Dungeon Fantasy with only one Spellcaster "Class"
 

So, something I've been considering as an alternative way of running a Dungeon Fantasy game is to drop the restricted spellcaster templates (Cleric, Druid and Wizard) and replacing them with a single, broad "Mage" Template that can be customized to serve different roles, including that of Healer or "Druid". Maybe using the Magical Styles approach.

Re: Dungeon Fantasy with only one Spellcaster "Class"
 

I would strongly advise against it. It would remove guidance in character creation. You've got 350 spells to choose from, it's hard enough already to understand: what being a spellcaster means. I'd rather go the other way and even build two or three professions for wizards, with more info on what spells to take. I think that the world of Harry Potter, as distinct from DFRPG as it is, is a good analogy here: saying "this is a wizard" says nothing of the character's skills and, uhm, character. You could be a wizard warrior, wizard scholar or a wizard housewife. "Wizard" only says how you do stuff, but says nothing of what you do. Creating one "spellcaster" profession would be like making one "mundane" profession encompassing knights, barbarians, thieves and scouts. It would be messy.

Why did you consider uniting the templates?

Re: Dungeon Fantasy with only one Spellcaster "Class"
 

I don't see an issue with this. Indeed, I've considered the same myself. You'd have to use normal GURPS Magic instead of the stripped-down Dungeon Fantasy Spells, however.

Re: Dungeon Fantasy with only one Spellcaster "Class"
 

It's certainly workable. You'll loss the "D&D" feel, but that may be an advantage for you.

Re: Dungeon Fantasy with only one Spellcaster "Class"
 

Eh, honestly, I just hate D&D's arbitrary "Wizards can't learn Healing spells, that's what Clerics are for" restriction. One of the reasons I like GURPS is that it's spell-based magic system allows for a Spellcaster to have the freedom to learn whatever spells they want. So one thing I don't like in Dungeon Fantasy is shoe-horning in the arbitrary restriction, even if it's "In Genre."

Especially if I want to use Dungeon Fantasy with Banestorm and don't want to deal with adding Clerics and Druids to a setting that

I suppose the easiest approach would be tinkering the Cleric and Druid so they come off more as "White Mage" and "Nature Mage", though.

Re: Dungeon Fantasy with only one Spellcaster "Class"
 

We've run GURPS: Dungeon Fantasy that way, sort of. Really more adding healing to the repertoire of professions that don't get it normally. And I think this is probably the best way to handle it. Don't suddenly open the floodgates and let everyone cast everything – that way madness lies.

But if you've got someone who wants to play a wizard, and no one who wants to play a cleric, you'll have a lot more fun letting that guy do heals than you will having some player "jump on the grenade" and play a character they're not interested in.

The limited spell trees are there for three reasons, as near as I can figure.

1) Flavor: A wizard whose favorite spells are all about controlling trees, should just call himself a druid and have done with it. It's weird if your cleric focuses on hurling explosive fireballs, etc.

2) Niche Protection: This is the most important reason, but, when you've only got one caster, it's moot. Unless you've got a Holy Warrior and a wizard who keeps casting very clericy spells.

3) Player guidance: Often overlooked and shouldn't be. One of the best things about DFRPG is that we're back to being able to pretty quickly create characters around the table. I can't remember the last time I felt like I could do that with GURPS, just because of the massive amount of options provided by our gaming group's rather expansive library.

Re: Dungeon Fantasy with only one Spellcaster "Class"
 

There's a reason for niche protection. It doesn't have to be the specific niches that D&D uses, but I recommend against any options that lets a spellcaster pick and choose from all of the options in GURPS Magic.

Re: Dungeon Fantasy with only one Spellcaster "Class"
 

That's not really why it's in DFRPG, and it's not an arbitrary restriction. The goal is to prevent overlap among character types, so that each player can have significant and identifiable value in the game. This is especially important for new or inexperienced players, who might otherwise not be very sure how to contribute in a more freeform environment.

In fact, I would argue that one of the most important reasons for DFRPG to exist at all is to establish those character type differences as central to the game. GURPS doesn't do this at all. DFRPG is based around the concept. Removing it just gets you GURPS Lite Plus, at which point I'd wonder why you're playing DFRPG.

Re: Dungeon Fantasy with only one Spellcaster "Class"
 

Just realized, after going through my various Pyramid magazines, that I have other, simpler options.

-Clerical Magic: can be replaced or supplemented with Divine Favor rules. And honestly, I love the Divine Favor system a lot, since it fits the idea of Adventuring Priests calling upon the power of the Gods with piety.

-Wizards with "healing" magic: Issue Vol3#13, Thaumatology, has rules for "salving magic", has options for limited medicinal magics that doesn't heal injuries, but merely patches them up to allow the body to heal naturally at a faster rate. Turning Arcane Healing Magic into more of an advanced medical procedure then a miracle cure, which actually fits the tone of the Wizard as a magical "scientist".

Re: Dungeon Fantasy with only one Spellcaster "Class"
 

Which, IMO, makes it superior in all ways.