Steve Jackson Games - Site Navigation
Home General Info Follow Us Search Illuminator Store Forums What's New Other Games Ogre GURPS Munchkin Our Games: Home

Go Back   Steve Jackson Games Forums > Roleplaying > GURPS

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 11-06-2017, 08:50 AM   #1
Lameth
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Default Bard Magic Idea

In my fantasy game [Non-Dungeon Fantasy] game I am thinking of introducing a new form of ritual magic; Bard Magic.

Basically I see it as ritual Magic instead of Powers. The core skill would be something like Ritual Magic [Bard Magic], with a prerequisite of various bard skills and advantages. Make each musical instrument or singing the "Path skill", at VH or H. then each magical effect falls under that instrument as a technique. Each effect requires a curtain amount time to perform and falls under the various rules for ritual magic. No magery is required.

Another idea I had was to simple make it "high skill magic" and just have each magical effect as a technique under that instrument and require Magery.

thoughts?

Last edited by Lameth; 11-06-2017 at 09:07 AM.
Lameth is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-06-2017, 09:58 AM   #2
Kelly Pedersen
 
Kelly Pedersen's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Saskatoon, SK, Canada
Default Re: Bard Magic Idea

It's definitely an interesting idea! For the "ritual magic" route, you'd probably need to create special "Magical [Instrument]" skills, at Very Hard difficulty, to balance them with other ritual magic variants.

One alternative to that, however, would be to require a combination of musical skills for each effect. If any given magical effect requires you to roll against the lower of two skills, then even if both skills are Average or less, you still need the same number of points in them to have the same effective level as a single Very Hard skill, so I think this would be balanced. And then you can fun figuring out which combinations of instruments, singing, and probably dancing create which magical effects.
Kelly Pedersen is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-06-2017, 10:11 AM   #3
Lameth
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Default Re: Bard Magic Idea

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kelly Pedersen View Post
It's definitely an interesting idea! For the "ritual magic" route, you'd probably need to create special "Magical [Instrument]" skills, at Very Hard difficulty, to balance them with other ritual magic variants.

One alternative to that, however, would be to require a combination of musical skills for each effect. If any given magical effect requires you to roll against the lower of two skills, then even if both skills are Average or less, you still need the same number of points in them to have the same effective level as a single Very Hard skill, so I think this would be balanced. And then you can fun figuring out which combinations of instruments, singing, and probably dancing create which magical effects.
Ok that's cool. I was already going to have it as a combination of Musical Instrument or Singing + Performance. Each technique [ritual] is under a certain instrument or singing, and is set for only that "tool". Therefore when you roll you first roll you Tool, such as Flute, then you need to roll performance. So to use ritual vernacular for Energy Acumination, the Music Instrument or Singing Skills are the PATH. The Song/Piece Tech is the Ritual. And the Performance skill is used as the Effectiveness Role.
Lameth is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-06-2017, 10:26 AM   #4
Lameth
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Default Re: Bard Magic Idea

What would you recommend for the Ritual Length of time? Should it be Energy Gathering; and as soon as you gather the needed energy the magic begins? Or effect shaping, and the Song takes X and then the magic begins? Right now on the world all ritual magic is energy gathering. But if energy gathering that is 5 mins per roll and that is not combat worthy.

Trying to find a good zone for use in combat if needed, or if allowed time to set up before hand going into combat with it. Ritual magic normally takes 10 mins minimum to use, so what's a good alternative. So what's a good way to do the TIME needed aspect of it?

Then you can give bonuses for equipment like instruments, Voice, Props, magery, talents, etc. Just a Ritual Magic. Maybe even astrological alignments, components materials. Maybe even charms like maybe recordings of the music magic. How about that?
Lameth is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-06-2017, 10:37 AM   #5
Refplace
 
Refplace's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Yukon, OK
Default Re: Bard Magic Idea

Quote:
Originally Posted by Lameth View Post
What would you recommend for the Ritual Length of time? Should it be Energy Gathering; and as soon as you gather the needed energy the magic begins? Or effect shaping, and the Song takes X and then the magic begins? Right now on the world all ritual magic is energy gathering. But if energy gathering that is 5 mins per roll and that is not combat worthy.
Effect Gatheing feels like a better fit to me.
Ritual Adept could speed the time up npormally and low cost effects could be a couple of notes butlarger and more costly effects require greater length songs.
__________________
My GURPS publications GURPS Powers: Totem and Nature Spirits; GURPS Template Toolkit 4: Spirits; Pyramid articles. Buying them lets us know you want more!
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
Refplace is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-06-2017, 10:40 AM   #6
Lameth
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Default Re: Bard Magic Idea

Quote:
Originally Posted by Refplace View Post
Effect Gatheing feels like a better fit to me.
Ritual Adept could speed the time up npormally and low cost effects could be a couple of notes butlarger and more costly effects require greater length songs.
haha So effect Shaping or Energy Gathering in your opinion ?
Lameth is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-06-2017, 11:07 AM   #7
Stone Dog
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Default Re: Bard Magic Idea

I don't have feedback other than I love the idea of bardic music being a kind of ritual magic.
Stone Dog is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-06-2017, 11:17 AM   #8
sir_pudding
Wielder of Smart Pants
 
sir_pudding's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Ventura CA
Default Re: Bard Magic Idea

Actual bards weren't musicians primarily, and were actually the lowest rank of the Gaelic poet class (fidh and olahm were the upper ranks). I would do bardic magic as some form of syntactic magic where you declaim poetry made of symbolic elements with specific magical powers.
sir_pudding is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-06-2017, 11:35 AM   #9
Refplace
 
Refplace's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Yukon, OK
Default Re: Bard Magic Idea

Quote:
Originally Posted by Lameth View Post
haha So effect Shaping or Energy Gathering in your opinion ?
LOL I meant Energy Gathering :)
I used to have a Elven Tradition based on the Muses and they used Music to gather the energy, while each Path was a different Muse. Posted an early variation f it in the forums.
Since your doing the instruments as Paths you should figure out what each does.
Types are Wind, String, drum/impact?
Then specifics like Drums for Spirit, etc.
__________________
My GURPS publications GURPS Powers: Totem and Nature Spirits; GURPS Template Toolkit 4: Spirits; Pyramid articles. Buying them lets us know you want more!
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
Refplace is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-06-2017, 11:38 AM   #10
Refplace
 
Refplace's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Yukon, OK
Default Re: Bard Magic Idea

Quote:
Originally Posted by sir_pudding View Post
Actual bards weren't musicians primarily, and were actually the lowest rank of the Gaelic poet class (fidh and olahm were the upper ranks). I would do bardic magic as some form of syntactic magic where you declaim poetry made of symbolic elements with specific magical powers.
While I like the idea of a musical magic like the op wants, poetry magic also sounds like a good addition to the toolbox. Not sure how to do it as Syntactic though but I am no poet.
__________________
My GURPS publications GURPS Powers: Totem and Nature Spirits; GURPS Template Toolkit 4: Spirits; Pyramid articles. Buying them lets us know you want more!
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
Refplace is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Fnords are Off
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 02:53 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.