Steve Jackson Games - Site Navigation
Home General Info Follow Us Search Illuminator Store Forums What's New Other Games Ogre GURPS Munchkin Our Games: Home

Go Back   Steve Jackson Games Forums > Roleplaying > The Fantasy Trip > The Fantasy Trip: House Rules

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 07-25-2018, 09:37 AM   #1
Terquem
 
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: Idaho Falls
Default Elemental magic

At home I have a folder with old photocopies of a three part article that appeared in Different Worlds magazine which describe a set of spells for several different kinds of elemental categories. The article and rules were meant to be compatible with 1e or older D&D, but I really loved them and tried to adapt them to my TFT:ITL setting

Would anyone be interested in a group think effort to revisit those spell categories and try to adapt those spells to the game now?

I really liked the idea of spell casters who focused on a "theme" for their spells and these spell lists really connected to that concept.

I’m sure that with help I can do a better job than I did when I was fifteen.
Terquem is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-25-2018, 09:49 AM   #2
Rick_Smith
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Coquitlam B.C.
Default Re: Elemental magic

Quote:
Originally Posted by Terquem View Post
... I really liked the idea of spell casters who focused on a "theme" for their spells and these spell lists really connected to that concept.

I’m sure that with help I can do a better job than I did when I was fifteen.
Hi Terquem,
I you would like to email me a first draft of your rules, I would be happy to comment on them if you like. Contact me in a PM if you wish.

Warm regards, Rick.
Rick_Smith is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-25-2018, 01:10 PM   #3
zot
 
Join Date: May 2018
Default Re: Elemental magic

I'm happy to pitch in...
zot is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-25-2018, 01:56 PM   #4
Chris Rice
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: London Uk, but originally from Scotland
Default Re: Elemental magic

Speciality Mages. I remember it well.
Chris Rice is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-26-2018, 07:46 AM   #5
Anomylous
 
Join Date: Jul 2018
Default Re: Elemental magic

I'd also be happy to pitch in; I've messed with a few different ways of encouraging wizards to specialize and even had the opportunity to playtest one or two (which led to a fun and memorable fire mage, and a scarily overpowered "control" mage).

Those files are all on my old hard drive, but I can dig them up easily enough if there's interest.
Anomylous is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-27-2018, 08:49 AM   #6
Terquem
 
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: Idaho Falls
Default Re: Elemental magic

I'm going to start posting ideas today - being careful not to take too many liberties with Mike's original articles. The first thing I hope to do, going to do some off line brain storming, is try to define what a "Specialty Mage" looks like from a core character creation process under the old rules, then I'll start brainstorming spell categories/powers/costs

I'll be back in a bit
Terquem is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-27-2018, 09:54 AM   #7
Anomylous
 
Join Date: Jul 2018
Default Re: Elemental magic

Went and got those files. Here's the spell categories I came up with:

Spoiler:  


I haven't yet come up with a good and balanced way of encouraging characters to specialize in one of them. Ideas I've considered include:

- setting the base cost to learn any spell to 2 IQ points (for all figures), unless you have the Talent for that category - so Fire costs 2 IQ slots to learn, or 1 if you have the "Fire College" talent (probably a 2-point talent itself). Removes distinction between wizard/non-wizard characters. Not playtested.

- granting DX bonuses, ST discounts, and special abilities to characters who learn a bunch of spells in one category. Playtested - can easily lead to very overpowered wizards.

- allowing the purchase of Feats with XP, that give you a bonus of some kind to all the spells you know in a single category. Not playtested - might be too complex.
Anomylous is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-30-2018, 03:57 PM   #8
KevinJ
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Arizona
Default Re: Elemental magic

When I designed the Colleges for my GURPS I wanted the different colleges to represent different ways of manipulating Mana. So while you could learn spells from any college, they never counted as Perquisites for any other college.

If you want to do the same with TFT you could make different spell lists and have talents associated with that style of magic and even make some of them mutually exclusive. Without the generic 'Wizard' who can learn any spells in the book, magic use really becomes part of the character background and future character progression.

Sure, it's a little more work for the GM, but any unique world already is.
__________________
So you've got the tiger by the tail. Now what?
KevinJ is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-30-2018, 04:21 PM   #9
Terquem
 
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: Idaho Falls
Default Re: Elemental magic

How to make something complicated and still keep it easy, or why am I trying to reinvent something elegant.

I like the ideas that have been suggested; now I'll suggest something crazy.

What if all talents and all spells cost 1 IQ point to obtain, you are restricted to a number of spells or talents equal to your IQ+Level*

(Now building a character that is a warrior or a wizard or something in between is entirely in the hands of the player – I see no reason for artificial restrictions)

I’m going to start from this perspective, and I’m going to write up a setting specific set of rules for specialty Mages in two parts

Part 1 will cover “What is a Specialty Mage” why and how is it different from any other Wizard

Part 2 will cover Spells and Talents for Specialty Mages

Now, before I post the first few paragraphs of what I am thinking, let me set up some qualifiers

I am rereading, from start to finish, In The Labyrinth: Game Master’s Module

I am working on a split path design philosophy to determine which of two specific character creation paths I want to choose, and stick to

Path 1: Some Spells and Talents will have Pre-Requisite requirements

Path 2: No Spells or Talents will have Pre-Requisite requirements

Path 1 allows for building things such as UCI thru UCIV, and 1-hex Fire thru 7-Hex Fire

Path two does not work with my initial premise of every talent or spell costing 1 IQ (slot or point, however you like to see it) IF you decide to include lower power abilities (Spells or Talents) with the purchase of upper tier power abilities (5-hex fire includes the ability to create any fire up to 5-hexes in size, UCIII includes all abilities of UCI and UCII) - it simply is not manageable




But before I get bogged down in specifics, I am going to keep reading the rule book, and in the next day post the introduction to what I think a Specialty Mage is, and how it fits into a standard Cidri Campaign

There are ten Specialty Mage disciplines

Earth
Sea
Light
Dark
Fire
Ice
Lightning
Crystal
Acid
Wind

edit: Level - I'm not sure that I will keep this word in the rules I am working up, right now it is a place holder for aspects associated with experience point accumulation and use.

Last edited by Terquem; 07-30-2018 at 04:27 PM. Reason: use of the word Level
Terquem is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-30-2018, 04:36 PM   #10
Terquem
 
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: Idaho Falls
Default Re: Elemental magic

One of the first things that really kicked around in my head was how to manage the various "multi-hex" application spells

I then thought of an idea, what if when you create a character you only, ever, can select a spell that creates/summons/ a single hex entity (1-hex fire, 1-hex illusion, 1-hex summon)

It is only when you earn experience points and trade those in for improvements (still not sure what this will look like in the revised In The Labyrinth) can you raise your skill, in stages,

possible example, trade in 200 xp for increasing 1-hex fire to 3-hex fire, or improving 1-hex summon to 2-hex summon

Edit: For a further example, in this system there would be no specific "Summon 7-hex Dragon" spell, and instead a Wizard would need to be of sufficient experience point total to have improved to knowing how to summon a 7-Hex "Anything" and if the system is balanced the way I think it is, a 7-hex anything is going to be a powerful creature.

Last edited by Terquem; 07-30-2018 at 04:39 PM. Reason: further example
Terquem is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Fnords are Off
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 12:45 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.