Modern Path/Book Magic: Hermetic Mages and Friends

[Greg 1]

How would you go about using the Path/Book system for a modern-day setting that includes Hermetic mages but in which Hermetic magic is not better than other kinds of magic (so a setting like GURPS Voodoo but not GURPS Cabal)

Would you, for instance, include decantic modifiers from Thaumatology for the Hermetic mages? If so, how would you balance other traditions?

I have no particular background in mind and am not just about to run such a game.

[dataweaver]

Two possible approaches:

1. Don't include the decanic modifiers; what sets hermetic magic apart from other traditions is largely cosmetic, and is covered entirely by the required specialization for Ritual Magic.

2. Adapt the material from Magical Styles to Path/Book Magic. For example, the Hermetic School would make available the Astrological Ceremonies Extra Option to its students, while other traditions would make different Perks available.

[aesir23]

Or just give different specialties of Ritual Magic access to different optional rules from Thaumatology; i.e. Hermetic Magic gets decanic modifiers, Voudon gets sacrificial bonuses, etc....

It would take a lot of planning to define every different tradition, but it would make practicioner distinct.

[Mailanka]

Originally Posted by aesir23

Or just give different specialties of Ritual Magic access to different optional rules from Thaumatology; i.e. Hermetic Magic gets decanic modifiers, Voudon gets sacrificial bonuses, etc....

It would take a lot of planning to define every different tradition, but it would make practicioner distinct.

To expand on this, you'll note Thaumatology contains details on Chinese elemental modifiers too. It's not all Hermeticism.

I'd probably take both Aesir's and Dataweaver's advice: different magical paradigms get different modifiers and have unique access to perks, skills and other "Magical Style" traits.