GURPS Thaumatology: Ritual Path Magic

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by vierasmarius

You're determined to take all my money, aren't you? =P

I like to take your money and roll in it like Scrooge McDuck. I like's to make it rain, yo! That's how I roll.

[Kuroshima]

Originally Posted by Ghostdancer

I hate to keep saying this...but I got something for this in the works.

Indeed you do, and it's frigging awesome ;) I wonder how many people is glaring daggers at, me now. Sorry folks, but I was the one who got Ghosty to start writing articles so I guess I deserve the little perk. Also, it's not like I'm the only one who gets to see his articles before publication...

[Phantasm]

Originally Posted by Kromm

GURPS Magic has had . . . um, one follow-on (Plant Spells), even though there are 23 other colleges. Surely someone likes the ol' spell-magic system enough that it deserves some love?

I have the basics of a Metal College sitting on my HDD. Not sure whether that'd be an example article in Pyramid for expanding a sub-college of the Technology college into a full college or if it's enough to produce a multi-chapter supplement.

[Dinadon]

Originally Posted by Bruno

I agree on severe. As RPM energy goes, 1 per acre for something that basically paints a giant EVIL WIZARD HERE sign on your location, one time only, AND cheeses off just about everyone is a really bad exchange rate.

That's my only quibble though: the reward seems very underwhelming for the cost... and that's easily fixed by fiddling with a number. It's also screaming for a Corruption tie-in ;)

Me, I'm less concerned. I mean, sure, you might have to set up your evil lair in the Deep Dark Woods or the Bog of Madness, but then you're far more likely to have access to a good square mile without people nearby. That's a good 640 energy sitting right there for whatever nefarious deeds you can scheme up.

In a modern city I guesstimate an acre is roughly a city block, or perhaps 20 home sized buildings. Though why anybody would be doing something so blatantly evil in such a populated area is beyond my ability to scheme up.

[vierasmarius]

Hmm... I feel like draining the natural energy from a place shouldn't be so easy. As written, anyone with Magery 0 can (seemingly effortlessly) permanently blight an acre or more - in a single Concentrate maneuver, for an Adept! Shouldn't that at least require an Occult or Thaumatology roll? I'd also make it harder in "protected" places, such as those with a guardian spirit.

I know "Magic can't aid Magic", but I could imagine using a Ritual to "tap" a piece of land. This is similar to how Energy Gathering is already done, except that it has permanent effects and might require an opposed roll against the land's metaphysical HT (modified by the size of the area you're trying to tap).

I also have a similar issue with the minimum energy on Botches. A person without Magery and with just 1 point in Thaumatology can't effectively cast spells, but can still blow himself up spectacularly - and in fact can keep attempting Energy Gathering until he does. It would make more sense to me if a Botch for him just made the ritual fizzle, "burning out" his ability to cast or contribute to spells.

[Langy]

Originally Posted by vierasmarius

Hmm... I feel like draining the natural energy from a place shouldn't be so easy. As written, anyone with Magery 0 can (seemingly effortlessly) permanently blight an acre or more - in a single Concentrate maneuver, for an Adept! Shouldn't that at least require an Occult or Thaumatology roll? I'd also make it harder in "protected" places, such as those with a guardian spirit.

I also have a similar issue with the minimum energy on Botches. A person without Magery and with just 1 point in Thaumatology can't effectively cast spells, but can still blow himself up spectacularly - and in fact can keep attempting Energy Gathering until he does. It would make more sense to me if a Botch for him just made the ritual fizzle, "burning out" his ability to cast or contribute to spells.

Burning out his ability to cast is a perfectly viable form of a botch; just have it inflict Greater Destroy Magic with a duration (30 minutes) and affects weight (300 pounds) for a price of 30. The effect of the botch is to completely cut the caster off from mana, leaving him unable to cast any spells.

If you were to use this same ritual on a target, they'd have to win a quick contest against your effective skill in order to cast a spell. However, since this is a botch you automatically fail that quick contest.

EDIT: I do agree about a ritual requirement for tapping a piece of land sounding like a good thing.

EDIT2: Huh. The botch for Path of Magic in the book is pretty similar, though it still allows you to tap into your personal mana storage in order to cast and lasts significantly longer (and lacks affects weight). *shrug* Now you got two choices for it!

[Anders]

Originally Posted by Kromm

Well . . .

• GURPS Action has just three releases to four for GURPS Monster Hunters and 17 (and counting) for GURPS Dungeon Fantasy. That can't be right.
  
  
• GURPS Bio-Tech has never received an expansion. Surely there are ultra-short and short items possible on specific new technologies, quick-and-cinematic gengineering rules, Powers crossovers for bio-powers, etc.?
  
  
• GURPS Magic has had . . . um, one follow-on (Plant Spells), even though there are 23 other colleges. Surely someone likes the ol' spell-magic system enough that it deserves some love?
  
  
• GURPS Mass Combat still hasn't received a single proposal for worked force rosters, or expanded lists of element types, or an element-design system. Huh, I expected all of those about a week after it came out.
  
  
• GURPS Social Engineering seems terribly lonely for such a social supplement. (Full disclosure requires me to note that I have one in the publication queue.)
  
  
• GURPS Supers has no follow-ons. Whaaa . . . ? Just the FAQs on these forums suggest stuff like GURPS Supers: Speedsters and GURPS Supers: The Ultimate Brick.
  
  
• GURPS Thaumatology: Magical Styles is itself a spinoff, but where are the worked examples of styles? (Again, full disclosure requires me to note that I have one in the publication queue.)

I'll grant that until our queue starts to clear and we can start accepting proposals again, all of this stuff is academic. However, you asked me about need rather than the practicalities of getting supplements approved, edited, and out the door. :)

I think GURPS Horror begs for a Van-Richten style series. "Jack the Stake" asks the fundamental question "Why destroy vampires when you can become one?`"

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by Asta Kask

I think GURPS Horror begs for a Van-Richten style series. "Jack the Stake" asks the fundamental question "Why destroy vampires when you can become one?`"

Van-Richten was my FAVORITE Ravenloft supplement, I had them all. I'd write the hell out of something like that. ;-D

[Danukian]

Originally Posted by Dinadon

In a modern city I guesstimate an acre is roughly a city block, or perhaps 20 home sized buildings. Though why anybody would be doing something so blatantly evil in such a populated area is beyond my ability to scheme up.

I take it you haven't tuned into the news lately? ;)

Digging through the book, so worth the wait!

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by Kuroshima

Indeed you do, and it's frigging awesome ;) I wonder how many people is glaring daggers at, me now. Sorry folks, but I was the one who got Ghosty to start writing articles so I guess I deserve the little perk. Also, it's not like I'm the only one who gets to see his articles before publication...

Now to beat out the remaining dints and hope it all jives.