07-25-2018, 09:37 AM | #1 |
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: Idaho Falls
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Elemental magic
At home I have a folder with old photocopies of a three part article that appeared in Different Worlds magazine which describe a set of spells for several different kinds of elemental categories. The article and rules were meant to be compatible with 1e or older D&D, but I really loved them and tried to adapt them to my TFT:ITL setting
Would anyone be interested in a group think effort to revisit those spell categories and try to adapt those spells to the game now? I really liked the idea of spell casters who focused on a "theme" for their spells and these spell lists really connected to that concept. I’m sure that with help I can do a better job than I did when I was fifteen. |
07-25-2018, 09:49 AM | #2 | |
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Coquitlam B.C.
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Re: Elemental magic
Quote:
I you would like to email me a first draft of your rules, I would be happy to comment on them if you like. Contact me in a PM if you wish. Warm regards, Rick. |
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07-25-2018, 01:10 PM | #3 |
Join Date: May 2018
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Re: Elemental magic
I'm happy to pitch in...
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07-25-2018, 01:56 PM | #4 |
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: London Uk, but originally from Scotland
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Re: Elemental magic
Speciality Mages. I remember it well.
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07-26-2018, 07:46 AM | #5 |
Join Date: Jul 2018
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Re: Elemental magic
I'd also be happy to pitch in; I've messed with a few different ways of encouraging wizards to specialize and even had the opportunity to playtest one or two (which led to a fun and memorable fire mage, and a scarily overpowered "control" mage).
Those files are all on my old hard drive, but I can dig them up easily enough if there's interest. |
07-27-2018, 08:49 AM | #6 |
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: Idaho Falls
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Re: Elemental magic
I'm going to start posting ideas today - being careful not to take too many liberties with Mike's original articles. The first thing I hope to do, going to do some off line brain storming, is try to define what a "Specialty Mage" looks like from a core character creation process under the old rules, then I'll start brainstorming spell categories/powers/costs
I'll be back in a bit |
07-27-2018, 09:54 AM | #7 |
Join Date: Jul 2018
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Re: Elemental magic
Went and got those files. Here's the spell categories I came up with:
Spoiler:
I haven't yet come up with a good and balanced way of encouraging characters to specialize in one of them. Ideas I've considered include: - setting the base cost to learn any spell to 2 IQ points (for all figures), unless you have the Talent for that category - so Fire costs 2 IQ slots to learn, or 1 if you have the "Fire College" talent (probably a 2-point talent itself). Removes distinction between wizard/non-wizard characters. Not playtested. - granting DX bonuses, ST discounts, and special abilities to characters who learn a bunch of spells in one category. Playtested - can easily lead to very overpowered wizards. - allowing the purchase of Feats with XP, that give you a bonus of some kind to all the spells you know in a single category. Not playtested - might be too complex. |
07-30-2018, 03:57 PM | #8 |
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Arizona
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Re: Elemental magic
When I designed the Colleges for my GURPS I wanted the different colleges to represent different ways of manipulating Mana. So while you could learn spells from any college, they never counted as Perquisites for any other college.
If you want to do the same with TFT you could make different spell lists and have talents associated with that style of magic and even make some of them mutually exclusive. Without the generic 'Wizard' who can learn any spells in the book, magic use really becomes part of the character background and future character progression. Sure, it's a little more work for the GM, but any unique world already is.
__________________
So you've got the tiger by the tail. Now what? |
07-30-2018, 04:21 PM | #9 |
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: Idaho Falls
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Re: Elemental magic
How to make something complicated and still keep it easy, or why am I trying to reinvent something elegant.
I like the ideas that have been suggested; now I'll suggest something crazy. What if all talents and all spells cost 1 IQ point to obtain, you are restricted to a number of spells or talents equal to your IQ+Level* (Now building a character that is a warrior or a wizard or something in between is entirely in the hands of the player – I see no reason for artificial restrictions) I’m going to start from this perspective, and I’m going to write up a setting specific set of rules for specialty Mages in two parts Part 1 will cover “What is a Specialty Mage” why and how is it different from any other Wizard Part 2 will cover Spells and Talents for Specialty Mages Now, before I post the first few paragraphs of what I am thinking, let me set up some qualifiers I am rereading, from start to finish, In The Labyrinth: Game Master’s Module I am working on a split path design philosophy to determine which of two specific character creation paths I want to choose, and stick to Path 1: Some Spells and Talents will have Pre-Requisite requirements Path 2: No Spells or Talents will have Pre-Requisite requirements Path 1 allows for building things such as UCI thru UCIV, and 1-hex Fire thru 7-Hex Fire Path two does not work with my initial premise of every talent or spell costing 1 IQ (slot or point, however you like to see it) IF you decide to include lower power abilities (Spells or Talents) with the purchase of upper tier power abilities (5-hex fire includes the ability to create any fire up to 5-hexes in size, UCIII includes all abilities of UCI and UCII) - it simply is not manageable But before I get bogged down in specifics, I am going to keep reading the rule book, and in the next day post the introduction to what I think a Specialty Mage is, and how it fits into a standard Cidri Campaign There are ten Specialty Mage disciplines Earth Sea Light Dark Fire Ice Lightning Crystal Acid Wind edit: Level - I'm not sure that I will keep this word in the rules I am working up, right now it is a place holder for aspects associated with experience point accumulation and use. Last edited by Terquem; 07-30-2018 at 04:27 PM. Reason: use of the word Level |
07-30-2018, 04:36 PM | #10 |
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: Idaho Falls
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Re: Elemental magic
One of the first things that really kicked around in my head was how to manage the various "multi-hex" application spells
I then thought of an idea, what if when you create a character you only, ever, can select a spell that creates/summons/ a single hex entity (1-hex fire, 1-hex illusion, 1-hex summon) It is only when you earn experience points and trade those in for improvements (still not sure what this will look like in the revised In The Labyrinth) can you raise your skill, in stages, possible example, trade in 200 xp for increasing 1-hex fire to 3-hex fire, or improving 1-hex summon to 2-hex summon Edit: For a further example, in this system there would be no specific "Summon 7-hex Dragon" spell, and instead a Wizard would need to be of sufficient experience point total to have improved to knowing how to summon a 7-Hex "Anything" and if the system is balanced the way I think it is, a 7-hex anything is going to be a powerful creature. Last edited by Terquem; 07-30-2018 at 04:39 PM. Reason: further example |
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