Author Topic: Akashic Magic  (Read 3335 times)

Offline Hanako Tachibana

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Akashic Magic
« on: September 12, 2012, 06:12:04 PM »
AKASHIC MAGIC
 An akashic technique is a one-time akashic effect.  Technicians and akashic creatures need to prepare their techniques for use ahead of time.  They either have enough tama to use a technique or they do not.
 A technique is used when a technician pays its tama cost.  Some akashic creatures automatically use techniques, called technique-like abilities, without paying a tama cost.  Other creatures pay tama to use their techniques, just as characters do.
 Each technique has a specific effect as described in The Techniques.  A technique known to technician can be uesd whenever she has tama to pay for it.
 Techniques are grouped according to four categories called icons, representing the four sources of power technicians can access.  This chapter describes the differences between the icons.  In addition, it provides an extensive discussion of how techniques work, gives an overview of the technique description format, explains how akashic combat works between akashic beings and against non-akashic targets, and discusses what happens when akashic effects combine with other techniques and with magic.

USING TECHNIQUES
 Technicians and akashic creatures use techniques.  Whether they cost tama when used by a technician, or are used as technique-like abilities, techniques' effects remain the same.
 The process of using a technique is akin to casting a spell, but with significant differences.

Choosing a Technique
 First you must choose which technique to use.  You can select any technique you know, provided you are capable of using techniques of that level or higher.
 To use a technique, you must pay tama, which counts against your current tama pool.  You can use the same technique multiple times if you have tama left to pay for it.

Concentration
 To use a technique, you must concentrate.  If something threatens to interrupt your concentration while you're using a technique, you must succeed on a Concentration check or lose the tama without using the technique.  The more distracting the interruption and the higher the level of the technique you are trying to use, the higher the DC.
 Injury: Getting hurt or being affected by hostile techniques while trying to use a technique can break your concentration and ruin a technique.  If you take damage while trying to use a technique, you must make a Concentration check (DC 10 + points of damage taken + the converted level of the technique you're using).  The interrupting event strikes during use if it occurs between when you start and when you complete using a technique (for a technique with a usage time of 1 round or longer) or if it comes in response to your using the technique (such as an attack of opportunity provoked the using of the technique or a contingent attack from a readied action).
 If you are taking continuous damage, such as from the Melf's acid arrow spell, half the damage is considered to take place while you are using a technique.  You must make a Concentration check (DC 10 + 1/2 the damage the continuous source last dealt + the converted level of the technique you're using).  If the last damage dealt was the last damage that the effect could deal (such as the last round of a Melf's acid arrow effect), then the damage is over and it does not distract you.  Repeated damage, such as from an energy wall, does not count as continuous damage.
 Technique: If you are affected by a technique while attempting to use a technique of your own, you must make a Concentration check or lose the technique you are using.  If the technique affecting you deals damage, the Concentration DC is 10 + points of damage + the converted level of the technique you are using.  If the technique interferes with you or distracts you in some other way, the Concentration DC is the technique's save DC + the converted level of the technique you're using.  For a technique with no saving throw, it's the DC that the technique's saving throw would have if a save were allowed.
 Grappling or Pinned: To use a technique while grappling or pinned, you must make a Concentration check (DC 20 + the converted level of the technique you're using) or lose the technique.
 Vigorous Motion: If you are riding on a moving mount, taking a bouncy ride in a wagon, on a small boat in rough water, belowdecks in storm-tossed ship, or simply being jostled in a similar fashion, you must make a Concentration check (DC 10 + the converted level of the technique you're using) or lose the technique.
 Violent Motion: If you are on a galloping horse, taking a very rough ride in a wagon, on a small boat in rapids or in a storm, on deck in a storm-tossed ship, or being tossed roughly about in a similar fashion, you must make a Concentration check (DC 15 + the converted level of the technique you're using) or lose the technique.
 Violent Weather: If you are in a high wind carrying blinding rain or sleet, the DC is 5 + the converted level of the technique you're using.  If you are in wind-driven hail, dust, or debris, the DC is 1- + the converted level of the technique you're using.  In either case, you lose the technique if you fail the Concentration check.  If the weather is caused by a technique, use the rules in the Technique subsection above.
 Using Techniques on the Defensive: If you want to use a technique without provoking attacks of opportunity, you need to dodge and weave.  You must make a Concentration check (DC 15 + the converted level of the technique you're using) to succeed.  You lose the tama without using the technique if you fail.
 Entangled: If you want to use a technique while entangled in a net or while affected by a technique with similar effects, you must make a DC 15 Concentration check to use the technique.  You lose the technique if you fail.

Technician Level
 Many techniques (and most fundamentals) have variable effects that depend on technician level.  If you are a single-class character, your technician level equals your level in the class that provides access to techniques (mamono, majo, meister, or miko; these are known as the technician classes).
 Even if you gain levels in a class that does not grant techniques, your power still grows, both physically and mentally, and with it your ability to reach deeper into the Akashic Records.  If you are a multiclassing technician, you must determine your technician level separately for each technician class you have levels in.  Your technician level for any given technician class is equal to your level in that class + 1/2 your levels in all other classes.
 For example, a 7th-level majo/5th-level miko has a technician level of 9th for determining the highest level technique she can take as a majo, for determining her tama capacity when using a technique learned as a majo, and for determining the variable effects of a technique used as a majo.
 A technique that can be augmented for additional effect is also limited by your tama capacity, which is defined by your technician level.  See Augment under Descriptive Text, below.
 You can use a technique at a lower technician level than normal, but the technician level must be high enough for you to use the technique in question, and all level-dependent features must be based on the same technician level.
 In the event that a class feature or other special ability provides an adjustment to your technician level, this adjustment applies not only to all effects based on technician level but also to the technician level used in dispel checks (both the dispel check and the DC of the check).

Technique Failure
 If you try to use a technique in conditions where the characteristics of the technique (range, area, and so on) cannot be made to conform, the usage fails and the tama is wasted.
 Techniques also fail if your concentration is broken (see Concentration, above).

The Technique's Result
 Once you know which creatures (or objects or areas) are affected, and whether those creatures have made successful saving throws (if any were allowed), you can apply whatever results a technique entails.

Special Technique Effects
 Certain special features apply to all techniques.
 Attacks: Some techniques refer to attacking.  All offensive combat actions, even those that don't damage opponents, such as disarm and bull rush, are considered attacks.  All techniques that opponents can resist with saving throws, that deal damage, or that otherwise harm or hamper subjects are considered attacks.  Edicts and similar techniques are not considered attacks because the techniques themselves don't harm anyone.
 Bonus Types: Many techniques give creatures bonuses to ability scores, Armor Class, attacks, and other attributes.  Each bonus has a type that indicates how the technique grants the bonus.  The important aspect of bonus types is that two bonuses of the same type don't generally stack.  With the exception of dodge bonuses, most circumstance bonuses, and racial bonuses, only the better bonus works (see Combining Akashic and Magical Effects, below).  The same principle applies to penalties---a character taking two or more penalties of the same type applies only the worst one.

Combining Akashic and Magical Effects
 The default rule for the interaction of techniques and magic is simple: techniques interact with spells and spells interact with techniques in the same way a spell or normall spell-like ability interacts with another spell or spell-like ability.  This is known as akashic--magic transparency.
 Akashic--Magic Transparency: Though not explicitly called out in the spell descriptions in the Player's Handbook or the magic item descriptions in the Dungeon Master's Guide, spells, spell-like abilities, and magic items that could potentially affect techniques do affect techniques (unless the DM uses the Techniques Are Different opion described later in this chapter).  When the rule about akashic--magic transparency is in effect, it has the following ramifications.
 Spell resistance is effective against techniques, using the same mechanics.  Likewise, technique resistance is effective against spells, using the same mechanics as spell resistance.  If a creature has one kind of resistance, it is assumed to have both.  (The effects have similar ends despite having been brought about by different means.)
 All spells that dispel magic have equal effect against techniques of the same converted level using the same mechanics, and vice versa.
 The spell detect magic detects techniques, their number, and their strength and location within 3 rounds (though an Astrology check is necessary to identify the icon of the akashic aura).
 Dead magic areas are also dead akasha areas.
 Multiple Effects: Techniques or akashic effects usually work as described in The Techniques no matter how many other techniques, akashic effects, spells, or magical effects happen to be operating in the same area or on the same recipient.  Except in special cases, a technique does not affect they way another technique or spell operates.  (One special case is dispel magic, which removes other magical effects and akashic effects).  Whenever a technique has a specific effect on other techniques or spells, the technique description explains (and vice versa for spells that affect techniques).  Several other general rules apply for when techniques, spells, magical effects, or akashic effects operate in the same place.
 Stacking Effects: Techniques that provide bonuses or penalties on attack rolls, damage rolls, saving throws, and other attributes usually do not stack with themselves.
 More generally, two bonuses of the same type don't stack even if they come from different techniques, or one from a technique and one from a spell.
 The bonuses or penalties from two different techniques, or a technique and a spell, stack if the effects are of different types.
 A bonus that isn't named (just a "+2 bonus" rather than a "+2 insight bonus") stacks with any bonus.
 In cases when two or more similar or identical effects are operating in the same area or on the same target, but at different strengths, only the best one applies.  If one technique or spell is dispelled or its duration runs out, the other technique or spell remains in effect (assuming its duration has not yet expired).
 Techniques and spells with opposite effects apply normally, with all bonuses, penalties, or changes accruing in the order they apply.  Some techniques or spells negate or counter each other.  This is a special effect that is noted in the technique's or spell's description.
 Two or more magical or akashic effects with instantaneous durations work cumulatively when they affect the same object, place, or creature.
« Last Edit: September 13, 2012, 06:29:22 PM by Hanako Tachibana »
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Offline Hanako Tachibana

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Re: Akashic Magic
« Reply #1 on: September 12, 2012, 06:32:17 PM »
TECHNIQUE DESCRIPTIONS
 The techniques available to characters are described in The Techniques.  The description of each technique is presented in a standard format.  Each category of information is explained and define below.

NAME
 The first line of every technique description gives the name by which the technique is indexed in the Akashic Records.  A technique is almost never known by other names.

ICON
 Beneath the technique name is a line giving the icon that the technique belongs to.
 Every technique is associated with one of four icons.  An icon is a distinct entity within the Akashic Records that provides techniques to the technicians who access it.  Each of the icons is discussed below.

Meteor
 The meteor icon is associated with change, mutation, and corruption.  Many meteor techniques change the state of creatures and objects or corrupt magic to the technician's own ends.  While there are some meteor techniques that strengthen others, those that do tend to take something in return.

Moon
 The moon icon is associated with illusion and luck, as well as spatial and temporal distortion.  Many moon techniques affect the minds of others.  As such, most moon techniques are mind-affecting.  Even those moon techniques that aren't mind-affecting tend to have mental components to them.

Star
 The star icon is associated with force and the direct manipulation of matter.  Many star techniques produce spectacular effects, such as moving, melting, or blasting a target.  Star tecniques can deal large amounts of damage.

Sun
 The sun icon is associated with healing, purification, and strength.  Many star techniques change the physical properties of a creatures and objects, typically increasing their abilities or removing damage.  The sun icon has few offensive techniques, so technicians who specialize in sun techniques are welcome everywhere.

Universal
 Not all techniques can be found in icons.  Some of the oldest and most fundamental techniques can be found directly in the Records.  Such techniques are considered to be universal.

(TYPE)
 Appearing on the same line as the icon is a type that places the technique into one of five categories: boost, burst, counter, edict, or fundamental.

Boost
 A boost is a technique that grants a bonus for the duration of your turn.  Using a boost always requires a swift action, usually allowing you to use it before unleashing a standard or full-round action.  Some boosts grant a bonus to attack rolls or damage rolls.  Others impart additional effects, such as stun or fatigue, to your attacks or provide a bonus on a skill check, to your speed, and so on.

Burst
 A burst is a offensive technique best described as a magical attack.  Using a burst always requires a standard action.  A burst imparts some advantage or bonus over a standard attack, such as extra damage, an additional effect such as blinding a foe, and so forth.  There are some bursts that have more beneficial effects, though they are rare.

Counter
 A counter is a defensive technique that you use to foil your opponent's actions.  Using a counter always requires an immediate action that you attempt during an opponent's turn.  Usually, your opponent must make a specific action, such as an attack against you, for you to use a counter.

Edict
 An edcit is a technique that affects the area around you, known as your territory.  Unless modified by feats or class features, a technician's territory extends outwards 10 feet in every direction.  Using an edict always requires a move action.  An edict remains in effect until you dismiss it, use another edict, or become helpless.
 Unlike with other techniques, tama spent on an edict is invested, not expended.  Invested tama cannot be recovered or used to pay the tama cost of other techniques.  When an edict ends, the tama invested in it returns to your tama pool.

Fundamental
 A fundamental is a technique that provides a utility benefit not easily placed into the other categories.  Unlike other techniques, you do not have to pay tama to use a fundamental.  Instead, you are limited in the number of times you can use a given fundamental per day.  In this sense, fundamentals are more like regular spells.  The number of times per day a technician can use a given fundamental is given on the table below.

Technician Level     Apprentice     Initiate     Master
1st-6th     1/day     ---     ---
7th-12th     3/day     1/day     ---
13th+     At-will     3/day     1/day

[DESCRIPTOR]
 Appearing on the same line as the icon and the type is a descriptor that further categorizes the technique in some way.  Some techniques have more than one descriptor.
 The descriptors that apply to techniques in this book are acid, cold, electricity, energy, fear, fire, force, healing, illusion, language-dependent, light, mind-affecting, scrying, sonic, and teleportation.
 Most of these descriptors have no game effect by themselves, but they govern how the technique interacts with other techniques, with spells, with special abilities, with unusual creatures, and so on.
 A technique with the energy descriptor gains the acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic descriptor based on the energy type chosen when the technique is used.
 A technique with the illusion descriptor is treated as an illusion (figment) effect for purposes involving interaction with other techniques and effects.
 A language-dependent technique uses intelligible language as a medium.  The technique fails if the target can't understand a language the technician knows.
 A mind-affecting technique only works against creatures with an Intelligence score of 1 or higher.
 A technique with the scrying descriptor is treated as a divination (scrying) effect for purposes involving interaction with other techniques and effects.
 A technique with the teleportation descriptor is treated as a conjuration (teleportation) effect for purposes involving interaction with other techniques and effects.

LEVEL
 The next line of the technique description gives a technique's level, either apprentice, initiate, or master, that defines the technique's relative strength.
 Often, a rule won't ask for a technique's level but its converted level.  A technique's converted level is equal to the amount of tama spent on the technique.  This does not include tama spend on metakashic feats.
 Because fundamentals do not require the spending of tama, the converted level of a fundamental must be calculated differently.  The converted level of a fundamental is equal to 1/2 the users technician level.

COMPONENTS
 A technique's components are what you must do to use it.  Unless otherwise noted, all techniques require a verbal component.
 A verbal component is a spoken incantation.  To produce a verbal component, you must be able to speak in a strong voice.  A silence spell or similar effect, such as a gag, spoils the incantation (and thus the technique).  A technician who has been deafened has a 20% chance to spoil any technique with a verbal component that she tries to use.
 A technician fulfils this verbal component through a special chant, known as a mantra.  A technician's mantra consists of a highly repetitive string of syllables, more often than not organized around a theme.  Mantras are unique to technicians, not techniques, and most technicians will use the same mantra (possibly with small changes) for every technique.

DISPLAY
 When a technique is used, a display may accompany the primary effect.  Unless otherwise noted, all techniques produce a visual display.  No technique's display is significant enough to create consequences for the technician, allies, or opponents during combat.
 If multiple techniques with similar displays are in effect simultaneously, the displays do not necessarily become more intense.  instead, the overall display remains much the same, though with minute spikes in intensity.  An Astrology check (DC 10 + 1 per additional technique in use) reveals the exact number of simultaneous techniques in play.
 A technique's visual display typically appears as a complex magic circle composed of glowing lines, runes, and smaller circles.  The circle takes form as the technique is being used, and lingers for as long as the technique remains in effect.
 Dispense with Displays: Despite the fact that almost every technique has a display, a technician can always chose to use a technique without the flashy accompaniment.  To use a technique without any display, a technician must make a Concentration check (DC 15 + the converted level of the technique).  This check is part of the action of using the technique.  If the check is unsuccessful, the technique is used normally with its display.

USAGE TIME
 Most techniques have a usage time determined by their type.  A technique that takes 1 round to use requires a full-round action.  It comes into effect just before the beginning of your turn in the round after you began using the technique.  You then act normally after the technique is completed.
 A technique that takes 1 minute to use comes into effect just before your turn 1 minute later (and for each of those 10 rounds, you are using a technique as a full-round action, as noted above for 1-round usage times).  These actions must be consecutive and uninterrupted, or the tama is lost and the technique fails.
 When you use a technique that takes 1 round or longer to use, you must continue the concentration from the current round to just before your turn in the next round (at least).  If you lose concentration before the usage time is complete, the tama is lost and the technique fails.
 You make all pertinent decisions about a technique (range, target, area, effect, version, and so forth) when the technique comes into effect.
 As a supplement to the action types described on page 138 of the Player's Handbook, this book introduces two new types of actions: the swift action and the immediate action.
 Swift Action: A swift action consumes a very small amount of time, but represents a larger expenditure of effort and energy than a free action.  You can perform one swift action per turn without affecting your ability to perform other actions.  In that regard, a swift action is like a free action.  However, you can perform only a single swift action per turn, regardless of what other actions you take.  You can take a swift action any time you would normally be allowed to take a free action.
 Using a quickened technique is a swift action.  In addition, using any technique with a casting time of 1 swift action is a swift action.
 Using a technique with a usage time of 1 swift action does not provoke attacks of opportunity.
 Immediate Action: Much like a swift action, an immediate action consumes a very small amount of time, but represents a larger expenditure of effort and energy than a free action.  However, unlike a swift action, an immediate action can be performed at any time---even if it's not your turn.  Using an immediate action on your turn is the same as using a swift action, and counts as your swift action for that turn.  You cannot use another immediate action or a swift action until after your next turn if you have used an immediate action when it is not currently your turn (effectively, using an immediate action before your turn is equivalent to using your swift action for the coming turn).  You also cannot use an immediate action if you are currently flat-footed.

RANGE
 A technique's range indicates how far from you it can reach as defined in the Range entry of the technique description.  A technique's range is the maximum distance from you that the technique's effect can occur, as well as the maximum distance at which you can designate the technique's point of origin.  If any portion of the area would extend beyond the range, that area is wasted.  Standard ranges include the following.
 Personal: The technique affects only you.
 Touch: You must touch a creature or object to affect it.  A touch technique that deals damage can score a critical hit just as a weapon can.  A touch technique threatens a critical hit on a natural roll of 20 and deals double damage on a successful critical hit.  Some touch techniques allow you to touch multiple targets.  You can touch as many willing targets as you can reach, but all targets of the technique must be touched in the same round that you use the technique.
 Territory: The technique reaches as far as your territory reaches.  Unless modified by feats or class features, your territory reaches as far as 10 feet away from you.
 Close: The technique reaches as far as 25 feet away from you.  The maximum range increases 5 feet for every two technician levels you have (30 feet at technician level 2nd, 25 feet at technician level 4th, and so on).
 Medium: The technique reaches as far as 100 feet + 10 feet per technician level.
 Long: The technique reaches as far as 400 feet + 40 feet per technician level.
 Range Expressed in Feet: Some techniques have no standard rage category, just a range expressed in feet.

AIMING A TECHNIQUE
 You must make some choice about whom the technique is to affect or where the technique's effect is to originate, depending on the type of technique.  The next entry in a technique description defines the technique's target (or targets), its effect, or its area, as appropriate.
 Target or Targets: Some techniques have a target or targets.  You use these techniques on creatures or objects, as defined by the technique itself.  You must be able to see or touch the target, and you must specifically choose that target.  You do not have to select your target until you finish using the technique.
 If you use a targeted technique on the wrong type of target, the technique has no effect.  If the target of a technique is yourself (the technique description has a line that reads "Target: You"), you do not receive a saving throw.
 Some techniques can be used only on willing targets.  Declaring yourself as a willing target is something that can be done at any time (even if you're flat-footed or it isn't your turn).  Unconscious creatures are automatically considered willing, but a character who is conscious but immobile or helpless (such as one who is bound, cowering, grappling, paralyzed, pinned, or stunned) is not automatically willing.
 Effect: Some techniques create things rather than affect things that are already present.  Unless otherwise noted in the technique description, you must designate the location where these things are to appear, either be seeing it or defining it.  Range determines how far away an effect can appear, but if the effect is mobile, it can move regardless of the technique's range once created.
 Ray: Some effects are rays (for example, vector arrow).  You aim a ray as if using a ranged weapon, though typically you make a ranged touch attack rather than a normal ranged attack.  As with a ranged weapon, you can fire into the dark or at an invisible creature and hope you hit something.  You don't have to see the creature you're trying to hit, as you do with a targeted technique.  Intervening creatures and obstacles, however, can block your line of sight or provide cover for the creature you're aiming at.
 If a ray technique has a duration, it's the duration of the effect that the ray causes, not the length of time the ray itself persists.
 if a ray technique deals damage, you can score a critical hit just as if it were a weapon.  A ray technique threatens critical on a natural roll of 20 and deals double damage on a successful critical hit.
 Spread: Some effects spread out from a point of origin (which may be a grid intersection, or may be the user) to a distance described in the technique.  The effect can extend around corners and into areas that you can't see.  Figure distance by actual distance traveled, taking into account turns the effect may take.  When determining distance for spread effects, count around walls, not through them.  As with movement, do not trace diagonals across corners.  You must designate the point of origin for such an effect (unless the effect is centered on you), but you need not have line of effect (see below) to all portions of the effect.
 (S) Shapeable: If an Effect line ends with "(S)," you can shape the technique.  A shaped effect can have no dimension smaller than 10 feet.
 Area: Some techniques affect an area.  Sometimes a technique description specifies a specially defined area, but usually an area falls into on the categories defined below.
 Regardless of the shape of the area, you select the point where the technique originates, but otherwise you usually don't control which creatures or objects the technique affects.  The point of origin of a technique that affects an area is always a grid intersection.  When determining whether a given creature is within the area of a technique, count out the distance form the point of origin in squares just as you do when moving a character or when determining the range for a ranged attack.  The only difference is that instead of counting from the center of one square to the center of the next, you count from intersection to intersection.
 You can count diagonally across a square, but every second diagonal counts as 2 squares of distance.  If the far edge of a square is within the technique's area, anything within that square is within the technique's area.  If the technique's area touches only the near edge of a square, however, anything within that square is unaffected by the technique.
 Burst, Emanation, or Spread: Most techniques that affect an area function as a burst, an emanation, or a spread.  In each case, you select the technique's point of origin and measure its effect from that points.
 A burst technique affects whatever it catches in its area, even including creatures you can't see.  It can't affect creatures with total cover from its point of origin (in other words, its effects don't extend around corners).  The default shape for a burst effect is a sphere, but some burst techniques are specially described as cone-shaped.  A burst's area defines how far from the point of origin the technique's effect extends.
 An emanation technique functions like a burst technique, except that the effect continues to radiate from the point of origin for the duration of the technique.
 A spread technique functions spreads out like a burst but can turn corners.  You select the point of origin, and the technique spreads out a given distance in all directions.  Figure the area the technique effect fills by taking into account any turns the effect takes.
 Cone, Line, or Sphere: Most techniques that affect an area have a particular shape, such as a cone, line, or sphere.
 A cone-shaped technique shoots away from you in a quarter-circle in the direction you designate.  It starts from any corner of your square and widens out as it goes.  Most cones are either bursts or emanations (see above), and thus won't go around corners.
 A line-shaped technique shoots away from you in a line in the direction you designate.  It starts from any corner of your square and extends to the limit of its range or until it strikes a barrier that blocks line of effect.  A line-shaped technique affects all creatures in squares that the line passes through or touches.
 A sphere-shaped technique expands from its point of origin to fill a spherical area.  Spheres may be bursts, emanations, or spreads.
 Territory: A territory-shaped technique effects everything within your territory.  Unless modified by feats or class features, your territory expands from your square to fill a spherical area.
 Other: A technique can have a unique area, as defined in its description.
 Line of Effect: A line of effect is a straight, unblocked path that indicates what a technique can affect.  A solid barrier cancels a line of effect, but it is not blocked by fog, darkness, and other factors that limit normal sight.
 You must have a clear line of effect to any target that you use a technique on or to any space in which you wish to create an effect.  You must have a clear line of effect to the point of origin of any technique you use.
 An otherwise solid barrier with a hole of at least 1 square foot through it does not block a technique's line of effect.  Such an opening means that the 5-foot length of wall containing the hole is no longer considered a barrier for the purpose of determining a technique's line of effect.

DURATION
 A technique's Duration line tells you how long the akashic energy of the technique lasts.
 Timed Duration: Many durations are measured in rounds, minutes, hours, or some other increment.  When the time is up, the akashic energy sustaining the effect fades, and the technique ends.  If a technique's duration is variable, the DM rolls it secretly.
 Instantaneous: The akashic energy comes and goes the instant the technique is used, though the consequences might be long-lasting.
 Permanent: The energy remains for as long as the effect does.  This means the technique is vulnerable to dispel magic.
 Concentration: The technique lasts as long as you concentrate on it.  Concentrating to maintain a technique is a standard action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity.  Anything that could break your concentration when using a technique can also break your concentration while you're maintaining one, causing the technique to end.  You can't use a technique while concentrating on another one.  Some techniques may last for a short time after you cease concentrating.  In such a case, the technique keeps going for the given length of time after you stop concentrating, but no longer.  Otherwise, you must concentrate to maintain the technique, but you can't maintain it for more than a stated duration in any event.  If a target moves out of range, the technique reacts as if your concentration had been broken.
 Edict: The technique lasts as long as you will it to, and only ends when you dismiss it, when you use another technique with a duration of edict, when you become helpless, or when you fulfill a specific condition described in the edict's description.
 Subjects, Effects, and Areas: If the technique affects creatures directly, the result travels with the subjects for the technique's duration.  If the technique creates an effect, the effect lasts for the duration.  The effect might move or remain still.  Such an effect can be destroyed prior to when its duration ends.  If the technique affects an area, then the technique stays with that area for the duration.  Creatures become subject to the technique when they enter the area and are no longer subject to it when they leave.
 Touch Technique's and Holding the Charge: In most cases, if you don't discharge a touch technique on the round you use it, you can hold the charge (postpone the discharge of the technique) indefinitely.  You can make touch attacks round after round.  If you touch anything with your hand while holding a charge, the technique discharges.  If you use another technique, the touch technique dissipates.
 Some touch techniques allow you to touch multiple targets as part of the technique.  You can't hold the charge of such a technique; you must touch all the targets of the technique in the same round that you finish using the technique.
 Discharge: Occasionally a technique lasts for a set duration or until triggered or discharged.
 (D) Dismissible: If the Duration line ends with "(D)," you can dismiss the technique at will.  You must be within range of the technique's effect and must mentally will the dismissal, which causes the same display as when you first used the technique.  Dismissing a technique is a standard action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity.  A technique that depends on concentration is dismissible by its very nature, and dismissing it does not take an action or cause a display, since all you have to do to end the technique is stop concentrating on your turn.

SAVING THROW
 Usually a harmful technique allows a target to make a saving throw to avoid some or all of the effect.  The Saving Throw line in a technique description defines which type of saving throw the technique allows and describes how saving throws against the technique work.
 Negates: The technique has no effect on a subject that makes a successful saving throw.
 Partial: The technique causes an effect on its subject, such as death.  A successful saving throw means that some lesser effect occurs (such as begin dealt damage rather than being killed).
 Half: The technique deals damage, and a successful saving throw halves the damage taken (round down).
 None: No saving throw is allowed.
 (object): The technique can be used on objects, which receive saving throws only if they are akashic or if they are attended (held, worm, grasped, or the like) by a creature resisting the technique, in which case the object uses the creature's saving throw bonus unless its own bonus is greater.  (This notation does not mean that a technique can be used only on objects.  Some techniques of this sort can be used on creatures and objects.)  An akashic item's saving throw bonuses are equal to 2 + one-half the item's technician level.
 (harmless): The technique is usually beneficial, not harmful, but a targeted creature can attempt a saving throw if it desires.
 (edict): The technique allows a saving throw only when a creature that would be affected enters its area.
 Saving Throw Difficulty Class: A saving throw against your technique has a DC 10 + 1/2 your technician level + your Akashic Ability modifier (Charisma for a majo, Constitution for a mamono, Intelligence for a meister, or Wisdom for a miko). 
 Succeeding on a Saving Throw: A creature that successfully saves against a technique that has no obvious physical effects feels a hostile force or tingle, but cannot deduce the exact nature of the attack.  Likewise, if a creature's saving throw succeeds against a targeted technique, you sense the technique has failed.  You do not sense when creatures succeed on saves against effect and area techniques.
 Saving Throws and Mind-Affecting Techniques: If you fail your save, you are unaware that you have been affected by a technique.
 Automatic Failures and Successes: A natural 1 (the d20 comes up 1) on a saving throw is always a failure, and the technique may deal damage to exposed items.  A natural 20 (the d20 comes up 20) is always a success.
 Voluntarily Giving up a Saving Throw: A creature can voluntarily forgo a saving throw and willingly accept a technique's result.  Even a character with a special resistance to techniques can suppress this quality.

TECHNIQUE RESISTANCE
 Technique resistance is a special defensive ability.  If your technique is being resisted by a creature with technique resistance, you must make a technician level check (d20 + technician level) at least equal to the creature's technique resistance for the technique to affect that creature.  The defender's technique resistance functions like an Armor Class against akashic attacks.  The Dungeon Master's Guide has details on spell resistance (see page 298), which is equivalent to technique resistance.  Include any adjustments to your technician level on this technician level check.
 The Technique Resistance line and the descriptive text of a technique description tell you whether technique resistance protects creatures from the technique.  In many cases, technique resistance applies only when a resistant creature is targeted by a technique, not when a resistant creature encounters a technique that is already in place.
 The terms "object," "harmless," and "edict" mean the same thing for technique resistance as they do for saving throws.  A creature with technique resistance must voluntarily lower the resistance (a standard action) to be affected by a technique noted as harmless.  In such a case, you do not need to make the technician level check described above.

TAMA
 All techniques, with the exception of fundamentals, have a Tama line, indicating the technique's cost.
 The technician character class tables in The Classes show how much tama a character has access to, depending on level.
 A technique's cost is determined by its level, as shown below.  Every technique's cost is noted in its description for ease of reference.

Technique Level     Tama Cost
Apprentice     1
Initiate     4
Master     7

 Tama Capacity: Most techniques allow you to spend more than their base cost to achieve an improved effect, or augment the technique.  The maximum number of points you can spend on a technique (for any reason) is your tama capacity.    Characters without a technician level have a tama capacity of 1.

Technician Level     Tama Capacity
0th-2nd     1
3rd-4th     2
5th-6th     3
7th-8th     4
9th-10th     5
11th-12th     6
13th-14th     7
15th-16th     8
17th-18th     9
19th-20th     10

RITUAL BENEFIT
 All fundamentals have a Ritual Benefit line, indicating the benefit gained by the technician for having the fundamental ritually charged.  More information on akashic rituals can be found lower down.

DESCRIPTIVE TEXT
 This portion of a technique description details what the technique does and how it works.  If one of the previous lines in the description included "see text," this is where the explanation is found.
 Any damage dealing technique that specifies piercing, slashing, or bludgeoning damage does not automatically overcome a creature's damage reduction.
 Augment: Many techniques have variable effects based on the amount of tama you spend when you use them.  The more tama spent, the more powerful the usage.  How this extra expenditure affects a technique is specific to the technique.  Some augmentations allow you to increase the number of damage dice, while others extend a technique's duration or modify a technique in unique ways.  Each technique that can be augmented includes an entry giving how much tama it costs to augment and the effects of doing so.  However, you can spend only a total amount of tama on a technique equal to your tama capacity.
 Even if a technique does not have an Augment line, you can spend extra tama when using the technique.  Extra tama spent in this way only serves to increase the technique's converted technique level.  As with regular augmentation, you can spend only a total amount of tama on a technique equal to your tama capacity.
 Augmenting a technique takes place as part of another action (using a technique).  Unless otherwise noted in the Augment section of an individual technique description, you can augment a technique only at the time you use it.
 Special: Some techniques grant an extra benefit to any character who learns the technique.  This benefit applies as long as the technique remains on the character's list of techniques known.  If a technician later removes the technique from her list of techniques known, she loses the benefit too.
« Last Edit: September 19, 2012, 10:58:33 AM by Hanako Tachibana »
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Offline Hanako Tachibana

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Re: Akashic Magic
« Reply #2 on: September 12, 2012, 06:43:00 PM »
TECHNIQUES AND TAMA
 Technicians use techniques, which involve the direct manipulation of personal spiritual energy.  These manipulations require natural talent and long study.
 Unlike wizards, technicians do not have "technique-books" and do not prepare techniques ahead of time.  In this way, technicians are akin to bards and sorcerers, who cast spells on the fly.  A technician's level limits the amount of tama available to use techniques (see The Classes).  A technician's relevant high score might allow her to gain extra tama.  She can use the same technique more than once, but each usage subtracts tama from her tama pool.  Using a technique is an arduous mental task.  To do so, a technician must have a key ability score of at least 10 + the technique's tama cost.
 Tama Recovery: Unlike spell slots or power points, spent tama is fairly easy to recover.  All technicians can recover some or all of their tama in the course of a battle by taking a special action to do so.  Only expended tama can be recovered.  Invested tama can not be recovered unless the effect the tama is invested in ends.
 Full-Round Action: A technician can recover an amount of tama equal to twice her tama capacity as a full-round action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity.
 End of Turn: A technician can recover an amount of tama equal to her tama capacity at the end of her turn if she used no techniques, technique-like abilities, or racial or class features that cost tama (such as a kagaribito's pyros reactor).  Taking a full-round action to recover tama prevents a technician from recovering tama at the end of her turn.
 Peaceful Environment: If a technician has enough peace, quiet, and comfort to allow for proper concentration, she automatically recovers tama.  Assume that if a technician makes no attacks of any kind, uses no techniques, technique-like abilities, or racial or class features that cost tama, and is not targeted by any enemy attacks for 5 rounds, she can recover all of her expended tama.
 Death and Tama: If a technician dies, all tama in her tama pool or invested in a technique is expended.  A potent effect, such as resurrection, can recover the lost tama when it recovers the character.

CASTING AND CHANNELING TECHNIQUES
 While all technicians can use all techniques (assuming they know the technique and have a high enough technician level to pay its tama cost), some technicians use their techniques differently.  Majo and miko cast their techniques, while mamono and meisters channel them.  If a technician uses a technique gained from a source other than levels in a technician class, the source will describe whether the technique is to be cast or channeled.
 A cast technique works as detailed in this chapter and in the technique description.
 A channeled technique works slightly differently.  No channeled technique provokes attacks of opportunity unless otherwise noted.
 A channeled boost works as detailed in this chapter and in the technique description.
 A channeled burst that does not affect a target or create a ray works as detailed in this chapter and in the technique description.  Techniques channeled in this way do not provoke attack of opportunity.
 A channeled burst that does affect a target or create a ray requires that a melee or ranged attack be made as part of using the technique.  If the attack hits, the target takes normal damage for the attack as well as suffering the effects of the burst.  When channeling such a burst, a technician uses her Base Attack Bonus, all attack and damage modifiers, weapon damage, and so forth, as normal.
 A channeled burst with a range of touch can only be channeled through a melee attack.  This attack fulfills the requirement for a touch attack.  Against a willing target, a technician may channel a touch-range burst without making an attack.  They must still touch the target in some manner.
 A harmless burst can be used as if it was a touch-range technique.  As such, a technician can channel harmless bursts without making an attack.
 A technician can make a critical hit with a channeled burst.  The weapon damage from the attack is multiplied as normal for the attack, and if the technique is a ray or touch attack that deals damage, the damage dealt by the technique effect is multiplied by 2.
 A channeled counter works as detailed in this chapter and in the technique description.
 A channeled edict works as detailed in this chapter and in the technique description.  Techniques channeled in this way do not provoke attack of opportunity.
 A channeled fundamental works as detailed in this chapter and in the technique description.  Technique channeled in this way provoke attacks of opportunity as normal.

AKASHIC RITUALS
 Much as techniques can be cast or channeled, fundamentals can be used normally or ritually charged.  Once a fundamental has been ritually charged, the fundamental can be discharged at any time as a standard action, at which point the fundamental takes effect as if it had been used normally.  A technician can have any number of fundamentals ritually charged at a time, but cannot have more than one of the same fundamental ritually charged at the same time.  A ritual that is not discharged within 24 hours of its ritual charging fades away with no effect.
 While a fundamental is ritually charged, the technician gains a benefit described in the fundamental's Ritual Benefit line.  If you have a fundamental ritually charged, you cannot use that fundamental normally until you have first discharged it.
 Discharging a fundamental does not require verbal components, produce a visual display, or provoke attacks of opportunity.  A discharged fundamental cannot be counterspelled.  A ritually charged fundamental can be dispelled as if it were an active effect affecting the technician, and is suppressed in an antimagic field or similar area (the ritually charged fundamental neither provides its ritual benefit nor can be discharged).
 Ritually charging a fundamental requires several minutes of peace, quiet, and enough comfort for proper concentration.  The technician's surroundings need not be luxurious, but they must be free from overt distractions, such as combat raging nearby or other loud noises.  Exposure to inclement weather prevents the necessary concentration, as does any injury or failed saving throw the character might experience while ritually charging a fundamental.  Ritually charging an apprentice fundamental takes 5 minutes.  Ritually charging an initiate fundamental takes 10 minutes.  Ritually charging a master fundamental takes 15 minutes.
 Ritually charging a fundamental requires a diagram to be drawn on a flat, solid surface.  This diagram mimics and replaces the visual display that would normally accompany the usage of the fundamental.  The technician must also chant for the duration of the ritual charging (with small pauses allowed for breathing and the occasional drink of water), fulfilling the verbal component that would normally be required for the usage of the technique.  Ritually charging a fundamental counts as a daily use of that fundamental.  You cannot ritually charge a fundamental if you could not use it normally.

HOROSCOPES
 While technicians do not prepare techniques ahead of time and do not have "technique-books," a technician cannot use any techniques unless she has prepared a horoscope.  Preparing a horoscope requires 1 hour of concentration or meditation.
 Preparing a horoscope requires enough peace, quiet, and comfort for proper concentration.  The technician's surroundings need not be luxurious, but they must be free from overt distractions, such as combat raging nearby or other loud noises.  Exposure to inclement weather prevents the necessary concentration, as does any injury or failed saving throw the character might experience while preparing her horoscope.  A technician does not need access to any materials to prepare her horoscope.
 A technician's horoscope is not a physical object.  Rather, it is a mental map of the relative location of the Akashic Records, the current configuration of the icons, the adjustments and formula needed to target akashic effects, the frequencies of open harmonic channels, and other useful information.
 While a horoscope is normally mental, a technician can use the akashic script fundamental to create a physical copy of a horoscope they have prepared.
 The information needed by a technician to use techniques changes day by day, so any given horoscope is only useful for the day it is prepared for.  However, thanks to the computational power of the Akashic Records, it is possible to prepare a horoscope in advance.  Preparing a horoscope in advance requires the same amount of time and conditions as preparing a horoscope normally.  At the end of the hour of preparation, the technician must succeed on an Astrology check (DC 15 + number of days in advance).  If they fail, they have wasted an hour.  There are no other negative effects for failing to prepare a horoscope in advance.
 A technician can create a physical copy of a horoscope prepared in advance in the same way they can create a physical copy of any horoscope they have prepared.

USING ANOTHER'S HOROSCOPE
 A technician with a physical copy of a horoscope can attempt to prepare their own horoscope from the copy rather than constructing it own their own.  Preparing a horoscope from a physical horoscope requires only 10 minutes of concentration (with the same conditions as normally preparing a horoscope) and a DC 15 Astrology check.

ADDING TECHNIQUES
 Technicians can learn new techniques when the attain a new level.  Any technician can learn any technique from any icon, as long as her level is high enough.
 Techniques Gained at a New Level: Technicians perform a certain amount of personal meditation and akashic study between adventures in an attempt to gain access to new akashic abilities.  Each time a technician attains a new level, she learns additional techniques according to her class description.
 The highest-level technique a technician can learn is determined by her technician level.

Technician Level     Technique Level
1st-6th     Apprentice
7th-12th     Initiate
13th+     Master

USING STORED TAMA
Technicians live and die by the amount of tama available to them at any given time.  Not surprisingly, a variety of akashic items exist to store tama for later use, in particular a storage device called a magatama (see The Items).  Regardless of what sort of item stores the tama, all technicians must follow strict rules when tapping stored tama.
 A Single Source: When using tama from a storage item to use a technique, a technician may not pay the tama cost with tama from more than one source.  She must either use an item, her own tama pool, or some other discrete tama source to pay the usage cost.

SPECIAL ABILITIES
 Several akashic creatures can create akashic effects without having levels in a technician class (although they can take a technician class to further enhance their abilities); such creatures have the akashic subtype.  Characters using magatama, ofuda, and other akashic items can also create akashic effects.  In addition to existing spell-like and supernatural abilities, this book introduces technique-like abilities.  (Akashic creatures may also have extraordinary and natural abilities, which are described in the Player's Handbook and the Monster Manual.)
 Technique-like Abilities (Tl): The usage of techniques by creatures without a technician class (creatures with the akashic subtype, also simply called akashic creatures) is considered a technique-like ability.  Usually, an akashic creature's technique-like ability works just like the technique of that name.  A few technique-like abilities are unique; these are explained in the text where they are described.
 Technique-like abilities have no verbal components, though they still produce a visual display.  The user activates them mentally.  a technique-like ability has a usage time of 1 standard action unless otherwise noted in the ability description.  In all other ways, a technique-like ability functions just like a technique.  However, an akashic creature does not have to pay a technique-like ability's tama cost.  An akashic creature that does not pay a technique-like ability's tama cost cannot augment it.
 Technique-lie abilities are subject to being dispelled by dispel magic.  They do not function in areas where akashic magic is suppressed or negated (such as a antimagic field).
 Supernatural Abilities: Some creatures have akashic abilities that are considered supernatural.  These abilities cannot be disrupted in combat, as techniques can be, and do not provoke attacks of opportunity (except as noted in their descriptions).  Supernatural abilities cannot be negated or dispelled; however, they do not function in areas where akashic magic is suppressed, such as a antimagic field.
« Last Edit: September 22, 2012, 10:27:55 PM by Hanako Tachibana »
Girls do their best now and are preparing. Please wait warmly until it is ready.