New Calamity Tables?

[dataweaver]

Thaumatology, p.77: "This table is a suggestion. The GM can adjust and expand it to suit campaign flavor and style, perhaps having hubristic magic summon hostile entities, affect the weather in dramatic ways, and so on; see Appendix B (pp. 256-260) for inspiration. For a dark and dangerous setting, the results might be more severe, and include injury or the acquisition of physical disadvantages. In a comedy game, calamities should be inconvenient and bizarre, but usually temporary."

Has anyone experimented with this sort of thing?

[PK]

I tried doing one for each college. Got through a few -- I think Animal, Fire, and Necromantic IIRC. Once in a while I think about finishing it and submitting it to e23 or Pyramid, but it hasn't happened yet.

[dataweaver]

Hm. I was thinking more along the lines of a set that parallels the Critical Failure tables: "celtic" calamities, "clerical" calamities, comedic calamities, diabolical/horrific calamities, illusory calamities, "oriental" calamities, "reality-warping" calamities, spirit-oriented calamities...

[Not another shrubbery]

Originally Posted by dataweaver

Hm. I was thinking more along the lines of a set that parallels the Critical Failure tables: "celtic" calamities, "clerical" calamities, comedic calamities, diabolical/horrific calamities, illusory calamities, "oriental" calamities, "reality-warping" calamities, spirit-oriented calamities...

Campaign specific ones, or situational?

It's not specifically related to what you wanted, but I'll point to my old (as in "early 90s") Critical spell failures in LMZs, as a possible inspiration. Coming up with similar tables for HMZs and VHMZs is one of those projects that I always plan on getting around to 'eventually' :/

[dataweaver]

To be honest, I have a very specific use in mind. I'd like a Calamity Table that represents a "personal descent into wickedness" approach, as a means of using Threshold-Limited Magic as an alternative to Black Magic when you're _not_ messing with sentient forces such as demons. If I can get a decent table together quickly enough, it might find its way into the GURPS Horror playtest.

[Not another shrubbery]

Originally Posted by dataweaver

To be honest, I have a very specific use in mind. I'd like a Calamity Table that represents a "personal descent into wickedness" approach, as a means of using Threshold-Limited Magic as an alternative to Black Magic when you're _not_ messing with sentient forces such as demons.

Hmm... Maybe something like the Fright Check Table, or the Awe/Confusion Check Table from Powers? Perhaps a "Wickedness" tally could replace Spiritual Distortion, and be used as a modifier to rolls on that table.