Before starting on any enchanted or superscience item, you and the player must first work out the Power Level of the proposed item. The list on the next page provides some guidance on Power Level (the Spell
Creation lists may be consulted as well). Essentially, an enchanted or superscience item is one Power Level higher than a comparable spell effect given its on-going “triggerable” aspect. If the item’s Power Level is greater than the character’s Enchanter or Superscientist level, negative modifiers must be added (see p. 94) or its creation is impossible for that crafter.
The next step, as usual with magic, is research. An Enchanter reviews numerous dusty compendia for theories or examples of the item she wants to create. She must succeed at an Intelligence and Occultism roll. Of course, the more potent the device, the more wide-ranging the research. The Enchanter needs a number of Success Levels equal to the Power Level of the proposed creation. Superscience is a bit different in that it doesn’t require mystical tomes. Instead, the Superscientist reviews old science textbooks and Internet articles. Also, the research roll tests Intelligence and Science; again, it requires a number of Success Levels equal to the Power Level of the device desired. In either case, don’t be afraid to require a few more Success Levels if the object is particularly unusual or odd. As usual with research, how long it takes is basically your call.
An Enchanter or Superscientist must then work on the item for two weeks per Power Level. Creating a level two item requires one month of work, while a level six device takes three months.
In addition, the maker must acquire a special ingredient with a Power Level equal to or greater than that of the device. Adding additional special ingredients can reduce the time necessary to create the item.
Finally, the character must spend a number of experience points equal to twice the Power Level of the item being created. Essentially, the deviser is putting a bit of herself into the item. Found or stolen mystical items need not be purchased with experience points because you (not the player) get to decide the exact features of the object.
After the time and experience are spent, and the special ingredients used, the character makes a Willpower and Occultism and Enchanter (or Intelligence and Science and Superscientist) roll. If the Success Levels in the creation roll are equal to or above the item’s Power Level, everything works out okay. If the roll is over nine, but insufficient Success Levels are obtained, it’s side-effect city. If the roll is under nine, the big nothing happens (but the time, experience, and ingredients are still used up).
Side effects from less than totally successful item creation attempts are quirky things. The crafter knows something went wrong (hard to avoid that unless you perform the creation roll in secret), but not exactly what. For all intents and purposes, the item appears to be come out just as planned. Still, the Mystical Item Creation Side Effect Table must be consulted each time the item is used to determine the exact effect produced. Roll D10 and add the item’s Power Level. It shouldn’t take long for the creator to realize that using the newly devised item brings a certain uncertainty to life.
Power Level
The paragraphs here give some suggestions for how to assign Power Levels to mystical items. LEVEL 1: None—Cast Members with only one level in Enchanter or Superscientist can only create assemblages to duplicate spells effects.
LEVEL 2: Improved versions of a standard item, like a blessed sword that does extra damage to demons or a pistol that has a rifle’s range and damage. Items that do a number of points of damage equal to Willpower per Success Level of the creation roll, or do additional points of damage equal to Strength per Success Level (for swords, guns, or other implements that already do damage); that make minor to moderate changes in
someone’s appearance (change a Cast Member’s face to make them look completely unrecognizable); that affect a target’s emotions (make someone angry or sad).
LEVEL 3: Items that raise a mindless zombie; that are robotic and closely mimic intelligence (but aren’t really a full person); that do twice Willpower per Success Level in damage, or add twice Strength per Success Level points of additional damage; that add or subtract one point to any single Attribute; that sense specific magical energies, including items that can detect residues of magic, dimensional weak points, the magical energy given off by the casting of powerful rituals (Power Level 5 or higher), or the supernatural energies found in enchanted items.
LEVEL 4: Items that significantly affect someone’s behavior in a directed fashion (cause the target to love or feel loyalty toward someone); that do three times Willpower per Success Level damage, or add three times Strength per Success Level points of additional damage; that make someone look exactly like a specific other person; that add or subtract two to any single Attribute, or one to two Attributes; that activate latent sites of power, including opening a dimensional or teleportational gate at a single specific dimensional weak point.
LEVEL 5: Items that reanimate a person as a zombie that retains the original person’s memories and personality; that cause someone to fall deeply in love, become completely obsessed with someone, or deeply hate someone; that are robotic and as intelligent as a person; that turn someone or something invisible; that do four times Willpower per Success Level damage, or add four times Strength per Success Level points of additional damage; that make someone look, act, and sound exactly like a specific other person.
LEVEL 6: This is the minimum Power Level for items that can strengthen or weaken hellgods or other vastly powerful beings. Items that that cause five times Willpower per Success Level damage, or add five times Strength per Success Level points of additional damage; that add or subtract four to any single Attribute or two to two Attributes; that create powerful and obvious physical effects like opening dimensional gates to anywhere
or splitting someone into two people.
LEVEL 7: The ultimate—powerful items that can affect hundreds (or more) people at once, or could potentially end the world. Regardless of how many levels of Enchanter or Superscientist they possess, Cast Members cannot create Level Seven items. Also, these items cannot be reduced in power through Power Level modifiers.