For Your Consideration...

[Greenstar]

I'm working on a brand new FH campaign, characters starting out at 50+50. The general atmosphere is fairly low fantasy, but with some exceptional individuals or groups capable of some impressive magic. Technology is (in the most civilized areas) about the equivalent of 1200-1300 AD.

I've worked up some basic magic house rules, and would like feedback. I suspect the first thing I'll get is "wow, mages will blow everything else away", but I'm not so sure of myself as to not want to get a second, thied, etc. opinion.

I'm striving for a "realistic" feel as much as possible here, with magic being rare and frightening. ALL spells have to have GM approval, of course.

The attachment is an MS-Word documnet, about 3 pages. If you need it in another format, please email me.

[M-3]

First, I don't think mages are going to overshadow everybody else. You can create a pretty cool fighter-type or thief on 50pts.

Second, I think it looks pretty good. You should probbaly elaborate a bit on which powers, ads and lims are available with each type of magic. I also recommend letting characters with natural magic choose more than one power (possibly linked) in order to create one "ability".

If you want to prevent characters from taking completely horrendously powerful spells to begin with, simply limit starting characters to having skills at 15 or less. Noone is going to spend a donkey-load of points on a tremendously powerful spell that they have only a 25% or so chance to actually cast...

Cheers,
M.

[Ternaugh]

You shouldn't have any problem at the power level chosen with mages overshadowing the other characters. The writeups are suitably different to force a party to seek the help of different characters at different times. A few questions, though.

Under Herbalism, would Trigger be allowed, to represent decoctions that are to be taken later?

Under Alchemy, is the VPP needed? With Trigger, the potion could be made, handed out, and then used. It would only have to be in the VPP for the actual creation, not use. Having a VPP would allow an alchemist to have access to a large variety of potions, and if this is what you want, would work fine.

I would probably combine Wizardry and Thaumaturgy, making a requirement that larger spells need the ritual and multiple casters. Then again, I've been rereading all of the Deryni books lately, and that's kind of how they did it.

All in all, looks good,

JoeG

[Greenstar]

I had considered the Herbalism using Trigger as well, but wanted to try and make it a bit more distinct from Alchemy - Herbalism is more primitive and more requiring of the casters immediate involvement.

Wizardry and Thaumaturgy were split mainly so it would require 2 skills vice one. I do plan for the multiple person rituals, as one of the very common Thauturmaic spells is going to be an END Transfer, only from willing targets. Likewise, I may need to cobble up a table to allow bonuses to the skill roll for having assistants present.

And yes, the specific powers and advantages need to be further delineated. I was just lazy

Thanks for the comments!