on? I think it should resemble that visually. Very powerful creatures, spirits and wizards will appear in great detail, but mundane things (like traps, treasure chests, etc.) are in shadow.
- Once per day, a mage can astrally project himself up to 50 feet per level. This lasts for one minute/level.
- He cannot pass through lead or iron. He cannot ‘fly’ upwards nor ‘sink’ downwards.
- He cannot see non-living, non-magical objects in detail.
- Living beings and magical things are visible to him in a vague, glowing form. The more powerful the being or magic, the mode detail can be seen.
- He can hear and smell quite well. He has no sense of touch or temperature, as he is incorporeal. He cannot speak to any creature who cannot see him.
- Spirits, demons, ghosts, vampires, liches and the like can see him but not in detail.
- Other mages can make a perception check to see our astral mage. If the other mage is 4 or more levels higher, he can see our mage in detail and recognize him if they have met.
- Any creature that cannot see the mage’s astral form will still sense the vague feeling of being watched.
- There is that silver cord thing in between his spirit and body that could be snapped by another astral being.
- If the body is killed or the cord is snapped, the spirit is cut loose. If it can find a creature with a weaker mind, the spirit an attempt to possess that creature as per magic jar. If the cord is cut but the body is alive, they spirit and body can be restored in some way determined by the DM.
Thoughts? Additions? Exploits?
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Hi,
Apologies for the off-topic comment, but I couldn’t find a contact email for you.
A while ago I put out an ebook of my writing, called ‘The New Death and others’. It’s mostly short stories, with some obvious gamer-interest material. For example I have a story inspired by OD&D elves, as well as poems which retell Robert E Howard’s King Kull story ‘The Mirrors of Tuzun Thune’ and HP Lovecraft’s ‘Under the Pyramids’.
I was wondering if you’d be interested in doing a review on your blog (either a normal book review, or a review of its suitability as gaming inspiration).
If so, please let me know your email, and what file format is easiest for you, and I’ll send you a free copy. You can email me (news@apolitical.info) or reply to this thread.
You can download a sample from Smashwords:
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/92126
I’ll also link to your review from my blog.
Yours,
James.
Hi,
I’ll get it off Amazon and write a short review when I get to it. It might take a while.
I think this is a really flavorful way to add to a Wizards abilities without just giving them more spells. Nice idea!
Your astral travel is spookily like that in Carcosa Wacky Races, down to the LotR visuals and chances of detection, though in CWR it’s achieved using an astral projector cannon and range is line of sight.
@richard: is it? Dang. I swear I was ripping off the Weathertop scene from the LOTR movies. Well that and the SRD.
I appreciate any attempt to make the mage more magical. I think your Astral Travel is strong as well as your wizardry leading to lich-dom idea.