Talk:Chance RPG/Magicks

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• Quirks, Merits and Flaws
• Skills and Special Abilities
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• Magicks
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[edit] Where to begin....

I think this section will probably end up being one of my focuses at some point.  :-) A detailed magic system is a great thing.

I am invisioning a system where magicks are powerful in any form, but are hard to get. Look at various fantasy novels and things like that. A Sorcerer could raise cities above the clouds, but they also tended to spontaniously explode.  :-) Is power worth the risk?

If magic and combat are going to work on separate scales, why do we have a combat skill section?

Also, something I have noticed is that magic usually takes up about a third of a games rules. I realize this is because it need to explain every spell and how it works. I think that if both combat and magic stay very close to the basic skill usage, then they would be much easier to use. This is not to say that spectacular things cannot happen during either, but it would be easier to use.

We could have basic magic skills, and have each spell require a certain skill level to use. And have each spell have a spectacular success and spectacular failure clause. Like fire ball, does max damage as a spectacular success, and on a spectacular failure it blows up "in your hand." I think it would make understanding the magic system easier than magic having its own set of rules to work into a game. I'm worried that it will be like psyonics in 3.0: they were a completely separate entity, and could really mess with a games setting. Just a thought. Also, if you use a skill requirement for spells, you can show how two types of magic intertwine, maybe: Fire magic and Earth magic are both needed to make a volcanic eruption. I doubt basic elemental types suffice for magic sets, but it is an example I could think of on the fly. Fazanatox 06:20, 10 April 2009 (UTC)

I think I made things sound more complicated (or maybe less) than I intended. :P Basically, most magics that a character can get access too would be on level with D&D's magic missile, fire ball, etc. Mostly the level 1 - 4 stuff, with some scaling worked in.

I like the idea of making it skill based. I think that the system used for Mage the Ascension was one of the best. Ars Magica is great too.  :P Their system is similar, but on a toned down scale. A WoD mage with 3 dots in anything would walk into an Ars Magica setting and rule the world.  :P

In order for a character to deal with higher level magics, they would have to worry about higher level risks (like you were saying about a clause for spectacular success and spectacular failures).

It is my thinking that characters that deal often with the really high level magics should be either focused more on city/nation building, or somewhat short lived. After all, someone casting enchantment and building type spells is more likely to be doing things at a slow and steady pace. Someone dealing with combat magic may be going a little more haphazardly.

I was also contemplating the idea of making mana hard to come by. A PC might start with 5 to 20 points depending on where they stuck all their stats, but perhaps they have to jump through some hoops to replenish it.  :)

At this stage, this is all babble. Everything is on the chopping block still.  :P The only thing we have semi-set-in-stone are the starting stats. We should get the combat system somewhat more focused before we try to solidify magic.  :) Combat is more set in the solid reality of the system. Reality has to be the starting point for the unreal. Emry 09:18, 10 April 2009 (UTC)

I know a little about WoD magic dot system, but I haven't ever seen the Ars Magica. I like the idea about making mana harder to come by, but that would make it even more difficult for a "building" mages to do their thing. One big concern is doing certain creation things might/should take a constant draw of magic, so this definitely needs a lot more thought. So I agree that we should get the rest of the Mechanics written in wet concrete before trying to work on this much more.Fazanatox 21:33, 10 April 2009 (UTC)