Runequest 3 edition questions

[muminalver]

Hi I am in tenting to understand how the enchantment rules work for the skeletons in runequest 3edition

How does a character NPC create skeletons?

Is it enough to use enchantment ritual and sacrifice the low required?

Can all magic forms spirit, divine and sorcery create them?

[soltakss]

How does a character NPC create skeletons?

 

 

Basically, the NPC needs a spell, the Enchanting Ritual and have some POW to use.

Find a skeleton

Roll the Enchanting Ritual skill, perhaps boosted by the Ceremony Ritual

Spend the POW required to create the skeleton (Off hand, I think it is 1 POW per 20 SIZ, but that might be a houserule)

If the Enchanting was successful, then the skeleton will rise from the grave.

 

Now, all you need is a Command Skeleton spell, unless you gave it a Condition ("Obey Me", "Obey anyone who wears this ring", "Obey anyone with red hair, on a Tuesday, when the moon is full")

 

 

 

 

You need a spell. I'd use Create Ghost as a template.

 

Now, this raises an interesting variation on creating skeletons. The Create ghost spell is one-use because it already has the components needed to create a ghost - you do not need to sacrifice more POW to create the ghost, as the spell is one-use. I think that Create Skeleton from Zorak Zoran works this way - it has a POW cost to learn the spell, but is one-use, so all you need to do is to cast the spell, using the Enchanting Ritual, and up pops the skeleton.

 

 

 

Yes, as long as they have the correct spell.

 

The beauty of Enchantments in RQ3 is that the spell can be Spirit Magic, Divine Magic or Sorcery, but the way you create the skeleton is the same.

 

The Divine spell costs POW to learn, but could be one-use, as above, or reusable, in which case you would need to spend POW to make the skeleton. If the spell is one-use, then it is not available to Initiates.

[muminalver]

So Putte the sorcerer would need enchantment ritual+ a spell called create skeleton, low sacrifice.

Ljung the shaman would need the same 1 point enchantment + pow sacrifice.

Meanwhile Nana the Priestess could have two variants (depending her religion/world)

One how costs 1pow ( like create ghosts) but only one use. Or/and one that costs 1 point but is reusable?

I'm sorry if I'm seem dumb.. But for some reason I just can't get it, probably only over complicating things.

[RosenMcStern]

Alas, it is not so simple. The skeleton gains 1d6 characteristic points (split up the dice among STR and DEX) per POW sacrificed. So your kickass SIZ 30 troll skeleton does not cost 2 POW as Simon suggested, but it depends on the STR and DEX you give the entity. An average skeleton costs 6 POW, a really badass one costs 12. The Command spell does not exist, a skeleton automatically obeys its creator.

 

The most cost-effective way of creating skeletons is with Sorcery. Find a big skeletos, spend a little POW to give it basic characteristics, then cast long duration Enhance STR and DEX to make it a killing machine. Delecti style!

A Zorak Zoran divine spell for creating skeletons exists in Troll Gods, but I cannot remember whether it works slightly differently.

[muminalver]

So Putte the sorcerer will only need to roll a successful enchantment skill roll + sacrifices low for str and dex, he does not need a specific spell for creating skeletons.

Does it work the same for priests and shamans as well?

Thanks for helping me understand this..