The Vancian Wizard in DCC RPG

I chance to read this excellent post over on The Evil GM, today. Given my proclivity for all things DCC RPG, it drove me to reflect on the magical mechanics of that particular system. It seems to me that magic in DCC RPG, while still "Vancian" in flavor, has been altered sufficiently to ameliorate some of the problems associated with that sort of system. Here are a few of the "fixes" I've noticed:

The Dice, The Dice, Oh, Lord, the Dice!

I must begin with the most important difference: The role (roll?) of chance in the DCC RPG magic system. Those already familiar with my work know that I love dice and the chaos they bring to this game, for good or for ill. Nowhere is that more apparent than in the magic system.

Scaled Randomization of Spell Results

First of all, unlike D&D and its various clones, casting a spell doesn't succeed automatically. And, even if it does succeed, saving throws are still possible. DCC RPG creates the possibility of spell failure through the Spell Check mechanic. Here, the wizard rolls a d20, modified by Intelligence and by Caster Level. At the lower levels, the caster must achieve a "12" result on the die roll for a bare success. Higher results, as I'll discuss presently, mean better (more powerful) outcomes. At higher levels, the caster must achieve higher results for the bare success (18 for 5th level spells). This sort of scaling of the randomized results makes it easier for high level wizards to succeed with lower level spells, but preserves the difficulty logically following from the idea that it is a higher level spell.

Every Wizard is (potentially) a Nuke

Even more interesting, even a low-level wizard is capable of amazing successes. For example, a first level wizard could, with an 18 Intelligence, achieve a result of up to 24 on a spell check roll. Let's look at Magic Missile.

With a "12" result (bare minimum success) he or she would get the following result:

The caster throws a single missile that does 1 point of damage. He must have line of sight to the target. The missile never misses, though it may be blocked by certain magic (e.g., magic shield).

With a "24" result (maximum without Spellburn or Luck Burn), he or she would get this:

The caster throws a single powerful missile that does damage equal to 4d12 + caster level. The missile must be aimed at a single target to which the caster has line of sight, at a maximum range of 1,000’. The missile never misses, though it may be blocked by certain magic (e.g., magic shield). (Both results, DCC RPG Core Rules, p.145)

That's a pretty kick-ass result, comparatively, and some of the ones in between are pretty amazing as well.

So, any wizard, from 1st level to 10th, has the potential to demonstrate amazing arcane abilities. He or she also can augment those abilities with sacrifices of various sorts.

Spellburn and Luck Burn

Sometimes, sacrifices must be made to ensure (to the extent possible) success. In DCC RPG, the character can do this by two mechanics: Spellburn and Luck Burn. Spellburn allows the wizard to sacrifice Strength, Agility, and/or Stamina to increase his or her casting roll. Those losses are real, though temporary. The lost abilities can be healed at a rate of one point per day of rest. In the mean time, any rolls relying on those abilities would be at an adjusted modifier for the ability in question. For example, a wizard who burns 3 points of Stamina might go from 10 to 7. The new modifier would be a minus-1. The result would make his or her Fortitude Save somewhat less likely. So, the Spellburn mechanic allows wizards to burn vital essence to achieve supreme results, but at a cost.

Depending on what happens later, early use of Spellburn might turn out to be a very, very bad idea. The wizard may find him or herself handicapped significantly in a save-or-die situation. On the other hand, Spellburn might be the thing that turns the tide when things start to go to shit. This, I must say, is one of the best things that this approach makes happen: The noble sacrifice of the wizard can turn a can't-miss TPK into a resounding victory for the party. The wizards Formerly Ian and Jerkal the Blazin' (RIP) have provided good examples of that, in the Metal Gods of Ur-Hadad campaign.

Also, a natural "1" roll (a fumble) while using Spellburn, has additional consequences:

Any magic-user who rolls a natural 1 on a spell check while using spellburn suffers the loss of ability points and the associated corruption (see below), and also loses 1 point of ability score permanently (DCC RPG Core Rules, p. 108).

Luck Burn, on the other hand, is something that any character class can use. It is, simply, sacrificing points of Luck (permanently, in most cases) to add to a Casting Roll. Luck gets used in a lot of ways, though different judges may have their own eccentricities in this regard. I, for example, have taken to using Luck to determine who will be attacked first, when there is such a determination to be made. Luck also may be used to see if characters notice things, or whether they find more or less treasure, or whether their mounts will bolt or stand their ground when startled. There are lots of reasons to need high Luck, not the least of which is the Recover the Body mechanic:

If a character reaches a dead ally’s body within one hour, the dead character may make a Luck check when his body is rolled over. On a successful check, the dead character was badly injured but is not permanently killed, and the ally is able to keep him alive. The “dead” character was simply knocked out, stunned, or otherwise incapacitated. (DCC RPG Core Rules, p. 93) 

With a low Luck score, the chances of surviving a Recover the Body check decrease. Low Luck can mean you are Dead, Dead, Dead, pal. Tear up that character sheet, buddy. Better luck with your wizardry next time, champ.

Spell Failure and Spell Loss

When the casting roll doesn't succeed, there are a couple of different things that can happen. The first is simple failure. The spell didn't have an effect. On top of this, the caster will usually lose the use of that spell. This is about the same thing that happens in the "traditional" Vancian spell casting. You use it, you lose it. In DCC RPG, however, the caster may Spellburn to keep a spell that has been lost via a failed casting roll. "If a wizard expends a lost spell’s level in ability score points, he can cast the spell as if he still had it. For example, a wizard could burn 2 points of ability scores to cast a level 2 spell he had lost for the day" (DCC RPG Core Rules, p. 108). Spellburn, though, as I've already suggested, has its own associated problems.

Misfires and Corruption

One of the things I love to see as a DCC RPG judge, is a natural "1" result on a Casting Roll. This means that something fun is probably going to happen. If it does, the wizard (and his or her party) may find themselves, as the bard said, totally fucked.

The wizard in question must make a roll to determine what happens on a natural "1" result. A misfire is an unintended effect. On a Sleep spell, for example, the misfire might result in the wizard (or entire party!) being put into a magical slumber. A Magic Missile might result in untargeted creatures (including the wizard) getting hit by the spell.

Misfires are fun. Misfires can be hilarious. I love, love, love misfires. Then again, I rarely play wizards.

Corruption is another matter entirely. Corruption is when the spell has the unintended effect of altering the wizard. It also, sometimes, could end up altering others in the area of effect of the corruption. In a word, if you mess around with magic, Son, don't be surprised if you get bit. By a viciously toothed maw. The maw that just appeared on your forehead. Look at the little children run away from the hideous freak wizard. Look at the villagers with their torches and pitchforks. And, Lo! Is that a hangin' tree? Is that a rope? Run, wizard, run!

Corruption is also fun. Yay, corruption!

Supernatural Patrons

Finally, wizards have access to supernatural patrons, and these patrons also can grant the wizard new spells (and new corruption results--i.e., "patron taint"). This unnatural congress will (of course) cost the wizard. One doesn't traffic with Angels, Daemons, and Beings Between without an associated risk that it will cost, and maybe cost more than one can bear.

The wizard will rack up obligations to his or her patron(s). The wizard be corrupted into the patron's image. The wizard may, ultimately, become puppet to the patron, with all that implies. These are not nice people. They want just (or even unjust) recompense. They will have it, whether or not the wizard can bear it.

Wizards, of course, are not the only spell casters in the game. Elves function pretty much as wizards do. Clerics, though, have another system entirely. They don't have spell misfires or corruption. They accrue Deity Disapproval. Such disapproval may obligate the cleric (as to a patron) to accomplish particular goals for the deity. It may strip the cleric of particular powers, or make it more difficult to access them.

I will not, at this time, go into the disapproval mechanic for clerics. It's beyond the scope of the current post.

Conclusion

DCC RPG's magic system, while ostensibly Vancian, takes "Vancian" to mean something different than D&D did with its magic system. In fact, one could argue that the DCC RPG magic system is far more explicitly Vancian than the D&D counterpart. Overall, I think it's my favorite system of the two. I embrace the risks and rewards. I like the way that supernatural patrons are incorporated. I appreciate the corruption rules that change the wizard in manner and/or appearance. These features, among others, make the DCC RPG "Vancian" magic system a close approximation of what is suggested by the Vancian literature.

New DCC Spell: D'Gale's Avenging Domicile

As promised, a new 3rd Level spell for Dungeon Crawl Classics. This one is based on the "drop a house on someone" thing from Wizard of Oz.

Please do this to someone. Please, do.

D'Gale's Avenging Domicile

Level: 3 Range: Variable Duration: 1 to 10 seconds Casting time: 1 round

Save: Reflex vs. spell check number to save for half damage.

General Description: The caster points his finger at a target and shouts a demonic phrase that means, "Can't somebody drop a fucking house on this motherfucker?" A building (ranging from an outhouse to a small castle) falls from the sky and lands on the target point. All affected creatures take full damage unless they succeed in a Reflex save against the spell check DC, in which case they take half damage. Note: Best used outside. The spell will still work within an enclosed space, but ALL effects will accrue to that enclosed space.

Manifestation: A house (or other structure) literally drops from the sky. Add flourishes as desired.

Corruption Roll (1d8): (1) caster’s hands and arms develop a woodgrain pattern; (2) caster’s skin sprouts carpenter's nails; (3) caster's presence makes more likely that small objects will fall without warning from high places; (4) random bits of finished building material (e.g., boards, cut stones, etc.) fall from out of nowhere and land within a 30' radius from the caster; (5) minor; (6-7) major; (8) greater.

Misfire Roll (1d4): (1) caster falls through a portal that opens beneath his feet and emerges from another one 10' above his head, then falls to the ground, causing him to take 1d6 falling damage; (2) a nearby structure (including all contents) is flung 20 feet into the air, and lands 1d20 feet away from its starting point (roll d8 for direction); (3) caster's immediate possessions, including any armor and weapons, explode away from him causing 2d6 damage to anyone within 15 feet (save versus DC 10 for half damage); (4) caster causes all wooden objects (living or dead) within 20 feet to become strongly attracted to him for 1d6 rounds. Material will cause 4d3! damage.

What Happens

1	Lost, failure, and worse! Roll 1d6 modified by Luck: (0 or less) corruption + patron taint + misfire; (1-3) corruption; (4) patron taint (or corruption if no patron); (5+) misfire.
2-11	Lost. Failure.
12-15	Failure, but spell is not lost.
16-17	The caster drops a rickety wooden shack on a the target within 50 feet doing 3d6 damage.
18-21	The caster drops a brick shithouse on the target within 80 feet, doing 4d6 damage.
22-23	The caster drops several sections of mudbrick wall in a 30' radius of a target within 100 feet, doing 6d6 damage within 10', 5d6 within 20', and 4d6 within 30'.
24-26	The caster drops a moderately sized wooden structure on a target within 150 feet, doing 8d6 damage.
27-31	The caster drops several small to moderately sized brick and wood/stone structures in a 50' radius around a target within 150 feet, doing 10d6 damage within 10', 7d6 within 25', and 4d6 within 50'.
32-33	The caster rains brick structures on a target up to 200’ away. The caster can choose an area of effect ranging from a single human-sized target up to a 50' radius. Single target will take 10d6 damage. Radial target will take 10d6 damage, minus 1d6 per 10' away from center.
34-35	The caster drops a stone tower from the clouds, targeting a point up to 500’ away. The tower explodes on impact, doing 16d6 damage in a 100' radius from the target (minus 1d6 per 10' from center).
36+	The caster drops a small castle on a target within 1000 yards, doing 25d6 damage in a 250' radius from the target. He need not be able to see the target but will still be able to sense it. If he has a token of the target (e.g., soil or a piece of stone, if a place; hair, blood, etc., if a creature) the target gets no saving throw.

Zappadan, Day 6: The Black Page and Vancian Magic in DCC

I wanted to delve a bit further into the nature of magic in Dungeon Crawl Classics, and of music as a metaphor for Vancian magic. But first, to get a sense of how I imagine this, assume (as I've suggested before) that doing magic is made possible by finding language complex enough to encompass it, yet simple enough that a mere mortal is able to comprehend it. I've also suggested that music is one such language, as is mathematics, though musical notation perhaps really is just a special case of mathematical notation.

In music, complexity is wrought through pacing, density, distances between one note and the next, and so forth. Now, I'm not a musician, at least not one worth the title, nor a music theorist. I can't read music. I didn't go to band camp. I really don't know HOW music works, I just know that it DOES work. It amazes me (being easily distractible) that someone could play a complex piece of music flawlessly, every single time it's played. How is that even possible? My brain just can't do it.

One particularly amazing composition from Frank Zappa's oeuvre is The Black Page (parts 1&2). It is an incredibly complex piece, born out of the idea of unconquerable complexity.

Part 1

This is just the drum part, mind you. When put together with a variety of other instruments, it becomes almost incomprehensibly complex, and each part must be precisely synchronized with all of the others, or it dissolves into pure chaos.

Part 2

Still, this is only scratching the surface of the theoretical complexity of Vancian magic, the underpinning of the magic system in DCC. It explains why Vance's descriptions of mage's abilities were in terms of how many such compositions his or her head could hold at once, and how, once in the mind, they sat heavily, uncomfortably. Given that composers and musicians who work professionally probably know hundreds of songs, and can play them pretty much on command, the idea of a "professional" wizard only being able to hold three or four spells in his or her head speaks to a level of complexity that is truly staggering. It is the equivalent of the wizard playing even something relatively "simple" like this, on all of the instruments at once, solo. One missed note and the spell fails, shocking your mind. One dropped or reversed measure and you're growing a second head out of your ass and a tentacle where your wang used to be. Bad Things happen when you fuck it up.

So, yeah, magic is so incredibly dangerous that it makes juggling canisters of nitroglycerin seem like a child's game in comparison.

Summoning magical energies is arduous, expensive, and dangerous. No wizard does it lightly. As a result, there are no mundane magics, no spells used simply to light a corridor, for example. Use a torch, fool; it is much safer! (DCC Core Rules, p. 106)