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Old 06-17-2019, 09:46 AM   #21
AlexanderHowl
 
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Default Re: Supermages [Powers/Supers]

Actually, I think that Dr. Strange fits a very high powered form of RPM (with more than a few magical items). I would design him as a 1000 CP character (he is the Sorcerer Supreme), though his magical items would make up a healthy chunk of that amount. For example, the Cloak of Levitation would be a protected cloak (-55%) that would give Ally (Constant; 25%; Magical, -10%; Protected, -55%; Special Abilities, +100%) [6].
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Old 06-17-2019, 11:20 AM   #22
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Default Re: Supermages [Powers/Supers]

Another way to write up Dr.Strange would be with a Wildcard Ability representing his magic, possibly with gadget limitations representing his use of the Book of the Vishanti.
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Old 06-17-2019, 11:32 AM   #23
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Default Re: Supermages [Powers/Supers]

Dr Fate is channeling a deity level being, that would make the fatigue issues in Realm Magic trivial.

But the Fatigue issues in any kind of magic would be trivial for Supers. Look at GURPS:Myth. Buy high levels of Magery , extra-Fatigue (Spells Only), and Fast Fatigue Regeneration. Voila! Supermage!
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Old 06-17-2019, 11:41 AM   #24
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Default Re: Supermages [Powers/Supers]

Using a large, fairly rapidly regenerating Energy Reserve is appropriate for most supermages who use FP-driven systems.

Many times buying the most common abilities as powers and then giving access to a flexible magic system (like RPM, Realm, or the ritual variant of standard magic) is the soundest plan. Sometimes the power stunts system is sufficient to handle the "Flexible Magic". It depends on how much of a workout you'll be giving the flexible system, and how many of the abilities are just the repeatable powers.

I confess I've thought this system through for high-powered mages that act like supers in their settings, not for mages acting in a traditional supers setting.
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Old 06-17-2019, 12:17 PM   #25
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Default Re: Supermages [Powers/Supers]

I am not sure which version would be better for a supermage. RPM allows for really prepared mages to dominate combat, as they can have charms and elixirs ready that can neutralize most enemies. It is also relatively cheap, as Magery gives you three ER (Magical) per level

Realm Magic is really expensive, it would cost a minimum of 300 CP to have access to everything, and you still have the time spent to cast the spells. You would need a minimum ER (Magical) of 60 [180] and Regeneration (Very Fast; ER Only, +0%) [100] to be able to cast one 6d fireball every six turns (five turns of casting and then firing on the sixth turn). You would also need IQ, Magery, and Realm Skills to actually cast everything.
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Old 06-17-2019, 12:29 PM   #26
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Default Re: Supermages [Powers/Supers]

One thing with Dr. Strange is that most of his high-power spells are not fueled by him or even ambient mana, but by entreating god-like entities for power: the Crimson Bands of Cytorrak, the Winds of Watoomb, Flames of the Faltine, etc. all call upon the entity named to give him energy and/or cast the spell itself with him directing it.

Even his bread and butter spells (f'rex, eldricht blast, eldricht shield) draw upon ambient magical energies rather than his own. Still not sure how to separate eco-centric and exo-centric magic from the "powered by personal energies" ego-centric magic (which is limited to stuff like telepathy, Jedi mind tricks, and astral projection).
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Old 06-17-2019, 01:39 PM   #27
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Default Re: Supermages [Powers/Supers]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Phantasm View Post
One thing with Dr. Strange is that most of his high-power spells are not fueled by him or even ambient mana, but by entreating god-like entities for power: the Crimson Bands of Cytorrak, the Winds of Watoomb, Flames of the Faltine, etc. all call upon the entity named to give him energy and/or cast the spell itself with him directing it.
Maybe he's got Clerical Investment in addition to Magery?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Phantasm View Post
Even his bread and butter spells (f'rex, eldricht blast, eldricht shield) draw upon ambient magical energies rather than his own.
Perhaps he uses Threshold-Limited Magic (pg 76 of GURPS Thaumatology) ? Do you recall if any longterm use of magic in the same area by him causes Calamity?

The only thing about Threshold Magery which doesn't seem to line up with the "ambient energies" stuff is you'd think that would mean if you moved elsewhere (ie took a plane to another continent) that ambient energies across the world would be just fine...

But Threshold is based on the caster's personal use, rather than the environment's being used, so it doesn't really pan out.

Perhaps mages who draw on the environment could be modeled using Leech? If a tree has HT then would a tree have FP?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Phantasm View Post
Still not sure how to separate eco-centric and exo-centric magic from the "powered by personal energies" ego-centric magic (which is limited to stuff like telepathy, Jedi mind tricks, and astral projection).
Are those examples where Strange does exhaust his own physical body's fatigue?

I swear I've seen him sweating/tired from doing magic stuff before... he might be capable of using his own FP but simply opts to use mostly alternative sources to avoid exhausting himself and stay fresh in case he needs FP for an emergency.
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Old 06-17-2019, 01:57 PM   #28
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Default Re: Supermages [Powers/Supers]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Plane View Post

I swear I've seen him sweating/tired from doing magic stuff before... he might be capable of using his own FP but simply opts to use mostly alternative sources to avoid exhausting himself and stay fresh in case he needs FP for an emergency.
The thing about Dr. Strange is hes changed a lot over the decades hes been around, more than I think any other supers mage.
The Marvel handbook describes three sources, personal, ambient or universal, and dimensional. Mostly he uses dimensional which would be like tapping a ley line.
Early Dr. Strange relied more on gadgets, though he has always had the big three.
For awhile he had to swear off dimensional when the bill came due and he relied on Gaia.
In the past few years he has had to siphon energy from artifacts when magic was depleted in the world, and also retconned to "A price must be paid" which started off with a bunch of monks suffering for him to him taking a physical toll (also sold part of his soul)which could be a tweaking of Threshold or Corruption mechanics.
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Old 06-17-2019, 03:42 PM   #29
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Default Re: Supermages [Powers/Supers]

RPM can use FP or HP in a bind. 3 FP or 2 HP converts to 1 energy, so that could explain Dr. Strange using RPM.

I generally like RPM for supermages because of its speed. It takes five turns per gathering roll, but you can reduce that it a minimum of one turn per gathering roll by accepting a -4 to skill. Of course, a supermage could have very high Magery, which would allow them to have an absurd ER (Magical).

I think that Dr. Strange is a 1,000 CP character in any case, the question becomes what is the most efficient way to represent his capabilities at that point value. It may be IQ 20, Magery 20, Thaumatology at IQ, and 25 Colleges at IQ. That would be around 613 CP right there, assuming that Magery above 3 does not require an Unusual Background in a supers setting. It may be a similar build with RPM instead or one that uses Threshold-Limited magic instead.
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Old 06-17-2019, 08:00 PM   #30
Plane
 
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Default Re: Supermages [Powers/Supers]

maybe we should just stat what he's capable of in Strange Tales 110?
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