int min

[HeroGM]

Oh. Also wanted to ask about INT min for spells. Hit post before I could add it.

 

I've found AP/5 seem to give a good base most often, espexiall playing around with D&D style magic.

[Nolgroth]

I've not done Intelligence minimums, but I did design a magic system once wherein all of the spells had a Presence minimum and, if appropriate to the power, had Presence add to the damage/effect. Never really got to play with it so I don't know how it would have turned out. I did play with it, but the term was not long enough to see if it would work over an entire game/campaign.

 

For Presence minimums, I used a similar scale as for Strength minimums. The two concepts don't exactly translate as there was some effort to use "real world" weights in the Str Minimum formula but I went with a Presence Minimum of 3 for every 5 AP of power. So a 10 AP power had a Presence min of 6, a 30 AP power had a min of 18 and so on. If there was an Incremental effect, such as damage or mind control, then any extra Presence would act just like Strength would for physical weapons.

[Christopher R Taylor]

I haven't done that, I just went with a magic skill roll, so you'll tend to have higher INT in order to cast the spell.

The thing with intelligence in Hero though, is that it isn't really a measure of IQ or genius, its just how perceptive and fast your mind is.  You can be incredibly brilliant and have only 5 INT because you are very methodical and unobservant.

[culhwch]

When I was converting D&D 3.5e spells, I used INT min for wizard spells, EGO min for Cleric spells, and PRE min for Bard & Sorcerer spells.  Since I wasn't using a magic roll when converting the spells, there was no benefit for being over the min, and if you were under the min, you couldn't cast the spell.  I used the levels for STR min, but since Characteristic Drains were quite rare in what I was designing, there could be an argument for a lower Limitation value.

[eepjr24]

Oh. Also wanted to ask about INT min for spells. Hit post before I could add it.

 

I've found AP/5 seem to give a good base most often, espexiall playing around with D&D style magic.

 What are you trying to accomplish here? Just as a for instance, that would make most low level spells (15-30 AP) have an INT requirement of 6 or less. A normal unmodified base INT of 10 could cast spells up to 50 AP, or a 3d6+1 killing attack. If they are say an elemental ice mage (spell: Ice Blade) with a 15 STR score that would get them 8 DC's of killing damage. That doesn't seem to be much of a limit unless you are playing a pretty high powered Fantasy game.

 

- E

[Christopher R Taylor]

Maybe INT limit should be more a scale rather than a multiplier.  Say, start at 10 for minor spells and cantrips (10 or lower active cost), then raise it by 5 points per 2 or 3 INT, so it takes some truly impressive INT to get those powerful spells out, but not a huge amount to do average spells.

[HeroGM]

I'm using roll along with int min. Or at least debating it. I'm wanting to use the Gift from Fh6 and see how it goes.

 

I'm playing with the D&D Rules Cyclopedia along with killershrikes website. Also a bit of Pathfinder. Just a mosh in general.

[eepjr24]

When you say AP/5 do you mean subtracting that from the INT roll? If so, that is much more restrictive. To succeed 50% of the time on a 45 AP spell (2nd level by KS's designations) you would need an INT roll of 20- (20-9 = 11 which is statistically a 50-50 shot). That seems pretty harsh unless it is not all or nothing or unless you want to vastly limit spells.

 

- E

[HeroGM]

AP/5 to cast the spell period.

 

So to do a 50Ap spell you need a 10 INT, A 12 INT to do 60Ap one.

 

Now could you allow someone to do a 60ap and they only have a 10 INT, sure. I think I'd just do a -1/level penalty (so -2 for him to do a 60ap one).

[eepjr24]

Yeah, that seems like little to no restriction. It would not hurt to have it, but I don't think it will stop anything or really prevent any power escalation.

 

- E

[HeroGM]

That's the gm's job.

 

And people with a higher _______ can cast more powerful spells. And this, like arcana in the gift may forceages to think about their points.

[eepjr24]

Okay. <shrug> You asked for opinions, not trying to force mine on you, just put it out there.

 

- E

[HeroGM]

I know. Sometimes things in games are done for flavor more than rules advantages or disadvantages.

 

By pathfinder a mage can cast only as high as their intelligence goes...10 + the level of the spell

[bigdamnhero]

I've used INT Minimums for spells before, but I've always just swagged it honestly. AP/5 seems too low unless you expect 75 AP spells or higher; as pointed out above, even a measly 10 INT lets you learn 50 AP spells, and I don't see a lot of wizards with low INT scores.

 

What sort of power level are you looking for here? In a Standard Heroic where most spells range from 20-50 AP, maybe start with INT > 8 for 20 AP and step it up from there?

• 20 AP requires INT > 8
• 25 AP requires INT > 10
• 30 AP requires INT > 12
• 35 AP requires INT > 14
• 40 AP requires INT > 16
• 45 AP requires INT > 18
• 50 AP requires INT > 20
• 55 AP requires INT > 22
• 60 AP requires INT > 24

Edit the numbers to match your game.