More Magic with Zorin Greystar

copyright 1984 by V Autumn, S Scherf, and K Autumn

Scherf and Autumn 'supplement' the 1e AD&D rules in their The Complete Works of Zorin Greystar - Book One.  Their efforts extend to the handling of saving throws, although in the Greystar system they are called 'saving rolls' and they are categorized differently.  The 'Saving Roll Table' on page 69 lists nine categories of saving rolls which, one presumes, are meant to replace the five types of saving throws.  These nine categories are:  Magic/Spell, Poison, Breath, Gaze, Magic Item, Small Missile, Large Missile, Cleric Spell, and Illusion.  Indexed against these categories are rows of numbers for each of the eleven classes/sub-classes from the Players Handbook (and a twelfth row for 'Normal').  Saving rolls improve by one for every three levels of experience.  Also, saving rolls are penalized by one for every three levels of the spell being saved against.  Finally, the difference in levels between the spellcaster and the saving character influences the roll.

If a mage uses all (or more) mana that he or she currently has available, the 'Overmana Chart' on pages 37 - 38 is to be consulted.  Going down to '0 mana' causes “Extreme lassitude, mage must rest no less than 10 hours and regains lost mana at 1/2 normal speed.”  Starting at negative seven mana, the mage enters a coma for a variable amount of time and there is a possibility of losing a percentage of mana permanently.  Using even more mana can result in permanent loss of spell casting ability, insanity, Constitution loss, and Intelligence loss.  Going to -31 mana is not recommended, death ensues with no apparent saving throw roll.

By reading it from a spellbook, a mage can attempt to cast a spell that he or she has not learned.  If the attempt fails, a roll is made on the 'Overlevel Attempt Chart.'  If a mage is interrupted during casting, the 'Spellcaster's Fumble Chart' is used.  The fumble can be avoided if the mage succeeds in a Dexterity roll (for physical interruptions) or a save vs magic (for mental interruptions).  The Overlevel Chart and the Fumble Chart are consolidated on pages 34 - 35 because they share many of the same effects, but with different chances.  For instance, on the Fumble Chart there is a 40% chance of the spell simply failing and the mana consumed; the same can happen on the Overlevel Chart, but the chance is only 20%.  Not all effects are necessarily bad.  It's possible that, although the spell fails, the mage's mana is replenished.  Results from the Overlevel Chart can be more severe than what can happen with the Fumble Chart; results such as insanity, level loss, Intelligence loss, or death are possible.  My favorite result (4% chance on either chart) is “chance of a disturbance of the planes, resulting in an ethereal encounter.”

In Chapter V, Zorin states that he has “composed thirty-nine new spells” for mages (some of which can be used by clerics).  The back cover of the book says, “This supplement contains 39 spells” (without referring to said spells as 'new').  The back cover claim is more accurate; while many of the spells are new, some are merely 'alternative.'  For instance, Zorin describes “Magical Missile Type I” and “Magical Missile Type II.”  Sound familiar?  (I would have gone with Prestidigitator's Projectile, but that's just me.)  Type I is just like our old friend Magic Missile, except the range is limited to 5" and only one missile is generated.  Type II (a 2nd level spell) increases the range and number of missiles to the usual Magic Missile extent.  So, dividing Magic Missile into two 'new' spells – one of which is second level – is an 'improvement' by Zorin.  Thanks Zorin...NOT.  We will examine some of Zorin's other spells in next week's exciting column!

copyright 1984 by V Autumn, S Scherf, and K Autumn

Important Notice

This advertisement appeared in issue #109 of Dragon (May 1986).  Somebody footed the bill for a full-page ad, so consider the message carefully.

What noble intent!  What profound sentiment!  Alas, despite their enthusiasm, the PARAGON SOCIETY FOR WARGAMERS was not “credited for making the most revolutionary impact on the industry” or any impact for that matter.  In fact, other than this advertisement, there is very little – if anything – that we can attribute to the society.

Obviously, the society (the only non profit gaming association of its kind) presented itself as an established entity – something that had been around (albeit covertly) for years.  They even claim to have registered trademarks on the PARAGON SYSTEM and – what I assume is a setting – the Amaranthine Universe (although the spelling is inconsistent*).  Perhaps the society should have designed a logo to better convince readers they were a going concern.

Readers might infer that the society has thousands of members; however, the notice doesn't actually claim that.  It merely states, “over 5000 gamers, working together,” can create quality products.  Maybe the society hoped that the ad would bring in five thousand memberships.  Regardless, thousands of gamers “working together” doesn't sound very practical, not in the information age and certainly not in the quaint era of 1986.

I'm curious as to how the system works; it is built on entirely new concepts after all.  Supposedly, it had a “Complete combat and magic system,” but – according to the last paragraph – the society was still playtesting.  Of course, had the system been perfected (and released to the public) it “would surely challenge the very foundation of the fantasy roleplaying populaion” – the very foundation!  “Each spell has over 100 combinations” – sounds kind of crunchy, but I would like to see what they managed to put together.

Unless it was entirely a scam, there must exist some PARAGON SYSTEM™ literature out there.  Has anyone seen any of it or heard any gossip?  Catacomb Librarian?  Anybody?


*  Looks like they misspelled 'receive' as well.  I trust the reader will forgive my indulgence in a “kindergarten obsession.”

Greystar's Take on Experience and Combat

copyright 1984 by V Autumn, S Scherf, and K Autumn

Chapters III and IV of Scherf and Autumn's The Complete Works of Zorin Greystar - Book One regard 'Experience' and 'Combat.'  Although 'Experience' is the third chapter and appears before the fourth chapter, 'Combat,' page 40 reads “CHAPTER IV - Experience” and page 52 reads “CHAPTER III - Combat.”  Both chapters are 'narrated' by Lord Toran of the Dragonsback Mountains; however, Zorin chimes in occasionally via means of a 'Time Stop' spell (much to Toran's chagrin).

In the Greystar system, player characters start at “zero-th” level.  They have the same hit points as a first level character, but their capabilities are diminished:  they attack and save as 0 level fighters.  “Thief and assassin character types subtract 10% from all ability percentages.”  There is a 50% chance for successful spellcasting; this chance increases by 1% for each experience point gained, up to a maximum of 95%.

Regarding experience, each character class has a 'constant.'  Thieves have the lowest constant at 90 while mages have the highest at 150; this represents the amount of experience a character needs to rise to first level.  This constant is also used in calculating experience necessary to reach higher levels.  A mage needs 450 experience to attain level two, 900 experience to reach level three, 1,500 for level four, etc.

It may not seem that much experience is needed to gain levels, but experience is awarded differently using the Greystar way.  Characters receive one point per level/hit die of a defeated opponent, with up to double that amount depending on the effectiveness of the opponent's “abilities.”  Experience gained via combat is not divided among a party; each participating character receives the full amount.  'Participating' means “endangered by or interacting with the enemy.”  If a defeated opponent has “exceptional abilities” and has level/hit dice exceeds a participating character's level by at least ten, that character receives additional experience.  The amount of additional experience is based, in part, on which “abilities” the opponent possessed.  Experience is also awarded when a character uses class abilities (e.g., spellcasting, thief skills) either “in combat or in a non-repetitive fashion.”  Characters do not receive experience for obtaining treasure.

Speaking of combat, Toran explains that two 20-sided dice should be used when attempting to strike an opponent.  One die is used in the usual way to determine hit or miss; this is called the 'hit die.'  (This could lead to confusion, I would have called it the 'strike die.')  The second die is called the 'luck die.'  If the result of the luck die is '20' and a successful hit is indicated on the hit die, an 'exceptional hit' occurs.  If the result of the luck die is '01' and the hit die indicates a miss, a 'fumble' may occur.  There is a percentage chance equal to the character's level “of turning a fumble into an ordinary miss.”

In the event of a fumble, a d% roll is made on 'Fumble Chart A'; the result indicates the type of fumble and which of seven other fumble charts to consult.  For instance, a result of 56 – 70 states, “Weapon entangled, roll on Chart E.”  Chart E requires fumblers to make a dexterity roll; failure produces results like “knock shield from grasp” or “trip self.”

With a critical an exceptional hit,body placement is determined; the hit could land on the arms, head, legs, or torso.  (There are modifiers for targeting a particular area, but only an exceptional hit grants exceptional effects.)  Each area has its own table which is further divided into sub-areas.  For instance, with 'Arms' the sub-areas are:  arm (general), elbow, forearm, hand, and upper arm.  Most sub-areas have their own table; regardless, the effects are à la Hargrave.  (Yes, “buttock removed” is a possibility:  3-18 damage, unconscious for 1-3 turns, movement slowed to 30% normal rate.)

There are also rules on weapon breakage, which can occur as a fumble result “or if a weapon is struck against a hard object (of armor class 3 or better) with combat force (when an 18 or greater is rolled on the luck die).”  The chance of breaking is expressed as a percentage chance determined by a complex formula (or by consulting the Weapon Breakage Chart).  Whether using chart or formula, it is necessary to know the “weapon substance constant,” which can vary from 0 (stone) to 16 (adamantine steel).  Armor can also be damaged (due to falls, severe blows, etc.) and armor class thus worsened.

copyright 1984 by V Autumn, S Scherf, and K Autumn

By the Power of Greystar!

copyright 1984 by V Autumn, S Scherf, and K Autumn

[If “Enchanting the mattock” isn't a euphemism, it really ought to be.]

          Did you ever wonder how mages...with their unbelievable intelligence managed to forget a spell right after they cast the cursed thing?
          Or why one could not memorize three more first-level spells instead of one third-level spell?
          And why do mages never screw up while casting spells?

– Daera, the One-Eyed Sorceress

In Scherf and Autumn's The Complete Works of Zorin Greystar - Book One, each chapter is presented as an informal lecture by one of Greystar's adventurer associates.  Talena, High Priestess of the Temple of Rhynon, discusses 'The Multiverse' in Chapter One and Daera, the One-Eyed Sorceress, explains 'Magic' in Chapter Two.

Talena defines manna as “the fuel of the spellcaster,” but it is left to Daera to discuss the concept in more detail.  Daera notes a difference between the Polynesian 'mana' and the biblical 'manna'.  It seems that – for mages – mana is “the impersonal supernatural force to which magical powers are attributed” and that – for 'holy spellcasters' – manna is “divinely supplied spiritual nourishment.”  Beyond this distinction, they both function in the same way for purposes of Greystar's “REVOLUTIONARY NEW SYSTEM!”  (Sometimes the characters get excited and lapse into all caps.)  Daera chooses to refer to them both as mana because it's the “more important.”  This means that 'holy' magic and 'wizard' magic function in the same way with the only differences being the spells available and the 'explanation' of manna/mana.  According to Talena, the “the fuel of the spellcaster” is drawn from a “vast reservoir of positive energy known as the Positive Force.”  Living beings have “life forces” that originate in the Positive Force and return to it upon death.  However, there is “an opposing, balancing force, the Negative Force,” from which the undead draw their power.

Daera assures us that “the reader will find that 7th grade math is all that is necessary to understand” Greystar's magic system; regardless, “All complex formulas are supplemented by tables.” Each spellcaster has an amount of mana based upon her level and “prime requisite.”  Once spent, a spellcaster recovers mana at a rate derived from her constitution; however, recovery only occurs during “mental rest.”  Each spell has a mana cost determined by a formula that incorporates that spell's level.  As an optional rule, a spellcaster can (temporarily) lose points of constitution when she uses up more than half of her mana.

In order to cast a spell, certain conditions must be met.  Unless reading a spell from a book (or a scroll, I suppose), a spellcaster must learn the spell before using it.  Learning a spell requires a number of days based on the spell's level and modified by the learner's prime requisite.  “The highest level spell a spellcaster can learn,” Daera tells us, ”is limited by his own level and prime requisite score.”  Evidently, there is no limit to the number of spells that may be learned.

Once learned, a spell can be memorized.  The time it takes to memorize a spell uses the same formula as for learning a spell, but the amount of time is in hours rather than days.  A memorized spell is in the spellcaster's “repertoire and [she] can cast it as many times as mana permits.”  A formula using the spellcaster's level determines the total number of spell levels that can be memorized at a time.  As an example, a 4th level spellcaster can memorize up to nine spell levels, but no spell can be higher than third level.  A spellcaster can forget a spell in order to 'make room' for another spell; however, the forgotten spell is still a learned spell and may be memorized again at a later time.

Ready to cast your spell now that it's memorized?  Sorry, you have to remember a memorized spell before you can cast it.  “The time it takes to remember spells is based on intelligence, spell level, and maximum spell level able to be learned,” Daera says.  (It's a matter of segments.)  At any one time, a spellcaster can have a number of spells 'remembered' equal to her level.  Spells remain 'remembered' for a number of turns based on the spellcaster's prime requisite.  Once any remembered spell is cast, the 'number of turns' is reset for all remembered spells.  Now you can cast!

In her chapter, Talena describes “the infinite planes of existence” by referring to a fourth dimension.  Planes are separated from one another by distribution along this fourth dimensional axis, but they overlap or 'co-exist' within three-dimensional space.  Talena employs the phrase “Prime Material” for “our own” plane.  There is also a plane for each of the four classical elements.  The Prime Material and elemental planes are contained within the Ethereal Plane.  Talena describes the Ethereal Plane as a place of “bluish mist” where there is no gravity.  However, this plane hosts an “ether-cyclone” as well as “abominations” of “extreme fierceness.”  The Ethereal Plane (including its 'contained' planes) exists as a sort-of sphere floating in the Astral Plane.  Our sphere is merely one of “Uncountable numbers of...spheres [that] slowly waft through the blackness of the Astral...”

copyright 1984 by V Autumn, S Scherf, and K Autumn