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Skip Navigation LinksHigh Fantasy HERO>Content>Magic>Magic Systems>Adeptology>Thanomancy
Thanomancy

Adeptology

Adeptology System Adepts Adept Package Deals
Variant: Volomancy Variant: Thanomancy Variant: Urzadrek
Sample Thanomancer: Hathsenshef Kemadi
VARIANT: Adeptology Magic System
To use this variant Magic System, simply use the Adeptology document in its entirety with the exception of sections that have been "overridden" by this document, as indicated in the section headers below.
THANOMANCER
NOTE: Practitioners of Thanomancy (THAN-OH-MAN-cee) are called Thanomancers (THAN-OH-MAN-SURS) collectively, or Thanomancer (THAN-OH-MAN-SUR) singularly.
Thanomancy is a form of Arcane Magic. Thanomancers are naturally occurring individuals able to warp reality to their will in various ways by using Life Force to work Magic.
While Thanomancers are able to power some of their Magic off of their own residual Life Force, to be truly effective they must steal or borrow the Life Forces of others. This does not necessarily require a Thanomancer to kill others; they can take a little off of several people if they want, but few practice such discretion.
Thanomancers may not be appropriate to all settings or campaigns, or even when they exist they may not be suitable as Player Characters in some GM's games due to their grim means to power. However, in some games with thicker skinned players they can be very interesting additions to an adventuring group. They definitely introduce an interesting dynamic.
The Adeptology model is used as the base mechanic for this type of Magic, but with some changes where noted below.
MODIFY: Means to Power
The general rules given in the Means to Power section of Adeptology apply to Thanomancy, but with the following alterations.
CASTING MODEL
Thanomancy requires a custom Talent called "Magical Adept (Thanomancy)" that can only be taken at Character Creation to allow access to the Magic System. This is described more fully under Restrictions below.
A character with the Magical Adept Talent can at any point in their careers start purchasing an Adeptology Variable Power Pool defined as follows.
THANOMANCY MAGIC VPP CONTROL COST
  • 0 Phase Change (+1)
  • No Skill Roll Required (+1)
  • Only Arcane Magic (-1/2)
  • Variable Limitation (-1/2; each Spell must take -1 of Limitations from Extra Time, Gestures, Incantation, Limited Range, Increased Endurance in any combination at a MINIMUM)
  • All Spells Must Take Concentration (-1/4) and Delayed Phase (-1/4)
  • Spells May Not Have Any Other Limitations
  • All Spells Must Cost END
    • (Spells may cost END only to Activate where allowed)
Control Cost per 10 Pool = 6 Real Points
Total Cost per 10 Pool = 16 Real Points
LONG TERM ENDURANCE LOSS
Thanomancers do not suffer Long Term Endurance Loss in the fashion specified for Adeptology.
MODIFY: Restrictions
The general rules given in the Restrictions section of Adeptology apply to Thanomancy, but with the following alterations.
ACCESS TALENT
As mentioned above a Thanomancer must take a Magical Adept Talent at Character Creation.
Magical Adept (Thanomancy)
A Thanomancer is born with the capacity to use Thanomancy. This ability may only be taken at character creation.
Magical Adept (Thanomancy) Cost: 2 Points
THANOMANCY ENDURANCE RESERVE
All Thanomancers must have an END Reserve and all of the Magic Spells cast from their VPP must cost END from a Thanomancy END Reserve, without exception. The standard "May Use Either Personal END or END Reserve" +1/4 Advantage may not be used.
The END Reserve may have any amount of END, but the normal non-adjusted REC of the END Reserve can never be greater than the characters total points (not including any Magic Items or other Equipment) divided by 150, rounded in the characters favor according to the standard HERO System metarule.
Thus a character with 125 Character Points can have 1 REC on their Thanomancy EN Reserve, while a 280 Character Point character can have a REC of 2, and a character with 360 Character Points can also have a REC of 2.
DRAIN LIFE
Thanomancers fuel their Magic by draining the "Life Force" from others.
All Thanomancers must have a Transfer from BODY to the REC of their END Reserve (an example is provided below), which must be bought as a Power. This Transfer has the SFX of Magic, Thanomancy, and Negative Energy.
This ability may be built in various ways, though the GM can of course reject any version of the ability as they see fit. This Power must cost Personal END, not END from the Thanomancers END Reserve.
SAMPLE LIFEFORCE DRAINS
Drain Lifeforce Touch: Transfer 2d6 (standard effect: 6 points) (BODY to Thanomancy END Reserve REC), Can Transfer Maximum Of 20 Points, Delayed Return Rate (points return at the rate of 5 per Day; +1 1/2) (85 Active Points); Extra Time (Full Phase, Delayed Phase, -3/4), Required Hands Two-Handed (-1/2), Gestures (-1/4), Incantations (-1/4), Concentration (1/2 DCV; -1/4), Must Make Contact With Bare Skin (-1/4) (8 END, uses Personal END)
Real cost: 26 points.
Drain Lifeforce Aura: Transfer 1 point (BODY to Thanomancy END Reserve REC), Can Transfer Maximum Of 20 Points, Reduced Endurance (1/2 END; +1/4), Damage Shield (Offensive; +3/4), Delayed Return Rate (points return at the rate of 5 per Hour; +1), Continuous (+1) (58 Active Points); Extra Time (Full Phase, Only to Activate, Delayed Phase, -1/2), Gestures (-1/4), Incantations (-1/4), Concentration (1/2 DCV; -1/4) (2 END per Phase, uses Personal END)
Real cost: 26 points.
OTHER TRANSFERS
Thanomancers can also take other Transfer from BODY Powers of this sort if they want, and can even put several in a separate Multipower or Elemental Control if they want.
MODIFY: Available Spells
Thanomancy has access to all non-Special Powers except EDM, FTL, Healing, and Summon, but all Spells built with Stop Sign Powers require GM permission
MODIFY: Creating New Magic Items
Thanomancers can create Magic Items using Transform to add abilities to mundane Items using the rules given under the Transform Power. However, all Powers added to an item in this fashion must cost END from a Thanomancy END Reserve, and must have a limited form of Independent applied to it
THANOMANTRIC INDEPENDENT
 Thanomantric Item: Independent (Requires Gift of Thanomancy) (-1/4)
To create such an item the Thanomancer costs a Thanomancer Character Point equal to the Real Cost / 5 of the Powers added to the Item rounded in the character's favor. Thus if a Thanomancer wanted to add Powers to a mundane item with a total Real Cost of 27, then the Thanomancer would need to have 5 unspent Character Points and these 5 Character Points would be lost upon creation of the Item.
The following sample item represents a helmet that has had several Powers in an Elemental Control added to it by a Thanomancer. The Helm has a total Real Cost of 50, so it would cost a Thanomancer 10 Character Points to make this item.
 HELM OF KEMTENTEPAH MERDIKAHMEN
Elemental Control, 40-point powers, (20 Active Points); all slots OIF Unbreakable (Bone Helm, -1/2), Independent (Requires Gift of Thanomancy) (-1/4)
a) Fearsome Visage: +40 PRE (40 Active Points); Costs Endurance (Only Costs END to Activate; -1/4) (uses END Reserve)
b) Mindhunting: Mind Scan 6d6 (Human class of minds), +5 ECV (40 Active Points) (uses END Reserve)
c) Mental Pressure: Ego Attack 4d6 (Human class of minds) (40 Active Points) (uses END Reserve)
d) Drain Lifeforce: Transfer 2d6 (BODY to Thanomancy END Reserve REC), Can Transfer Maximum Of 20 Points, Delayed Return Rate (points return at the rate of 5 per Minute; +1/4) (42 Active Points); Extra Time (Full Phase, Delayed Phase, -3/4), Gestures (-1/4), Incantations (-1/4) (uses END Reserve)