07-19-2019, 12:45 PM | #1 |
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Atlanta, GA
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Magic System from Modular Abilities
I've read many (many) of the posts about creating a Vancian magic system using Modular Abilities, and I want to try something like that (but not "full blown D&D Vancian").
The world I am building currently has 4 types of "magic" users, using 2 different ("Magic as Powers") systems. Powers - Divine Favor Clerics - Gain power from their God Druids - Gain power from Mother Nature/Father Sun and the holy Void Thaumatology - Sorcery Sorcerers - Bend elemental forces due to the strength of their will. No formal training. Wizards - think Hogwarts-style, dependent on wand. But I wanted to create a Magician, someone who could read a scroll and learn a new spell, independent of character points. Hence my interest in Modular Abilities. However, I do not want to use the limitation "Spells Only", because I do not want to use GURPS Magic. Instead, I want to use "Powers as Magic", so that I could build the spells (as I am doing for the other magic types). So instead, I chose the "Limited: Advantages only (no skills)" limitation. I would like the price out the abilities (as I have seen others do on the forums) as such: Modular Ability (Super memorization 5,3) Limited: Advantages Only (no skills), -10%So here is my question, I would like to add another "Trait limited" limitation (Powers p64) called: Limited: Only able to learn spells from grimoire, -40%But it occurred to me that possibly "Super memorization" has already factored in such a limitation (since it is cheaper than other types of Modular Abilities). Do you think that would be an allowable limitation to the Modular Ability? |
07-20-2019, 12:53 PM | #2 |
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: L.I., NY
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Re: Magic System from Modular Abilities
Super memorization requires a "suitable reference work", so if the mage can memorize spells from any scroll or another mage's grimoire, I don't think it should get any further limitation. If the spells have to be in a grimoire prepared and bound to the caster in some way, then I'd add a limitation.
To emulate vancian magic, should it also include limited use, so that spells are forgotten after they are used? Or is that an aspect you don't want to copy? |
07-20-2019, 02:40 PM | #3 |
Join Date: Sep 2007
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Re: Magic System from Modular Abilities
Are you sure you want Immediate Prep Required? That means you can "memorize" one spell, and must immediately cast it upon memorization. You can't prep and hold. It's really more of a long ritual cast time modifier. Regular "Preparation Required" lets you memorize a spell and then hold it as long as you like before casting it (activating the ability, that is) -- so, more like the D&D style of memorization your spells when you wake up, then casting them throughout the day.
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07-20-2019, 05:54 PM | #4 | |
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Atlanta, GA
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Re: Magic System from Modular Abilities
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And yes, I did not want to implement the true Vancian nature of old D&D magic, where you forget the spell after casting. |
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07-20-2019, 05:58 PM | #5 | |
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Atlanta, GA
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Re: Magic System from Modular Abilities
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So it will take an hour for the spell caster to rearrange their spells, but the spells themselves will NOT have the immediate prep required limitation. In fact, I plan to have all magician spells be built with: Cost Fatigue 1, -5% Requires Thaumatology Roll, -10% Magical, -10% Words (softly spoken -5%, loudly pronounced -10%) Gestures (1 hand -5%, 2 hands, -10%) (optional) |
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07-20-2019, 06:14 PM | #6 | |
Join Date: Sep 2007
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Re: Magic System from Modular Abilities
Quote:
(In that case, you do want Immediate Prep, to force the choice of the new spell as soon as the prep is completed, before you know what spells you need. Regular Prep would just give you a slot with a pending choice that you could select later. That would work out to be more like the later sorcerors' points or the 5e warlock slots - the MA slots would be "uses" waiting to be specified.) |
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