Kosmos RPG: Magic Training

GIF art by  AGNES SALEK

Magic, Psychic, Sorcery, Space Magic, etc. These words are categories in Magic training (I am changing it from Psychic to Magic).

Magic Training

Spells are described in a few words, such as Telekinesis, Mental Blast, Cure Wounds, Hold Person, Flight… You have to come up with the spells your character knows. The more precise the wording, and therefore the narrower the focus of the spell, the easier it is to use. The magic rules below explain this in further detail.

• Each time you pick Magic Training, you're able to create 1 spell. Discuss this with your GM on the cost (in HP) and what attributes the spell uses.

Magic Rules

To cast one of your spells, you pay a hit point cost and make a check. The stat depends on your character concept and the specifics of the spell. Most often in the Kosmos, it will be INTELLECT and WILLPOWER.

Tell the GM what you are attempting. They may ask for details to decide the stat to check and how many HP you have to spend. If the GM understands what you want to do, they will give you a fair number. You can always dial back the effects to lower the cost. The HP cost can never exceed your current hit points. If the target has greater HD than your level, you have disadvantage on the check. You spend the HP before rolling.

• On success, magic works as discussed.
• On a failure, it doesn't work.

Note that critical rolls have additional consequences:

• On a natural 2, the GM decides what goes wrong or picks a mishap.
• On a natural 12, you don’t lose any HP.

A basic spell (cost 1) takes a full turn to cast. It is instantaneous, targets one creature at short range, deals or heals 1 damage, and has an inconsequential yet possibly entertaining effect. Increase the cost by 1 to 5 points for each entry:

• generic wording: for example, any use of a spell simply called Technomancy should add at least 2
• instant casting time
• long-range, extra targets, or large area or effect
• damage or healing (from a single d6 to d6+2 per character level)
• target with more HD than the caster has levels
• spell duration (one turn, minute, hour, day, etc. per character level)
• practical effects (charm, phantasms, summoning, scrying, etc.)

You can also reduce the spell cost if it takes more time to cast, requires rare or expensive ingredients, or can only be completed in a temple or lab; remember:

• do not waste everyone’s time counting beans
• the GM will not explain what’s going on; magic is fickle and weird

Note on Magical healing: 
This is entirely up to the table, depending on your collective taste, and the kind of setting you want to have. Med-kit can be freely bought anywhere and clerical healers dispense their magic for a couple of credits. But if you want to keep it old school, I recommend that you make magical healing rare. Hit points should be a carefully managed resource.

If magical healing is allowed, a typical spell should cost 3 HP per d6 of healing, with a limit to 1d6 per character level. The GM may forbid the spellcaster from healing themselves to prevent abuse.