GURPS Magic: The Least of Spells

[Arcanjo7Sagi]

Originally Posted by Michael Thayne

But with a lot of these spells, I have a hard time imagining anyone wanting to spend FP to cast them.

Maybe for the same reason the players use Background Skills like Hobby, Housekeeping or Games.

There are many Skills or even Perks or Advantages that are not that useful in some games, but players still use them to characterize their characters.

Not all players have a strictly utilitarian thinking. Some want their characters to look like real people and like features on the sheet that represent them in the smallest details, even if they are not so useful in most games.

[Pomphis]

Originally Posted by Kromm

The supplement suggests a few: Light, Sound, and Touch. As written, Haircut doesn't qualify because it's a fairly advanced spell with a prerequisite count of 6 – though I agree that its utility is fairly low.

Huh? In a world without enough professional coiffeurs it´s absolutely necessary for a gentleman mage, or at least his assistant mage. Maybe a bit less important than Clean, okay.

[Imbicatus]

It’s taking all my self control not to just buy this now instead of waiting for the Kickstarter fulfillment to use the credit from there.

[Kromm]

Originally Posted by Arcanjo7Sagi

Not all players have a strictly utilitarian thinking. Some want their characters to look like real people and like features on the sheet that represent them in the smallest details, even if they are not so useful in most games.

Those are actually the only kinds of players I'll game with, so perhaps my bias shows when I write. ;)

When someone optimizes their PC to death and leaves no personality, I've been known to say, "Here are 5 extra points. Spend them in front of me to turn this mess of abilities into a person."

[Michael Thayne]

Originally Posted by Arcanjo7Sagi

Maybe for the same reason the players use Background Skills like Hobby, Housekeeping or Games.

There are many Skills or even Perks or Advantages that are not that useful in some games, but players still use them to characterize their characters.

Not all players have a strictly utilitarian thinking. Some want their characters to look like real people and like features on the sheet that represent them in the smallest details, even if they are not so useful in most games.

I actually meant this from an in-character perspective. Housekeeping is a very useful skill in real life, even if it covers tasks most GMs will gloss over. And Hobby Skills and Games are things people learn because they're fun. Is casting a spell a few times and then being totally exhausted and in need of lying down for half an hour or more going to be fun for many people? I doubt it.

[Arcanjo7Sagi]

Originally Posted by Kromm

Those are actually the only kinds of players I'll game with, so perhaps my bias shows when I write. ;)

When someone optimizes their PC to death and leaves no personality, I've been known to say, "Here are 5 extra points. Spend them in front of me to turn this mess of abilities into a person."

I play/GM many "slice of life" games, with ou without powers, so, for me, I love this kind of stuff.

:)

Originally Posted by Michael Thayne

I actually meant this from an in-character perspective. Housekeeping is a very useful skill in real life, even if it covers tasks most GMs will gloss over. And Hobby Skills and Games are things people learn because they're fun. Is casting a spell a few times and then being totally exhausted and in need of lying down for half an hour or more going to be fun for many people? I doubt it.

I understand the point, but on the other hand there are a lot of videos on YouTube of people wasting energy on things that I would consider useless. The spell that can emulate a fart, for example, I can easily imagine some friends of mine using in each other just for fun.

In the Harry Potter setting, it is implied that the wizard world are full of mundane spells that could very well be done otherwise, without magic, for example.

[Prince Charon]

Originally Posted by Kromm

Those are actually the only kinds of players I'll game with, so perhaps my bias shows when I write. ;)

When someone optimizes their PC to death and leaves no personality, I've been known to say, "Here are 5 extra points. Spend them in front of me to turn this mess of abilities into a person."

I wonder how many of them really don't understand what you want them to do at that point. A lot of people who came into GURPS and similar RPGs from A Certain Famous Murderhobo Game or from computer RPGs seem to have trouble with the idea that 'role' means something other than 'Tank, Damage Per Shot, Damage Over Time, and Support' (or, that was the case the last time I met new players).

[Ulzgoroth]

Originally Posted by Arcanjo7Sagi

In the Harry Potter setting, it is implied that the wizard world are full of mundane spells that could very well be done otherwise, without magic, for example.

Though there most spells are apparently effortless (though learning them isn't), so FP expenditures aren't a consideration.

(Also it's a pretty terrible example of worldbuilding.)

[AOTA]

Lots of useful stuff with this book. Certainly gives me more options for spells in a low mana game.

[Michael Thayne]

Originally Posted by Ulzgoroth

Though there most spells are apparently effortless (though learning them isn't), so FP expenditures aren't a consideration.

(Also it's a pretty terrible example of worldbuilding.)

Yeah. This is why I suggested that if you want to do a "wizarding school" game, you make the campus a high mana zone. Actually I really do like the "IQ/A spells interact differently with mana" part of this book, that's a really cool idea.