Per-Based Ritual Magic versus IQ-based Standard Magic [Thaumatology]

AlexanderHowl · 11-08-2020, 01:51 PM

In Thaumatology (p. 29), they suggest Per-based magic as one of the alternatives to IQ-based magic. Now, one of the consistent issues with GURPS is that the majority of the magical systems rewards the concept of the academic magician because they are usually IQ-based systems, so Per-based magic allows for more diversity in possible types of magicians. It also allows for animal magicians, as their Per can be quite high, without giving them IQ 6+.

In the case of ritual magic, the cumulative penalties caused by College defaults and Ritual defaults means that the majority of higher level spells are quite difficult to use. Now, it is possible to use modifiers to increase the effective skill of a ritual mage to the point where they can actually do something, but base skill matters for a number of magic rules. For example, you usually have to know a spell/ritual at skill 15+ to use it for ceremonial magic, including enchanting. This is one of the reasons why the ritual magic system is loathed by a number of people, as it costs a lot of points to make a ritual mage competitive with a standard magician.

One possible answer would be to make ritual magic Per-based and to keep standard magic IQ-based. While Magery (Standard) would give a bonus to skill, Magery (Ritual Magic) would likely need to be redesigned because it is more expensive than Per. There are also game balance concerns because Per costs much less than IQ, so I would suggest the following changes to Magery (Ritual Magic):

Instead of giving a bonus to the skills of Ritual Magic and the Colleges, Magery (Ritual Magic) would give practitioners a maximum base skill level in a College at 14 + (Magery), modified by mana levels as normal. Since they would be unlikely to benefit from the energy reduction granted by high base skill, they would also receive an Energy Reserve (Magic) equal to (Magery * 3). The end result would allow practitioners to develop an instinctive magic that would be competitive with standard magic, which would also allow for magical animals that could instinctively develop Ritual Magic and a College as long as they possessed Magery 0.

What do you think? With the above change to Magery (Ritual Magic), would having Per-based ritual magic and IQ-based standard magic be interesting? What issues do you think would occur with having Per-based ritual magic and IQ-based standard magic in the same setting?

11-08-2020, 01:51 PM	#1
AlexanderHowl Join Date: Feb 2016	Per-Based Ritual Magic versus IQ-based Standard Magic [Thaumatology] In Thaumatology (p. 29), they suggest Per-based magic as one of the alternatives to IQ-based magic. Now, one of the consistent issues with GURPS is that the majority of the magical systems rewards the concept of the academic magician because they are usually IQ-based systems, so Per-based magic allows for more diversity in possible types of magicians. It also allows for animal magicians, as their Per can be quite high, without giving them IQ 6+. In the case of ritual magic, the cumulative penalties caused by College defaults and Ritual defaults means that the majority of higher level spells are quite difficult to use. Now, it is possible to use modifiers to increase the effective skill of a ritual mage to the point where they can actually do something, but base skill matters for a number of magic rules. For example, you usually have to know a spell/ritual at skill 15+ to use it for ceremonial magic, including enchanting. This is one of the reasons why the ritual magic system is loathed by a number of people, as it costs a lot of points to make a ritual mage competitive with a standard magician. One possible answer would be to make ritual magic Per-based and to keep standard magic IQ-based. While Magery (Standard) would give a bonus to skill, Magery (Ritual Magic) would likely need to be redesigned because it is more expensive than Per. There are also game balance concerns because Per costs much less than IQ, so I would suggest the following changes to Magery (Ritual Magic): Instead of giving a bonus to the skills of Ritual Magic and the Colleges, Magery (Ritual Magic) would give practitioners a maximum base skill level in a College at 14 + (Magery), modified by mana levels as normal. Since they would be unlikely to benefit from the energy reduction granted by high base skill, they would also receive an Energy Reserve (Magic) equal to (Magery * 3). The end result would allow practitioners to develop an instinctive magic that would be competitive with standard magic, which would also allow for magical animals that could instinctively develop Ritual Magic and a College as long as they possessed Magery 0. What do you think? With the above change to Magery (Ritual Magic), would having Per-based ritual magic and IQ-based standard magic be interesting? What issues do you think would occur with having Per-based ritual magic and IQ-based standard magic in the same setting?