Very variant spell magic
 

The standard spell magic system in GURPS assumes that spell casting is relatively common and magic items rare in the extreme. This is a perfectly valid setting assumption; I do not speak against it generally. But I have a setting in mind that's almost the opposite: magical power objects are by far the most common method of performing magical feats, and simple casting is uncommon at best. So what would be the least change needed to the spell magic system to express this element? I keep specifying spell magic because I like its structure and I know it best, and because the other systems, other than Magic as Powers, seem to be based on the same "casting common, items rare" assumption.

Re: Very variant spell magic
 

Maybe gadget-limited Magery?

Re: Very variant spell magic
 

Well, first you'll want to define what you mean by magical power objects. Do you mean enchanted items that confer the ability to cast one or two (or perhaps more) spells? Objects like wands/fetishes that grant the general ability to cast known spells (possibly with some limitations, like One College Only or similar)? Rare spell-casting (with focus objects or otherwise), but a lot of invisibility cloaks and flaming swords and the like?

The first and third imply making spellcasting difficult but enchantment relatively easy; the second is basically Anders' suggestion of Gadget-Limited Magery (although if wands are really common, it might just be Magery with Requires Wand -10% or similar). What option are you looking for?

Re: Very variant spell magic
 

Wait, how did you come to this conclusion? Spellcasting is as common or rare as Magery and the availability of learning magical skills. Magic items show up wherever the GM puts them — or if you're referring to player-created magic items, their frequency depends on the availability of enchantment spells, time, and money. I really don't see any assumptions of rarity here. Do you mean the relative ease of casting compared to crafting a magic item?

If you want magic items to dominate over casting one's own spells, one easy way is to require ceremonial casting for all magic use except when casting the spell stored in an item. Then litter your setting with magic items so the players don't have to make them.

Re: Very variant spell magic
 

Well, mostly the first. Most magicians work magic by creating objects that cast the spell in question; anyone can use them, except for the many that are mage-only. Being able to just cast a spell is pretty rare. I haven't decided about the spells of the enchantment college yet.

Re: Very variant spell magic
 

Using standard rules, however common or rare magery is in a given setting, enchanters will always be a subset of mages. And given the extremely broad range of spells an effective enchanter needs, that makes them an even smaller subset, and the extremely isolated and disciplined lifestyle enchanting requires makes that already-reduced subset even smaller. So if the setting reflects the rules, then spell casting is going to be more common, and the use of enchanted objects much rarer.

Re: Very variant spell magic
 

Since Ritual Magery is sometimes a separate advantage, maybe Magery limited with (accessibility, using magical items only) to get around magic items that require magery to use, which is nearly all of them

Re: Very variant spell magic
 

So, you essentially want casting to be difficult, but creating items that can themselves cast spells to be easy (relative to the default, anyway). The next question then is how you want skill to come into play - is anyone who picks up a given wand* of fireball going to be equally skilled in casting that spell (skill in using the cast fireball is going to be dependent on Innate Attack), or do they need to have their own skill with using it?

If it's the former, you may want to have enchantment roughly follow the default rules (but allow it to go faster and/or be cheaper), but only allow enchanting (or make non-enchanting markedly more difficult). Characters can still learn spells from other colleges, they just can't cast any (so can only use for enchanting). I'd probably price Magery as One College Only - or maybe halfway between that and full-blown Magery, considering you can still learn other college spells and get the Magery bonus, you just can't cast them. You may want to reduce the difficulty for unusable spells - this will make it easier for your enchanters to know several spells to enchant into items. This puts all the complexity on the enchanters, as the end users can just pick up any wand they meet the prerequisite for and go to town (provided they also have the relevant use skill - Broadsword for a Flaming Weapon sword, Innate Attack for a Wand of Fireball, etc). "Golf Bags of Holding" may be common, with a combat "mage" having several different wands for dealing with various situations (Fireball, Stone Missile, Sunbolt, etc).

If it's the latter, things are a bit more complex. I'd probably make most spells easier to learn, and give a discount to Magery as you're dependent on having a specific wand for each spell (somewhere between -20% and -50%, perhaps). This makes the end user have to deal with complexity (enchanter still has to), as he or she needs to both have an appropriate wand and know how to cast the spell. This will result in more focused combat mages. Which approach appeals more to you?

*I'll note I'm using "wand" as a generic term for your spellcasting items - they could be an amulet, a ring, a sword, a quiver... whatever is appropriate.

Re: Very variant spell magic
 

Allow power stones only as components of magic items. Don't allow any discounts for skill. Thus, spell casting without a tool becomes fatiguing, and something only to be done if you can't get your hands on a useful tool or your tool is temporarily discharged. If you want to go further, then increase the basic fatigue cost for spells.

Re: Very variant spell magic
 

There are two things you could do that would help this:

1) Make Enchantment magic a prerequisite for all other magic; and
2) Raise the FP costs of 'live' casting.