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Skip Navigation LinksHigh Fantasy HERO>Conversions>Warhammer>WH FRPG 1st Edition>Magic
Conversion Resource
FROM: Warhammer FRPG
TO: HERO System 5th Edition
NOTE: Some rudimentary knowledge of the HERO System rules is necessary to understand this conversion document.
Types of Magic Spells Definition Magic Point Reserve Spell Level Limits Sample Spells

WARHAMMER MAGIC SYSTEM CONVERSION CHARTS
The following document details a Magic System for the HERO System that will closely model the classic Warhammer FRPG Magic System.
WARHAMMER MAGIC SYSTEM
The original, classic Warhammer Fantasy Role Play Magic System was fairly simple and generally low-powered, which was appropriate to the grittier Low Fantasy feel of the Warhammer setting.
TYPES OF MAGIC USERS
There are two specific kinds of Spellcasters in the Warhammer setting; Magicians and Priests. Magicians include Alchemists and Wizards. Wizards are further variegated into basic Wizards, plus specialists in the form of Illusionists, Elementalists, Necromancers, and Demonologists. Priests include both Clerics, who follow the new Gods, and Druids that follow the Old Faith.
The types of Magic were divided into seven different categories: General, Illusion, Elemental, Necromancy, Demonology, Clerical, and Druidic.
ALCHEMISTS
Alchemists are essentially the same as Wizards, save that their Spellcasting is retarded by one Spell Level, and in return they know Chemistry and Metallurgy skills, which allows them to make a living by making gunpowder or assisting smiths if they so chose. Generally speaking they are simply weaker versions of Wizards, gaining no significant ability as compensation.
All of the following guidelines apply to Alchemists as ably as they do to Wizards.
SKILL ROLLS BY TYPE OF MAGIC
As part of the conversion to the HERO System, each type of magic has a Power Skill associated with it, as indicated on the following table. These Power Skills serve both to learn new spells of that type, but also as a Knowledge Skill for that type of magic.
All types of Spellcasters must take Power Skill: General Magic, which is analogous to the Cast Magic ability in Warhammer.
Required Skills by Magic Type
Type of Magic Required Skills Base Cost
Petty Power Skill: General Magic EGO 3/2
Battle Power Skill: General Magic EGO 3/2
Illusion Power Skill: Illusion Magic INT 3/2
Elemental Power Skill: Elemental Magic PRE 3/2
Necromancy Power Skill: Necromancy Magic CON 3/2
Demonology Power Skill: Demonology Magic EGO 3/2
Clerical Power Skill: Clerical Magic EGO 3/2
Druidic Power Skill: Druidic Magic PRE 3/2
ARCANE LANGUAGE
All Spellcasters must know the "Arcane Language", which can be treated as a 3 point language with literacy included in the HERO System.
Arcane Language (fluent conversation; literate); Real Cost: 3 points
LIMITATIONS BY TYPE OF SPELLCASTER
Some types of magic are incompatible in Warhammer, as summarized in the following list.
  • Elementalists can't learn Necromancy or Demonology
  • Necromancers can't learn Elementalism
  • Demonologists can't learn Elementalism
  • Non Clerics can't learn Clerical spells
  • Non Druids can't learn Druidic spells
  • Clerics may only know Cleric and General spells
  • Druids can only know Druidic and General spells
SPELLS
Some sample Spell Conversions are provided here as an example.
Spells in Warhammer were broken into four Levels, plus "Petty" magic, and were bought with Experience Points; thus Spellcasters rarely knew a huge number of spells. spells in the Warhammer setting conformed to a pretty consistent model across all types of Magic, as part of a single Magic System.
CASTING SPELLS
Casting spells in Warhammer generally took a full action, required incantations and gestures, and left the caster at a combat disadvantage. This translates into the HERO System easily via the Extra Time, Incantations, Gestures, and 1/2 DCV Concentration Limitations. Further, spells generally required ingredients, which were consumed via casting the spell. This can be handled in the HERO System via Expendable Foci.
CASTING FREQUENCY
Unlike many other FRPGs of the same era, Warhammer Spellcasters could cast the few spells they knew as often as they had "Magic Points" to pay for them. Spellpoints could be regained throughout the day by Meditating and more uncommonly via some other more esoteric means. Magic Points can be equivalated with Endurance Reserves with limited Recoveries in the HERO System.
Every Spellcaster must have a Magic Point Endurance Reserve to cast spells. The amount of END in the Reserve will vary from Spellcaster to Spellcaster, but the Recovery must be limited as indicated below by type of Spellcaster.
If maintaining the relative reoccurrence in effect in Warhammer, the Magic Endurance Reserve Recovery should be equal to 10% of the Reserve. Thus if a Spellcaster has a Reserve of 100, then they should have a REC of 10; likewise a Spellcaster with a Reserve of 50 should have a REC of 5.
WIZARD MAGIC POINT RESERVE
Magic Point Endurance Reserve: Endurance Reserve (? END, 4 REC); Limited Recovery (Only When Sleeping Or Meditating; -1 1/2), Requires A Meditation Skill Roll (-1/2)
CLERIC MAGIC POINT RESERVE
Magic Point Endurance Reserve: Endurance Reserve (? END, 5 REC); Limited Recovery (Only When Meditating; -2), Requires A Meditation Skill Roll (-1/2)
DRUIDIC MAGIC POINT RESERVE
Magic Point Endurance Reserve: Endurance Reserve (? END, 5 REC); Limited Recovery (Only When Performing A Ritual; -2), Requires A Meditation Skill Roll (-1/2)
CONVERTING MAGIC POINTS
To convert Magic Points into END in a Magic Point Endurance Reserve, multiply the character's Magic Points by 2.5. Thus if a character had 30 Magic Points in Warhammer, they would have 75 END in their HERO System Magic Point Endurance Reserve.
Endurance Reserve END = (Magic Points * 2.5)
NOTE: This formula is simply an approximation; a working convenience if you will. If an individual GM feels that characters convert over with too much or too little END in their Endurance Reserves, they are more than welcome to adjust the formula to something that suits them better.
SPELLS AND MAGIC POINTS
All spells must cost END from the Magic Points END Reserve. Spells may take Increased END Cost
SPELLCASTERS AND ARMOR
Unlike some FRPG's of it's era, Spellcasters could wear armor in the Warhammer setting, but it caused the Magic Point cost of their spells to sky rocket. This can be modeled in several ways in the HERO System, but perhaps the most easily managed method is with a custom Disadvantage.
Armor Fatigue: Looses 2 END from Magic Points Reserve For Each Point of DEF Granted By Armor When Casting Spells; 10 Points
RESISTING SPELLS
Many Warhammer spells allowed a target to make a Willpower test to avoid the effects; a saving throw of sorts in the parlance of other games. Spellcasters could also pay extra Magic Points to make the roll more difficult. This mechanic can be accomplished in the HERO System with a Partially Limited Limitation defined as "Target May Make EGO Roll at -1/10 Active Points Plus -1 Per 5 END Extra To Avoid Effects" for a -1/2 Limitation.
Willpower Resist: Target May Make EGO Roll at -1/10 Active Points Plus -1 Per 5 END Extra To Avoid Effects; -1/2
ACQUIRING SPELLS
All spells are bought separately with character points by a character, without the benefit of any Power Frameworks.
SPELL DESIGN LIMITS
The following chart indicates the Real Cost Limits for spells of each Spell Level, and also the minimum level of skill a Spellcaster must have in the applicable skill for a given spell.
Thus a spell with a Real Cost of 22 is a Level 3 spell, and to learn and cast it a Spellcaster must have the applicable Power Skill for that type of spell at 14- or better. I.e., if the spell in question were a Druidic spell, then a Spellcaster must have Power Skill: Druidic Magic 14- or better.
Spell Level Real Cost Limit Required Skill Level
Petty spells 1-10 11-
Level 1 spells 11-15 12-
Level 2 spells 16-20 13-
Level 3 spells 21-25 14-
Level 4 spells 26-30 15-
NUMBER OF SPELLS KNOWN
Spellcasters can know a number of spells determined by their (INT-10) x (Highest Spell Casting Skill Roll-10) spells.
Example: A character with 17 INT, KS: General Magic 15- as their highest Spell Casting Skill roll could know up to 7 x 5 = 35 spells
THE TOLL OF MAGIC
Some Wizards that meddled with dangerous magic accumulated Magical Disabilities over time. These are easily modeled in the HERO System with appropriate Disadvantages.