I have another house rule for Magic Spells.   Type A Magic would be the familiar process of learning to cast spells like in most fantasy/adventure stories and comics.  Research and wands,  quests, reagents and what not.   
   Magic Spells B: Hex power would be a more comic book version.   This variant is more designed to replicate the powers of magic users in comics such as Dr Strange, Zatanna,  Dr Fate and what have you.  Its similiar to Pcionics B.

   Hex Power:  The Magician must be able to think and concentrate. He must think of the effect he wishes to employ and then roll Id20.  Since this is magic, the magician need not know any knowledge areas.  Then the magician rolls Wd20 to make it happen.  There are no bonus as there are in Pcionics as the magic either happens or it does not.    If a 20 is rolled on either die roll to summon the effect, then a Magic Backlash occures.  This us up to the GM. 
   When the two rolls are made successfully, then the effect happens.  The damage is based on the actual power copied or 2d8 if one can not be substituted.     Power cost is as the power copied +2, or 5 if no particular power could be copied.   

This is intutitive magic and not spell magic as is more common.    People born with intutive Hex magic were commonly refered to as witches or warlocks. Sometimes the witch or warlock didn't even realise that they were the ones causing the hexes to happen.
Range is as the power copied or IxCxLevel if unknown.

I agree that once its been used, he doesn't need to roll vs Int.  Naming it and writing it down only helps me be more consistant in the future.  And my players know, I need all the help I can get.

Yes the two powers are very similiar.   That is because  they seem to cover the same thing, that is characters that can pretty much do anything.    Its a pretty common power in comics so I wanted to do a write up for it.  If you notice, the magic version is slightly more powerful than the pcionics one, that is also on purpose due to the nature of magic.
  I also used the word hex as its  what the Scarlet Witch uses for her power's name.  I think the word hex, for me, means  "all purpose spell" which this power is.    If I think of a better name, i will change it.

Any better name then?   I wanted to differentiate spells which to me is magic gained by research and ritual where as hexes are inate and instanteous.

John wrote on Jun 21^st, 2009 at 11:18pm:


That's because you're getting old.

THE ONI wrote on Jun 22^nd, 2009 at 7:27pm:



Yes  kind of a hybrid power/magical ability.

No,  90% of the time you would get the spells like you have.   If you roll Magic Spells in my game,  you get the three knowledge areas required to learn spells for free then you go off and learn and create.   This power is extremely rare and is just made to explain some comic book powers.

I've used a similar idea (see my house rules thread), but I tend to keep it simple. As long as the player has the Power, and can reasonably articulate what it is he wants to do, then he could cast the spell.

The GM would determine the Power cost, and whether or not the spell would require a die save  to be successful or not. I'd also allow modifications for experience (higher level characters would get bonuses), and for Intelligence and/or Charisma.

That works!

New thread about sorcery.