A different flavor of Ritual Path Magic

[Anders]

1. Reorganize the Paths so that they better fit a TL 2 worldview. This means taking a lot of inspiration from Incantation Magic, but keep the Lesser/Greater distinction.

2. Change it to Effect Shaping - again, taking a cue from Incantation Magic.

3. Greater Effects do not increase the cost of the spell - but they do give Distortion Points (p. T193-194). This includes all flashy things like fireballs, etc. but not things like summoning demons. Basically, something like the Path of Elements would be difficult to use, but something like the Path of Mind might be easier to work.

4. I really want a Path of Illusion but I can't make it work well. Has someone made something similar or are Illusions just too limited to work as a Path?

Do you think this would work or would it collapse under its own weight?

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by Anders

1. Reorganize the Paths so that they better fit a TL 2 worldview. This means taking a lot of inspiration from Incantation Magic, but keep the Lesser/Greater distinction.

What would you reorganize them as?

Originally Posted by Anders

2. Change it to Effect Shaping - again, taking a cue from Incantation Magic.

I did this for my custom magic setting for my new urban fantasy campaign. It works quite well.

Originally Posted by Anders

3. Greater Effects do not increase the cost of the spell - but they do give Distortion Points (p. T193-194). This includes all flashy things like fireballs, etc. but not things like summoning demons. Basically, something like the Path of Elements would be difficult to use, but something like the Path of Mind might be easier to work.

Interesting. I basically declared that Greater Effects cause Long-Term Fatigue Point loss - 1 Greater Effect is 1 LFP and each additional one causes 2 LFP. This only goes away when you've sufficiently rested and not performed any magic.

Originally Posted by Anders

4. I really want a Path of Illusion but I can't make it work well. Has someone made something similar or are Illusions just too limited to work as a Path?

Illusions are really limited, honestly. Unless you start going a gnostic route and then it becomes too broad. Path of Mesmerism was Toni and my's attempt to basically shove Illusion and Enchantment from DnD into a single group. You might have to do something similiar. If not. You can always create more narrower Path skills and reduce the difficulty from Very Hard to Hard.

Originally Posted by Anders

Do you think this would work or would it collapse under its own weight?

Sure. I'd need to see more, but your premise is sound. I've literally done the same thing and it works quite well. We'll see what play shakes out.

[Anders]

Originally Posted by Ghostdancer

What would you reorganize them as?

I like the system in Incantation Magic - except that I'd add a "Life" path to deal with animals and plants and turn Demonology back into "spirit".

Originally Posted by Ghostdancer

Interesting. I basically declared that Greater Effects cause Long-Term Fatigue Point loss - 1 Greater Effect is 1 LFP and each additional one causes 2 LFP. This only goes away when you've sufficiently rested and not performed any magic.

Either Distortion Points or Threshold-Limited Mana. I like Threshold-Limited Mana.

Originally Posted by Ghostdancer

Illusions are really limited, honestly. Unless you start going a gnostic route and then it becomes too broad. Path of Mesmerism was Toni and my's attempt to basically shove Illusion and Enchantment from DnD into a single group. You might have to do something similiar. If not. You can always create more narrower Path skills and reduce the difficulty from Very Hard to Hard.

That's an interesting idea. Maybe the rules for Optional Specialization might yield interesting results.

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by Anders

I like the system in Incantation Magic - except that I'd add a "Life" path to deal with animals and plants and turn Demonology back into "spirit".

Sounds good.

Originally Posted by Anders

Either Distortion Points or Threshold-Limited Mana. I like Threshold-Limited Mana.

Distortion Points do require more work since you need to spell it out exactly what and when they are given.

Originally Posted by Anders

That's an interesting idea. Maybe the rules for Optional Specialization might yield interesting results.

That's pretty much exactly What I'd do.