How to design a Sanctum Magic system

[Ppaddock]

I’m trying to design a magic system for my setting, this type of magic user relies on two things to work their magic, for now I’m referring to them as the gate and key.

 

In the magicians sanctum is a permanent altar or circle, with connected diagrams, material components, precise positioning, etc that give the user access to a number of powers so long as the arrangement stays in place. This is the gate that the majority of their power comes from. 
 

I’m thinking of building this as a VPP with the following restrictions:

 

• Only be changed with access to the sanctum and time to rearrange the diagrams, material components, and the like. (Takes several days)
• All spells must be on a single nrc
• If the sanctum is broken into and disturbed the character loses access to the VPP until they can restore the old or build a new sanctum
• All spells require a focus (the key) to cast, this item is unique to every user but is often an OIF such as a ring or amulet

i feel like this adds up to about a -1 but would love some feedback on this setup 

 

My other thought is to expand the real points of the gate pool by x5 or x10, so a 30/60 pool would be able to prepare 150 or 300 real points of prepared spells respectively. I’m thinking of this because once the powers are allocated they’re set until the player can spend an extended amount of time at their base. This leads to the in world result that most practitioners do not adventure, instead the vast majority stay near their sanctum both to be able to manipulate their powers and to protect their source. So a player setting out on an adventure will be prepared with quite an arsenal but over the adventuring days these powers will be an ever dwindling resource. 
 

Finally, to prevent users from being completely disarmed the key would also be a VPP with a 20AP cap but no charges, perhaps instead all costing endurance, allowing for a small selection of low powered spells that the character would still have access to if their sanctum is disturbed. I would have them buy this one outright with maybe a -1/2 since the spells in the key would only be able to be changed back in the sanctum. 
 

l’d love any thoughts on what I’ve got so far or advice on balancing etc. Thanks!

 

 

 

[Opal]

On 3/10/2023 at 10:56 AM, Ppaddock said:

My other thought is to expand the real points of the gate pool by x5 or x10, so a 30/60 pool would be able to prepare 150 or 300 real points of prepared spells respectively. I’m thinking of this because once the powers are allocated they’re set until the player can spend an extended amount of time at their base.

They get a big limitation for the sanctum (more than -1, though IDK which version you're on days to change a power sounds major), so no, I wouldn't consider arbitrarily giving more real pts.

 

I'd imagine an adventuring mage would establish a sanctum when he moves into a region and adventure around it for a while before taking it down and moving on.

 

I quite like the idea of lesser spells using just the key burning END.  It's be flavorful if it was just a handful of simple, well-known spells, so when a sanctum is lost the mage is not just weaker, but more predictable.