OSR: Electromancer
- seeroftheabyss
- 12 minutes ago
- 15 min read
This is based off my original Electromancer, which borrowed ideas heavily from Arnold K's work (here and here). It is also originally from a setting that had some understanding of electricity, so in a medieval fantasy setting, you might not wish to allow these. They suit Eldritch Americana or a Magical Industrial Revolution type setting much better. Nonetheless, the following post will be based on the idea of Electromancers in a pre-modern setting.
Electromancers are Wizards who can capture and contain the awesome power of lightning. They are often referred to as Sparks, Sparkers, Arc Mages or Thunder-Crackers.
Reputation:
Electromancers have a reputation for being firebrands and wild-men, practicing a new and novel type of magic that is considered unpredictable and dangerous by the authorities. They are a new school without pedigree and thus revel in their status as dangerous and counter-cultural.
The Authorities generally do not accept them, but have not passed laws against them nor regard them as Outlaws. They are usually Outsiders, working outside the law and the protection of custom and tradition.
Other Wizards, especially those from Chartered Orders, regard them as upstarts and rebels, playing with powers they don't understand. Some regard Electromancers as a threat to the entire system of organized Wizardry, while others consider their whole school and movement a mere fad. In time it will be incorporated into an existing Order of Wizards or will simply die out as it's current advocates realize they have not discovered a rich vein of new knowledge, but merely a few nuggets.
Peasants, who don't know or care about the internal politics and struggles among Wizard simply find Electromancers scary and menacing, as they seem to favor bucking convention, sticking their noses up in the face of tradition and violating long-held norms. They also respond to most problems by shooting lightning at it, which is never a good thing to people with large fields of flammable crops or wooden barns full of dry hay.
Culture:
Electromancers are a wild bunch, eager dreamers and driven scholars who broke away from older, more established Orders to blaze their own path. Electromancers tend to be free-spirited creatures who value freedom and discovery more than safety. They are those who refuse to accept conventional wisdom and argue furiously amongst each other and against other Wizards and Mages.
They do this not only for the sake of Truth and pursuing knowledge, but also because as this is virgin ground, a young mage could very easily make his mark of history here with a bright and shining discovery.
Electromancers are children of the new Age, so while they train more like the Magi of old or the hedge-witches of today, with young Apprentices training under a Master, they do retain some of the advances of modern Wizardry, gathering semi-regularly into conventions to share knowledge and collaborate.
They have no official organization or credo yet, though some of their number have taken steps to begin the process of turning them from a band of radical outsiders into a legitimate institution. Depending on the Electromancer, this is either a welcome change or the first step in selling out and should be scorned and shunned.
Power: Electromancers can create shocks that hurt, but do not damage, to creatures. They can also power small electrical devices by touching or holding them.
Drawback: Electromancers need some sort of electro-focus such as a flashlight, Geiger counter, etc. to cast at maximum efficiency. If they do not have this, when rolling MD, they must roll twice and use the worse result.
Spell List:
Common Spells:
1d20
1- Ambient Charge
2- Absorb Electricity
3- Automate Action
4- Defribulate
5- Divine Retribution
6- Edison's Insult
7- Eliminate Pain
8- Fingers of the Thunderhead
9- Incapacitating Grip
10- Induce Seizure
11- Magnetize
12- Overcharge
13- Sense Electricity
14- Shocking Blow
15- Shunt
16- Slow Lightning
17- Storm Lover
18- Surge Protector
19- Transmit Current
20- Witch Bolt
Rare Spells:
1d8
1- Electro-Tether
2- Hail to the King
3- Machine Malfunction
4- Shock Grenade
5- Shocking Sphere
6- Skull Shatter
7- Sprites and Elves
8- Tesla's Retort
Legendary Spells:
Control Weather
Son of the Storm
Common Spells:
Ambient Charge
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R: self T: [dice]*10' circle, centered on caster D: [dice] rounds
The caster fills the air with energy, granting any caster within the affected area +[dice] MD for the duration. These MD may be used to cast spells as per normal.
Absorb Electricity
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R: self T: self D: one action
This spell can be cast as a reaction. The next source that would deal lightning damage to the caster does -[sum] less damage. For each 4 damage the caster would have taken, the caster gains +1 MD.
Automate Action
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R: touch T: creature D: [dice] minutes
The caster creates a glowing bulb of electricity. This must be anchored to one living creature. The bulb fires electricity through them, causing them their muscles to move without their conscious control. You can control them, or program the bulb to cause that creature to perform up to [dice] specific actions. While acting under the bulb's influence, the affected gets a +[dice] bonus to any roll based on speed, agility or reaction times.
Defribulate
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R: touch T: creature D: one action
The caster shocks someone with enough electricity to restart a stopped heart. If done on a living creature, that creature must save or die. On a failed save, it's heart stops. A stopped heart can be restarted via another application of this spell or by CPR, which grants another save. On a successful save, the creature takes 1 electrical damage.
Divine Retribution
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R: 50' T: creature D: one action
Call down lightning from the clouds to strike a creature. That creature takes [sum] lightning damage, save for half.
Edison's Insult
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Range: 100' T: small metal object D: one action
The caster telemagnetically accelerates a metal object no bigger than 5 lbs. With an attack roll, the caster can inflict weapon damage on a target by launching the weapon. This spell can also be used to accelerate bullets, which travel as well as if they had been fired from a gun (and do equivalent damage), as long as the bullets aren't solid lead (and most bullets aren't). This is much quieter than shooting a gun.
Eliminate Pain
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R: touch T: [dice] creatures D: [dice] rounds
Any creature the caster touches, for the next [dice] rounds, takes minimum damage from non-magical weapons. They feel no pain for the duration.
Incapacitating Grip
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R: touch T: creature D: concentration
Electricity runs through the caster's hands. Anyone he touches takes [dice] damage and must make a Save to do anything other than thrash about. The caster must make a STR check each round to keep their grip on the thrashing creature.
Induce Seizure
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R: 30' T: creature D: [dice] rounds
One creature within range must save or fall to the ground and suffer a violent seizure. While suffering from a seizure, a creature can take no actions other than pass through it. On a successful save, the creature takes 1d6+[dice] lightning damage.
Magnetize
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R: touch T: creature or object D: [sum] minutes
One creature or object becomes magnetic. Creatures must make a STR check with a penalty equal to [dice] to pull a metal object stuck to him off.
Overdrive
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R: 30' T: creature D: one action
Heal target [sum] FS.
Sense Electricity
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R: 10'*[dice] T: self D: [sum] minutes
The caster can sense electricity within range. If he is faced with a species that uses electrical impulses to cause its muscles to contract, he gets a +[dice] bonus to Defense rolls as he can see the creature's muscles clenching as they move. The caster also has a +[dice] bonus to any check or save made to detect creatures sneaking up on them, assuming said creatures control their bodies through tiny electrical impulses.
Shocking Blow
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R: touch T: self D: one action
Make a melee attack with a metal weapon or with your fist. On a hit, target takes normal damage plus [dice] lightning damage. If cast with 3 or more [dice], if hit, the creature must save or be thrown [dice]*10' backwards.
Shunt
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R: 30' T: creature D: special
One creature has the next [dice] sources of lightning damage deflected to the nearest adjacent target. That nearest target gets a save to resist being hit by that source of lightning damage, as if he were the original target.
Slow Lightning
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R: self T: [dice]*10' circle centered on the caster D: [dice] minutes
For the duration, all lightning and electricity moves at a much slower speed. Creatures get a +2[dice] bonus to Defense rolls or saving throws to avoid being harmed by it. If a savewould reduce damage from a source of lightning damage by 1/2, a successful save now allows the creature to take no damage.e
Storm Lover
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R: 50' T: patch of ground D: [dice] hours
Creates a pillar of metal that rises out of the ground. This pillar automatically attracts all lightning damage within 1000*[dice]'. All lightning damage is automatically directed toward it. The pillar is immune to lightning damage and resistant to damage from non-magical weapons.
Knocking the pillar over will neutralize it and prevent it from functioning. To do this requires a STR Check greater than or equal to 2[sum].
Surge Protector
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R: self T: caster's hand D: [dice] minutes
The caster creates a shield of folded magnetic fields and caged electricity that acts as a shield, allowing the caster to reduce damage from a successful attack 1/Round by 1d6+[dice].
For each [dice] used past the first, select one of the options below:
- Increase the damage the Surge Protector can reduce by 1 die size, from d6 to d8. This option may be selected multiple times.
- Whenever a creature with a metal weapon contacts the Surge Protector, that creature takes [dice] lightning damage.
- The Surge Protector causes sparks to appear around metal objects, so any creature wearing metal armor or carrying a metal weapon cannot surprise you.
- The caster can throw the Surge Protector, causing it to do 1d6+[dice] damage on a hit. The Surge Protector returns after being thrown.
Transmit Current
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R: touch T: metal object the caster touches D: one action
The caster can pass electricity through a metal object or surface, causing it to do 2[dice] lightning damage to any creatures in contact with that metal object.
Witch Bolt
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R: 30' T: creature D: [dice] rounds
One creature within range takes 1d6+[dice] lightning damage. Each round for the duration, as an action, you can cause that creature to taken another 2[dice] lightning damage. While doing this as your action, you can take no additional actions nor move. If you take another action or do not wish to do additional lightning damage, the spell immediately ends.
Rare Spells:
Electro-Tether
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R: self T: self D: [dice] minutes
The caster creates a tether of lightning that can stretch up to [dice]*10'. The caster can attach this tether to any solid surface within reach of the tether and can, as an action, cause himself to be pulled to the location of the tether's end in one action's time.
Hail to the King
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R: 30' T: 10*[dice] foot circle centered on caster D: [dice] rounds
All creatures within [dice]*10' must save or collapse onto the ground, paralyzed. They can repeat their save every round.
Machine Malfunction
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R: 30' T: electrical machine D: one action
Target machine that runs off electricity within range suffers a malfunction. If cast with 3 or more [dice] in this spell, it is rendered unusable until it receives thorough repairs.
Shock Grenade
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R: 50' T: creature or object D: one action
The caster creates a ball of compressed lightning and throws it at a creature or object. After 1 round, the ball explodes, doing [sum] lightning damage to all creatures within 5*[dice]'. Creatures can save to take half damage.
Shocking Sphere
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R: 30' T: clear space near caster D: 2[dice] rounds
The caster conjures up ball lightning. This creates a sphere of lightning that will float around the caster for the duration. Each round, the caster can direct the ball lightning to attempt to strike a creature. This requires an attack roll. On a hit, that creature takes [sum] lightning damage and the ball lightning disappears.
For each [dice] used to cast this spell past the first, select one of the options below:
- The ball lightning can pass through solid objects that the caster does not wish it to damage.
- The ball lightning can burn through wood and any material softer than stone or metal.
- The ball lightning, when it strikes a creature, explodes, doing 1/2[sum] damage to any creature within [dice]*10', save for half.
Skull Shatter
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R: 30' T: creature D: one action
One creature within range must save. If the creature has more HD than [dice], it adds the difference to its save. If it has 3x more HD than [dice], it automatically passes. A creature may also choose to fail its save, if it wishes to.
On a failed save, the lightning in the creature's brain is massively amplified, causing it's head to explode. This is almost always fatal, except in the case of creatures with powerful regeneration or immortality.
Sprites and Elves
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R: special T: the sky above D: [dice] hours
The caster triggers electrical activity high in the sky, which summons Storm Elementals. These Elementals will be attracted to the caster and can be asked to perform favors. In exchange for payment, they will carry out these favors to the best of their abilities.
Note that this spell is rare not because it is exceptionally powerful, but because it is rather dangerous. Storm Elementals are the creations/children of Water and Air Elementals, thus giving them the mercurial emotions of Air Elementals and the mercenary attitude of Water Elementals.
Tesla's Retort
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R: self T: self D: [dice] minutes
The caster surrounds himself with electromagnetic fields that repel all ferrous metals. All creatures wielding ferrous metal weapons receive a -[sum] penalty to Attack rolls to strike the caster, with an additional -[dice] if they are wearing metal armor. If a bullet isn't pure lead (and most aren't) this grants the caster a +[sum] bonus to his save vs firearm. If the caster falls onto a surface made of or partially composed of metal, reduce any fall damage by 1/2[sum] for the duration.
Legendary Spells:
Control Weather
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R: special T: the sky D: [dice] hours
The caster causes the weather to change to any sort of weather that the current temperature and climate would produce over a period of up to 2[dice] minutes. For example, the caster could make it rain during the wet season, but couldn't make it snow during the summer. Depending on the extent of the change, this may take longer or shorter. Making it rain on a cloudy day is easier than on a sunny day.
If cast with 3 or more [dice], the caster can create Weird Weather such as unseasonal weather like snow in summer or other strange meteorological events, such as a rain of frogs.
Son of the Storm
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R: self T: self D: [dice] minutes
The caster transforms himself and all his possessions into electricity. For the duration, the caster cannot be hurt by anything that could not harm or affect a lightning bolt, can travel through metal or conductive surfaces, can move incredibly fast and can fly. However, the caster has all the properties of electricity and is vulnerable to anything that could affect or control a lightning bolt or similarly powerful amount of electricity.
Chaos:
Triggered whenever you roll doubles on your magic dice. The Spell still goes through, but you get an additional effect.
Additionally, whenever you roll on the Chaos Table, you get 1d2 Doom Points.
1d20
1- You start accumulating static electricity for 1d10 minutes. As soon as you handle metal or another creature, you take X damage, where X is the number of minutes you allow this to continue.
2- A tiny cloud forms above your head and follows you for 1d10 minutes. For the duration it 1d4 [1= Makes ominous thunder sounds, but nothing further; 2= Makes rain fall on the caster; 3= Makes snow fall on the caster; 4= Rains blood onto the caster.]
3- For the next 1d10 minutes, metal objects stick to you.
4- You repel 1d6 [1= Fire; 2= Water; 3= Flesh; 4= Wood; 5= Stone; 6= Metal] for 1d10 minutes.
5- As above, but you attract that substance towards yourself.
6- You become magnetically attractive to a random creature within 50'. That creature and you will be drawn together. The closer you are, the more powerful this attraction. This attraction lasts for 1d10 minutes.
7- You have a violent seizure and lose any further actions this round.
8- You attract lightning for 1d10 minutes. If lightning would strike a creature or do damage to a creature within 100', it will target you instead.
9- You change the weather. It is now 1d6 [1= Raining; 2= Snowing; 3= Windy; 4= Hailing; 5= Thunder-storming; 6= A Thunderstorm, plus a tornado!]
10- Your natural electric charge gets magnified, causing you to electrify anything you touch and do lightning damage to anyone you touch for 1d10 minutes. Any creature you touch takes 1d3 damage. Your metal weapons do +1d3 lightning damage and anything that cannot survive electricity flowing through it is damaged. All magical items have a 30% of triggering.
11- You are paralyzed 1d2 [1= From the waist down; 2= From the neck down] for 1d10 minutes.
12- Your next lightning attack moves in slow motion, giving the creature it targets advantage against it.
13- You lose 1d3 MD. These MD saturate the air and any other spellcaster or magical creature can absorb them, but not you. After 1d10 minutes, they dissipate.
14- For the next 1d10 minutes, whenever you take lightning damage, it instead hits the nearest adjacent creature
15- You forget the last 1d10 minutes.
16- Every time you touch metal for the next 1d10 minutes, you take 1 damage.
17- A Storm Elemental notices you and decides it wants something from you. It wants something from you- if it doesn't get it from you, it has a 2-in-6 chance of lashing out violently if you refuse to cooperate with it. There is also an independent 1-in-6 chance that it gets bored if you refuse to indulge it and leaves of it's own accord. 18- Your magical abilities develop. You gain 1d6 [1= +1 MD; 2= +1 Memory Slots; 3= The ability to have prophetic dreams; 4= The ability to tell if people are lying by touching them when they talk; 5= Can cast 'Sense Electricity' at-will, as long as you have at least 1 MD; 6= You gain Wizard Vision.]
19- The next piece of advanced technology you touch violently malfunctions. There is a 2-in-6 chance it could be repaired, otherwise it ruined beyond repair.
20- One of your Convictions changes. This Conviction 1d3 [1= Inverts; 2= Weakens; 3= Hardens.] If you have no Convictions, you gain a new one.
Corruption:
Occurs when you roll Triples. When a Roll triggers Corruption, roll on the Chaos Table. If you roll Corruption, the Spell fails.
Additionally, when you roll on the Corruption Table, you get 1d4 Doom Points.
1d20
1- Your clothing catches fire- you take 1d6 fire damage per round until you extinguish the flames.
2- A nearby tree explodes, all creatures within 30' take 2d6 damage, save for half.
3- You learn a new language and forget one you know.
4- You learn a new musical instrument and feel compelled to play it for the next 1d10 minutes. If you can't, you have disadvantage on all rolls for the duration.
5- An explosion erupts near you, all creatures within 30' take 2d6 damage and must save to take half damage. Creatures who fail their save are also knocked prone.
6- You are blinded for 1d10 minutes.
- You attract lightning over a longer period of time
7- You develop an unusual scar across your torso. This map looks like a 1d4 [1= Prophetic warning; 2= Treasure Map; 3= Face of a friend; 4= Face of a stranger.] In truth, the scar 1d3 [1= Means nothing; 2= Means something; 3= Means everything.]
8- You are deafened for 1d10 minutes.
9- You develop the Conviction 1d4 [1= I am terrified of being struck by lightning; 2= I am worthless and no good to anyone; 3= My friends and comrades would be better off without me; 4= If I go out when the weather is bad, I will die.]
10- You have difficulty remembering things. You cannot record things in your Memory Slots and any spells you store in their overnight have a 20% of escaping.
11- Your eyes glow for the next 1d10 minutes. This destroys any night-vision and gives you disadvantage on all stealth rolls for the duration.
12- You suffer from chronic pain. You have -2 to all rolls if you don't consume some sort of pain-killing or sense-numbing substance. You can treat this by receiving specialized magical healing.
13- You gain digestive issues. You cannot eat 1d4 [1= Vegetables; 2= Meat; 3= Anything made with flour; 4= Alcohol.]
14- You are paralyzed from 1d2 [1= From the waist down; 2= From the neck down] for 1d4 [1= 1d20 Days; 2= 1d3 weeks; 3= 1 Month; 4= Permanently.] Severe/total paralysis
15- You have difficulty sleeping. Whenever you take a long rest, there is a 2-in-6 chance you gain no benefit from it.
16- You forget how to 1d3 [1= Read; 2= Write; 3= Both.] If you forget how to read, you cannot prepare new spells until you learn how to again.
17- You become sensitive to 1d3 [1= Lights; 2= Sounds; 3= Both.] When exposed to intense stimuli of the type you are sensitive to, you must save or be stunned. Stunned characters can move, but take no other actions.
18- The next time you take lightning damage, you instead reflect that damage, causing all creatures within 30' to save. Those that fail their saves take the damage you would have.
19- You fall unconscious for 1d3 rounds or until you take damage.
20- One metal object you are holding/touching/on your person is accelerated rapidly in a random direction. Any creature or object hit by this item takes 3d10 damage, save for half.
Doom of the Electromancer:
When you suffer Chaos or Corruption, you gain Doom Points. When you gain 10, 20 or 30 Doom Points you suffer the Doom of Fools, Doom of Kings and the Ultimate Doom respectively. You can escape this Doom, but only if you go on a quest to save yourself.
Doom of Fools- You have some sort of psychic seizure and shoot a lightning bolts out of your eyes in random directions every round for 2d6 rounds. There is a 40% chance per item that your gear is destroyed. Any small metal objects that you are carrying become fused to your body. (See also: Tetsuo: The Iron Man).
Doom of Kings- As above, except 50% and all medium sized metal objects carried become a party of your body.
Ultimate Doom- As above, except 60% and you automatically fuse with the nearest big metal thing. This could be a WWI tank, a septic tank, or a telephone pole. Attempting to intentionally induce this Doom in a controlled environment so as to fuse your body with something cool has a 40% chance of going horribly wrong unless rubber gloves, tesla coils, and goggles are somehow involved (which brings the chance of things going horribly wrong down to 25%).
You can escape this Doom by finding a way to make your skin non-reactive to electricity or by entering the heart of a Thunderhead and coming back alive.
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