How can a single caster cast the Youth spell?

Question

In what way can a single caster reasonably cast the Youth spell (GURPS Magic, p. 94)?

The Youth spell costs 100 which makes a huge problem to cast it.

The possible ways I found are

1. Write a scroll - 100 days
2. Slow and sure enchantment - if GM allows it - 100 days
3. Ritual casting - which will require a lot of people or 10 very skilled mages
4. Having energy reserve or fatigue 100 - which would cost 300 character points
5. Having a power or mana stone with 100 points

All those ways needs a lot of resources: time, contacts, money, character points.

Did I miss something? Is there a reasonable way to cast a spell which cost 100 other than that?

Answer 1

No, there isn't a straightforward way to cast Youth by yourself. It's a general intention of the spell magic system that spells that can have drastic effects on the world are hard to cast. Resurrection costs 300 energy.

The spell magic system was originally designed for a rationalised fantasy world, Yrth (described in GURPS Banestorm) so there was much more designer interest in the social and economic effects of spells than there has been for the D&D family of games. There are a few spells in that system which are wildly disruptive to an economy, but much of it holds up pretty well for a rational, as opposed to mystical or highly cinematic setting.

Of course, since this is GURPS, the GM can create a way to do it if they want to; cutting down the cost is the simplest way, but that will result in the wealthy being nigh-immortal.

Answer 2

You've listed most of the possibilities... but another possibility is the Draw Power spell. (Note that, given its college, some GMs will disallow it.)

You'd require a pretty hefty source of natural power, however — which might require protection magics (e.g., lava). Note you're still going to need a high skill here, too. Note further you're going to have to relocate to that hefty source of natural power.

There was a Pyramid article on this very subject; if you have access to it, it's well worth the read.

It turns out you can read that article for free, online, here: More Power: A Spell That Can Change a World, by Fred Wolke, from 1999.