Another JKeown Speculation Thread...

[Jkeown]

... I had this idea that ties a Fantasy HERO character's magic abilities to a set of Disadvantages.

AFFLICTIONS

Too much spellcasting, magic item usage or exposure to high intensity magical fields can leave one Afflicted. When a certain magic power has overtaken your body, you display outward signs of the malady. You more easily control that element, but find yourself taking extra damage from opposing elements.

In my Caleon Campaign, the opposing forces of the Universe are Essence, Chaos and Unlight. The three of them unite beyond the Thaumic Barrier as the awesome power of the Void. The Classic Elements of Earth, Air, Fire and Water can also Afflict a character. The Special Effect is always one of these elements, or it can be tied to a magical style or college such as Necromancy or Shadow Magic. One is never just Afflicted by "Magic." It has to have flavor.

Basic Affliction manifests as a slight physical or mental change, perhaps a distinctive feature, or some low-level lust for your Afflicting Element. A well-known example of this is the malady known as Spellcasting Addiction. An addict will think that his Afflicting Element is the answer to everything, and may develop a Dependance on it.

As these Disadvantages grow in strength, they are balanced by new abilities.

Ex:
Value Disadvantage
10 Dependence: Essence Addiction Takes 3d6 Damage (Easy To Obtain, 6 Hours)

If struck with Essence Addiction, this Character would pick up 10 points of magic powers with his Essence. One option for those points might be a tiny Essence Aura Damage Shield, glowing eyes that raise his PRE, or a bonus to Essence Channelling or Essence Formulaic Magic rolls.

Essence Aura:Killing Attack - Hand-To-Hand 1 point, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Persistent (+1/2), Damage Shield (+1/2) (12 Active Points); No STR Bonus (-1/2) Real Cost: 8 points

Essence Eyes: (Total: 10 Active Cost, 10 Real Cost) Detect Essence Magic 11- (Unusual Group), Discriminatory (Real Cost: 8) <b>plus</b> +2 PRE (Real Cost: 2) Total Real Cost: 10 Points

Essence Junkie: +6 with Magic (12 Active Points); Essence-Based Spells Only (-1/4) Real Cost: 10 Points

Later Still
As the Affliction progresses, the character displays a high degree of affinity to his element, now taking extra damage from opposing elemental attacks. Note that in Caleon's 3-element system, a character is vulnerable to the two other points on the Thaumic Triangle.

Value Disadvantages
20 Vulnerability Essence Affliction: 2 x Effect Chaos and Unlight Magic (Common)

He or she would be entitled to 20 points of bonuses and magic powers. As these are not spells, they may or may not have the RSR limitation, depending on how evil the GM is feeling. Now, he channels Esence constantly, and cannot be mistaken as anything other than Afflicted.

Essence Touch: Killing Attack - Hand-To-Hand 2d6+1 (35 Active Points); No STR Bonus (-1/2), Reduced Penetration (-1/4) Real Cost: 20 points

Essence Barrier: Force Field (2 PD/10 ED/4 Mental Defense/4 Power Defense) Real Cost: 20 points

Final Stages
Distinctive Features disadvantages intensify and he might be feared or loathed by his culture. Soon, the power will overtake him completely, and he will be driven out into the wilderness... where so many have been driven before. What horrors wait out there, beyond the borders of polite society... what insane, magically-addicted wretches, gazing back at civilization with malicious, envious and hungry eyes?

Afterward
So that's the idea... just a thought, and I have a headache and the pizza will be here any second. I'll polish it, and include any refinements you wonderful people suggest.

[AmadanNaBriona]

This is pretty similar to how my campaign setting deals with magic. I'm doing a variation of the old "Chaos= Magic" trope, and in order to manipulate chaos, you have to be in some way "Flawed" or afflicted by chaos. Additionaly, Chaos use is metaphysicaly "corrosive", so the more you use it, the greater an effect it has on you, and the more access to chaos you have. Thus, very disciplined magicians trry and keep the amount of inherent chaos in ther systems small, and try and eek out the most effective uses of magi for the minimum amount of power, while pure chaos magicians throw around gobs of power, but burn out quickl.

[teh bunneh]

That's not far off from the magic system in one of my worlds. Once you get powerful enough, I require spellcasters to take an additional disad (for which they get no points). Here's my writeup for it. It's called the Law of Power:

The laws of magic have little effect on wizards until they can officially claim the title of Mage, when their spells reach 75 points of power or higher. The spellcaster is imbued with so much power, she is so much in touch with the Flow, that she effectively becomes a magical creature. The mage undergoes an actual physical transformation which leaves her body vulnerable to some normally harmless material. Physical contact with this material can cause great pain, it can drain the mage’s powers, or in extreme cases, it can kill her.

Most mages keep their vulnerability secret for fear that their enemies will use it against them. Some mages can suppress the physical change in their body through drugs or alcohol, but they quickly become addicted. Other mages do not become vulnerable to any particular material, but may become physically scarred or crippled by the power flowing through their bodies.

In game terms, any wizard, specialist, wild mage, or dweommercraefter who learns eighth arcana spells or higher must take a 20-point Physical Limitation, Dependence, Distinct Features, Vulnerability, or Susceptibility. The Thaumaturgist does not gain any additional points for this new Disadvantage; this is part and parcel of the curse of the Laws of Magic.

[Jkeown]

I knew this was a good idea...

[AmadanNaBriona]

I knew this was a good idea...

I forgot to put that in my post...it was late.

Good idea.

[Black Rose]

... I had this idea that ties a Fantasy HERO character's magic abilities to a set of Disadvantages.

...schtuff schtuff schtuff...

Consider this stol... ah, is "homaged" a word? Regardless, I'll be nicking this and making some tweaks for my own setting. Once it sparkles all purty-like, I'll let you see.