Has Anyone Done a GURPS Mage The Ascension Workup For GURPS 4e

baakyocalder · 06-06-2017, 04:03 PM

I like GURPS and I like the concepts and flavor of Mage: The Ascension. I used to own GURPS Mage The Ascension, a GURPS 3e book that is OOP.

I know GURPS 4e realm magic in Thaumaturgy implied you could create something like Mage the Ascension.

Has anyone worked up Mage the Ascension style magic for GURPS 4e?

Thanks.

johndallman · 06-06-2017, 04:23 PM

It's really pretty easy with Thaumatology, pp179-184 and 188-195. You need a copy of M:tA, too.

You take the nine M:tA Spheres, which are Realms in Thaumatology. Each of them comes in five levels, plus another one for godlike beings. The base cost for each level (p189) is 60/5 = 12 points. With nine realms, and few or no weaknesses, the table on p190 says the levels are at base cost.

Each Sphere has an associated skill, per p188, and you roll against that to use the Sphere. The modifiers to skill rolls are on pp180-184. Paradox is modelled with "Reactive Reality," p193. Rotes are "Techniques," also p193. It's all there.

baakyocalder · 06-06-2017, 06:25 PM

I have both books. Thank you for the advice-working Paradox and trying to map the levels were conceptual blocks from when I first picked up Thaumatology.

I think I can work up a GURPS Mage campaign now--I had a great one before OWoD ended.

dataweaver · 06-07-2017, 03:10 AM

Historical footnote: Realm Magic does the job so well because Realm Magic came from GURPS Mage the Ascension, with the serial numbers removed. Even Mage's but about foci is in there as an optional rule.

If you want to more closely model MtA, ditch the Realm Skills; instead, always roll 10+Magery (or maybe 10+2×Magery?). Also, calculate the price of Realms as if there were six levels; but allow levels to go up to ten. Use M20 to determine what the first five levels can do, and Masters of the Art to determine what the last five can do.

khorboth · 06-07-2017, 07:58 AM

When I ran mine, I based it on 6 levels containing full mastery, but only allowed PCs to obtain 5. It was in keeping with the source material and made the pricing of realm magic work.

I also didn't charge energy for coincidental magic. non-cannon in GURPS, but it kept the WoD flavor.

dataweaver · 06-07-2017, 08:44 AM

Now that you mention it, the source material doesn't charge energy costs at all; but it makes extensive use of what Thaumatology calls Raw Magic, which MtA calls Quintessence.

06-06-2017, 04:03 PM	#1
baakyocalder Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Sacramento metro, California	Has Anyone Done a GURPS Mage The Ascension Workup For GURPS 4e I like GURPS and I like the concepts and flavor of Mage: The Ascension. I used to own GURPS Mage The Ascension, a GURPS 3e book that is OOP. I know GURPS 4e realm magic in Thaumaturgy implied you could create something like Mage the Ascension. Has anyone worked up Mage the Ascension style magic for GURPS 4e? Thanks. __________________ Currently Running: Without Number family games which use a lot of GURPS material for details when the players start asking(online, sporadically) Waiting For: Schedule Sanity to Play Car Wars and my Fnordcon special alt Car Wars cards!

06-06-2017, 04:23 PM	#2
johndallman Night Watchman Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Cambridge, UK	Re: Has Anyone Done a GURPS Mage The Ascension Workup For GURPS 4e It's really pretty easy with *Thaumatology*, pp179-184 and 188-195. You need a copy of M:tA, too. You take the nine M:tA Spheres, which are Realms in Thaumatology. Each of them comes in five levels, plus another one for godlike beings. The base cost for each level (p189) is 60/5 = 12 points. With nine realms, and few or no weaknesses, the table on p190 says the levels are at base cost. Each Sphere has an associated skill, per p188, and you roll against that to use the Sphere. The modifiers to skill rolls are on pp180-184. Paradox is modelled with "Reactive Reality," p193. Rotes are "Techniques," also p193. It's all there. __________________ The Path of Cunning. Indexes: DFRPG Characters, Advantage of the Week, Disadvantage of the Week, Skill of the Week, Techniques.

06-06-2017, 06:25 PM	#3
baakyocalder Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Sacramento metro, California	Re: Has Anyone Done a GURPS Mage The Ascension Workup For GURPS 4e I have both books. Thank you for the advice-working Paradox and trying to map the levels were conceptual blocks from when I first picked up Thaumatology. I think I can work up a GURPS Mage campaign now--I had a great one before OWoD ended. __________________ Currently Running: Without Number family games which use a lot of GURPS material for details when the players start asking(online, sporadically) Waiting For: Schedule Sanity to Play Car Wars and my Fnordcon special alt Car Wars cards!

06-07-2017, 03:10 AM	#4
dataweaver Join Date: Aug 2004	Re: Has Anyone Done a GURPS Mage The Ascension Workup For GURPS 4e Historical footnote: Realm Magic does the job so well because Realm Magic came from GURPS Mage the Ascension, with the serial numbers removed. Even Mage's but about foci is in there as an optional rule. If you want to more closely model MtA, ditch the Realm Skills; instead, always roll 10+Magery (or maybe 10+2×Magery?). Also, calculate the price of Realms as if there were six levels; but allow levels to go up to ten. Use M20 to determine what the first five levels can do, and Masters of the Art to determine what the last five can do. __________________ Point balance is a myth.[1][2][3][4]

06-07-2017, 07:58 AM	#5
khorboth Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Denver, CO	Re: Has Anyone Done a GURPS Mage The Ascension Workup For GURPS 4e When I ran mine, I based it on 6 levels containing full mastery, but only allowed PCs to obtain 5. It was in keeping with the source material and made the pricing of realm magic work. I also didn't charge energy for coincidental magic. non-cannon in GURPS, but it kept the WoD flavor.

06-07-2017, 08:44 AM	#6
dataweaver Join Date: Aug 2004	Re: Has Anyone Done a GURPS Mage The Ascension Workup For GURPS 4e Now that you mention it, the source material doesn't charge energy costs at all; but it makes extensive use of what Thaumatology calls Raw Magic, which MtA calls Quintessence. __________________ Point balance is a myth.[1][2][3][4]