Skip Navigation Links
High Fantasy HERO
Content
Campaign GuidelinesExpand Campaign Guidelines
Abilities / Spells / ItemsExpand Abilities / Spells / Items
Race PackagesExpand Race Packages
Profession PackagesExpand Profession Packages
PsionicsExpand Psionics
MagicExpand Magic
Shrike High FantasyExpand Shrike High Fantasy
Conversions
Conversion Styles
D&DExpand D&D
WarhammerExpand Warhammer
World of Lone WolfExpand World of Lone Wolf
Contributions
From Shadowcat
From eepjr24
From CorvenRen
From CourtFool
Misc Fantasy Characters
Contact Webmaster
KillerShrike.com
Skip Navigation LinksHigh Fantasy HERO>Conversions>D&D>D&D 3rd Edition>DM to GM>Magic Systems
Magic System Conversions
FROM: D&D 3e
TO: HERO System 5th Edition
NOTE: Some rudimentary knowledge of the HERO System rules is necessary to understand this conversion document.
The following links are to Magic System documents that model various D&D 3e Magic Systems in HERO System mechanics.
  • VANCIAN MAGIC: All D&D Magic is basically "Vancian", which is to say largely modeled upon the Magic System used in Jack Vance's Dying Earth series of books and characterized by conceptually fitting Spells into mental slots, being able to cast each Spell once per slot it filled, and Spells having a certain "fire and forget" aspect of being either instant or self-maintaining. This document explains some high level concepts common to the Vancian Magic Systems presented on this web site.
    • Prepared Casting: Most Vancian Magic in D&D is of the Prepared variety, where Spellcasters have to spend some amount of time choosing their Spells and allocating their Spell slots for the day. This document explains some high level concepts common to the Prepared Casting Magic Systems presented on this web site.
      • Wizardry: This document presents a conversion of the D&D Wizard and Specialist Wizard Magic System.
      • Dominine: This document presents a conversion of the D&D Cleric Magic System. This system could also be used for Paladins by allowing a Paladin access to Domains, but for those that do not which to diverge from the D&D model a specific conversion of the Paladin Magic style is presented in the Paladin Class Conversion document.
      • Animine: This document presents a conversion of the D&D Druid Magic System. It is also usable as is for Rangers (conversions are provided for both Spell sets).
    • Spontaneous Casting: The Spontaneous variety of Magic was introduced in D&D 3e, where Spellcasters know a set list of Spells per Spell Level but rather than having to Prepare which they have available ahead of time they can instead cast whatever Spell they know up to their limit for that Spell Level per day. This document explains some high level concepts common to the Spontaneous Casting Magic Systems presented on this web site.
      • Sorcery: This document presents a conversion of the D&D Sorcerer Magic System. It is also usable for Bards (conversions are provided for both Spell lists)
VARIANTS
A broad number of variant Magic Systems using the same basic Vancian models are also provided on this web site. You may find some of them intriguing and decide to incorporate them into your campaign.
  • VANCIAN MAGIC:
    • Gestalt Casting: This variant is a hybrid of the Prepared and Spontaneous schemes of Magic use. It uses a Variable Power Pool like Prepared Casting, but allows a practitioner to switch in Spells from their Known Spell List, thus allowing them to cast in a manner more like Spontaneous Casting. Thus it effectively has the strengths of both Magic Systems, and neither of their weaknesses. On the other hand, it costs more character points to advance in, and thus Spell Progression is slower.
      • Arcanis Magnicus: This Magic System is a parallel to Wizardry and Sorcery and is essentially the archetypical Gestalt model.
      • Elementalism: This is more of a "Meta" Magic System, that is essentially the concept of Magic aligned along the four classic Elements of Earth Air Fire Water. It can be used in conjunction with the Gestalt Casting method.
      • Stregari: Stregari is, similar to Elementalism, more of a "Meta" concept which is usable with any of the Vancian Casting models. It embodies much more of a Witchcraft or Hedge style of Magic.
      • Sortilege: Another "Meta" concept usable with all of the Vancian Casting models, Sortilege is designed around the use of Interaction Skills and Spells that are thematically appropriate to each one. It is in some ways like a hyper-specialized Bardic approach to Magic.
      • Dominine: The Dominine Magic System is assumed to use the Prepared Casting model by default, but it can also use the Gestalt Casting model without issue.
      • Animine: The Animine Magic System is assumed to use the Prepared Casting model by default, but it can also use the Gestalt Casting model without issue.
    • Prepared Casting
      • Elementalism: Elementalism can also be used with the Prepared Casting Model.
      • Stregari: Stregari can also be used with the Prepared Casting Model  (which is Killer Shrike's preferred option).
      • Sortilege: Sortilege can also be used with the Prepared Casting Model.
    • Spontaneous Casting
      • Elementalism: Elementalism can also be used with the Spontaneous Casting Model (which is Killer Shrike's preferred option).
      • Stregari: Stregari can also be used with the Spontaneous Casting Model.
      • Sortilege: Sortilege can also be used with the Spontaneous Casting Model  (which is Killer Shrike's preferred option).
OTHER MAGIC SYSTEMS
A plethora of other non-D&D style Magic Systems are also provided on this web site. The Magic System Adviser document compares the attributes of each broad style of Magic against one another, and has links to each individual System at the bottom.