On the edges

So, I've already established that I'm going with the notion of an elemental cube, where the faces of the cube represent the respective elements air <=> earth, fire <=> water, metal <=> wood. The inside of the cube is the fundmental energy that forges creation, while the outside of the cube is the infinite void of primordial chaos beyond reality. This is something that has sat on the edges of my design space for quite some time, but it makes sense to use it as a unifying agent for a number of concepts in this game.

I've already considered using it as a basis for a pseudo-alignment system, a method to determine what effects might mutate the mystics when they are unable to control certain forces flowing through their souls, and have basically divided the core magical "verbs".

The next step is to link the ways that magical effects can be augmented into the cube. For this I'm not using the faces of the cube, instead I'm using the edges of the cube where two faces meet one another.

Constant * – (Earth or Water) The effect influences its target for longer than normal

Base: Instantaneous

+1 Lvl: Seconds (until next action)

+2 lvls: Minutes to Hours (until end of scene)

+3 lvls: Days to Months (until end of session/story)

+4 lvls: Years to Decades (until end of chronicle)

+5 lvls: Permanent

Delayed * – (Air or Water) The effect may be delayed until a certain circumstance occurs

Base: Happens immediately

+1 Lvl: Happens in seconds (allows an action to occur first)

+2 lvls: Once a trigger condition occurs, up to Minutes/Hours away (this scene)

+3 lvls: Once a trigger condition occurs, up to Days/Months away (this session/story)

+4 lvls: Once a trigger condition occurs, up to Years/Decades away (this chronicle)

+5 lvls: Once a trigger condition occurs, could be any time

Diffused * – (Air or Metal) The range of this effect is extended further from its than normal

Base: Touch

+1 Lvl: Metres (in same room, immediate vicinity)

+2 lvls: Up to hundreds of metres (in line of sight)

+3 lvls: Up to tens of kilometres (local town or county)

+4 lvls: Up to thousands of kilometres (local state or country)

+5 lvls: Everywhere on the planet

Distant * – (Air or Fire) The target nucleus of this effect may be further away than normal

Base: Touch

+1 Lvl: Up to tens of metres (Nearby, in line of sight)

+2 lvls: Up to kilometres (well-known location in same suburb or town)

+3 lvls: Up to hundreds of kilometres (known location in same county or state)

+4 lvls: Up to tens of thousands of kilometres (known location on same planet)

+5 lvls: Anywhere in the same solar system/plane of reality

Heightened * – (Earth or Fire) The trait modifications imposed by this effect are higher than normal

Base: May provides a d4 situation bonus, or a single trait (positive or negative)

+1 Lvl: Increases situation bonus to d6

+2 lvls: Increases situation bonus to d8 (or add a second trait)

+3 lvls: Increases situation bonus to d10

+4 lvls: Increases situation bonus to d12 (or add a third trait)

+5 lvls: Increases situation bonus to d12+2

Hidden * – (Earth or Metal) The true nature of this effect is less able to be detected by observers

Base: The mundane may sense it, mystics definitely notice it

+1 Lvl: The mundane don’t sense it, mystics may sense it

+2 lvls: The mundane don’t sense it, mystics need a success to sense it

+3 lvls: The mundane don’t sense it, mystics need two successes to sense it

+4 lvls: The mundane don’t sense it, mystics need three successes to sense it

+5 lvls: No one senses it

Invigorating * – (Fire or Wood) The effect applies an aegis bonus to its target

Base: None

+1 Lvl: Increase an aegis by 1

+2 lvls: Increase an aegis by 2

+3 lvls: Increase an aegis by 3, or all aegises by 1

+4 lvls: Increase an aegis by 4

+5 lvls: Increase an aegis by 5, or all aegises by 2

Mass * – (Air or Wood) The effect influences a greater number of targets than normal

Base: Self (or one touched target)

+1 Lvl: Affects one target per success

+2 lvls: Choose two traits, affects all in range who share both traits

+3 lvls: Choose two traits, affects all in range who have either trait

+4 lvls: Choose one trait, affects all in range without that trait

+5 lvls: Affects everyone in range

Penetrating * – (Fire or Metal) The effect is less easily resisted by its target

Base: Target has all the expected resistances

+1 Lvl: Target must actively resist the effect (if they know about it)

+2 lvls: Target spend an aegis to actively resist the effect

+3 lvls: Target spend two aegises to actively resist the effect

+4 lvls: Target spend three aegises to actively resist the effect

+5 lvls: Target may not resist the effect

Reflective * – (Water or Metal) For its duration, the effect is more difficult to remove from the target

Base: Effect may be negated/removed as normal

+1 Lvl: Someone trying to remove the effect must spend 1 energy

+2 lvls: Someone trying to remove the effect must spend 2 energy

+3 lvls: Someone trying to remove the effect must spend 3 energy

+4 lvls: Someone trying to remove the effect must spend 4 energy

+5 lvls: Someone trying to remove the effect must spend 5 energy

Replenishing * – (Earth or Wood) When it expires, the effect may be recharged by the target if they avoid rejuvenating an exhausted aegis

Base: Effect may not be recharged

+1 Lvl: Effect may be recharged once

+2 lvls: Effect may be recharged twice

+3 lvls: Effect may be recharged until end of story

+4 lvls: Effect may be recharged until end of chronicle

+5 lvls: Permanent

Targeted * – (Water or Wood) This effect gains a bonus die when used against a specific target (this increases the chance of the effect working, rather than increasing the output of a successful effect)  

Base: Can target anyone, No modification

+1 Lvl: You may know the name of the person, or vague details about them. This provides an extra d4.

+2 lvls: You have met the person, or know someone who knows them well. This provides an extra d6.

+3 lvls: You have had a conversation with the person, or have met them in passing on a number of occasions. You count them as a general contact or ally. This provides an extra d8.

+4 lvls: This person is well known, you have more than a passing relationship link to them. This provides an extra d10.

+5 lvls: This person means a lot to you, perhaps a family member or someone who your life revolves around in some way. This provides an extra d12.

Each option uses the two adjacent sides of the elemental cube, so that gives us 12 ways to boost spells. More than enough.

When I said that familiar will gain powers based on their elemental affinities, I'll probably develop a few multi-element powers as well, this will focus those types of familiars by offering them some more potent abilities as long as certain elemental affiliations are met.

The thing about these elemental concepts is trying to make sure they have a logical coherence to them, while offering a wide variety of options across them.