Chaos Staff

[Gold Bearer]

Another spell storing item but very different from the ring of sorcery. It gives you access to chaos spells which should be fun but it's dangerous. This would be better for the elf.

Four versions so you can use the one that best suits your game. One version says random chaos spell, the other says random chaos spell from a pre-determined set (hmm, according to the spell check I shouldn't have put the - in pre-determined, meh, it looks fine) and there's a Wizard and Elf only/Magicians only version of each one.

[Gold Bearer]

Fixed.

It would be interesting if you draw Escape. It probably won't do anything because it's unlikely they'll be a square on the map for it but if there is it could land you in BIG trouble and you have to cast the spell if you want to draw another one.

Edit:
Arse! It should be for reachING 0 BP or MP!

[Gold Bearer]

Fixed, again.

I'm going to make five in total to match the five in the UK game so they can replace them or simply added to what's already available. The ring of sorcery and this are to replace the talisman of law and the wand of recall. The others will be two weapons and an armour.

Edit:
Thoughts? Like/Don't like?

[slev]

Given the range of Chaos Spells out there, a little TOO random, the point with Escape being especially pointless, and the various "summon" spells being downright dangerous to the caster!
You may want it to be "draw three, keep one" to get around this. You could still draw badly, but it's not as likley!

[Geofonos]

Seems a little "heavy" on the text to me.

[Goblin-King]

Given the range of Chaos Spells out there, a little TOO random, the point with Escape being especially pointless, and the various "summon" spells being downright dangerous to the caster!
You may want it to be "draw three, keep one" to get around this. You could still draw badly, but it's not as likley!

I would rule the summon spells to benefit the caster though. Or yes, the artifact slowly becomes useless.
But then agin, then it becomes rather powerful - even with the built in danger of being consumed by chaos.
But in an actual game I would just stop using the staff once my MP reach 1.

[slev]

I would rule the summon spells to benefit the caster though.

Depends. Are summoned monsters still under the EWP's control, or under the control of the caster?

We always played the EWP controlling them, in which case these spells are a good way to get yourself attacked!

[Goblin-King]

Wait just a sec... Just went and read the actual spells:

...conjures up a group of orcs to surround and protect the caster...

There's no ambiguity here. Those spells work just fine with the staff. Why would the summoned minions be under the EWP's control? But basically gaining 3-5 free mercenaries seems very powerful!
The only problem is Escape being useless. And to a certain degree Rust as well, as monsters don't carry equipment per se depending on how you want to play it.

Maybe there should be a series of staves that relate to just a single particular spell? Same rules, but it's the same spell that gets loaded into the staff each time.

[Gold Bearer]

Given the range of Chaos Spells out there, a little TOO random, the point with Escape being especially pointless, and the various "summon" spells being downright dangerous to the caster!
You may want it to be "draw three, keep one" to get around this. You could still draw badly, but it's not as likley!

Well escape would work the way I described, I actually like it. You have to cast it if you want to draw another spell so chances are nothing will happen but you could end up in a room full of monsters. Low risk but heavy punishment if you go if it and it goes wrong.

Seems a little "heavy" on the text to me.

This one's is going to be text heavy because of the chance of losing BP/MP and falling under the control of the EWP. I don't want to lose either effect.

But in an actual game I would just stop using the staff once my MP reach 1.

Yep. Originally it was when you cast the spell instead of when you draw the spell into the staff. That way there's no risk to seeing what spell you get and you might decide it's worth casting with 1BP/MP. I changed it because the ambiguity of whether or not the EWP has to cast the spell that caused them to switch sides took up too much space to clarify but by changing the way it works I broke the spell. I'll have a play around with wording to see what I can come up with, I preferred when it was when the spell is cast anyway.

But basically gaining 3-5 free mercenaries seems very powerful!

Yes it is. Maybe to make it more of a risk it should have two tests, one to see if you lose BP/MP when you draw the spell and one to see if you are controlled by the EWP when you cast the spell. That's making it more complicated though. Another option is a chance to fail the casting, skull = fail, black shield = fail and lose the spell. Going to have to a have a bit of a think, it can't stay as it is because like you say, you just won't draw a spell if you're down to 1BP/MP.

The only problem is Escape being useless. And to a certain degree Rust as well, as monsters don't carry equipment per se depending on how you want to play it.

Escape isn't useless, it might actually benefit the player but odds are if there's a square marked on the map for it then you're going to be in trouble so it's a risk but you have to cast the spell to draw another. Like I said, I quite like that but rust is a problem, maybe it could reduce their attack or defense dice by one. Another option would be to allow the player to draw another spell to replace the one in the staff. I'm going to have a good look through the chaos spells before deciding what to do, including the expansions.

Maybe there should be a series of staves that relate to just a single particular spell? Same rules, but it's the same spell that gets loaded into the staff each time.

I'd much rather not go that rout if I can help it.

[Gold Bearer]

Sorted. It now works the way it was originally intended so there's no risk in drawing a spell and it might be worth taking the chance to cast if you're down to 1BP or MP.

I did a rules card for the chaos spells but there's also a version that says from a predetermined spell set in case you want to take those spells out or just want more control over what they can get. I did a wizard and elf only version for each as well so it's consistent with the standard cards if you're not using custom heroes.

This would be really good to give to a boss type monster who's a good fighter and a weak magician if it's ruled that they can draw a spell without using an action or if they can cast or draw a spell as a separate action to attacking.

Edit:
The rules card could maybe use a bit of rewording. It's a first attempt but you get the idea and hopefully the rules.