Conversion Document

FROM: AD&D 2nd Edition

TO: HERO System 5th Edition

The Wizardry Magic System is described in detail here.

AD&D magic is accomplished by mystical physics; there are laws, rules, and measurable causes and effects which can be manipulated by the motive force of sentient will. Spellcasters in general and Wizards specifically are those who are skilled in said manipulation of these laws through a combination of knowledge and sheer will. Wizards learn to cast Spells, often making use of props such as incantations, gestures, material components, etc. to assist them in the casting of their Magic.

Wizards go through various levels of understanding and capability as they advance. As they gain experience, their ability to manipulate the metaphysical Laws of magic increases, as does the mental endurance required to focus their will. Essentially, as they progress their ability to cast larger and more powerful Spells increases.

Starting Wizards are generally taught Spells, which are basically tried and tested methods of ritual mystic science. These Spells have been developed by other Wizards in the past and many are centuries old. These Spells are ranked by Levels, alternately called Circles, Mysteries, Houses, Steps, Powers, etc., which are merely a measure of the Spells complexity, difficulty, and relative power. In game terms higher level Spells have more Active Points and are therefore more powerful but also require a larger Magic VPP to use.

Wizards make their way via skill at Arcane Arts and erudite knowledge. Fictional Fantasy is full of different sorts of Wizards, from curmudgeonly old men, wise codgers, arrogant and cocksure mages, brash hotheaded youths, and confused apprentices, and every permutation in between and beyond.

In AD&D 2nd Edition there were two basic types of Wizards available for play; Mages and Specialists. This was further expanded to include Elementalists with the Tome of Magic, and a few other supplements expanded this further. The following guidelines provide advice on how to take an AD&D Mage, Specialist, or Elementalist and convert them into the HERO System.

MAGES

Sample Spells may be found here.

Mages are the unquestioned masters of pure magical expertise in the AD&D paradigm. They outstrip all other Spellcasters in the breadth of their knowledge and the flexibility of the their Spell list. Examples of Mages in Fantasy Fiction range from Gandalf (in all his colors), Macros the Black, Milamber, Merlin, Raistlin, and so on.

Mages have developed a structured approach to magic based around the Theory of Cause and Effect, categorizing the study of magic into schools based upon how an end is achieved, striving to find common threads between magic of similar purpose. Thus Mages study Conjuration and Summoning as a set of common Laws and Principles that allow a master Summoner to learn and create any variety of Spell that has the calling forth of distant things as its end effect and an Invoker is skilled in the principles of how to call forth existing energies and to entreat the granting and taking of power from other sources, concepts, and planes of existence, etc.

In the HERO System, a Mage would be well advised to put almost all of his points into increasing their Magic VPP to cast ever higher level Spells, and to keep their Magic Skill rolls equivalently developed.

Sample Mage Package Deals

A number of Mage Package Deals can be found here.

AD&D 2nd Edition Mage Conversion

Consult the Wizard column of the AD&D 2nd Edition Class Level to Character Points Chart to determine how many Character Points your Character has available to them in the HERO System. Either use one of the Mage Package Deals provided above or create your own.

MAGE CLASS ABILITY CONSIDERATIONS

SPELLCASTING

The ability to cast Spells is a Mage's primary Class Ability, and raison d'etre. This is handled using the guidelines provided in the Wizard Packages document.

MAGE MAGIC SCHOOL SKILLS

Mages follow the Wizardly paradigm of Magic use and divide Magic into 8 Categories, with 8 corresponding Knowledge Skills. They are:

Wizardly Arts: Scholar, KS: Abjuration, KS: Conjuration, KS: Divination, KS: Enchantment, KS: Evocation, KS: Illusion, KS: Necromancy, and KS: Transmutation; Real Cost: 19 points

By definition Mages are generalist Wizards, and thus it is appropriate for a Mage to get by with just Spellcraft, as explained in the Arcane Magic System guidelines.

Magery: Spellcraft + 2; Real Cost: 19 points

SPELL CREATION

Another big advantage for Mage's is that they can create their own Spells. The rules for creating new Spells are covered in the Wizardry guidelines.

MAGIC ITEM CREATION

The last major advantage for Mage's is that they can create new Magic Items. The rules for doing so are covered in the Wizardry guidelines.

SPECIALIST WIZARDS

Unlike Mages who pursue a generalist approach to Wizardly arts, Specialists opt to concentrate their efforts in select Schools of Magic, eschewing others in the process. Otherwise, they are identical to Mages.

Specialist Wizard Package Deals

The Militant Wizard Package is an example of a Specialist Wizard.

The Maven Basic Package is tailored for use with Specialist Wizards.

AD&D 2nd Edition Specialist Wizard Conversion

Use the guideline provided above for Mages with the following additions.

SPECIALIST WIZARD CLASS ABILITY CONSIDERATIONS

SPELLCASTING

Rather than learning all Spell Schools, a Specialist concentrates on one particular School of Magic. Each School of Magic has an oppositional School in Specialist parlance; by opting to focus on one in particular they loose the ability to practice one or more Schools of Magic entirely. To model the AD&D Specialist Wizard, apply the following Limitation to their Package, choosing the oppositional Schools corresponding Magic Skill.

School Ineptitude: Phys Lim: Cannot Learn KS: {Magic Skill} or use Spellcraft to Circumvent (Infrequently, Limiting; -5 points)

SPECIALIZATION & OPPOSITIONAL SCHOOLS

Specialization	School Skill	Oppositional School(s)	Oppositional School Skills
Abjurer	KS: Abjuration	Transmutation, Illusion	KS: Transmutation, KS: Illusion
Conjurer	KS: Conjuration	Divination, Invocation	KS: Divination, KS: Invocation
Diviner	KS: Divination	Conjuration	KS: Conjuration
Enchanter	KS: Enchantment	Invocation, Necromancy	KS: Invocation, KS: Necromancy
Illusionist	KS: Illusion	Necromancy, Invocation, Abjuration	KS: Necromancy, KS: Invocation, KS: Abjuration
Invoker	KS: Invocation	Enchantment, Conjuration	KS: Enchantment, KS: Conjuration
Necromancer	KS: Necromancy	Illusion, Enchantment	KS: Illusion, KS: Enchantment
Transmuter	KS: Transmutation	Abjuration, Necromancy	KS: Abjuration, KS: Necromancy

ELEMENTALISTS

The Elementalist Magic System is described in detail here.

Sample Spells may be found here.

Elementalist are a variant Specialist Wizard first introduced in the Tome of Magic. They focus on Magic aligned with the four classic Elements, eschewing the standard Wizardly organization of eight Schools of Magic.

There are four kinds of Elementalists, corresponding to the 4 Elements; they are Aeromancers, Geomancers, Hydromancers, and Pyromancers. Hydromancers are ill equipped for adventuring away from bodies of water, but Pyromancers and Geomancers in particular can make for powerful combat-capable Wizards.

In the HERO System, an Elementalist would be well advised to put almost all of their points into increasing their Magic VPP to cast ever higher level Spells, and to keep their Magic Skill rolls equivalently developed.

Sample Elementalist Package Deals

A number of Elementalist Package Deals can be found here.

AD&D 2nd Edition Elementalist Conversion

Consult the Wizard column of the AD&D 2nd Edition Class Level to Character Points Chart to determine how many Character Points your Character has available to them in the HERO System. Either use one of the Elementalist Package Deals provided above or create your own.

ELEMENTALISTS CLASS ABILITY CONSIDERATIONS

SPELLCASTING

The ability to cast Spells is a Elementalists primary Class Ability, and raison d'etre. This is handled using the guidelines provided in the Elementalist document.

ELEMENTALISTS MAGIC SCHOOL SKILLS

The Elementalist paradigm of Magic divides Magic into four Categories corresponding to the four classic Elements.

Elemental Mastery: KS: Element of Choice + 4, KS: First Neutral Element +2, KS: Second Neutral Element +2; Real Cost: 25 points

School Ineptitude: Phys Lim: Cannot Learn KS: {Oppositional Element Magic Skill} or use Spellcraft to Circumvent (Infrequently, Limiting; -5 points)

ELEMENTALISM & OPPOSITIONAL SCHOOLS

Specialization	School Skill	Oppositional School(s)	Oppositional School Skills
Aeromancy	KS: Aeromancy	Geomancy	KS: Geomancy
Geomancy	KS: Geomancy	Aeromancy	KS: Aeromancy
Hydromancy	KS: Hydromancy	Pyromancy	KS: Pyromancy
Pyromancy	KS: Pyromancy	Hydromancy	KS: Hydromancy