Whitewings Posted January 7, 2006 Report Share Posted January 7, 2006 I had an idea a while ago for what I believe to be a unique magic system. Spells exist as semi-independent constructs of force within the sorceror's mind, and though they can be created, they can also be bought, sold, traded, stolen, and so on. Thus, for example, the Grand Archmagus of the Ancient Order of Rasselon might literally have all the combined power of those who went before him. Mechanically, all spells are bought as Independent powers, in addition to whatever other limitations they have. Opinions, comments, and feedback please? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Killer Shrike Posted January 7, 2006 Report Share Posted January 7, 2006 Re: A *very* different magic system I had an idea a while ago for what I believe to be a unique magic system. Spells exist as semi-independent constructs of force within the sorceror's mind, and though they can be created, they can also be bought, sold, traded, stolen, and so on. Thus, for example, the Grand Archmagus of the Ancient Order of Rasselon might literally have all the combined power of those who went before him. Mechanically, all spells are bought as Independent powers, in addition to whatever other limitations they have. Opinions, comments, and feedback please? This is not unique. There is an example of such a system in Fantasy HERO even. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hancock.tom Posted January 7, 2006 Report Share Posted January 7, 2006 Re: A *very* different magic system I remember a bad fantasy novel that used this sort of idea for magic, but I can't remember the title or the author. I remember the main character's name was something short that made him sound like a moron, like pip or something. It will come to me.... Its still a neat idea for a magic system, even though it is in fantasy hero already. PS my apologies to anyone named pip on these boards Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitewings Posted January 7, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2006 Re: A *very* different magic system This is not unique. There is an example of such a system in Fantasy HERO even. The only one that comes close is the Chaos Blades, and their ability to "steal" spells when they kill other Chaos Blades, which is completely different. Anything else aside, in the system I'm speaking of you can't steal spells from the dead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Killer Shrike Posted January 7, 2006 Report Share Posted January 7, 2006 Re: A *very* different magic system I remember a bad fantasy novel that used this sort of idea for magic, but I can't remember the title or the author. I remember the main character's name was something short that made him sound like a moron, like pip or something. It will come to me.... Its still a neat idea for a magic system, even though it is in fantasy hero already. PS my apologies to anyone named pip on these boards Well, I hope you arent talking about Dave Duncan's "Man of His Word" series (lead character's name was "Rap"), which was pretty clever in my opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Killer Shrike Posted January 7, 2006 Report Share Posted January 7, 2006 Re: A *very* different magic system The only one that comes close is the Chaos Blades' date=' and their ability to "steal" spells when they kill other Chaos Blades, which is completely different. Anything else aside, in the system I'm speaking of you can't steal spells from the dead.[/quote'] Takeable Independent spells...same basic idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Man Posted January 7, 2006 Report Share Posted January 7, 2006 Re: A *very* different magic system I had an idea a while ago for what I believe to be a unique magic system. Spells exist as semi-independent constructs of force within the sorceror's mind' date=' and though they can be created, they can also be bought, sold, traded, stolen, and so on. Thus, for example, the Grand Archmagus of the Ancient Order of Rasselon might literally have all the combined power of those who went before him.[/quote'] No, in order to make this really different, you'd have to buy the spells as followers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markdoc Posted January 7, 2006 Report Share Posted January 7, 2006 Re: A *very* different magic system I'm using this system in my current game - no prob.s so far. The idea was inspired by maori/celtic ideas of mana and magic - that you could literally steal someone else's power or that you could grant powers to others. To get the independant limitation, there has to be some way of actually losing the power. Normally it's a focus, but in my game it's usually a geas - some sort of vow you take when you get the power. If someone can trick you into breaking the geas, the power is lost. If they can trick you into breaking it and perform an action in which they "assume" your aspect, they can steal your power. Or you can tell somone how to assume your aspect and what the geas is and then give it to them: so as you point out, powerful priests can have multiple gifts from their acolytes and predecessors, making them potentially very powerful. Of course they also accumulate multiple geases making their behavior erratic and odd, to say the least. One example - a PC has the gift "smell value" (he's a merchant). He has a ranged discriminatory sense that lets him literally sniff out treasure and determine its value. Kind of a weird power, but it's what he wanted - and it may in fact turn out to be incredibly useful in the later adventures. Anyway his geas is that he can never give anything away nor accept a gift. Everything he owns has to be bought and sold. If you could trick him into thoughtlessly giving something away or accepting a gift he'd lose his power. If you could, at the same time, assume his aspect (for example by taking a vow at the temple never to give anything away and dressing up like him, or by getting something important of his - a hank of hair, a drop of blood and some spittle for example, or the first item he ever sold - and having it on your person - any sufficiently powerful sympathetic magic would do) then you could get the power instead. You'd also get the geas, so that you could possibly lose the gift in turn. cheers, Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
austenandrews Posted January 7, 2006 Report Share Posted January 7, 2006 Re: A *very* different magic system No' date=' in order to make this [i']really[/i] different, you'd have to buy the spells as followers. Summon: Spell Effects Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Man Posted January 8, 2006 Report Share Posted January 8, 2006 Re: A *very* different magic system Yeah, I thought of that but it sounds like the 'spells' stick around and are always available without having to get them to cooperate... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thia Halmades Posted January 9, 2006 Report Share Posted January 9, 2006 Re: A *very* different magic system Magic as followers? Now that's interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seenar Posted January 9, 2006 Report Share Posted January 9, 2006 Re: A *very* different magic system Yeah' date=' I thought of that but it sounds like the 'spells' stick around and are always available without having to get them to cooperate...[/quote'] I like the follower idea actually. If they had a computer brain, maybe they could be talked into leaving someone and joining a new person Overall, neat idea. I would be tempted to build a character who had little magic skill, who was basically a theif. He would steal and sell the spells, but not cast them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thia Halmades Posted January 9, 2006 Report Share Posted January 9, 2006 Re: A *very* different magic system Well, if the spells are built as followers than a thief could be a kidnapper. He could be personable, "Hey spell, how about a nice mana crystal? Tasty!" he could be a liberator "Spells should be free from our control!" or any other sort of thing. I considered building Final Fantasy VII magic materia using a limited Follower. For those who don't know: - Materia are stones that contain specific spells, that grow in power over time, and eventually multiply (a maxed out Materia gives birth to a 0 level materia of the same type). - Materia all have the limitation, "Only work if set into a weapon or armor." - All weapons & armors have these slots, but in different types and what have you. - Since materia are possessions, stealing them is a simple matter, as is buying & selling it. Each one is Independent, and each one requires mana (could be END, whichever) to use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
austenandrews Posted January 9, 2006 Report Share Posted January 9, 2006 Re: A *very* different magic system Well' date=' if the spells are built as followers than a thief could be a kidnapper. He could be personable, "Hey spell, how about a nice mana crystal? Tasty!" he could be a liberator "Spells should be free from our control!" or any other sort of thing.[/quote'] You'd have to teach your spells not to accept mana from strangers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seenar Posted January 10, 2006 Report Share Posted January 10, 2006 Re: A *very* different magic system You'd have to teach your spells not to accept mana from strangers. I'd rep you for that if I hadn't just repped you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ockham's Spoon Posted January 10, 2006 Report Share Posted January 10, 2006 Re: A *very* different magic system So are the spells like equipment, meaning I could trade a sword for a fireball spell? Or do I actually buy them with character points? And if I have to buy them, how do I steal the evil wizards Mind Control spell if I don't have the character points for it? If I don't have to buy them, how do you limit the number of spells anyone can have so they don't become ultra-powerful? Are their limits to how powerful a spell any particular individual can wield? I think the idea is cool, but it strikes me as better suited to a computer game (like Final Fantasy as previously mentioned) than a RPG unless you can find a coherent set of guidelines for it (and if you do please post them). Heck, I have enough difficulties with just balancing magic items between party members without having to worry about spells. Maybe that is just one of my GMing shortcomings. __________________________________________ "Um, Joel, what is Ator sitting on?" - Crow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thia Halmades Posted January 10, 2006 Report Share Posted January 10, 2006 Re: A *very* different magic system Actually, I would likely (if I were to do it) make the spell-as-materia equippable and usable so long as it was equipped. I would also consider allowing PCs to burn CP to 'learn' the spell permanetly, as a skill, and thus being able to give up the materia to someone else once they'd learned to use it. I'd have to build a mechanic for that, though. And normally, I'd agree with you - these things are much easier in a CRPG/VRPG than they are to model in a straight tabletop game, but HERO doesn't really care the way d20 does. This would take weeks to figure out, break and unbreak in d20. It'll take a couple of hours to get a decent HERO model for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fredrik_nilsson Posted January 16, 2006 Report Share Posted January 16, 2006 Re: A *very* different magic system No' date=' in order to make this [i']really[/i] different, you'd have to buy the spells as followers. Isn't there something akin to that in USPD? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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