The Quintessential Chaos Mage
The Quintessential Chaos Mage front cover
| Author | Patrick Younts |
| Series | Quintessential Series |
| Publisher | Mongoose Publishing |
| Publish date | 2003 |
| Pages | 128 |
| ISBN | 1-904577-54-7 |
| OGL Section 15 | qcmg |
Note: Material in this section may be "mature" in nature.
The material below is designated as open game content
Step Four: Choose a Duration Element
Without selecting one of the Duration elements listed below, any spell the chaos mage casts is considered to be of Instantaneous duration. Chaos magic is difficult to control, and twists like a snake in the chaos mage’s mind, but a skilled practitioner can force chaos to hold itself to the shape he dictates.
Note that Raw Damage effect elements can only ever be instantaneous in duration, though both Degrading and Persistent Damage effects continue to affect their targets for multiple rounds. Also remember that damage inflicted by chaos damage effects is permanent until healed, and does not fade simply because the spell does. All other chaos magic spells can be forced to hold any of the durations presented below, but the casting DC must of course be added to the final spellcasting check.
Instantaneous (DC +0)
The effect is applied immediately and lasts but a split-second before evaporating.
One Round (DC +2)
The spell’s effects apply for a single round.
By Round (DC +5)
The spell’s duration is increased to one round per caster level.
By Minute (DC +10)
The spell has a duration of one minute per caster level.
By Hour (DC +15)
The spell has a duration of one hour per two caster levels.
Once a Duration element has been chosen, it can be further modified by the following option:
Secondary Duration (DC variable)
A secondary Duration element can be applied to any one subsidiary effect element which can be given a duration. It enables the chaos mage to delay the subsidiary effects of his spells until after the primary effect has finished – without this modification, all of a spell’s effects occur at the same time. A secondary Duration element costs half the increase to casting DC (rounded up), so that a secondary By Round duration would add 3 to the casting DC, rather than 5.
For example: A 10th level chaos mage creates a spell with two effects, using a major Transformation as the primary effect and a minor Domination effect as the subsidiary. The Transformation effect is given a duration of By Round, and the Domination effect is modified by a secondary duration of By Round. This means that the Transformation effect lasts 10 rounds and then, in the round immediately following its final round, the Domination effect begins and will last for 10 rounds.
Combining Area and Duration Elements
When a chaos spell is woven, the caster can freely specify one of two additional effects, but only so long as he has added both area and duration elements to the spell effect.
† The spell’s effect applies to a specific area for its duration, and the spell applies only to creatures while they remain within the area of effect. Creatures who move out of the area are no longer affected by the spell, but may re-enter the area of effect should they so choose.
† The spell’s effect will apply to a specific subject for its duration, meaning the spell’s effects apply only to those beings who were within the area of effect at the time of casting. Other beings may enter the area of effect, but are not subject to the spell’s effects, while those who started within the area of effect and later leave are still subject to the spell’s effects.
