Re: GURPS Dark Sun Conversion
 

Okay, defilers and preservers.

There's no difference between defilers and preservers, it's just a matter of choice.

A mage can choose to draw upon the surrounding terrain beyond its ability to safely give, taking up to Magery-level in mana. Thus, defiling is more powerful, because you can draw upon a readily-available source of external magic. And in a pinch, a "preserver" which has been drained of FP, can always cast small spells by defiling (before drawing on HP, even).

How much mana does a hex of terrain have...? Well, that's to be determined.

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I think the same could be done for RPM, too. Though maybe I'd set it up as "Magery-level per 5-second gathering." Cast spells faster, or gather more energy (without risking more quirks).

Re: GURPS Dark Sun Conversion
 

Ritual Path Magic is out.

One of the options is "sacrifices from nature." It allows you to "defile" terrain (and even victims), to get free mana for spells. All without risking a "botch" or a quirk.

So we have a system of "drawing energy from the environment at safe rates," plus sacrifices (both nature AND living victims), all based on how you choose to draw energy! :-)

Without Ritual Adept, most spells are going to be either "conditional spells" (i.e., like spell slots), charms (i.e., like scrolls), and the occasional ritual performed outside of combat.

Re: GURPS Dark Sun Conversion
 

Found this thread on SJ Games about using Powers to do preserving/defiling.

Now I'm thinking that RPM could be back in. Have default Dark Sun wizards apply disadvantages (starting with Lifebane) linked to RPM advantages (say, the two time-based components of Ritual Adept and to some additional RPM magery), but otherwise leaving the basics of RPM alone.

Thus, it suits my view of "the only difference between bog-standard 'defilers' and bog-standard 'preservers' is that preservers don't draw on the extra power they can get from defiling."

The temptation is always there. Is this a situation where a little defiling is justified, as a necessary evil for the greater good?

Defilers would link more disadvantages to their RPM advantages (say, the other two parts of Ritual Adept, all of their Magery, add more defiling-tainted Magery, and so on). Preservers would buy off the linked disadvantages, to have untainted advantages.

And it all ignores the whole "how much terrain is defiled" problem.

What disadvantage (or advantage?) would reflect causing damage to large plants (trees) or animals larger than a rodent?