What's In Your Wallet?

[jason taylor]

What if Capital One No Hassle Cards are used in a silly campaign as a magical device? What would their effects be?

[whswhs]

Originally Posted by jason taylor

What if Capital One No Hassle Cards are used in a silly campaign as a magical device? What would their effects be?

I used that in a nonsilly campaign some years ago. One of the player characters in my Mage campaign formed an alliance with the Hong Kong branch of the Syndicate. They gave her a special credit card that could serve as her new focus for doing magic. In their view, instead of Quintessence you had Capital, which gave you access to the ability to work wonders.

Bill Stoddard

[Hai-Etlik]

Summoning the Coast Capital monster?

[Dwarf99]

Now I want to make a version of threshold magic where "overages" replace calamities.

[Flyndaran]

Originally Posted by Dwarf99

Now I want to make a version of threshold magic where "overages" replace calamities.

Every time a phone rings near you, it's a debt collector?

[whswhs]

Originally Posted by Flyndaran

Every time a phone rings near you, it's a debt collector?

If you don't pay your exorcist. . . .

Bill Stoddard

[Flyndaran]

Originally Posted by whswhs

If you don't pay your exorcist. . . .

Bill Stoddard

That just makes it long distance. They mumble sounding like your dear old X, and you dumbly accept the charges.

[Dwarf99]

Ok here's a real quick tweak, feel free to offer up ideas:

What's in your wallet? A Threshold Limited Magic system based on Finances
Threshold
The Threshold score of Finance Mages is the total number of points spent on wealth, independent income, and Magery. Finance Mages may not spend more than 5 times their threshold on one spell.

Calamities
Calamities are called overages and a mage that spends to the point of overage must roll on the overages table (later). Whenever a calamity is rolled, a Finance Mage's Tally is reduced by 1 for every 2 points rolled above 10.

Overages Table
3-10 - Nothing happens this time 1
11,12 - Wizard suffers Nightmares (9) for 4d days
13 - Wizard's grasp of his own Wealth weakens. Add 2d+5 levels of Debt for 1 month
14 - as above but add the debt levels for 1d months
15 - the mage's Magery becomes Radically Unstable as it would in Thaumatology (1d weeks).
16 - The -5 point disadvantage normally gained by this result must be social, political, or monetary in nature
17 - disadvantage worth -10 points
18 - disadvantage worth -15
19 - the wizard loses the ability to cast a single spell
20 - as 16 but multiple disadvantages totalling -30
21 - 1d+1 months of #15
22 - one of your companions is wrapped up in your paper trail. Roll again and he takes the effect
23 - permanent loss of 1dx5 points of attributes, secondary characteristics, skills, or advantages losses are completely random.
24 - Mana Scar: in a 3d mile radius casting and maintenence costs of all spells doubles. Tally recovery in the area halts. It lasts 3d weeks or until the Finance Mage dies.
25 - Wizard's skill with all spells is reduced by 3d+5 and recovered at 1 level per day.
26 - *as 25 but the recovery rate is 1 level per week
27 -*Wizard loses 1d levels of Wealth. This does affect his Threshold!
28 - a curse of inflation hits the area causing the price of everything to double for 3d weeks. This can't be traced back to the wizard.
29 - The wizard's card is revoked. This inability to cast spells is treated as a divine curse (for which the wizard may seek refinancing to remedy the problem)
30-39 - Something goes wrong with the local economy on a permanent basis causing spells using Finance Magic to function erratically.
40+ - as 30-39 but the effect is global and the wizard must make HT-6 roll to avoid being consumed in the backlash as in Thaumatology.

[Dwarf99]

I'll note that phantom voices could count as social for this purpose and represent creditors.

EDIT: especially with a bluetooth headset.

[Refplace]

Originally Posted by Dwarf99

Now I want to make a version of threshold magic where "overages" replace calamities.

Like the Dragon Knight series :)
I did once but have since modified it with the Abstract Wealth rules, still needs tweaking.
Mixing in Power Ups Impulse buys as well.