Alter Weight spell

[shemetz]

The idea is to have spells (probably in the Gravity theme) that help characters who have low strength but want to carry around big things without getting Slowed due to encumbrance. The "price" of increasing Strength by 1-2 should be roughly equivalent to the "price" of having to learn these spells/concoctions and spend mana/catalysts on them every time you need them.

(Existing spells that help with it: Floating Disk, Floating Object, Instant Summons. I'm mentioning these as a reference to balance the utility value)

Lighten / Weight Down (or: Alter Weight) (1 mana) (gravity)
3 hours/mana or psi
As an action, an object you touch that isn't carried or worn by another creature becomes lighter and easier to carry. Its weight is reduced by 65 lb (30 kg), though this cannot reduce the weight below 2 lb (1 kg).
Alternatively, you can make the object heavier, increasing its weight by the same amount
Augment
You can augment this spell with the following options, expending mana or psi for each option.

• The weight is reduced or increased by an additional 110 lb (50 kg) for each additional mana or psi spent.
• You can expend 1 additional mana or psi to make the object lighter only for yourself, and heavier for any other creature.

As a concoction it should basically do the same thing, but as an oil you pour/rub on something.

[mlenser]

Please, open one issue per suggestion. It is much easier for me to handle them that way.

[shemetz]

Sure, I just wasn't sure both of these spells are needed. I'll edit this to just be Unburden, and open another issue for the other spell.

[mlenser]

Hmm, I'm not such a fan of this spell adjusting the weight by a flat amount. It doesn't seem useful for carrying, only for antics where objects are suddenly super heavy.

[shemetz]

At first I considered making the item X times lighter/heavier, but I think it makes a bit more sense if the spell's effect is constant - plus, I want you to be able to make a greatsword weigh very little, but not make a horse weigh very little (at least not easily).

It's supposed to be useful more for antics than for normal day-to-day carrying (unless there's a way to make it permanent by casting it lots of times on the same thing). It's also useful if you want the extra-light item to be passed between people easily - not possible if you buff a single creature.

How would you feel about "You halve or double the weight of an object that is no more than 1 meter across in any dimension"? With augments to either increase the factor or increase the size you can affect.

I also considered adding lines about how it could affect armor or weapons, making them more/less effective or removing stuff like the heavy property or speed reduction. Decided not to go with it because I was afraid it could lead to some broken combo.

[mlenser]

It's supposed to be useful more for antics than for normal day-to-day carrying

I feel like the result is just explotative, not fun. It'd only come into play when:

• a creature has their weapon next to them (or disarmed) and you make it super heavy so they can't use it
• you make some kind of flying machine heavy and crash
• you make some object heavy to break off and fall on someone

My gut feeling is that this wouldn't be fun to play with. It's niche, but when the niche occurs it's annoyingly good.

[shemetz]

Personally I feel like all three of these are great, and perfectly fit the thematics of gravity magic! I don't see what's exploitative or unfun about it, except for the fact that the results are somewhat up to the GM.

Other usages would be - making a door lighter so that it can be opened (or heavier to block it); make an anchor lighter, before throwing it at someone; make a sled/carriage heavier to prevent an enemy from escaping.

The 5e Graviturgy wizard actually has a whole feature based around this, which also works on creatures in combat:

At 2nd level, as an action, you can magically alter the weight of one object or creature you can see within 30 feet of you. The object or creature must be Large or smaller. The target's weight is halved or doubled for up to 1 minute or until your concentration ends (as if you were concentrating on a spell).

While the weight of a creature is halved by this effect, the creature's speed increases by 10 feet, it can jump twice as far as normal, and it has disadvantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws. While the weight of a creature is doubled by this effect, the creature's speed is reduced by 10 feet, and it has advantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws.

(that one is really more of a cantrip, though)

[mlenser]

• Light as a Feather added as a Gravity spell.
• Immovable Object added to the Gravity theme.

Immovable Object already covers the need for heavy stuff I believe.

[Marcloure]

I don't see how Immovable Object fits Gravity. Making something stuck in place doesn't seem to relate to the theme, as you aren't neither decreasing nor increasing the gravity force on the object.

[mlenser]

I don't see how Immovable Object fits Gravity. Making something stuck in place doesn't seem to relate to the theme, as you aren't neither decreasing nor increasing the gravity force on the object.

Gravitational force could definitely be responsible for an object not being able to be moved.

[Marcloure]

If you allow Gravity to apply forces in any direction or way, then it could do everything Telekinesis does, since both themes would become "you can apply forces at a distance".

IMO, if you aren't either increasing or decreasing gravity, or creating some sort of pull/repeal, then the spell doesn't fit the theme.

[mlenser]

#594

[mlenser]

if you aren't either increasing or decreasing gravity, or creating some sort of pull/repeal, then the spell doesn't fit the theme.

Immovable object can surely be a pull toward whatever it is bound to. It fits.

[Marcloure]

Immovable object can surely be a pull toward whatever it is bound to. It fits.

Immovable object allows you to stuck an object midair and make it sustain enormous amount of weight. You can say that the object is gravitationally pulled towards that point in space, but then:

• Can't you use gravity to pull yourself towards an enemy (like telekinetic charge)?
• Can't you make walls pull a creature to it (wall binding)?
• Can't you make a creature be pulled toward a point in space and be stuck there like immovable object does (Telekinetic Grasp)?
• Can't you create a repealing gravitational field around you (Inertial Armor / Kinetic Barrier)?

If you can use gravity to apply force in any direction and from any point, the two themes will share a very large amount of spells. Gravity wouldn't be about gravity, but about "applying force". That is just Telekinesis.

[mlenser]

Can't you use gravity to pull yourself towards an enemy (like telekinetic charge)?

Or vice versa, yes.

Can't you make walls pull a creature to it (wall binding)?

A creature bound to walls more accurately, but yes.

Can't you make a creature be pulled toward a point in space and be stuck there like immovable object does (Telekinetic Grasp)?

Yes.

Can't you create a repealing gravitational field around you (Inertial Armor / Kinetic Barrier)?

Yes.

See https://powerlisting.fandom.com/wiki/Gravity_Manipulation for a list of things that gravity manipulation can be used for.

#594 covers this.

[shemetz]

@Marcloure - if you think of gravity as a result of the curvature of space, then gravity manipulation is space manipulation - you make certain areas/objects change space arou them.

Then, if you squint, Immovable Object is like nailing something to space itself. Or, alternatively, it's like making an object attract itself.