Warhammer Quest: The Fire Wizard
by T. Jordan "Greywolf" Peacock
11 July 95
-*-
The following is a home-made profession for _Warhammer Quest_ created by
myself as the third in a line of wizardly types based upon the various Color
Colleges presented in _Advanced HeroQuest_ and hinted at in _Talisman_. This
profession is largely like the regular Wizard, though he has a slightly altered
spell selection.
At this writing, this profession has not been playtested, and it is likely
that actual usage would lead to changes in this character type -- most probably
in what spells are available at what Casting Levels. To summarize, the Fire
Wizard is more closely aligned to the Bright College -- and, hence, is more
focused upon forces of destruction rather than general powers of healing. As
the Wizard is already rather potent at higher Battle-Levels in regards to
taking out Monsters, this could lead to some apparent imbalance, but hopefully
this will be offset by the Bright Wizard's almost complete lack of healing
ability. (Furthermore, the Bright Wizard does not have the Freeze! spell,
which, in practice, has been one of the biggest offenders in terms of game
balance with the regular Wizard.)
-*- THE FIRE WIZARD -*-
Of the Colleges of Altdorf that produce the Empire's Battle-Wizards, one stands
above the others in focusing on raw, destructive power. That would be the
Bright College, which focuses on spells that harness the consuming power of
fire.
Not all of the students of this College go on to aid the armies of the
Empire, however. Some diversify their studies somewhat, and might follow the
road that leads to adventure, perhaps exploring the seemingly endless ruins of
the ancient underground Dwarf Empire. While they are nowhere as flexible or
diverse as the typical Warrior Wizard, they are quite proficient at
obliterating foes with magical flame.
-*- FIRE WIZARD STATISTICS -*-
The Fire Wizard has statistics identical to those of the Wizard, both initially
and at subsequent Battle-Levels. Instead of receiving the Hand of Death
Scroll, the Fire Wizard starts with a Phoenix Amulet.
-*- PHOENIX AMULET -*-
This potent magical item is capable of healing a fallen Warrior to his full
amount of Wounds at the end of any complete turn -- even after Fatal Damage or
Poison damage has been applied! If the wearer is reduced to 0 Wounds, the
amulet will automatically restore him. Otherwise, its power may be used on any
other Warrior in the same board section.
Use once, then discard.
-*- ADDITIONAL RULES -*-
EQUIPMENT
The Fire Wizard may use any equipment or magical items usable by the Wizard,
with the exception that scrolls which contain new spells listed as usable by
the Wizard are not usable by the Fire Wizard, as they are not completely
compatible with his methods of spell-casting.
FIRE WIZARDS AND SETTLEMENTS
The Fire Wizard may visit the Wizards' Guild just as the normal Wizard may, as
the Bright College is not that far removed from traditional wizardry at all.
INITIAL SPELL SELECTION
The Fire Wizard only selects two spell cards initially, both of which must be
Attack spells. If the Freeze! spell is selected, it must be discarded and
another taken in its place. It is possible that the Fire Wizard may end up
with cards for spells that he would not otherwise be able to select at higher
Battle-Levels; this is fine.
Rather than drawing both cards randomly, the Fire Wizard may choose to pick the
Fireball spell automatically, and then choose his second spell randomly as
normal. When he casts Fireball, it is treated as being one Casting Level lower
than usual (now at Casting Level 4).
-*- FIRE WIZARD SPELL LIST -*-
As the Fire Wizard advances in skill, he selects additional spells in the same
way as the Wizard, as described in the Wizards' Training section beginning on
p. 50 of the Roleplay Book, except that he selects from the following list of
spells, and that he is treated as being one Battle-Level lower when determining
how many dice to roll for new spells. (For a Battle-Level 2 Fire Wizard, only
1 die is rolled to determine what new spell is learned. For Battle-Level 3,
only 2 dice are rolled, and so forth.)
Some of the spells on this list are identical to those available to the Wizard,
though they might have different Casting Levels due to the Fire Wizard's
differing specialties. New spells added to this list are described immediately
following it.
* indicates a new spell
+ indicates a spell with altered Casting Level or special rules
CASTING 1
ATTACK Fireblade (Bloodblade)
SPECIAL Open
CASTING 2
ATTACK Combustion*
SPECIAL Tongues
CASTING 3
ATTACK Phoenix Fire*
CASTING 4
ATTACK Fireball+
Firehammer+
SPECIAL Open Window (Second Sight)
CASTING 5
ATTACK Cataclysm+
Flames of Death*
HEALING Flames of the Phoenix*
DEFENSE Dragon Armour (Iron Skin)
CASTING 6
ATTACK Burning Storm+
Flee*
SPECIAL The Bright Key*
Swift Wind*
CASTING 7
ATTACK Flaming Hand of Destruction*
SPECIAL Courage*
Still Air (Time Freeze)
CASTING 8
ATTACK Inferno of Doom*
CASTING 9
ATTACK Sword of Fire*
CASTING 10
HEALING Power of the Phoenix*
CASTING 11
ATTACK Firestorm+
CASTING 12
SPECIAL Chariot of Fire (Transport of the Damned)
-*- SPELL NOTES -*-
CASTING LEVEL 2
Combustion
/The Fire Wizard points a finger at his enemy, and his digit begins to glow
red, as if it were steel being fired in a forge. Beyond, his enemy begins
to contort with anguish, feeling a burning somewhere deep within his
being./
A single Monster in the same board section takes 1D6 Wounds, with no
modifiers for Toughness or armor. This spell may be only cast once per
turn for each Battle-Level of the Fire Wizard.
Target: Any Monster on the board.
Duration: Immediate
CASTING LEVEL 3
Phoenix Fire
/The Fire Wizard raises his hands into the air, and they are surrounded by
flame, suddenly becoming magical wings as his visage shifts to that of a
rising phoenix. Searing heat billows outwards, scorching all who stand too
closely to the fiery form./
All Monsters adjacent to the Fire Wizard suffer 1D6 Wounds, with no
modifiers for anything (Ignore Pain, Toughness, armor, etc.).
Target: All Monsters adjacent to the Fire Wizard.
Duration: Immediate
CASTING LEVEL 4
Fireball: changed from Casting Level 5
Firehammer: changed from Casting Level 5
CASTING LEVEL 5
Cataclysm: changed from Casting Level 6
Flames of Death
/The Fire Wizard casts a sizzling fireball at the enemy, which engulfs them
in white flame./
Pick any 3 square by 3 square area in the same board section (or an
adjacent one, so long as the area is still within line of sight). Every
model in the chosen area, friend or foe, suffers 1D6 Wounds, with no
modifiers for anything (Toughness, armor, Ignore Pain, etc.).
Target: Any 3 square by 3 square area on the same or adjacent board
section as the Fire Wizard, within line of sight
Duration: Immediate
Flames of the Phoenix
/The Fire Wizard lays his hands upon the bare wounds of a fallen comrade,
and takes the pain into himself, to be consumed by the strength of his
magic./
Any one model adjacent to the Fire Wizard (or the Fire Wizard himself) may
be healed of 1D6 Wounds. This may not be cast while the Fire Wizard is
pinned by a Monster.
Target: One adjacent Warrior (or the Fire Wizard)
Duration: Immediate
CASTING LEVEL 6
Burning Storm: changed from Casting Level 7
The Bright Key
/The Fire Wizard clenches his fist tightly, surrounding it with a nimbus of
hot light. He then opens his hand, which will take an enormous effort, as
if it were encased in rock. As it finally opens, a hole opens in a
previously solid stone wall./
For a random dungeon, casting this spell allows the Fire Wizard to place a
door in a wall. If this doorway would lead to a previously un-generated
section of the dungeon, roll 1D6. On a 4+, the door opens only to a solid
rock face beyond when it is explored. (Remove the door; further attempts
to cast this spell on this wall will only yield the same result.)
Otherwise, select a dungeon card to represent the room beyond (though it
will not ultimately lead to the Objective Room).
If there is already a dungeon room generated beyond, then this simply
creates a passage there. For moderated games, there may be other effects
depending upon the adventure scenario, at the GM's discretion. (For
example, a magical lair might have certain protections to prevent two-bit
Fire Wizards from using this as a simple means of bypassing complicated
locks and traps!)
Target: One wall in same board section as the Fire Wizard
Duration: Permanent
Flee
/Strange tendrils of magic leave the palms and fingertips of the Fire
Wizard as he casts this spell, which weave to the target like the lash of a
whip. As they strike, they cause a brief, blinding agony -- and then a
desperate desire to run, to be anywhere but this painful place./
Any one Monster that has not moved yet this turn may be forced to move in a
direction (up to its normal movement) that the Fire Wizard chooses,
ignoring pinning. It /is/ acceptable to move a model into a hazardous area
(such as the Firechasm) by this means, though the Fire Wizard gains no gold
for any models who die as a direct result of this spell.
Target: One Monster in the same board section as the Fire Wizard
Duration: One Turn
Swift Wind
/As the last words are spoken, the air around the Fire Wizard seems to
chill, and become slightly opaque. Beyond this glass, all moves very
slowly. The aura travels with the Wizard as he begins to move./
The Fire Wizard and up to 1D6 adjacent Warriors may move up to twice their
normal Move rate, even if they have already moved this turn. This may be
used to escape pinning automatically, but cannot be used to bypass
obstacles or blocking Monsters. Any particular model may benefit from this
spell only once per turn.
Target: Fire Wizard and 1D6 adjacent Warriors
Duration: Immediate
CASTING LEVEL 7
Courage
/The magic that powers this spell is drawn from very dangerous sources
indeed, such that the Fire Wizard will actually see ghastly, fell creatures
from the corners of his eyes, slavering for his body and soul, reaching
talons for his flesh . . . Then, in an instant, all fear is gone./
The Fire Wizard or any one adjacent Warrior is freed from any effects of
Fear or Terror immediately. This prevents the recipient from being
affected by any Fear or Terror-causing magic (or new Monsters that arrive)
for the remainder of the turn, and negates any Fear or Terror caused by
Monsters that are currently being fought.
Target: The Fire Wizard or one adjacent Warrior
Duration: One Turn and/or Monster Event
Flaming Hand of Destruction
/The Fire Wizard's hands are transformed such that they burn with an
intense magical flame -- a grim energy that does not consume the flesh,
though it seems to blacken all the while the spell is engaged./
For any successful hand-to-hand attacks the Fire Wizard makes this turn, he
does not use his weapon. Instead, he immediately inflicts 2D6 Wounds, with
no modifiers for anything (Toughness, armor, Ignore Pain, etc.).
CASTING LEVEL 8
Inferno of Doom
/A firestorm leaps out from the Fire Wizard's outstretched hands, which can
render a man to ashes in a few seconds./
Pick a three square by three square area anywhere in the same board section
as the Fire Wizard, or in an adjacent one, so long as it is within the Fire
Wizard's line of sight. All models within this area, friend or foe, suffer
2D6 Wounds with no modifiers for anything (Toughness, armor, Ignore Pain,
etc.).
Target: A three square by three square area in the same or adjacent board
section within line of sight of the Fire Wizard
Duration: Immediate
CASTING LEVEL 9
Sword of Fire
/As the Fire Wizard mutters incantations and touches the blade, tendrils of
liquid flame pour over its surface like trickles of blood pouring from the
Wizard's finger./
A non-magical melee weapon may be enchanted so that it becomes a flaming
blade until all the Monsters in play have been defeated. This weapon is
now magical, so that it may harm Daemons and Ethereal creatures normally,
and is treated as a fire-based attack against creatures especially
susceptible to such attacks (such as Mummies). The weapon inflicts its
normal damage, +4 Wounds for each strike.
Target: A single non-magical weapon held by the Fire Wizard or an
adjacent Warrior
Duration: Current Monster Event
Power of the Phoenix
/From deep within himself, the Fire Wizard utters a shout which carries
into the void, to be heard only by the soul of a fallen comrade, beckoning
it back to the body it has left./
This spell may be used to restore a Warrior to life and to full health,
with all Wounds restored. However, the Fire Wizard must make an
intellectual Initiative test to succeed. Roll 1D6 and add the Fire
Wizard's Initiative*. If the total result is 7 or more, he succeeds.
Whatever the total, the Rule of 1 and 6 still applies. A natural roll of 6
will always succeed, and a natural roll of 1 will always fail. If the Fire
Wizard should fail, then the recipient is forever beyond resurrection, even
by magic means capable of raising the dead.
(* If you are using Greywolf's House Rules, use the Fire Wizard's
Intelligence rating instead.)
Target: One dead Warrior adjacent to the Fire Wizard
Duration: Immediate
CASTING 11
Firestorm: changed from Casting Level 12
-*- REPRESENTING YOUR WARRIOR -*-
The Fire Wizard model from _Talisman_ would be perfect for representing
this character, or else the Bright Wizard model manufactured by Citadel
Miniatures. Otherwise, various miniatures companies manufacture models that
would be appropriate to represent a wizard -- just paint it up in a scheme
dominated by red and "warm" colors (yellow and orange), maybe trimmed with
little "flames" on the edges of the ropes and cape.
-*- ROLE-PLAYING TIPS -*-
The Fire Wizard, as any Wizard, should be stern and serious. He is more
appropriate to the sort of Wizard who is most inclined to leap into battle as
to bother with mysterious spell-casting. His spell-casting selection is narrow
compared to the Wizard (and even to the various Colleges) and specialized upon
roasting Monsters as quickly and effectively as possible.
The rune of the Bright College represents a key -- the Key of Secrets.
While the Bright College focuses mainly on raw destructive power, they are also
interested in the great mysteries of power as well. This particular aspect
manifests itself in their magic in some ways (such as Open Window and the
Bright Key) and might manifest it in an otherwise warrior-like Fire Wizard's
personality as well. Fire Wizards needn't be one-dimensional.
-*- DISCLAIMERS AND SUCH -*-
_Warhammer Quest_, _Talisman_, _Warhammer Fantasy Battles_ and _Advanced
HeroQuest_ are trademarks of Games Workshop, and its use here does not
constitute a legal challenge to that status. This article may be considered
copyrighted by T. Jordan "Greywolf" Peacock (me =) ), though it may be freely
distributed so long as no alterations are made and no fees are charged for its
use.
If you'd like to contact me for whatever reason, you can write to me at:
Jordan Peacock
1610 Parker
Cedar Falls, IA 50613
-*- HAPPY QUESTING! -*-