Pyramid #3/28: Thaumatology II

[Not another shrubbery]

Originally Posted by Darekun

Does e23 have a "comments" field?

Suggestions, questions, or comments about service can be sent to the various Contact addresses, as explained in the Info and FAQ section of the site. Email is the probably the preferred (and best) method.

[dataweaver]

Originally Posted by Darekun

It's not as bad as 3ed, though it maintains a number of 3ed's misnomers; Nocturnal isn't, and neither species pictured on Wikipedia's invertebrate article has the Invertebrate disad, those are my two go-to examples, and they're still around.

Or, in all Honesty, any number of other examples. :P

[Gudiomen]

Well, all I can say is thanks. I normally don't buy Pyramid on account of saving my money for GURPS books, but this one I nabbed because I really wanted some official optional rules for alchemy, making it adventure-friendly. Alchemical tattoos and the techniques were the cherry on top. This article was pretty much made for me.

Ceremonial wasn't something I'd use much, but if you don't have GURPS Thaumatology with all the ritual and subtle alternatives to the standard system... or if you want a quick alternative with what you got, this squeezes the best you can get out of the standard magic system, ritual-wise.

Didn't much care for yellow magic, as I usually don't for setting specific stuff, but another worked out example of a magical style gave me some insights that will help tailor my own. Kudos for that.

I don't know if the issue will sell well, like I said, I'm no reference. But now that you've gotten me to buy once, I'm more predisposed to buy again. Even if the regulars are a bit disappointed - which I doubt - this sort of thing might get you a few more regulars, and more money on the long run.

Or at least I hope so...

[benz72]

Just got it, read most of it, loved everythhing I read.

[Witchking]

Originally Posted by dataweaver

Conversely, I tolerate the standard GURPS magic system. I have little use for GURPS Magic, and I bought it primarily so that I could be familiar enough with it to convert material based on it to some other system.

Hmmm...I have always really liked the GURPS Magic system...but that could be because I am really boney and old.

My frame of reference (formed in the 70's-80's) was AD+D, Rulemaster, Fantasy Hero, Runequest and a few others that I kinda forget now.

Basically Gurps Magic beat them all hollow (again just my opinion).

I have never really felt that constrained by the base system...I have seen run and GM'ed some Spells as Powers stuff.

Also I have played and GM'ed in an enviroment that anticipated the Tham: Orders PDF by about 30 years. We significantly reworked the prerequisite chains (going back to Fantasy) and eliminated "mages can learn all spells."

Basically they got 2-5 Colleges as their "speciality" (50% of spells had to be from these), 2-4 Colleges as against the grain of the order (mostly cant learn at all), all the other Colleges they could learn...with the Caveat that the Really Cool Spells (ex Exchange Bodies, Invisibility, Telepathy, etc) tended to be known only to the Specialists and they tended not to teach them to other orders.

It also meant that mages would not all look the same...perhaps mages of the same order would be similar but with 20ish orders most have been played only once...or less.


Boy I do not miss the days of Boil Water I, Boil Water II, Boil Water III etc....

[SolemnGolem]

Originally Posted by Witchking

Hmmm...I have always really liked the GURPS Magic system...but that could be because I am really boney and old.

My frame of reference (formed in the 70's-80's) was AD+D, Rulemaster, Fantasy Hero, Runequest and a few others that I kinda forget now.

Basically Gurps Magic beat them all hollow (again just my opinion).

I agree with you.

I think GURPS' Magic gets a bad rep because GURPS is a very realistic game system, compared against the rest of the industry (although the writers are too modest and they say it's only "verisimilitude" rather than "realistic"). Magic and wizardry is inherently incompatible with realism, and so if you hold it to realistic norms it will always look unbalanced to some degree.

GURPS' treatment of it is still better than many other game systems, I feel.

[Pomphis]

The Alchemy article is a good reason for a new Style and new perks:

Alchemical Magic (7)

Prerequisites: IQ 12, Extra Option (may use Magical Alchemy from Pyramid 28 p.5) Perk
Required Skills: Alchemy, Thaumatology, Expert (Natural Philosophy)
1st Circle Spells: Detect Magic, Measurement, Tell Time
2nd Circle Spells: Create Air, Create Fire, Purify Air, Purify Water
3rd Circle Spells: Create Earth, Heat, Cook, Mature, Create Water
4th Circle Spells: Essential Air, Essential Earth, Essential Flame, Distill, Know Recipe, Internalize Elixir, Essential Water, Create Ice, Cold, Purify Earth
Available Perks: Extra Option (Magery adds to Alchemy skill), Extra Option (Stabilizing Skill: Chemistry), Secret Spell (Internalize Elixir)

[Alden Loveshade]

Two threads about the same thing; MEH.

Short: Love the issue; love the alchemy stuff; see more comments at http://forums.sjgames.com/showthread.php?t=76976

[Alden Loveshade]

One weird, freaky thing:

Yellow Goblin Magic, which could apply in whatever fantasy world but is written for Yrth, has a spell called Alter Gender.

Years ago, my goblin alchemist who lives in Yrth developed almost the exact same thing as an elixir.

Synchronicity.