Requirements: Novice, Smarts d6+, Occult d6+
Beyond the veil of the mundane hide the secrets of absolute power. Mysteries, and wonders of arcane realms call to those with the ambition—and the intellect—to grasp true power. Such is the path of the wizard.
These magic-users research, collect, and covet esoteric knowledge. Some choose to become a master of a particular field of magic. Others embrace versatility, reveling in the unbounded wonders of all magic. In either case, wizards prove a cunning lot, capable of smiting their foes, empowering their allies, and shaping the world to their every desire.
Arcane Background (Wizard): Wizards use Spellcasting as their arcane skill. A hero who takes this Edge gains 10 Power Points and three powers from the list below.
Available Powers: Arcane protection, baleful polymorph, banish, barrier, beast friend, blast, blind, bolt, boost/lower Trait, burrow, burst, confusion, conjure item, contagion, create demiplane, create pit, curse, damage field, darksight, deflection, detect/conceal arcana, disguise, dispel, divination, drain Power Points, elemental manipulation, empathy, entangle, environmental protection, farsight, fear, fly, growth/shrink, havoc, illusion, infuse decay, intangibility, invisibility, light/darkness, locate, lock/unlock, magic jar, make whole, mind link, mind reading, mind wipe, monster's gift, monstrous shape change, object reading, permanency, planar binding, plane shift, protection, puppet, scrying, shape change, sloth/speed, slumber, smite, sound/silence, speak language, stun, summon ally, summon monster, telekinesis, teleport, time stop, wall walker, warrior’s gift, wish, zombie.
Arcane Bond: Wizards form an intense magical bond with an object or creature. See Arcane Bond, below.
Armor Interference (Any): Wizards gesticulate in precise patterns. They subtract 4 from Spellcasting rolls and can't use other abilities granted by this Edge or any Edge that has this Edge as a Requirement, when wearing armor or using shields.
School: A wizard’s studies lead him down one of two paths—the “universalist” who dabbles in all the various “schools” of magic, or a “specialist” who focuses on one school at the expense of some others.
Specialists must choose one favored school and two opposition schools. They gain a free reroll on arcane skill rolls to cast spells (not activating an item) from their favored school, but spells cast from their opposition school cost 1 additional Power Point and suffer a -2 penalty to the wizard's arcane skill roll.
Wizards mark favored spells in their power lists in bold and opposition spells with an asterisk, like this: shape change, banish*.
Spellbooks: Wizards must keep and maintain spellbooks (see below).
Wizards immerse themselves in the study of eldritch lore and arcane theories. During these long hours they form a bond with a dependable item or friendly creature (a “familiar”). Choose one of the following options for your wizard:
Bonded Object: The spellcaster possesses an amulet, ring, staff, wand, or weapon that adds +1 to all his Spellcasting totals when worn or in hand. If the object is lost or destroyed, the mage can replace it with a new object worth at least 500 gp.
Familiar: The mage has a magical pet, see Familiars.
Requirements: Seasoned, Wizard
The spellcaster has great familiarity with certain powers and can cast them quickly and easily. As a limited free action, he may ignore up to 2 points of any penalties (Multi-Action, Wounds, Fatigue, etc.) when casting any one of the spell sets below. This Edge may be taken multiple times, choosing a different set each time. This Edge doesn’t give him those powers— they must be taken separately.
Generalist: arcane protection, deflection, or dispel.
Abjurer: Banish, environmental protection, or protection.
Conjurer: Barrier, create pit, or summon ally.
Diviner: Detect arcana, locate, or scrying.
Enchanter: Beast friend, empathy, or mind wipe.
Evoker: Blast or burst (choose one), havoc, or stun.
Illusionist: Conceal arcana, illusion, or invisibility.
Necromancer: Blind, drain Power Points, or fear.
Transmuter: Elemental manipulation, shape change, or telekinesis.
Requirements: Veteran, Wizard
True understanding of magical energy comes with practice and experience. Wizards who take this Edge gain access to all their powers’ Epic Power Modifiers.
Requirements: Heroic, Wizard
Great wizards gather esoteric information in their spellbooks, allowing them to harness magical powers at a whim. Assuming he has his spellbook on his person, the wizard can spend a Benny to cast any power available in the campaign of his Rank or lower. The power may be maintained normally but afterward is forgotten (the wizard doesn’t add it to his list of powers).
Requirements: Wild Card, Legendary, at least two Wizard Edges
The wizard may activate a power that can normally be cast as an action as a limited free action. This costs an additional Power Point, but not only allows the wizard to cast a spell each round without incurring a Multi-Action penalty, she may also cast it while Shaken or affected by some other condition that only allows free actions.
Wizard spells are strange, complex things that fade quickly from the minds of even the most accomplished casters. For this reason, each wizard maintains a spellbook with the spells he’s translated and acquired. He studies them daily, transcribing their mystical patterns onto his mind
The link to the book is far more than rote memorization—it is an arcane bond with the power and patterns within. If a wizard doesn’t have access to his spellbook, he may continue to cast normally until the next sunset or sunrise (whichever comes first). After that, the magical imprint on his mind fades and he can no longer cast them
Wizards may only carry one active spellbook at a time. The mountains of scrolls, magical notations, and research needed to prepare another cannot be carried with the wizard and must be stored safely somewhere. It takes a week of work and 500 gp to create a replacement spellbook once the wizard has access to his magical notes
When a wizard takes the New Powers Edge, he chooses any two powers as usual. If he has found any spells (including scrolls) through exploration or purchase, and it is of his Rank or less, he may take one of those as a bonus third power at that time as well.