Thread: Viking magic
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Old 05-27-2018, 05:46 AM   #29
maximara
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Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Sumter, SC
Default Re: Viking magic

Quote:
Originally Posted by Stormcrow View Post
I understand that. But between editions the book dropped the discussion of WHY a character type would have certain skills and traits in favor of simply declaring them in a template. Whether or not it tells you to think otherwise, presenting templates like that encourages character class–mentality. Reading the first edition of the book reminded me of that.
IMHO the designers thought that players could figure out the "why" on their own and figured any space that took up could be better used for something else.

Quote:
Originally Posted by hal View Post
That is ONE thing I do appreciate in GURPS CLASSICAL MAGIC as opposed to GURPS MAGIC for 4e. At least with GURPS MAGIC for 3e, you had three separate systems you could use for creating custom traditions - four if you includ GURPS CELTIC MAGIC.
Normal magic, Improvised Magic, and Inherent Magic (ie knacks) all exist in 4e Magic.

Clerical magic in 3e Magic was nothing more than mages in a different outfit with a far more limited spell list (unless you used GURPS Religion which shook things up)

Quote:
Originally Posted by hal View Post
I don't much like the ritual magic system, although I have no issue with it being beloved by many others. It just isn't my favorite is all. Some players have enough problems with dealing with the GURPS MAGIC system that when they have 80 spells, they get paralyzed trying to determine which spell to use when. Some players hate having a limited list of which they can draw upon for creativity (DRAGONQUEST comes to mind). Some LOVE the versitility of creating their own spells from scratch - which is fine.
Information overload can be a problem which is likely why they streamlined magic in that book.

Last edited by maximara; 05-27-2018 at 06:24 AM.
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