CDad
Mar 7th, '06, 06:30 PM
I'm working on an idea I've had for a while - defining racial magic - and I'm looking for your input!
I have a High Fantasy Campaign (that I never get to run, but that's beside the point) where the major races for PCs are Men, Elves, and Dwarves, and the minor races are Gnomes, Halflings, Half-elves and Half-orcs. [I'm implementing the DIVIDE_BY_THREE multiplier suggested in The Turakian Age to make magic more likely to be chosen by PCs. Without it, I always seemed to get a bunch of fighters and thieves. Go figure.]
Each race has it's own magic.
Men learn magic. I use the basic guidelines for Magic Schools. You need a Power Skill for each School learned, and the spells are a bit more specific - not every School provides Offensive, Defensive, Movement.... types of spells. This is the most flexible form of magic.
Elves have Mysticism - a VPP[10+ AP] limited to Mental Powers - Clairsentience, Change Environment, Mind Control, Mental Defense, Mind Link, Ego Attack, Telekinesis, Telepathy. Elves can also learn spells as men, but few do.
Dwarves can have Runes. Runes are limited to Aids, HA, EB, HKA/RKA, Healing - battle magic. There are a limited number of things a Dwarf can place a Rune on - 2 on a weapon, 2 on a shield, 2 on armor, 1 on helm, 1 on a large rock (ideal for throwing). All Runes require Focus (OAF), Charges(1-2 on WPN/ARMOR/SHIELD/HELM), Gestures(touch Rune), Incantations(say the Rune), and the obligatory DIVIDE_BY_THREE effect. Rocks and such get range Based on STR.
Halflings are Tolkienesque - quite non-magical. They have a variation on Damage Reduction which I call Magic Reduction. I build it (for 13 points - apply that DIVIDE_BY_THREE multiplier) as 50% Resistant Damage Reduction (Physical, Energy, and Mental), versus Magic only (-1), No Concious Control (-2). This applies to ALL magic - both good and bad. A magic dagger is only 1/2 as effective in a Halfiling's hand. A healing spell only cures 1/2 of the damage it would normally affect.
Gnomes have Phantasma - a MP[10+ AP] with 3 slots: Invisibility, Images, and Mental Illusions. No Reduced END available. They can also learn magic as Men, but like Elves, few do.
Half-Elves can choose Mysticism if they want it, or can learn Spells, or skip it altogether.
Half-Orcs can follow Orcish Shamanism, learn Spells, or skip it altogether.
All races can learn Priestly Magic. You see few Halfling Priests, however (that pesky Magic Reduction works here, too). Each race worships different Dieties that allow different Prayers.
Suggestions? Comments? Bueller?
I have a High Fantasy Campaign (that I never get to run, but that's beside the point) where the major races for PCs are Men, Elves, and Dwarves, and the minor races are Gnomes, Halflings, Half-elves and Half-orcs. [I'm implementing the DIVIDE_BY_THREE multiplier suggested in The Turakian Age to make magic more likely to be chosen by PCs. Without it, I always seemed to get a bunch of fighters and thieves. Go figure.]
Each race has it's own magic.
Men learn magic. I use the basic guidelines for Magic Schools. You need a Power Skill for each School learned, and the spells are a bit more specific - not every School provides Offensive, Defensive, Movement.... types of spells. This is the most flexible form of magic.
Elves have Mysticism - a VPP[10+ AP] limited to Mental Powers - Clairsentience, Change Environment, Mind Control, Mental Defense, Mind Link, Ego Attack, Telekinesis, Telepathy. Elves can also learn spells as men, but few do.
Dwarves can have Runes. Runes are limited to Aids, HA, EB, HKA/RKA, Healing - battle magic. There are a limited number of things a Dwarf can place a Rune on - 2 on a weapon, 2 on a shield, 2 on armor, 1 on helm, 1 on a large rock (ideal for throwing). All Runes require Focus (OAF), Charges(1-2 on WPN/ARMOR/SHIELD/HELM), Gestures(touch Rune), Incantations(say the Rune), and the obligatory DIVIDE_BY_THREE effect. Rocks and such get range Based on STR.
Halflings are Tolkienesque - quite non-magical. They have a variation on Damage Reduction which I call Magic Reduction. I build it (for 13 points - apply that DIVIDE_BY_THREE multiplier) as 50% Resistant Damage Reduction (Physical, Energy, and Mental), versus Magic only (-1), No Concious Control (-2). This applies to ALL magic - both good and bad. A magic dagger is only 1/2 as effective in a Halfiling's hand. A healing spell only cures 1/2 of the damage it would normally affect.
Gnomes have Phantasma - a MP[10+ AP] with 3 slots: Invisibility, Images, and Mental Illusions. No Reduced END available. They can also learn magic as Men, but like Elves, few do.
Half-Elves can choose Mysticism if they want it, or can learn Spells, or skip it altogether.
Half-Orcs can follow Orcish Shamanism, learn Spells, or skip it altogether.
All races can learn Priestly Magic. You see few Halfling Priests, however (that pesky Magic Reduction works here, too). Each race worships different Dieties that allow different Prayers.
Suggestions? Comments? Bueller?