Abstraction

[luke]

The Magic Burner, Chapter 2: Abstractions.

Abstraction is the art of using the core elements of Sorcery to form new spells. This process allows a wizard to relatively quickly produce nearly any effect imaginable---so long as he is well versed in the fundaments of sorcery.

Based on the Wheel of Magic found in the Burning Wheel, this is a new, versatile and unpredictable addition to any Burning Wheel game. (The chapter includes a revised and updated Wheel of Magic, and expanded rules for Unwanted Summonings as well!)

You can download the new chapter here. (http://www.burningwheel.org/pdf/mb_ch2_abstraction.pdf)

[Sandy]

Mwa ha haha!


I'm psyched to see that "Transmutation" made it in!

[luke]

Yes, you may now turn your enemies to stone or salt or columns of ever-burning fire (if you're lucky).

-abzu

[Mad Hatter]

Uh-oh. That's one of my players. :wink:

[Kublai]

BEWARE THE MAGIC BURNER!

It is evil! Absolute danger to any wizard that uses it!

My character asked the "wizard" of the party to enhance his image for a very important speech he was about to make. The "wizard" agreed and proceeded to cast his Abstraction.

Needless to say, the speech was delayed for several days as the "wizard" tried to develop a new abstraction to reverse the permanent MUTENESS he inflicted upon my character!

I have never seen so many 6s rolled on Variance!!!

This same "wizard" also permanently reduced the Forte of one of his most devoted bodyguards. Instead of digging a tunnel from a basement, he fired forth a blast of lighting into the wall. Trying again to dig this tunnel, he created a huge storm of magic energy! In the past, he also created a permanent bonfire light inside a room of our favorite inn. No one gets any sleep in that room! Finally, in the 1st instance of variation gone wrong, he permanently blinded himself.

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!! :twisted: :shock: :!:

[luke]

The posted version of the Abstraction chapter had a postscript error in it (the fonts were not embedded).

A new version which displays the proper fonts has been uploaded.

download (http://www.burningwheel.org/pdf/mb_ch2_abstraction.pdf)

[nebulousmenace]

Oh, Brennan, I'd never do that to YOU, sweetie.

You're not LIKE the other GM's.

Besides, I didn't build the character around Abstracted Magic.

Really. Nothing to see there.

[Kublai]

I have a wizard in one of our side campaigns. He was created before the Abstraction Rules came out.

My generous GM allowed me to take some Facets that my wizard might've bought if he were made with the Abstraction Rules in mind. First, I was allowed the three basic facets every wizard with the Sorcery skill gets. Then we took a look at my existing spell list - mostly fire spells (he is a blossoming pyromancer :twisted: ). So the GM also gave me the fire facet, as well as the facets for destroyer, sustained, presence. Now, even though he was not burned with them, my wizard can take advantage of the new rules.

Not saying that all GMs would do this, but I am very happy mine did! Though admittedly dangerous, they are a blast! In his first attempt at an Abstraction, my wizard turned his instantaneous Pyrotechnics spell into a sustained one. This allowed him to make a torch into a very effective smokescreen which covered his party's escape.

[luke]

The Presence Origin facet should be Ob 2, 4s. Not Ob 1, 4s. The error makes touch spells the same obstacle as spells "cast" at or on another person in your presence. Oops! This will be corrected in future versions of the Wheel of Magic.

-abzu

[Jabberwocky]

The system is interestingly similar (though slightly different approach) to one I've been toying around (read: too lazy to do much) with. In my case, however, I was working from a basis of about 12 elements divided into High and True Sorcery and nine 'Techniques', basically divided amongst the three fields of creation/destruction, channeling and manipulation. Still... might play around with doing it in a similar style, at least once a: exams are over, and b: the core rules arrive :)

-Jabberwocky