Magic as utility?

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Tiltowait
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Magic as utility?

Unread post by Tiltowait »

I was wondering if there was a supplement or supplements that went into how magic may be used more for utility as opposed to combat buff/debuff/nuke.

For example, a magic quartermaster corps that provides bulk food/drink for say an army. Or one that can create temporary housing.
Or even long-term buffs that increase movement speed for a large group on the march or resistance to the elements. For example resist extreme cold if you are in the Northern Hinterlands or heat if you are in the Baalgor Wastes?

There are a few spells that may be adapted as such but I was looking for a list or guide.
These are the ones I can think of (mostly from the Core rules):

For food/drink:
===========
Create Bread and Milk
Create Water
Summon? (Can you eat what you summon?)

For shelter:
=========
Dig (especially if this works on more than just dirt/loose stone...it would be great if you could dig through snow while in the colder regions)

General labor:
==========
Create Undead
Summons

Unfortunately for movement, or resistances to the elements even if you tried wards do not appear to be practical due to time constraints. You'd need hours/level and most buffs last minutes at most.

Is there a supplement(s) on this? How did you address this in your campaign(s)? Any other spells you'd recommend?

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Re: Magic as utility?

Unread post by drewkitty ~..~ »

Look at the fan created spells topic in the magic and Psi forum. Almost all the spells you can think of and some variations on similar core ideas.
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Re: Magic as utility?

Unread post by Library Ogre »

Quite a bit, yes.

Some of it is obvious; Earth Warlocks enhancing growing, creating stone, or outright making buildings out of Walls of Stone. Water Warlocks on a ship to create stores of fresh water. Fire Warlocks creating coal to make a forge run.

Then you get to things like summoning (especially circle magic). Summon Cows, Pigs, Goats (summoning spells are a bit more problematic as to whether they remain). Summon Elemental Forces to make good rain.

Heck, we had a thread a bit ago about SMEAT... Earth Warlocks making Walls of Stone, then using Stone to Flesh to manufacture large amounts of meat, in "slab" form.
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Re: Magic as utility?

Unread post by ShadowLogan »

I don't know of many books in the PF line that expand magic options (list or disciplines), I know there are numerous types that have been imported/created in the Rifts Setting that are consolidated in the Rifts Book of Magic, and it's probably out of date given new books have been added to the line (the book is pre-RUE IINM) and use is subject to GM approval if they aren't in a PF SB. Notables would be:
-Conjuring Magic (Rifts Book of Magic/WB16, I know it's also in a later PF title I just don't recall which one) they get special casting ability related to conjuring which might be useful for shelter and (type of labor), but they can also cast spells related to conjuring at reduced cost from the Wizard List.
-Necromancy (Rifts Book of Magic/WB4 and Mystic Russia, it's in a later PF title want to say High Seas but I could be wrong on the title and PF may be more limited than the full listing in BoM) offers ways to utilize bone in construction.
-Stone Magic (Rifts BoM/WB2) allows one to easily work with stone
-Cloud Magic (Rifts BoM/WB14) also has creation spells that would fall under utility you are looking for but I do not

In the main book you'll find a bit more than your list would suggest, especially if you include warlocks in your search. I also found a few spells from Rifts that also might be useful under Wizard Invocation List (the spell Energize Spell increases duration of a level 6 spell or below which might make some more useful) that might or might not have been imported (or could be with GM approval).

Food/Water
Purification (Main Book, works on both food and water so you could take spoiled food or contaminated water and make it safe to use)
Stone to Flesh (Main Book, 50lbs of stone per level, so you have a source of meat)
Water to Wine (Main Book, more useful for "morale" purposes to have alcohol available I would think)
Dowsing (Main Book, elemental spell to find water)
Identify Plants (Main Book, elemental find food)
Heat Object & Boil Water (Main Book, elemental, use to cook food or make water safe to drink, direct cooking is not advised for large groups due to PPE cost)
Salt Water to Fresh (Main Book, elemental, useful for some situations like those on ships)
Liquids to Water (Main Book, elemental)

Shelter
Ignite Fire (Main Book, won't need fire creation materials)
Create Coal (Main Book, Elemental source of heat)
Create X or X to Y spells (Main Book, elemental it would be a source of building materials)
Create Wood (Rifts Book of Magic)
Sheltering Force (Rifts Book of Magic, magic tent)

Labor:
Animate & Control Dead (Necromancy versions are cheaper/more potent)
Phantom Horse (Main Book, 1hr per level though the labor would require an animal and not humanoid)
Zombie
Mummy
Golem
Sculpt & Animate Clay Animals (Main Book, Earth Warlock. much better than A&CD be it wizard or necromancy in terms of stats and duration, plus a spell chain can make it better)
Summon Elementals (various essence fragments)
Cleanse (Rifts Book of Magic, clean clothes/person much faster)
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