Sorcery Hacks

dataweaver · 07-28-2018, 12:30 AM

Two hacks I'm considering: the first is to do away with Sorcerous Empowerment as a derivative of Modular Abilities. Instead, it becomes a straight 4-point Advantage per level, with the level being the point cost (after dividing by five) of the most expensive spell you can purchase. The ability to improvise spells goes away entirely.

[Build: the point total is equivalent to buying the first Spell at full cost, then applying the ×1/5 price reduction to all other Spells; but 4/5 of the first Spell's cost gets set apart as a separate Advantage.]

The second hack lets you use multiple spells at once. Any spell which can be kept active while casting another spell quadruples in cost; but while it's active, you must pay an extra FP per minute to maintain it, and all rolls requiring concentration suffer a -1 penalty, cumulative with any other Spells that are active at the same time.

[Build: take the difference between the full cost of the spell and its discounted cost (that is, four times the discounted cost); then apply Costs Fatigue and a Nuisance Effect totalling -25% to bring that cost down to three times the discounted cost. I'd much rather the ability to let a Spell remain active when another Spell is cast only cost triple the Spell's reduced cost; but that would require a total of -50% in Limitations to the price differential, and I'm already pushing the limits of harshness with the -25% needed to get it down to a quadrupling of the cost.]

Yako · 07-28-2018, 01:12 AM

What I do not understand is why you do not simply do away with Sorcerous Empowerment and buy the most expensive spell at full cost, as you would do with default Alternative Abilities?

You can still add in some balancing negative and positive differences from the default, so I do not quite see why that would not be the easier approach...

dataweaver · 07-28-2018, 01:22 AM

It's the more familiar approach; but that doesn't make it the easier one. Indeed, I don't think either approach is easier; they're just different. And they're not even different in terms of the point totals, only in how you arrive at them.

The real difference is a difference in perspective. In one perspective, you have a Base Spell and a set of Alternate Spells; in the other perspective, you have an Empowering advantage and a set of Spells.

Refplace · 07-28-2018, 01:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dataweaver

The real difference is a difference in perspective. In one perspective, you have a Base Spell and a set of Alternate Spells; in the other perspective, you have an Empowering advantage and a set of Spells.

True, but with Sorcery your getting something useful for those base points. With the latter (your idea) those points are just expensive overhead.

dataweaver · 07-28-2018, 01:46 AM

They let you buy Spells on the cheap. While that is technically “expensive overhead”, it's still far cheaper than having to pay full cost for every Spell. And it's cheaper than Sorcerous Empowerment; so the fact that you don't get something extra for those base points isn't as big of a deal.

ericthered · 07-30-2018, 08:30 AM

If I reading you correctly, what you're suggesting is completely RAW. Its not a hack on sorcery, its a custom framework inspired by it using existing rules.

The 4/level is just a nice way of writing things down, and a frame of mind to be in.

The second hack is an old established one. See the "simultaneous spells" box in "The power of Sorcery" in pyramid 63.

07-28-2018, 12:30 AM	#1
dataweaver Join Date: Aug 2004	Sorcery Hacks Two hacks I'm considering: the first is to do away with Sorcerous Empowerment as a derivative of Modular Abilities. Instead, it becomes a straight 4-point Advantage per level, with the level being the point cost (after dividing by five) of the most expensive spell you can purchase. The ability to improvise spells goes away entirely. [Build: the point total is equivalent to buying the first Spell at full cost, then applying the ×1/5 price reduction to all other Spells; but 4/5 of the first Spell's cost gets set apart as a separate Advantage.] The second hack lets you use multiple spells at once. Any spell which can be kept active while casting another spell quadruples in cost; but while it's active, you must pay an extra FP per minute to maintain it, and all rolls requiring concentration suffer a -1 penalty, cumulative with any other Spells that are active at the same time. [Build: take the difference between the full cost of the spell and its discounted cost (that is, four times the discounted cost); then apply Costs Fatigue and a Nuisance Effect totalling -25% to bring that cost down to three times the discounted cost. I'd much rather the ability to let a Spell remain active when another Spell is cast only cost triple the Spell's reduced cost; but that would require a total of -50% in Limitations to the price differential, and I'm already pushing the limits of harshness with the -25% needed to get it down to a quadrupling of the cost.] __________________ Point balance is a myth.[1][2][3][4]

07-28-2018, 01:12 AM	#2
Yako Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Germany	Re: Sorcery Hacks What I do not understand is why you do not simply do away with Sorcerous Empowerment and buy the most expensive spell at full cost, as you would do with default Alternative Abilities? You can still add in some balancing negative and positive differences from the default, so I do not quite see why that would not be the easier approach... __________________ Please check out my templates for making your own "Cardboard Heroes"! Custom Cardboard Miniatures

07-28-2018, 01:22 AM	#3
dataweaver Join Date: Aug 2004	Re: Sorcery Hacks It's the more familiar approach; but that doesn't make it the easier one. Indeed, I don't think either approach is easier; they're just different. And they're not even different in terms of the point totals, only in how you arrive at them. The real difference is a difference in perspective. In one perspective, you have a Base Spell and a set of Alternate Spells; in the other perspective, you have an Empowering advantage and a set of Spells. __________________ Point balance is a myth.[1][2][3][4]

07-28-2018, 01:46 AM	#5
dataweaver Join Date: Aug 2004	Re: Sorcery Hacks They let you buy Spells on the cheap. While that is technically “expensive overhead”, it's still far cheaper than having to pay full cost for every Spell. And it's cheaper than Sorcerous Empowerment; so the fact that you don't get something extra for those base points isn't as big of a deal. __________________ Point balance is a myth.[1][2][3][4]

07-30-2018, 08:30 AM	#6
ericthered Hero of Democracy Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: far from the ocean	Re: Sorcery Hacks If I reading you correctly, what you're suggesting is completely RAW. Its not a hack on sorcery, its a custom framework inspired by it using existing rules. The 4/level is just a nice way of writing things down, and a frame of mind to be in. The second hack is an old established one. See the "simultaneous spells" box in "The power of Sorcery" in pyramid 63. __________________ Be helpful, not pedantic Worlds Beyond Earth -- my blog Check out the PbP forum! If you don't see a game you'd like, ask me about making one!