Power Levels in Warpcraft
Power levels are determined by a combination of:
- Base effect level (based on Form + desired outcome)
- Modifiers for Range, Duration, and Target
- Optional size or complexity increases
Power Level = Base Effect Level (based on Technique + Form) + Modifiers
Below are baseline levels for common power effects, assuming default:
- Range: Personal/Touch
- Duration: Instant
- Target: Individual
Forces effect level guidelines
Matter effect level guidelines
Know Guidelines:
Know Life
The Art of Kmow reveals the hidden truths of the world. When combined with the Form of Life, it allows magi to understand the physical nature and history of living beings and organic matter.
These guidelines exclude emotional or cognitive states, which are covered under Intellego Mentem (Know Mind). Instead, Know Life focuses on the physical essence of life—from sensing the presence of a person to understanding the structure and properties of a plant or animal product.
General Considerations
- Sensory Filtering: Beings are perceived through their natural sensory framework (e.g., an animal may remember scent-based information more vividly than visual detail).
Know Mind
The Art of Know, when applied to Mind, enables a warpcraft wielder to uncover the thoughts, feelings, memories, and consciousness of intelligent beings. These projections allow insight into a target’s internal world, making them invaluable for interrogation, diplomacy, and psychological understanding.
This form does not affect the content of writing directly—written text is inert unless interpreted by a mind. To understand or translate written material with Intellego Mentem, the caster must read it through another person’s comprehension of it.
General Considerations
- Depth vs. Duration: A Momentary Intellego Mentem spell may answer one complex question or surface thought but cannot access broad memories or reasoning unless sustained.
- Unique Minds: Some information sensed via Mind are received in idiosyncratic, symbolic, or surreal ways, based on the subject’s personality.
Guideline Table – Know Mind
| Level | Effect |
|---|---|
| 4 | Sense the state of consciousness of an intelligent being (e.g., asleep, awake, meditating, drugged, dead, etc.). |
| 5 | Detect a single emotion within the target. Understand the meaning of spoken words by interpreting the speaker’s intent. |
| 10 | Sense all of a target’s current emotions. Discover whether a statement they just made is true or false. |
| 15 | Speak directly with a person’s mind (as if in conversation). Read their surface thoughts. Ask and receive a single answer from their conscious mind. |
| 20 | Read all memories from the last day. |
| 25 | Learn all information the target’s mind contains, including memories, knowledge, and subconscious impressions. |
Examples of Use
- Know mind 5: Sense if someone is hiding fear before a duel.
- Know mind 10: Learn if a merchant is lying during negotiation.
- Know mind 20: Review the target’s last 24 hours to find a hidden location.
- Know mind 25: Extract a full confession from a prisoner or learn a warrpcraft wielder’s entire set of formulaic and ritual warpcraft projections.
Know Warp
The Form of Warp, when combined with Know, allows a warpcraft wielder to perceive the structure, traces, and nature of unnatural forces in the world—what might be called the “warp and weft” of reality. These projections are crucial for identifying warpcraft, auras, and mystical boundaries, although their effectiveness may vary by Realm.
Detecting Relics and Talismans, Auras, and creatures of warp requires specific projection tailored to each category. A single projection cannot detect all warpcraft phenomena.
General Considerations
- Residue Decay: Psychic projection residues halve in strength immediately upon expiration, then drop by one magnitude per original projection duration. GM may adjust this rule based on narrative needs.
- Realms of Power: Each projection targets only one Realm (Psychic, Ruinous or Divine), and Realm-specific versions must be developed.
- Warp Creatures and Items:
- Creatures: Detected via Might / Highest Art (÷5).
- Items: Detected via Warp Essence invested in creation.
Guideline Table – Know Warp
| Level | Effect |
|---|---|
| 1 | Detect the presence of tenth magnitude projection. Detect an aura. Detect the presence of raw warp essence. |
| 2 | Detect warpcraft projection of eighth magnitude or higher. Determine the strength of a dominant aura. |
| 3 | Detect warpcraft projection of sixth magnitude or higher. Detect hidden auras. (With Vision target: perceive centers or shapes of auras.) |
| 4 | Detect warpcraft of third magnitude or higher. Judge the quantity of vis. Discern the Art of warp essence (e.g., Create or Life). |
| 5 | Detect any active warpcraft projections, regardless of magnitude. |
| 10 | Detect residues from recent strong warpcraft projections. Sense past warpcraft projections (within about a day or less). |
Higher Levels:
- +1 magnitude: Identify whether projection is Sanctified or non-Sanctified.
- +2 magnitudes: Learn the Technique and Form (or rough equivalent) of the effect.
- +3 or more: Additional precision based on projection design.
Examples of Use
- Know Warp 3: Scan for hidden auras during exploration.
- Know Warp 4: Examine the warp essence content and type in a harvested exotic plant.
- Know Warp 5: Confirm that an ongoing protective ward is still active.
- Know Warp 10+: Study the echoes of a powerful projection manifested the night before.
Know Matter
Guidelines for Know targeting Mayyer, the physical and material nature of substances—solids, liquids, and objects.
These guidelines focus on learning about tangible materials, their natural and warpcraft properties, and their composition.
General Considerations
- Substance-Specific Logic: Projections on liquids don’t usually require requisites for different liquids. Know Matter projection levels are consistent regardless of material of the target.
- Composition and Identity: Projections can reveal ingredients, warpcraft traits, or even allow communication with natural materials (e.g., rocks or bodies of water).
Guideline Table – Know Matter
| Level | Effect |
|---|---|
| 1 | Make a sense unaffected by water. |
| 2 | Get an image of water. Learn a visible property of an object. |
| 3 | Get an image of water and surroundings. Learn natural properties of a liquid. Learn mundane properties of ash. |
| 4 | Learn natural properties of a liquid mixture. Learn mundane property of an object. See an object and surroundings. |
| 5 | Learn warpcraft properties of a liquid. Learn components of a mixture or alloy. Detect fire traces within the last lunar month. |
| 10 | Learn warpcraft properties of a liquid mixture. Learn all natural properties of an object. |
| 15 | Sense all mundane properties of a composite object. Speak with a natural rock. Speak with a natural body of water. |
| 20 | Learn warpcraft properties of an object. See through earth or stone. Speak with artificial rock. Speak with artificial liquid (e.g., fountain). |
Examples of Use
- Know Matter 4: Assess a barrel of mixed wine for quality and contamination.
- Know Matter 10: Understand all traits of a sword’s steel, weight, and sharpness.
- Know Matter 3: Study the ash from a destroyed lab to learn what burned there.
Know Forces
Guidelines for Know targeting Forces, energetic phenomena, elements in motion, or environmental forces—such as fire, air, and magical auras.
These guidelines enable the perception of energy, movement, presence, and properties of invisible or dynamic forces in the world.
General Considerations
- Force Interpretation: Many projections allow you to extend or refine your perception of dynamic forces—hearing through storms, detecting heat levels, or seeing through flame.
- Nature of Forces: This category includes the perception and analysis of:
- Elemental and Thermal Forces
- Fire, Heat, and Cold – Includes combustion, radiant heat, and thermal voids (cold as energetic absence).
- Light and Illumination – Natural and artificial luminance, shadow, and glow (including warp-glow or radiance from esoteric sources).
- Electricity and Lightning – Natural charge, artificial current, neural energy arcs, or warp-tethered surges.
- Kinetic Phenomena – Impact, vibration, sonic pulses, velocity, acceleration, or shockwaves.
- Sound and Resonance – Vibrational patterns carried through solid, liquid, or gaseous mediums.
- Wind and Pressure – Atmospheric flows, turbulence, storms, and vacuums.
- Gravity and Inertia – Mass attraction, pull, orientation shifts, and relative weight.
- Magnetism – Polar attraction/repulsion, loadstone effects, and magnetic fields.
- Buoyancy and Fluid Tension – Resistance, lift, and balance in liquids and gas.
- Radiation – Heatless light, fallout, magical or divine exposure fields.
- Temporal Momentum – Residual inertia, direction of timeflow sensed via force signatures.
Guideline Table – Know Forces
| Level | Effect |
|---|---|
| 1 | Make your senses unhindered by forces (e.g., hear through kinetic force of wind). Sense one property of a force. |
| 2 | Locate a surce of force. Sense all mundane force properties. Sense heat levels. Become aware of all active forces in an area. |
| 4 | See clearly through a source of force. Learn warpcraft properties of a fire. Have an intuition about the weather |
| 10 | See a source of force and all things it illuminates. |
| 15 | Speak with force. |
| 20 | Speak with a unnatural force. |
Examples of Use
- Know Forces 2: Sense the ambient heat in a room for signs of smoldering danger.
- Know Forces 10: Look through a distant bonfire and see what it lights up clearly.
Create
| Form | Base Power Levels | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Life | 10 – Heal 1 Wound; 10 – Create an animal 15 – Accelerate the maturation to 1 day and night 20 – Regrow limb 20 – Heal 5 wounds 25 – Stop the progress of disease. 25 – Restore lost sense 25 – Restore lost limb 35 – Heal all wounds 50 – Create warp beast 75 – Raise from the dead | Create a simulacrum of a person; rapid healing |
| Matter | 10 – Shape basic object; 15 – Forge metal; 25 – Build armored structure | Create weapons or walls |
| Force | 5 – Light; 10 – Flame; 20 – Plasma burst | Fireballs, energy beams |
| Mind | 10 – Induce strong emotion; 20 – Insert memory | Inspire fear, create hallucinations |
| Warp | 15 – Create minor daemon; 25+ – Major rift | Summon horrors or mutate reality |
- 10 –
- Heal 1 Wound;
- Create an animal
- 20 – Regrow limb
Control
| Form | Base Power Levels | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Life | 10 – Restrain person; 20 – Morph body | Paralyze limbs, cause mutation |
| Matter | 10 – Animate object; 15 – Reshape terrain | Move stone, liquefy armor |
| Force | 10 – Direct lightning; 20 – Nullify sound | Bend fire, silence explosions |
| Mind | 5 – Read intent; 15 – Mind control | Dominate enemy, puppet emotions |
| Warp | 15 – Suppress power; 25 – Seal rift | Dispel, counter-effect, barrier wards |
Know
| Form | Base Power Levels | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Life | 3 Sense the state of conciousness of a beast, Get general nformation about it’s body 5 – Detect injuries; 5 – Learn origins and age of something made of animal products 10 – Sense corruption 10 – Speak with an animal 20 – Probe the mind of a beast | Scan health or mutation |
| Matter | 3 -Make major change on product like turning leather jerkin to saddle 5 – Identify material; 10 – X-ray vision | Detect traps or voids |
| Force | 5 – Detect energy; 10 – Track heat | Trace power sources |
| Mind | 5 – Read thoughts; 15 – Uncover secrets | Lie detection, emotional reading |
| Warp | 10 – Sense auras; 15 – Detect daemons | Reveal latent powers, Warp tides |
Destroy
| Form | Base Power Levels | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Life | 10 – Inflict wound; 20 – Kill target | Rot, boil blood, melt flesh |
| Matter | 10 – Shatter object; 20 – Crumble wall | Melt armor, corrode machinery |
| Force | 5 – Extinguish flame; 15 – Cancel energy blast | Nullify heat or light |
| Mind | 10 – Cause confusion; 20 – Erase memory | Break resolve, mental collapse |
| Warp | 15 – Banish lesser daemon; 25+ – Purge taint | Cleanse corruption, snap pacts |
Modifiers to Base Power Level
Modify the base level by adjusting:
| Range | Modifier |
|---|---|
| Personal / Touch | +0 |
| Voice (30–50m) | +2–5 |
| Sight | +3–6 |
| Arcane Connection | +10+ |
| Duration | Modifier |
|---|---|
| Instant | +0 |
| Concentration | +1–2 |
| Diameter (a few minutes) | +1 |
| Sun (a few hours) | +2–3 |
| Ring / Circle | +2–4 |
| Permanent (Ritual only) | +10+ |
| Target | Modifier |
|---|---|
| Individual | +0 |
| Group (up to 10) | +2–3 |
| Circle | +1–4 |
| Room | +2–4 |
| Structure | +3–5 |
| Boundary (e.g., town) | +10+ |
Example: “Flame of the Warp”
- Effect: Hurl a bolt of warp-fire at a visible target
- Technique + Form: Create Force
- Base Effect: Deal moderate energy damage (level 15)
- Range: Voice (add +3)
- Duration: Instant (no modifier)
- Target: Individual (no modifier)
Total Power Level: 18
Summary
- Use Technique + Form charts to determine the base power effect level
- Modify based on Range, Duration, and Target
- Rituals or large-scale powers may push levels into the 30s or 40s
Ignis Aeternus WH 40K campaign notes 