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Old 06-15-2019, 10:00 PM   #11
AlexanderHowl
 
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Default Re: Supermages [Powers/Supers]

With RPM, you have a maximum skill of 12+Magery, meaning that you would need a Magery 8 to really take full advantage of having IQ 20 (which is pretty much a signature of supermages, though some have DX 20 instead, especially the superpowered stage magicians). Of course, being able to store 24 energy would allow for some rather epic rituals, so you might be able to do quite well with RPM as a supermage. Let us examine it futher:

Attributes: ST 10, DX 12, IQ 20, HT 12 [260]
Advantages: Magery 8 and Path Adept [125]
Skills: Alchemy, Ritual Magic, Symbol Drawing, and the nine Paths at IQ [92]

In total, you spend 477 CP. Now, you will probably get 50 CP from your disadvantages and quirks, so it leaves 73 CP for customization. You can have an energy reserve of 24 and can keep 28 conditional rituals up. That does seem rather super.

Last edited by AlexanderHowl; 06-15-2019 at 10:04 PM.
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Old 06-15-2019, 10:50 PM   #12
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Default Re: Supermages [Powers/Supers]

Clea at 582
Dr. Strange at 1240 points as a IQ 14RPM mage. Hes also in there as a Realm Mage, not found that yet.
Here is his Realm Magic version on his Wiki
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Last edited by Refplace; 06-15-2019 at 11:00 PM.
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Old 06-15-2019, 11:03 PM   #13
AlexanderHowl
 
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Default Re: Supermages [Powers/Supers]

The Dr. Strange build is not RPM, it is instead a standard ritual magic build. He is receiving a skill bonus from Magery, he does not have Path Adept, and the Paths he does have are not part of RPM. In RPM, Magery adds to skill maximums, provides an energy reserve, and allows for additional conditional rituals. Path defaults in RPM also cap at a '12'.

A more efficient build for Dr. Strange under RPM would be giving him IQ 20, Magery 8, Path Adept, and Alchemy, Symbol Drawing, Thaumaturgy, and the nine Paths at 20. At that point, he would pretty much be the Sorcerer Supreme. Since he does not really give a flip about mana, any abilities should probably be Cosmic, as should be his Magery and Path Adept (in Marvel parlance, he draws on dimensional energies that can only be blocked by an equal or superior being).
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Old 06-15-2019, 11:43 PM   #14
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Default Re: Supermages [Powers/Supers]

How would one do Nico from Runaways (comics version)? She can improvise spells but if her wording is too close to a previously cast spell it will misfire.
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Old 06-15-2019, 11:48 PM   #15
a humble lich
 
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Default Re: Supermages [Powers/Supers]

I'd say Dr. Strange* has the same power that almost all comic book mages have: he can do whatever the writers want him to be able to at that moment. There are a couple powers that he has consistently, and as whswhs said, many of those are gadget based. The power to do whatever the writes need him to do is a really hard power to find a point value for.

The character that would be really hard to make in GURPS would be Nico Minoru from the runaways. She has a magic staff that will do what she asks it to, but the stuff controls what the ultimate effect is, and each command can only be given once.

Edit: And while writing this someone else brought up Nico; I'm impressed.


* I have to admit that I haven't read to many Dr. Strange comics and much of my knowledge of his is from film and TV.

Last edited by a humble lich; 06-15-2019 at 11:50 PM. Reason: ninja'd
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Old 06-16-2019, 03:38 AM   #16
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Default Re: Supermages [Powers/Supers]

My preference is to start with Realm Magic, but define the Realms to match the standard magic system's Colleges, and let mages develop Magic-as-Powers as Alternate Abilities to the Realms. The Realms represent your ability to improvise and/or to conduct powerful rituals that take time and energy to perform, while the Alternate Abilities represent specific spells that the Mage has internalized and can now cat with little more than a second of concentration.

It's similar to the Sorcery system, but with multiple Realms instead of a single Sorcerous Empowerment advantage. On the one hand, since your “core Ability” points are spread out among several Realms, it's going to be harder to internalize some of the larger Spells. On the other hand, multiple bases means being able to keep multiple Abilities active at once, one per Realm.
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Old 06-16-2019, 08:51 AM   #17
AlexanderHowl
 
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Default Re: Supermages [Powers/Supers]

The Staff of One is a problem because of its sheer level of power. If I was to model the Staff of One using RPM, I would use the unprotected staff from RPM (-65%). It would give its user IQ+10 (Magical, -10%; Unprotected, -65%) [50], Magery +100 (Unprotected, -65%) [350], Path Adept (Unprotected, -65%) [14], Special Rule (Elixirs are limited by Alchemy rather than Thaumatology; Unprotected, -65%) [1], and Alchemy, Symbol Drawing, and Thaumatology and the ten Paths, including Daath, at IQ (Unprotected, -65%) [35], for a total cost of 450 CP. The user would have an energy reserve of 300 (!!!) for immediate spells and could hang an average of 120 conditional spells and 120 elixirs. The fact that it is powered by small amounts of blood is a special effect, as is its limitation that each spell can be cast once.

Last edited by AlexanderHowl; 06-16-2019 at 09:02 AM.
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Old 06-17-2019, 06:16 AM   #18
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Default Re: Supermages [Powers/Supers]

Realm Magic fits figures like Dr. Strange, Dr. Fate, Zatanna, and her father Zatara, and Jonny Thunder's Thunderbolt. A character like John Constantine is more like a Ritual Adept.

Scarlet Witch started out as a mutant with Superluck later on she got training in Magic. I'd say she became Realm Magic.

Magik of the X-Men seems to have started as a teleporter with a knack for summoning. Later she became a Ritual Adept that channeled something skilled at Realm Magic.
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Old 06-17-2019, 08:36 AM   #19
AlexanderHowl
 
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Default Re: Supermages [Powers/Supers]

Realm Magic is too limited for most supermage characters when you take a look at the time and the cost that comes from the parameters. Superhero magic usually does not exhaust supermages in the comic books, but even a simple fireball dealing as much damage as a light rifle (6d burning) would cost a minimum of 36 FP. It also usually does not take forever, but that same fireball would take five turns to cast. This assumes a six level Realm scheme, with the third level being the minimum required to do effective damage.

A 6d fireball that requires 36 FP and five turns to cast is much weaker than the similar effects from some of the other magic systems, especially given the cost of the Realms. For example, a supermage using the standard magic system with Magery 6 and Fireball-20 could cast a 6d fireball every other turn for 4 FP. An RPM supermage with Magery 6 and Thaumatology-20 could have prepared up to 26 6d fireball charms in advance (each taking an hour to prepare), and cast one every turn without breaking a sweat.

Last edited by AlexanderHowl; 06-17-2019 at 08:48 AM.
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Old 06-17-2019, 09:16 AM   #20
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Default Re: Supermages [Powers/Supers]

Quote:
Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl View Post
Realm Magic is too limited for most supermage characters when you take a look at the time and the cost that comes from the parameters.
Some, like Dr. Strange do get tired though.
I dont think Realm fits most comic mages but it kind of feels right for Dr. Strange.
One idea would be to make the beings he calls on their own Realm and use a different pricing structure for Realms.
Another is use some of the rules from Impulse Buys with a high cap and faster recovery rate bought as advantages. Using an IP to get 25 FP helps a lot and many supermage abilities fit the narrative elements in that system.
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My GURPS fan contribution and blog:
REFPLace GURPS Landing Page
My List of GURPS You Tube videos (plus a few other useful items)
My GURPS Wiki entries
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