Magic: Applying skill penalties to reduce fatigue costs?

[evileeyore]

Originally Posted by Bicorn

Magic, second edition, p. 119. "Time, Energy and Cost Tradeoffs".

Dang it. I just reskimmed the book right before posting and somehow missed that page.


Anyway, my house rules were based on the the rules from Magic 3e (second edition) and GURPS Basic 3e and something Kromm or PeeKitty wrote a million years ago (the -4 per FP came from one of them if I recall correctly) and then maybe got adjusted for 4e sensibilities (I don't remember if 3e had the same progression for Taking Extra Time or not).

[Dustin]

I've been using a similar houserule for years, with good results. To make it easier, I just made all the skill penalties -3.

Rule of Three for spellcasting: -3 to spell skill for each:

• Halving of casting time (round up, minimum 1 second),
• Reduction of energy required by 1,
• Casting without chanting, or
• Casting without arcane gestures.

More at https://thorsgrumblings.blogspot.com...rps-magic.html

[GodBeastX]

I wonder if there is no rule for it because it's sort of baked into magic as it is? Considering base skill lowers energy cost, isn't that double dipping in a sense?

What I mean is, 20 skill lowers the spell cost by 2. If you then say -5 conveys a -1 to Energy Cost wouldn't that mean that raising your skill to 20 now effectively doubles the fatigue lowering effects?

Now i know that 20 allows for other modifiers, and I'm down with that, it's just something that feels "off" about the fact base skill gives SP benefits and skill penalties also give SP benefits.

I'd probably replace the rule of cost reduction on skill with the subtracting skill to lower cost house rules myself.

[evileeyore]

Originally Posted by GodBeastX

I wonder if there is no rule for it because it's sort of baked into magic as it is? Considering base skill lowers energy cost, isn't that double dipping in a sense?

Which is why in my house rules post it says:

"High skill no longer reduces casting time, ritual requirements, or Fatigue cost."

[Edges]

I've used a house rule [MoS/5 (round down) = Energy cost reduction]. I preferred it to taking a penalty as I find that minimizing pre-rolling decisions quickens game pace. Three years of play-testing have been successful. Change "5" to another number to taste.

Incidentally, I've also applied this principle to Deceptive Attack with much success (though I have tweaked the numbers a little). Multiple players have called it their favorite house rule.