First Time RPM Questions

Lameth · 09-07-2018, 11:54 AM

Hello

I am attempting to craft a world and new game using the RPM system. The world would be a modern game where the supernatural has been basically hidden over a course of the last 600 years as magic was slowly dying away. Then suddenly, magic starts to flow back into our reality and the world of the supernatural almost explodes with power and in a short time starts to spill over in the seen world, psionics begin to appear as well as Chi within the mystical martial arts. The modern world becomes aware of the supernatural in small pockets and occurrences and have to evolve or die. An open, exposed world of modern fantasy and horror.

I am thinking of using RPM with a few slight changes that was mentioned by Sandman for his Dresden game, which I very much like. No improvisation is allowed on the spot and all spells are crafted over time, found, or traded for.

I have a few issues or questions on RPM that maybe someone can help with?

1. Can you alter to make spells a technique under the Path skill? this would allow not every spell you do to be just as easy as a cantrip as far as skill goes.

2. If I have a damage spell, lets same Fireball of 3d, can I choose to do less damage? it would seem no and I get that because it would allow a mage to craft a spell of 10d dice and then never need to craft a lesser version if he can alter it at all.

3. Can you alter a known spells' scope and size? As in if I have a spell that effects a person, can I then change it to effect an area?

4. will the style perks transfer over as is? Will Mighty spell give the plus to dice or will blacking mastery do as it does.

ericthered · 09-07-2018, 12:54 PM

1) sure, you can alter it to make spells into techniques. I'd be wary of that route. I've generally filled that niche by requiring either a perk for having the spell memorized or having a grimoire for it. When using this I allow +0 grimoires.

2) I would consider scaling rituals up and down to be part and parcel of magic, and I wouldn't set the damage in stone. I can see an argument for not allowing spells over 3 times the base or under 1/3rd of the base. You can tweak your fireball, but not, turn it into a mere spark.

3) I would allow area effects to be tweaked, similarly to damage, but I wouldn't allow area to come on and off. Look at what makes a ritual and what doesn't in the RPM book. Now, sticking limitations on a spell in a grimoire sounds like a fun option for "discount" grimoires, but you should be fair and make them either easier to find or cheaper to purchase.

4) the perks should transfer admirably.

Lameth · 09-07-2018, 05:22 PM

Let me see if I get this.

If you have a Sorcerer that has an IQ of 15, his path skill in Energy Path would be a 12 skill.

He has Magery 2, so his max Path skill in any path bought is 12.

But he has the Spell Mastery Perk for Sense Fire, so when he does that his skill is a 14?

And if he had higher purpose Pyromancy lv 2, he would be at a base skill of 14 for any fire spell, and a 16 skill is Sense Fire?

And let say he had Natural Caster level 2, that would mean all his Path skills at a 14, his Fire Spells are a 16, and his Sense Fire effect is now at a 18?

is this correct?

And can you add ER or FP to boost the Skill when trying to do a contest Spell verses IQ or HT with another person? Lets say you have a mental effect to stun someone and its resisted by IQ of the target. Can you boost your effect to increase it to make sure the person will be effected somehow?

Shostak · 09-07-2018, 09:02 PM

Your IQ 15 magic wielder needs to have Thaumatology as the core skill for RPM. Path skills are capped at the lower of Thaumatology or 12+Magery--so if the character has Thaumatology at IQ+0 for effective skill of 15 and no Magery, the path skills are capped at 12. To get up to a cap of 15, the character would also need Magery 3. To raise the cap to 16, both Thaumatology and Magery need to be raised.

As for making spells that are inherently difficult to resist, no, you can't add something to a spell that makes that same spell harder to resist. You must first successfully cast a spell that would weaken resistance and then cast the other spell which will now be harder to resist.

ericthered · 09-08-2018, 10:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lameth

He has Magery 2, so his max Path skill in any path bought is 12.

no, his max path skill is 12 + magery, not 10+magery. Weird, I know.

Quote:

But he has the Spell Mastery Perk for Sense Fire, so when he does that his skill is a 14?

16 actually, but yes, the technique boosts skill, and the boost (but not the rest of the skill) ignores the cap.

Quote:

And if he had higher purpose Pyromancy lv 2, he would be at a base skill of 14 for any fire spell, and a 16 skill is Sense Fire?

16 and 14, but yes.

Quote:

And let say he had Natural Caster level 2, that would mean all his Path skills at a 14, his Fire Spells are a 16, and his Sense Fire effect is now at a 18?

I'm not sure about natural caster, I'd have to check my books

Quote:

And can you add ER or FP to boost the Skill when trying to do a contest Spell verses IQ or HT with another person? Lets say you have a mental effect to stun someone and its resisted by IQ of the target. Can you boost your effect to increase it to make sure the person will be effected somehow?

I don't think so. You can increase the energy of the spell by bestowing a narrow penalty to resisting the ritual.

Humabout · 09-09-2018, 08:26 AM

1. You can manipulate RPM any way you want, certa8nly, but I'd be careful here. I'm not sure just what penalties you'd be eliminating, aside from those for using lots of different paths (a valid option for a Technique or Perk). Using techniques to improve Path skill far past base sounds a little dodgy to me.

2. You generally do not set specific damage values for spells. A fireball would just be akin to Create Fire + Damage, external burning. The amount is soecified at casting. I would definitely allow for less damage, but there isnt a price break for it. This is one place I have an issue with RPM - it can be too granular sometimes.

3. You can definitely alter range, weight, duration where appropriate. You can also alter scalable modifiers intrinsic to the spell. The rest is up to the GM. If you want mages to add Area of Effect to a known spell, then yes. If not, then no.

4. Style perks will have some issues in translation to RPM. They can be adapted for sure, but some aren't relevant and others don't fit. You'd have to take it on a case by case basis and see how they'd interact and decide from there.

Hope that helps!

09-07-2018, 11:54 AM	#1
Lameth Join Date: Aug 2004	First Time RPM Questions Hello I am attempting to craft a world and new game using the RPM system. The world would be a modern game where the supernatural has been basically hidden over a course of the last 600 years as magic was slowly dying away. Then suddenly, magic starts to flow back into our reality and the world of the supernatural almost explodes with power and in a short time starts to spill over in the seen world, psionics begin to appear as well as Chi within the mystical martial arts. The modern world becomes aware of the supernatural in small pockets and occurrences and have to evolve or die. An open, exposed world of modern fantasy and horror. I am thinking of using RPM with a few slight changes that was mentioned by Sandman for his Dresden game, which I very much like. No improvisation is allowed on the spot and all spells are crafted over time, found, or traded for. I have a few issues or questions on RPM that maybe someone can help with? 1. Can you alter to make spells a technique under the Path skill? this would allow not every spell you do to be just as easy as a cantrip as far as skill goes. 2. If I have a damage spell, lets same Fireball of 3d, can I choose to do less damage? it would seem no and I get that because it would allow a mage to craft a spell of 10d dice and then never need to craft a lesser version if he can alter it at all. 3. Can you alter a known spells' scope and size? As in if I have a spell that effects a person, can I then change it to effect an area? 4. will the style perks transfer over as is? Will Mighty spell give the plus to dice or will blacking mastery do as it does.

09-07-2018, 12:54 PM	#2
ericthered Hero of Democracy Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: far from the ocean	Re: First Time RPM Questions 1) sure, you can alter it to make spells into techniques. I'd be wary of that route. I've generally filled that niche by requiring either a perk for having the spell memorized or having a grimoire for it. When using this I allow +0 grimoires. 2) I would consider scaling rituals up and down to be part and parcel of magic, and I wouldn't set the damage in stone. I can see an argument for not allowing spells over 3 times the base or under 1/3rd of the base. You can tweak your fireball, but not, turn it into a mere spark. 3) I would allow area effects to be tweaked, similarly to damage, but I wouldn't allow area to come on and off. Look at what makes a ritual and what doesn't in the RPM book. Now, sticking limitations on a spell in a grimoire sounds like a fun option for "discount" grimoires, but you should be fair and make them either easier to find or cheaper to purchase. 4) the perks should transfer admirably. __________________ Be helpful, not pedantic Worlds Beyond Earth -- my blog Check out the PbP forum! If you don't see a game you'd like, ask me about making one!

09-07-2018, 05:22 PM	#3
Lameth Join Date: Aug 2004	Re: First Time RPM Questions Let me see if I get this. If you have a Sorcerer that has an IQ of 15, his path skill in Energy Path would be a 12 skill. He has Magery 2, so his max Path skill in any path bought is 12. But he has the Spell Mastery Perk for Sense Fire, so when he does that his skill is a 14? And if he had higher purpose Pyromancy lv 2, he would be at a base skill of 14 for any fire spell, and a 16 skill is Sense Fire? And let say he had Natural Caster level 2, that would mean all his Path skills at a 14, his Fire Spells are a 16, and his Sense Fire effect is now at a 18? is this correct? And can you add ER or FP to boost the Skill when trying to do a contest Spell verses IQ or HT with another person? Lets say you have a mental effect to stun someone and its resisted by IQ of the target. Can you boost your effect to increase it to make sure the person will be effected somehow?

09-07-2018, 09:02 PM	#4
Shostak Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: New England	Re: First Time RPM Questions Your IQ 15 magic wielder needs to have Thaumatology as the core skill for RPM. Path skills are capped at the lower of Thaumatology or 12+Magery--so if the character has Thaumatology at IQ+0 for effective skill of 15 and no Magery, the path skills are capped at 12. To get up to a cap of 15, the character would also need Magery 3. To raise the cap to 16, both Thaumatology and Magery need to be raised. As for making spells that are inherently difficult to resist, no, you can't add something to a spell that makes that same spell harder to resist. You must first successfully cast a spell that would weaken resistance and then cast the other spell which will now be harder to resist.

09-09-2018, 08:26 AM	#6
Humabout Join Date: Aug 2008	Re: First Time RPM Questions 1. You can manipulate RPM any way you want, certa8nly, but I'd be careful here. I'm not sure just what penalties you'd be eliminating, aside from those for using lots of different paths (a valid option for a Technique or Perk). Using techniques to improve Path skill far past base sounds a little dodgy to me. 2. You generally do not set specific damage values for spells. A fireball would just be akin to Create Fire + Damage, external burning. The amount is soecified at casting. I would definitely allow for less damage, but there isnt a price break for it. This is one place I have an issue with RPM - it can be too granular sometimes. 3. You can definitely alter range, weight, duration where appropriate. You can also alter scalable modifiers intrinsic to the spell. The rest is up to the GM. If you want mages to add Area of Effect to a known spell, then yes. If not, then no. 4. Style perks will have some issues in translation to RPM. They can be adapted for sure, but some aren't relevant and others don't fit. You'd have to take it on a case by case basis and see how they'd interact and decide from there. Hope that helps! __________________ Buy My Stuff! *Free Stuff:* Dungeon Action! Totem Spirits My Blog: Above the Flatline.