spells as skills

[Foxx!]

Heroes!

 

I just got Fantasy Hero this winter and IÂfm thinking of switching from doing spells as Powers to doing spells as Skills. If you have experience or advice, please share it.

 

Cheers

[Blue Jogger]

The closest I've tried is to take really complicated powers (ones with lots of advantages and disadvantages) and streamline them into simplier powers.

 

If you can, borrow someone's GURPS Magic (or buy it used), it's great system for magic as skills, and then write up your skills with the same sort of flavor.

[Arthur]

Make magic a VPP, and each different use of the points in said VPP a KS. Apply a penalty to each KS based on the Active Points.

 

Don't have the books handy, so some of the Modifiers may have to be changed. Something like this:

 

30 VPP.

 

15 Control Cost. Base cost 15 points. +1/2: Change in 1 Phase. -1/2: Each use requires a separate KS.

 

Season to taste, and crack the books for all the details I missed. This is just for the general idea.

[Photon1966]

Spells as SkillsI am just starting up a new game and decided to use this idea for all mages. I like it as it allows players to have access to some of the more powerful spells that they would never have gotten if they had to pay the normal cost. It also allows me to make the skill more interesting

I accomplish this by first making it an Int or Pre roll with no modifier to the roll (-0). Then I allow some of the limits to be bought off with iether the increase skill penalty rule or the increased END rule to allow flexibility. I also have magical zones where various +1-+3 modifiers exist. There is also materials that aren't needed by the spell but if used will give the caster an increased chance of success.

I also have added a bunch of 5 active point spells, costing the player 1 point and a roll of 8 or less. The same modifiers above apply but these spells pretty much all have a duration of 1 min + 1 min per success of the roll. They aren't powerful but there are alot of them and this just furthers the mages flexibility that I felt was lacking before.

So my mage player who had 10 spells costing 30 points now has 8 full spells and 6 minor spells. Plus we created a spell book which he invested 3 points into and another 10 spells are in it that he can learn later, the three points will be subsumed into the first three spells he buys. Now as it is a spell book he can't use the spells from the book with out some major effort as we made them uncontrolled (-2). But if he takes alot of time and really plays it out I'll let him use a spell once and it will still be in the book but more then that risk losing the spell.

I hope these thoughts help you.

[Foxx!]

Heroes:

 

Thank you for the ideas. I'm definitely going to try these.

 

Cheers

[shinrin]

Re: Spells as Skills

 

Originally posted by Photon1966

I accomplish this by first making it an Int or Pre roll with no modifier to the roll (-0). Then I allow some of the limits to be bought off with iether the increase skill penalty rule or the increased END rule to allow flexibility

 

Increased Skill penalty rule? Are you talking about the Power Limitation: Requires a Skill Roll? If so, a what level does the penalty to the skill roll begin (-1 per 20 Active points which is a -1/4 Limitation or -1 per 10 Active points which is a -1/2 Limitation)? Or do you require that the Limitation that is "bought off" be replaced with the Requires Skill Roll Limitation of equal value?

[Photon1966]

Skills as spells

 

I am taling about the limitation requires a skill roll. Normally it is a (-1/2) at -1/10active points but I use the (-0) limits for just simple a skill roll usually with Int or Pre.

 

Then in Fantasy Hero there are two very interesting options. I am at work so I don't have the page numbers but basicaly one allows the player to remove limits at a penalty to skill roll, usually -2 skill roll per -1/4 limit removed. Used when say your tied up and gagged but still want to spell cast then if both are -1/4 then removing both give a -4 skill roll modifier.

 

A Similiar rule is using increased End for taking the -1/4 limits, so first is 1.5, then 2, then 3 etc, for each -1/4 limit. Again giving players more control over the magic as a mage would I feel, not static but not a VP iether.

 

Now I GM that not ever limit can use these, and some can use both and some neither. Like Needs a skill roll can't be remvoved, costs End can't be removed but Gestures can be iether, but concentration is only skill modified. These were simple to simulate how "I" feel the magic should be. Others of course should generate them for their own world.

 

I also allow items that aren't part of the spell, ie not a Focus to enhacne the skill roll usually by +1 to +3. Say a piece of wood from a tree that survived a lightning strike. Then Any time cast Lightning bolt the player gets +1. Add to that situation modifiers like casting it during a storm, say +2-+3, well with that +4 could remove a -1/2 limit and still keep skill roll at it's normal level.

 

My players so far like the idea, but we just started the game and so were play testing it now. It seems fine to me though.