Need feedback on a magic system

[Briguy123]

I am creating a new magic system for my fantasy campaign. Please give me some feed back. In the world I have created, magic is performed in one of two ways; Alchemy or sorcery. Alchemy is the creation of magical effects through distilling the essences of various substances. Alchemy is used to create magic elixirs or to invest physical objects with supernatural qualities. The effects that can be achieved through alchemy are useful, however handling the volatile mixtures used in alchemical formulae is risky.

 

The mechanics of alchemy are fairly simple. All powers take the "extra time" disadvantage with a minimum activation time of 5-minutes; however the delayed effect or trigger advantages may be applied. Powers must take the expendable focus limitation. All powers require a skill roll with a side effect. There is a -1 penalty to the skill roll per five active points in the power The relevant skills that may be applied are:

 

SC: Alchemy

SC: Natural philosophy

KS: Herbalism

KS: Arcane lore

PS: Brewer

PS: Apothecary

 

 

Sorcery is the manifaestation of supernatural powers through the assistance of spirits, demons or divine beings. A sorceror may command lesser spirits, while more powerful spirits must be bargained with through the offering of sacrifices or promises of servitude.

 

Sorcerous powers must be bought using the following mechanics. All spells require incantations and many also require gestures. All spells require the "extra time" limitation with a minimum activation time of two segments (the spell activates at the end of the segment following the phase in which it was initiated). All spells require an ego roll; however, there is no penalty associated with the active cost of the power. All spells must take either the "burnout" limitation (for spells involving lesser spirits and demons) or the "jammed" limitation (for spells involving divinities or powerful spirits and emons). This simulates the fact that the spirits may tire of being constantly pestered for assistance, and will ignore further calls for assistance.

 

Players do not roll for burnout. The GM rolls secretly. The only way for a character to know that the spirits have tired of rendering assistance is when the character unsuccesfully attempts to cast a spell after failing the burnout check. To regain the use of a spell that has burned out or jammed, the character must perform a lengthy ritual (lasting at least an hour) and make a succesful skill check vs an appropriate skill. Skills that may be applicable include:

 

KS: Religion (Player must name a specific religion, such as the cult of the sun)

KS: Necromancy

KS: Demonology

KS: Spirit lore (player must specify the type of spirit, such as fire elementals, household sprits, or animal totems)

PS: Medium

PS: Priest (Player must name a specific religion, such as the cult of the sun)

 

 

I also want to institute a new disadvantage, "Diminishing." This disadvantage can be applied to powers that have a burnout or jam roll. A power with disadvantage becomes increasingly difficult with constant use. Each time a successful check is made vs the burnout or jam roll, a cumulative -1 penalty is applied to the next attempt. For instance Wundagore, priest of a death cult has an animate dead spell with a burnout roll of 13 or less. One busy day he makes plans to animate four bodies. The first body is animated and he rolls a 9 for his burnout check. He may cast the spell again; however, he must then roll 12 or less to avoid burning out the spell. Wundagore animates the second body and rolls a 12 on his burnout check. He may now animate the third body, but his burnout roll has dropped to 11 or less. Wundagore animates the third body, but rolls another 12 on the burnout check, failing. The spirits will no longer answer his calls to grant unlife to a corpse, thus Wundagore's next attempt to raise dead is unsuccessful. How much should this disadvantage be worth?

 

Any feedback would be appreciated.

[Briguy123]

Re: Need feedback on a magic system

 

Hello. Is anybody out there? Where did everybody go? Why am I talking to myself? AAAAAAGGGHHH!

[Captain Obvious]

Re: Need feedback on a magic system

 

Sorry, man. I read this before work one day and didn't have time to really think much about it. I forgot about it by the time I got home.

 

Okay, from what I can see, it looks pretty good. Pretty solid mechanics. A little more powerful than typical swords-and-sorcery, and a little less than typical high fantasy.

 

For your Diminishing idea, I'd call that a -1/4 or -1/2 in addition to the regular limitation for Burnout or Jammed.

 

Another suggestion. Get Valdorian Age and check out the rules for supernatural Favors. It should port right into what you have already, and will give crunch to your sorcerors' need to make sacrifices and perform deeds.

[Eosin]

Re: Need feedback on a magic system

 

The first part is fairly standard and covered well in the FHGI.

 

As to the second part, it seems a little paperwork intensive. Are you planning for PCs to be MUs?

[NuSoardGraphite]

Re: Need feedback on a magic system

 

Nice!

 

I like the Burnout or Jammed for simulating displeasing the spirits or the Gods. Very cool. I will be using that.

 

The diminishing limitation sounds good. I think it would probably add another -1/4 or -1/2 to the cost of the limitation to which it is applied. It could apply to any kind of activation roll (Activation, Burnout or Jammed) or it could also apply to the Requires Skill Roll limitation.

 

Question: Is there a minimum number to which an activation roll be diminished to? Say, the lowest it could go would be 8 or less....

[Briguy123]

Re: Need feedback on a magic system

 

Nice!

 

I like the Burnout or Jammed for simulating displeasing the spirits or the Gods. Very cool. I will be using that.

 

The diminishing limitation sounds good. I think it would probably add another -1/4 or -1/2 to the cost of the limitation to which it is applied. It could apply to any kind of activation roll (Activation, Burnout or Jammed) or it could also apply to the Requires Skill Roll limitation.

 

Question: Is there a minimum number to which an activation roll be diminished to? Say, the lowest it could go would be 8 or less....

 

Thanks for the input everyone. Sorry I took so long to get back to this. I am in the process of relocating from Nashville to Knoxville for my new job.

 

As for you question NuSoard, yes the minimum a roll can drop to is 8 or less. I just started playtesting with a group of friends, so we'll see how cumbersome the mechanics are in play. So far, no one has complained, but only 2 spells were cast during the first session, and neither character failed the burnout roll.