Power Investiture

Power Investiture [10/lvl] in 4e is the clerical equivalent of Magery granted by some supernatural being ie god, demon lord, great spirit, cosmic power, etc.

Related possible Wildcard skill: Theurgy!

This is different from Divine Favor magic.

Shorthands

In the 3e book Classic: In Nomine different forms of Power Investiture are listed with a clarifying followup parenthesis. Shorthand is also used which substitutes the parenthesized term for "Power" to form a new term OR by dropping "investiture" and putting the term ahead of "Power". This is explained:

• "Power Investiture (realm) is often shortened in this book to “realm Investiture” or “realm Power.”"

"Realm" refers to one of the three realms (corporeal/ethereal/celestial) which PI exists for, so:

• Power Investiture (Corporeal) can be called Corporeal Investiture or Corporeal Power
• Power Investiture (Ethereal) can be called Ethereal Investiture or Ethereal Power
  • all Dream Soldiers (pg 19) have this
• Power Investiture (Celestial) can be called Celestial Investiture or Celestial Power

A 4th type (not realm based) called Power Investiture (Sorcery) should in theory be called Sorcery Investiture or Sorcery Power.

Essence Control (pg 31) is mandatory (a pre-req?) for any of these four types.

A resonance or attunement which is Will-based requires at least one type.

• if NO roll is required, Symphonic Awareness is necessary, and a REALM based PI (not Sorcery)

Mundanes lack all four types and lack Awareness

Differences from Magery

Some of these Differences has a modifier equivalent for Magery.

• Clerical and Mage spells are different (Functions as a Different Talent ±0%)
• Clerical magic is dependent on Sanctity not Mana. (Sanctity Replaces Mana: ±0%)
  • Sanctity is the power of a deity in a given area. It is strongest in areas directly related to the deity such as a shrine, a temple, a church, or any holy place consecrated to the deity, particular to the religion and weakest in area where the deity has no influence or is controlled by an opposing deity.
• Clerics don’t have to buy “Power Investiture 0" (No Zero-Level Requirement +10%)
• Clerics can acquire a new spell simply by praying for it as long as they have one character point to 'buy' the spell. (Inspired Learning +20%)
• Clerical spells have no prerequisites. (No Spell Prerequisites +30%)
• Power Investiture has a built in Pact limitation (-10% for Magery with Pact limitation)
• No or limited innate magic item detection (No Magic Item Sensitivity for Magery is -20%)
  • Classic: Religion creates a bit of a contradiction here as it calls shamanism "a lower-powered, less predictable version of divine magics" but later on states shaman magic items which have inherent spiritual power granting a +2 IQ roll when the shaman sees one and touches it. This is conflict solved in 4e via Roma Arcana in GURPS Fantasy where "mana" doesn't represent energy but "free" spirits effectively turning arcane magic into a form of shamanism.
• Limited spell list (-30% for access to the equivalent of two collages)
  The selection of spells that the being allows to be learned is much smaller then that of a mage of similar power.
• Power Investiture is a measure of your bond with your deity.
  • This means it is totally separate from Clerical Investment and Religious Rank which measure social power.
  • The ability to gain, keep, or improve Power Investiture generally requires one to take and adhere to one or more of the traits listed under Self-Imposed Mental Disadvantages. It some cases physical requirements may also be required. Conversely the breaking of the vows can result in the reduction or even loss of the ability.
• Different enchantment system

Power Investiture as a form of Magery

• Magery (Functions as a Different Talent ±0%; Sanctity Replaces Mana: ±0%; No Zero-Level Requirement +10%; Inspired Learning +20%; No Spell Prerequisites +30%; Pact -10%; No Magic Item Sensitivity -20%; Limited spell list -30%)

Important Information

Magery and Power Investiture spells are not the same...even if they have the same name. (Functions as a Different Talent: +0%) Neither helps in learning the other type.

In early Classic GURPS something akin to Power Investiture was suggested but it differed in several key aspects: it was dependent on mana just like magery based magic was, point cost was based on how many colleges the cleric could use (10 points for one college, 12 for two, 15 for three), spells were learned just like a mage rather then given, spells of other colleges could be learned but were castable only in high mana and above areas, and there were no skill bonuses. In fact, if you took the RAW then only spells not requiring magery 1 or higher could be learned by a cleric via this mechanic even though one could still get a bonus (at 5 point per +1 to +3 max) to skill.

Even in 4e this version could be viewed as a special version of Blessed and as shown by Isis in Roma Arcana some deities many use Magery rather rather then Power Investiture based magic for their clerics and followers.

Power Investiture formally came to Classic GURPS with Classic: Religion but few books took advantage of it and instead tried to put everything into the default magic system even if it really didn't make sense for the setting (Such as Heroic Greece for example). Even the second edition of Classic GURPS Magic didn't take advantage of Classic: Religion to fix the poorly worded rules even though it was four years later.

See also

• Disciplines of Faith
• True Faith
• Divine Favor

Relevant Works

• Classic: In Nomine page 27 discusses 4 different types, always coupled with Awareness

Additional information

• (Basic) Advantage of the Week: Power Investiture