Opinions on Unlimited Mana?

Lancewholelot · 08-30-2004, 12:57 PM

I've read S. John Ross' the Unlimited Mana spell casting variant and find it intriguing. It has been suggested for use on several posts and I would welcome the opinions of those who have tried it. I’ve included it in my latest fantasy game by adding the Emergency Only option to the standard GURPS Magic system but so far no PC mage has dared to try drawing upon it.

For those unfamiliar with the Unlimited Mana approach I've included the link below:

http://www.io.com/~sjohn/unlimited-mana.htm

FACM · 08-30-2004, 12:58 PM

i havent used it but it sounds good to me.

NightHawk · 08-30-2004, 01:02 PM

I haven't used it yet but after reading it I am hoping it will be one of the alternate magic systems presented in the forth coming Magic 4e.

lawman · 08-30-2004, 01:07 PM

I've used it, and I like it a lot. I've also talked to a lot of other people who like it a lot. One of the great things about UMana is it is very customizable. A GM of a current game I'm in wanted really low powered mana, so she uses Low Mana combined with a Threshold of 10, but a recovery of 5, as well. It works quite well for the world she created, so far.

I, for one, will be very disappointed if UMana isn't an option in the 4th edition GURPS Magic. I already have doubts about that book, since the descriptions havn't convinced me that its different enough from the 3rd edition Magic/Grimoire to justify the hardback price. I hope to proven wrong, though.

Taneli · 08-30-2004, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lawman

I've used it, and I like it a lot. I've also talked to a lot of other people who like it a lot. One of the great things about UMana is it is very customizable. A GM of a current game I'm in wanted really low powered mana, so she uses Low Mana combined with a Threshold of 10, but a recovery of 5, as well. It works quite well for the world she created, so far.

I, for one, will be very disappointed if UMana isn't an option in the 4th edition GURPS Magic. I already have doubts about that book, since the descriptions havn't convinced me that its different enough from the 3rd edition Magic/Grimoire to justify the hardback price. I hope to proven wrong, though.

I think (I'm not sure. I've asked too many questions from too many people) I asked this from Andrew Hackard at the pyramid boards ages ago and the reply was no. There are some personal issues involved I believe, though SJ Ross has given the full publication rights of the unlimited mana article to SJGames (or so I have understood from what I have read).

Chuk · 08-30-2004, 04:37 PM

I've always liked it, and while it's too bad it won't be "official", at least it's widely available.

Rupert · 08-30-2004, 07:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lancewholelot

I've read S. John Ross' the Unlimited Mana spell casting variant and find it intriguing. It has been suggested for use on several posts and I would welcome the opinions of those who have tried it. I’ve included it in my latest fantasy game by adding the Emergency Only option to the standard GURPS Magic system but so far no PC mage has dared to try drawing upon it.

The biggest drawback with Umana is that in the event of certain death a mage can make a really nasty 'final strike' by willingly causing a really big catastrophy. All they need do is get some area effect spell and cast it over some massive area and BOOM.

Southern Cross · 08-30-2004, 08:02 PM

That could be useful....

RGTraynor · 08-30-2004, 09:08 PM

I've made UMana available to my players for quite some time, and to a man, the mages refuse to touch it. Their unvarying position is that they have zero interest in the real possibility of frying their brains or torching a subcontinent just so they can whack out 10x enemies rather than merely X enemies. It's a shame, because it's an interesting system, but the average wizardly PC doesn't have the martyr complex using UMana regularly would require.

errant42 · 08-30-2004, 09:38 PM

I've used a home-made variant of Umana -- or rather, used rules similar to Umana in my home-made magic system, which is otherwise based largely on Mage: the Ascension (specifically the excellect Sorcerer supplement for that system) and Ars Magica (my favorite rpg magic system, even though I don't really care for the rest of the rules).

The primary difference in how I use the Umana rules is that your mana pool (or threshold, effectively the same thing) is a variable value determined by your Magery level times your IQ, and that mana is recovered by use of the Meditation skill (1d x Magery recovered hour of uninterrupted time and successful Meditation roll).

It works quite well in a game where magic is meant to be powerful. I've used it in fantasy and modern horror (WoD conversion), and the results have been favorable in both. It eliminates the "Conan the Mage" syndrome which plagued 3rd Ed (and is replaced by "Carl Lewis the Mage" with FT based on HT), and makes feats of high magic, of cinema and literature, possible without throwing the balance too far off.

08-30-2004, 12:57 PM	#1
Lancewholelot Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: USA, Planet Earth, The Milky Way Galaxy	Opinions on Unlimited Mana? I've read S. John Ross' the Unlimited Mana spell casting variant and find it intriguing. It has been suggested for use on several posts and I would welcome the opinions of those who have tried it. I’ve included it in my latest fantasy game by adding the Emergency Only option to the standard GURPS Magic system but so far no PC mage has dared to try drawing upon it. For those unfamiliar with the Unlimited Mana approach I've included the link below: http://www.io.com/~sjohn/unlimited-mana.htm

08-30-2004, 12:58 PM	#2
FACM Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Far Off Lands	Re: Opinions on Unlimited Mana? i havent used it but it sounds good to me. __________________ Combat Tips: If you are short on everything except bad guys - you're in combat Anything can get you killed - Including doing nothing. Always fight with a buddy. It gives the enemies another target. All things equal, the guys with the simplest uniforms win.

08-30-2004, 01:02 PM	#3
NightHawk Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Scarborough, ON Canada	Re: Opinions on Unlimited Mana? I haven't used it yet but after reading it I am hoping it will be one of the alternate magic systems presented in the forth coming Magic 4e. __________________ There was a beginning then an end then there was nothing but me! Rules are like guidlines and are viewed differently depending on which side you are standing on!

08-30-2004, 01:07 PM	#4
lawman Join Date: Aug 2004	Re: Opinions on Unlimited Mana? I've used it, and I like it a lot. I've also talked to a lot of other people who like it a lot. One of the great things about UMana is it is very customizable. A GM of a current game I'm in wanted really low powered mana, so she uses Low Mana combined with a Threshold of 10, but a recovery of 5, as well. It works quite well for the world she created, so far. I, for one, will be very disappointed if UMana isn't an option in the 4th edition GURPS Magic. I already have doubts about that book, since the descriptions havn't convinced me that its different enough from the 3rd edition Magic/Grimoire to justify the hardback price. I hope to proven wrong, though.

08-30-2004, 04:37 PM	#6
Chuk Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Port Coquitlam	Re: Opinions on Unlimited Mana? I've always liked it, and while it's too bad it won't be "official", at least it's widely available. __________________ -- chuk

08-30-2004, 08:02 PM	#8
Southern Cross Join Date: Aug 2004	Re: Opinions on Unlimited Mana? That could be useful.... __________________ "There's only one kind of monster who uses bullets"

08-30-2004, 09:08 PM	#9
RGTraynor Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Pioneer Valley	Re: Opinions on Unlimited Mana? I've made UMana available to my players for quite some time, and to a man, the mages refuse to touch it. Their unvarying position is that they have zero interest in the real possibility of frying their brains or torching a subcontinent just so they can whack out 10x enemies rather than merely X enemies. It's a shame, because it's an interesting system, but the average wizardly PC doesn't have the martyr complex using UMana regularly would require. __________________ My gaming blog: Apotheosis of the Invisible City "Call me old-fashioned, but after you're dead, I don't think you should be entitled to a Dodge any more." - my wife It's not that I don't understand what you're saying. It's that I disagree with what you're saying.

08-30-2004, 09:38 PM	#10
errant42 Join Date: Aug 2004	Re: Opinions on Unlimited Mana? I've used a home-made variant of Umana -- or rather, used rules similar to Umana in my home-made magic system, which is otherwise based largely on Mage: the Ascension (specifically the excellect Sorcerer supplement for that system) and Ars Magica (my favorite rpg magic system, even though I don't really care for the rest of the rules). The primary difference in how I use the Umana rules is that your mana pool (or threshold, effectively the same thing) is a variable value determined by your Magery level times your IQ, and that mana is recovered by use of the Meditation skill (1d x Magery recovered hour of uninterrupted time and successful Meditation roll). It works quite well in a game where magic is meant to be powerful. I've used it in fantasy and modern horror (WoD conversion), and the results have been favorable in both. It eliminates the "Conan the Mage" syndrome which plagued 3rd Ed (and is replaced by "Carl Lewis the Mage" with FT based on HT), and makes feats of high magic, of cinema and literature, possible without throwing the balance too far off.