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Old 07-25-2020, 06:12 PM   #41
SimonAce
 
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Default Re: GURPS Magic: The Least of Spells

Top tier. I have been wanting to do a minor magics for all plus alchemy game for quite a while.

Originally I was going with BRP/Runequest : which is kind of tailor made for this kind of thing but this brings me back to GURPS which is awesome since my group prefers and knows it pretty well. Something to play soon I hope.
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Old 07-26-2020, 02:54 AM   #42
CeeDub
 
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Default Re: GURPS Magic: The Least of Spells

Right up my alley. Take my money!
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Old 07-26-2020, 06:53 PM   #43
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Default Re: GURPS Magic: The Least of Spells

Meh. I don't use the old magic system, so I'd rather the effort went toward Vehicles 4e.
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Old 07-26-2020, 07:19 PM   #44
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Default Re: GURPS Magic: The Least of Spells

Quote:
Originally Posted by Refplace View Post
A lot of these spells are the magical version of an Accessory perk.
Turning them into actual Accessory perks sounds like a great way to do cantrips. I did that with a few spells already, namely Light. The perk works exactly as the spell, except with no FP cost or roll needed, and it still counted for purposes of prerequisites and as a number of spells "on" for each light.
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While I do not think that GURPS is perfect I do think that it is more balanced than what I am likely to create by GM fiat.
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Old 07-27-2020, 05:14 AM   #45
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Default Re: GURPS Magic: The Least of Spells

Quote:
Originally Posted by Donny Brook View Post

Meh. I don't use the old magic system, so I'd rather the effort went toward Vehicles 4e.
Please realize that the two aren't logical alternatives. The Least of Spells was a mini-project that was easily shoehorned into a busy editing and writing schedule to produce a release after a long dry spell. Vehicle Design would be a mega-project that would sideline the entire GURPS schedule, meaning no new releases of any length for a year or two . . . because there's just one of me, and after 25 years of doing this job, I know that Vehicle Design (1) would take that long, and (2) isn't the kind of project that can be tackled in small chunks if we want a quality result

This is sort of a general commentary: I've worked on a lot of projects so far this year. I wrote a bunch, edited a bunch, reviewed a bunch. They're all short. So when they show up between now and winter, I want people to understand that they don't represent effort that could have gone toward Vehicle Design in any sensible reality. They represent a more practical use of time that pays freelancers and helps keep SJ Games in business in a difficult time.

Vehicle Design is the kind of project that would require GURPS to be doing so well that we could afford to have two or even three staff members devoted to it. One way to get there would be to support the line in difficult times for freelancers and staff alike. Those who "vote with their dollars" against anything but Vehicle Design are making sure that there's no possible way it will ever be published.
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Old 07-27-2020, 04:24 PM   #46
William
 
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Default Re: GURPS Magic: The Least of Spells

I am greatly amused by Dramatic Departure. I can think of one serious use -- if you're Unkillable and will reform elsewhere, it would certainly have a tendency to convince unknowing assailants that you are thoroughly dead. But really, I much prefer to have this spell be learned by utter drama queens who, if they have to go, are d*mn well going to go out in style.

Also love the comment on the next spell. Like that ever stopped a necromancer.

For Plant, I know exactly what I'd want from my time in my garden: Weed. Area, does no more than 1 Hit of damage in one hex, only enough to kill quite small and fragile plants, to any instance of one selected plant species (can be selected by touching a specimen if one does not otherwise know it). Needs regular application to keep weeds from getting established! (Although I suddenly imagine the problem with weeds developing magic resistance...)

Jolt seems... unusually powerful for one of these? Stun and Mental Stun are already spells with a few prerequisites each, although not a lot. Does making it a Missile spell and letting DR give a bonus help make the spell worth less than these in your opinion?

Last edited by William; 07-27-2020 at 04:27 PM.
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Old 07-27-2020, 06:28 PM   #47
Kromm
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Default Re: GURPS Magic: The Least of Spells

Jolt involves a roll to cast, then a roll to hit, then an active defense to avoid completely, and then an uncontested attribute roll at a bonus (possibly large, with any armor at all) to resist. It's therefore a failure waiting to happen. Compare any spell that stuns directly, which is a straight-up contested attribute roll.

Put another way, if I have Jolt-16, I'll roll vs. 16 to cast. At its maximum practical range of 5 yards, I'll attack at -2 to hit. The target gets to try to dodge. If they fail, they can roll vs. HT+1, which is 11 or less for a HT 10 person. If I have Stun-16, I'll cast at -5 on someone 5 yards away, for 11 or less. They'll resist with HT 10 and probably lose.
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Old 07-27-2020, 08:08 PM   #48
William
 
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Default Re: GURPS Magic: The Least of Spells

Figured it would be that, thanks.
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Old 07-29-2020, 06:12 AM   #49
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Default Re: GURPS Magic: The Least of Spells

I am curious as to why Ack (p. 7) is name Ack.
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Old 07-29-2020, 07:06 AM   #50
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Default Re: GURPS Magic: The Least of Spells



Quote:
Originally Posted by Tyneras View Post

I am curious as to why Ack (p. 7) is name Ack.
This might prove enlightening:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acknow...data_networks)
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