Shakti Manifestation

Spellcasting in DAMP is a versatile system, allowing the player to both prepare manifestations (spells) ahead of time, as well create and adapt them on the fly.

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Base Rules

Manifesting shakti requires the players to define and determine the three Aspects of the desired manifestation:

Power (Magical Strength)

Vessel Cost (Material Components)

Energy (Creation / Enhancement / Destruction)

After the Aspects have been defined, you then determine the Manifest DC.

Power

The player chooses the power of the shakti based on the intended strength of manifestation. Each power has a set and defined:

Vessel Base Cost

Impact Dice

Maximum number of Additional Spell Effects

Maximum number of Targets

Maximum number of Targets

Maximum range of Effect

Maximum area of effect

Shakti Power	Base Cost	Impact Dice	Maximum Effects
Crude	1	1d4	1
Basic	3	1d6	2
Advanced	5	2d8	2
Elaborate	8	3d10	3
Hermetic	13	5d12	3
Legendary	21	8d20	4

Example (we'll keep building on this as we go along): Nio, a Ranabiri Loremaster, chooses the power of the shakti based on the intended strength of manifestation.

Vessel Cost

Each shakti manifestation requires vessels to channel the energy. To determine Vessel Cost, you need:

Base Cost (Determined by shakti power)

CED (Creation-Enhancement-Destruction) Element (Determined by the PC's intended manifestation)

Character Alignment (Determined by character alignment)

Shakti Energy Manifestations

Energy Type	Multiply to Manifestation
Creation	5
Enhancement	3
Destruction	2

PC Alignment to Shakti

Alignment	Multiplier
Opposed	5
Neutral	3
Kindred	2

Vessel Cost = Base Cost x Shakti Energy x Alignment

Nio's acid attack: Nio is using their own body as the vessel. They want to create the acid from nothing and so much multiply the 1 vessel cost by 5 for creation's energy type. Finally, acid is kindred to their element of Destruction and so the multiply the cost by 2.

1 (Base) *5 (Creation Energy)*2 (Kindred Alignment) =10 Vessel cost Nio takes 10 damage to manifest the effect, dealing 1d4 damage to their target.

If Nio had the appropriate components, they could have avoided the damage to themselves but having nothing else to sacrifice to the spell, they chose to use their own vitality.

Shakti Energy

Each player chooses their CED energy based on what the spell is actually doing.

Creation

Creation magic targets empty space pulls the spell effect solely from the component cost. This effect can be later modified or reverted with additional Enhancement or Destruction magic. Example: Conjuring a fireball.

Enhancement

Enhancement magic targets an object or magical effect and modifies that object by moving, growing, shrinking, etc. This effect can be later modified or reverted with additional Enhancement magic. Example: Transforming a torch into a fireball.

Destruction

Destruction magic targets an object or magical effect and destroys it. This effect cannot be later modified or reverted. Example: Destroying a boulder to conjure fireball. *Note that you cannot use the target for vessel costs. The payment of the vessel cost allows you to destroy the target as a part of the effect.

Manifest DC

This is how difficult the manifestation is to cast, requiring a difficulty check, or DC, against your character's Conviction.

Manifest DC = Base Cost + (Sum of Effect Modifiers)

Shakti Power	Manifestation Base Cost
Crude	2
Basic	5
Advanced	13
Elaborate	21
Hermetic	34
Legendary	55

Arcane Manifestations	Type
Max Targets	Easy
Range Increment	Tough
AOE Increment	Tough
Make Cone Effect	Demanding
Make Ray Effect	Tough
Sustain Additional Rounds	Tough
Combine Lesser Tier Manifestion	Tough
Combine Equal Tier Manifestion	Demanding

Manifestation Effect Types

Easy (±5)Effects of this type can be done with not much additional conviction.

Tough (±13)Effects of this type need more control and concentration. Only trained, or particularly talented, casters can accomplish these effects.

Demanding (±21)Effects of this type are stretching the caster's mind and and ability to keep the manifestion well defined.

Failing a Conviction Check vs the Manifest DC

If a player fails their conviction check, they lose control of the spell and must also roll 1d4 to determine the impact.

Natural 1 on Conviction check or 1 on the D4: Take 2d6 damage from the uncontrolled Shakti and lose all materials for the manifestation

2: All materials for the manifestation are consumed and one random item in your inventory weighing less than a pound

3-4: Player only loses the manifestion materials

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Advanced Examples

You are a Destruction-aligned manifester, wanting to conjure an advanced fireball and launch it at an enemy that is 40 feet away. In this instance, the magic will be creating a moving ball of fire and infusing it with movement. This could be done in a few different ways:

MANIFEST CREATION AND ENHANCEMENT SIMULTANEOUSLY

You could manifest one spell that both creates and launches the fireball. Advanced powers have a range maximum of 30 feet, so you use Creation energy to conjure the fireball 30 feet away. You would then use Enhancement energy to launch the fireball 10 more feet, requiring a crude power.

Manifesting shakti using two energies will increase the Vessel Cost and Manifest DC, but it would be done quickly and before the enemy could defend itself.

PVE (Power, Vessel, Energy)

Advanced and Crude Shakti, Creation, Enhancement

102 Vessel Cost (7*8*2)

Vessel Base Cost	Energy Type	Alignment
5+2 (Advanced, Crude)	5+3 (Creation, Enhancement)	2 (Kindred)

Manifest DC =15

Base DC	Sum of All Modifiers
13+2 (Advanced, Crude)	±0

Result of the Manifestation

This manifestation would create an advanced fireball 30 feet away from the manifester capable of:

2d8 impact

to up to 8 targets in a 15 foot AOE

And immediately launch the fireball 15 feet away with a crude enhancement capable of adding an additional:

1d3 impact

Targeting 1 with a 10 foot AOE of splash damage where the fireball lands

MANIFEST CREATION THEN ENHANCE

You could manifest one spell to create the fireball, and a second to launch it in the next turn. This would take more time, but the Vessel Cost and Manifest DCs of each spell would be lower. This would also give the opportunity for the target to defend itself with Destruction magic.

Creation PVE (Power, Vessel, Energy)

Advanced Power, Creation

50 Vessel Cost (5*5*2)

Vessel Base Cost	Energy Type	Alignment
5 (Advanced)	5 (Creation)	2 (Kindred)

Manifest DC =13

Base DC	Sum of All Modifiers
13 (Advanced, Crude)	±0

Enhancment PVE (Power, Vessel, Energy)

Crude Power, Enhancement

12 Vessel Cost (2*3*2)

Vessel Base Cost	Energy Type	Alignment
2 (Crude)	3 (Enhancement)	2 (Kindred)

Manifest DC =2

Base DC	Sum of All Modifiers
2 (Advanced, Crude)	±0

Result of the Manifestation

This manifestation would create an advanced fireball 30 feet away from the manifester capable of:

2d8 impact

to up to 8 targets in a 15 foot AOE

On your next turn, you launch the fireball 15 feet away with a crude enhancement capable of adding an additional:

1d3 impact

Targeting 1 with a 10 foot AOE of splash damage where the fireball lands

MANIFEST DESTRUCTION

You could manifest one spell that creates the fireball, and instead of launching it you would engulf the target, using an additional arcane manifestation to extend the range maximum. This will increase the spell DC, while keeping the Vessel costs down.

Destruction PVE (Power, Vessel, Energy)

Advanced Power, Destruction

20 Vessel Cost (5*2*2)

Vessel Base Cost	Energy Type	Alignment
5 (Advanced)	2 (Destruction)	2 (Kindred)

Manifest DC =26

Base DC	Sum of All Modifiers
13 (Advanced)	+13 (additional range increment, Tough)

Result of the Manifestation

This manifestation would create an advanced fireball 30 feet away from the manifester capable of:

2d8 impact

to up to 8 targets in a 15 foot AOE

And immediately engulf the enemies in flames