[dataweaver]

Originally Posted by dfinlay

I've been musing about a heavy modification of RPM and wanted to get some feedback on my ideas.

The fluff: Spells are actually cast by powerful spirits. Every location will have a collection of spirits that are present and some casters carry their own spirits with them. Casters preform elaborate rituals to gain the notice of spirits and gain their assisitance.

So far, so good.

Originally Posted by dfinlay

The mechanics:

It uses Effect Shaping with Ritual Adept prohibited.

Note that with Effect Shaping, there are no energy costs associated with casting; it's all handled by skill penalties.

Originally Posted by dfinlay

The world is covered in overlapping domains of spirits. Almost everywhere will have one or more powerful spirits. Each spirit has the following set of characteristics:

A descriptor for spells used with them. This might be something like “Fire” or “Memory”. Spells must use a spirit that thematically fits with the spell (GM's call). Particularly complex spells may require multiple types of spirits, in which case finding a place where both classes of spirits are present can be an adventure in itself.

…so kind of like aspected Mana Zones, or different levels of Sanctity for different deities. Are these domains formalized boundaries (like territory maps), or are they basically a quantification of what sorts of spirits happen to be nearby?

Originally Posted by dfinlay

A maximum energy that they can handle. This will typically be quite high, so that the caster's skill will be what limits their power, but extremely powerful spells will require powerful spirits.

…and this is where the “Effect Shaping doesn't have energy costs” rears its head.

Originally Posted by dfinlay

An attribute that combines with Magery to determine your Path skills. Some spirits must be reasoned with (IQ), some must be tracked down (Per), some must be mentally resisted/overcome (Will), some must be impressed with physical feats (HT/ST/DX). Some may also allow you to use certain advantages (Appearance/Charisma, for example). This applies even if the spirits already want to help you. It's just part of how spiritual magic functions.

A tradition (set of significant or mandatory modifiers) that works for spells with the spirit. Some may have more than one.

Some spirits may grant a bonus (used instead of places of power).

Have you considered having the places of power represent the “population density”, as it were, of a particular kind of spirit, instead of making it something that represents a particular kind of spirit? For instance, in a place that's crawling with fire spirits, fire-aspected RPM gets a sizeable bonus; if fire spirits are scarce, you suffer s penalty; and if they're completely absent, your fire castings fail outright.

I have some further thoughts, but let's start with these ones.