[Magic] RPM, Paths, Realms - So many variants, but which one to choose?

[evileeyore]

Originally Posted by Shostak

It is completely possible to create new spells in the default magic system. Guidelines are on Magic p. 14

Possible, but not nearly as simple.

[Fred Brackin]

Originally Posted by Shostak

It is completely possible to create new spells in the default magic system. Guidelines are on Magic p. 14

But Gurps Magic already has 800 spells in it so there is not that great a need to create new spells.

If magic is really, really dangerous I would not be very eager to create new spells.

If you're hell-bent on RPM I'd actually recommend energy accumulation as representing fickle mage winds with different "flavors" of energy as seen in Thaumatology's test on energy accumulation. Effect Shaping is simpler and more stable than Energy Accumulation.

I will also warn you that if you want to make magic difficult and dangerous you can succeed too well and make it more trouble than it's worth.

[JaJacob]

@Refplace Thanks, that's pretty good idea. I'll check about spirits.

@Shostak I can't believe I miss that. I went from what I read on forums etc. that it is too painful to do.

@Fred Yes that is good point, I don't want to get to the point where magic would be too much of a hassle. I'm not sure what you are referring to with Thaumatology's test on energy accumulation. Do you mean Energy accumulating magic on p134?

It seems to me that representing winds of magic or even flavors would be much more manageable with effect shaping as bonuses or penalties. Though it might be because of my inexperience with energy accumulation. I'm not sure how I would neatly tie it in.

[Shostak]

Originally Posted by Fred Brackin

But Gurps Magic already has 800 spells in it so there is not that great a need to create new spells.

True, but given that you can work up most of those each as an RPM ritual, or as a Sorcery, you come up with the same problem regardless of system.

[johndallman]

Originally Posted by JaJacob

It seems to me that representing winds of magic ...

You haven't really explained what you mean by "winds of magic." How many are there? How predictable are they? Do they boost magic of their type and/or penalise an opposed type?

[Refplace]

Originally Posted by JaJacob

@Refplace Thanks, that's pretty good idea. I'll check about spirits.

@Shostak I can't believe I miss that. I went from what I read on forums etc. that it is too painful to do.

@Fred Yes that is good point, I don't want to get to the point where magic would be too much of a hassle. I'm not sure what you are referring to with Thaumatology's test on energy accumulation. Do you mean Energy accumulating magic on p134?

It seems to me that representing winds of magic or even flavors would be much more manageable with effect shaping as bonuses or penalties. Though it might be because of my inexperience with energy accumulation. I'm not sure how I would neatly tie it in.

Your welcome.
The main difference to my mind between Effect and Energy Accumulation are

• Energy requires more die rolling so more time at the table per spell
• Effect can stall play time if the player is looking for bonuses. Not an issue if they know the rules fairly well
• Effect at powerful levels is bad for a stat normalization game where you need higher skill levels
• Energy is great for a lower stat game asalittle goes a long way.
• Energy is more forgiving of bad die rolls

The Spell design rules in GURPS Magic are often overlooked so dont feel bad.
You still need to make some judgement calls but they are decent.

[JaJacob]

Originally Posted by johndallman

You haven't really explained what you mean by "winds of magic." How many are there? How predictable are they? Do they boost magic of their type and/or penalise an opposed type?

That's a good question. I'm not sure how complicated I want to have it, so it wouldn't bog down the game or discourage the players.

Each wind would have corresponding Path (around 8) and act as a local mana zone.
Roll at the start of the session would decide the strength of the bonus, another roll would decide if it is aspected to specific path or not. If it would be, the rest of the paths would be at a similar penalty.

They would be unpredictable, but I would like to introduce a way how to detect them and even try to predict them using an advantage or magic.

[Refplace]

Originally Posted by JaJacob

They would be unpredictable, but I would like to introduce a way how to detect them and even try to predict them using an advantage or magic.

I would use Sense for Path of Magic as a general predictor or the appropriate Path for specific winds.

[Pragmatic]

Aren't incanters (from a recent Dungeon Fantasy supplement) a simplified version of RPM?

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by Pragmatic

Aren't incanters (from a recent Dungeon Fantasy supplement) a simplified version of RPM?

More or less, yes.


While I love RPM (and I'm using a highly modified version in my current campaign setting) it doesn't always lend while to the campaign's premises. My last campaign used Sorcery for example because it just didn't work with the game mechanics and premise of the setting.

If I were the OP I'd look at what I was trying to do in-game first and then find (or build) a magic system that matches it.