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Old 03-18-2008, 02:54 PM   #1
MortonStromgal
 
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Default Elder Scrolls Conversion to GURPS 4e (Help Please!)

So I am trying to decide if I should use Runequest or GURPS for this campaign set in Tamriel and the GURPS conversion was going so well until I hit Magic and now I'm stuck. I can't think of a good way to have magic work. Elder Scrolls magic system seams to be the opposite of GURPS magic :( Help!
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Old 03-18-2008, 02:59 PM   #2
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Default Re: Elder Scrolls Conversion to GURPS 4e (Help Please!)

Hello. We're always happy to help, but, for those of us who never played Elder Scrolls, could you describe their magic system?
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Old 03-18-2008, 03:07 PM   #3
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Default Re: Elder Scrolls Conversion to GURPS 4e (Help Please!)

Quote:
Originally Posted by MortonStromgal
So I am trying to decide if I should use Runequest or GURPS for this campaign set in Tamriel and the GURPS conversion was going so well until I hit Magic and now I'm stuck. I can't think of a good way to have magic work. Elder Scrolls magic system seams to be the opposite of GURPS magic :( Help!
I think I'd do Elder Scrolls magic as Powers (since each spell effect is customizable) that cost FP (ER only). Use the Alteration, Illusion, Destruction, ect. schools as Foci that way each character's Power Talents map to the appropriate skills in Elder Scrolls

Alternatively you can use the GURPS Magic System. Ignore the GURPS Colleges and assign each spell to one of Elder Scrolls' colleges. Then use the Ritual Magic system, with each spell defaulting to one of those College skills.

Either way give each spell casting character a Magic Only ER to represent their magic points and only allow spells to fueled from this ER, not FP or HP.

Enchantment is a little trickier since Elder Scrolls enchanted items can only be made with captured souls (and the mechanics of this has changed greatly over the course of the series). I'll think about this and see what I come up with.
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Old 03-18-2008, 03:14 PM   #4
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Default Re: Elder Scrolls Conversion to GURPS 4e (Help Please!)

I would use the standard or ritual magic rules, and mine the game for associated flavor rather than mechanics. I wouldn't even try to use a direct transfer of the magic system from the game, as it is balanced for a single player action game, not a tabletop RPG.

Soul gems would be about the only thing I think would be necessary to transfer as a mechanic. Soul Trap becomes an Enchantment spell. Perhaps enchanting can only be performed using soul gems, and a trapped soul gives energy equal to Will+HP times some constant.
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Old 03-18-2008, 03:24 PM   #5
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Default Re: Elder Scrolls Conversion to GURPS 4e (Help Please!)

sir_pudding, good and useful answers here.

Loosely, I think the Soul Gems issue in The Elder Scrolls (Oblivion is the one I known) for Enchanting could be handled as being necessary to rob the life essence of some creature (killing it), translated maybe as his FP total x2 (it is only a vague example, perhaps the needed FP for killing someone), and the process of Enchanting being limited to introducing points from the filled Soul Gems instead from the mage FP pool.

Fatigue could be representative of the soul or psychic energy, as Ki.

But I would cast Haste upon the production of Thaumatology . . . ;)

MortonStromgal: are you going to convert some dungeons or locations, too?
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Old 03-18-2008, 03:26 PM   #6
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Default Re: Elder Scrolls Conversion to GURPS 4e (Help Please!)

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Originally Posted by demonsbane
But I would cast Haste upon the production of Thaumatology . . . ;)
Fantasy already has rules for sacrificial magic, which should be sufficient if using the spell magic system. If using Powers, though, it'll take a different approach, I'd think.
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Old 03-18-2008, 03:34 PM   #7
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Default Re: Elder Scrolls Conversion to GURPS 4e (Help Please!)

Quote:
Originally Posted by RyanW
I would use the standard or ritual magic rules, and mine the game for associated flavor rather than mechanics.
Indeed, the truly important thing is the flavour.

Quote:
Originally Posted by sir_pudding
Fantasy already has rules for sacrificial magic
Yes. I think in some place should be stressed how much useful is 4e Fantasy for completing the material in the 4e Magic book.

4e Fantasy has even some fundamental sections about Magic originally covered in 3e Magic . . .

MortonStromgal, do you have the book?
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Old 03-18-2008, 03:43 PM   #8
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Default Re: Elder Scrolls Conversion to GURPS 4e (Help Please!)

Well this is just a test right now to decide which system has a better ES feel. Frankly I was surprised at how well GURPS handled it until magic (better than MRQ IMHO) if I can get a magic system I'm happy with I will use GURPS for sure.

Elder Scrolls magic system is 6ish (depending on game) skill based schools and you pick up individual spells underneath them (like D&D spells) by learning them (but they are not individual skills just abilities you can use with your school skill)

I plan to run the whole world + extras after have some good character creation down.

Any book I dont have I can buy eventually. From 4e I currently own characters, campaigns, magic, powers, space.

I'll take a look at Powers tonight because Magic doesn't fit the feel to me, at leased so far. Some things are way harder to do in GURPS Magic (like shield self spell) in terms of pts than others.

Last edited by MortonStromgal; 03-18-2008 at 03:50 PM.
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Old 03-18-2008, 04:08 PM   #9
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Default Re: Elder Scrolls Conversion to GURPS 4e (Help Please!)

Quote:
Originally Posted by MortonStromgal
I plan to run the whole world + extras after have some good character creation down.
If you go along with the conversion, I would love to see some material ;)

Quote:
Any book I dont have I can buy eventually. From 4e I currently own characters, campaigns, magic, powers, space.
I one of these people who likes to have almost all available options at hand. Because that, I like Powers very much, but at the same time I don't disregard Magic (and the point here is: I think 4e Fantasy has a lot to add there).

Sir_pudding answers were good. Take your time, of course, for thinking about all this.
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Old 03-18-2008, 04:19 PM   #10
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Default Re: Elder Scrolls Conversion to GURPS 4e (Help Please!)

I would also suggest using Powers, since the spells are so customizable in Elder Scrolls. I would suggest requiring Costs FP and other limitations based on the skill level the player has in the underlying college. For example, if you have Illusion at a low level, your Invisibility spell will cost lots of FP and last only a few seconds before it needs to be recast; if you have a very high level it would be cheaper to cast and last longer.

If you are going for the feel of the older games, you might have Requires Skill Roll, and roll against the underlying college skill every time you cast a spell. But in Oblivion casting was automatic (I think, it's been a while); there was no risk of spell failure.
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