4E GURPS Rules left to cover

dataweaver · 05-23-2011, 03:24 AM

What I envision:

First, a chapter that adapts Magical Styles for use with Path Magic; this would involve a few new Style Perks (and possibly zero-point Features and/or Quirks) representing tweaks to the standard Path Magic rules (e.g., using the Energy-Accumulating model instead of the Effect-Shaping one; using Books instead of Paths; Mandatory Magery vs. Limited Non-Mage Ceremonies; changing the core skill; stuff like that).

Then, a chapter that writes up a bunch of historical and modern-day real-world belief systems as "Path Magic" Styles: which Paths/Books are most prominent? Which Rituals does this tradition tend to favor? What secret rituals might it teach (the mystical equivalent of "Cinematic Skills and Techniques")? What Style Perks fit it? Sample Ritual Elements for this tradition: what does it consider to be a "sacred site"? what are its mystically significant calendar dates? What materials, objects, and symbols have significance and what do they signify? And so on.

If there are any notable authentic magical traditions for which Path Magic is inappropriate, a third chapter could cover that.

And yes, this supplement would be useful for an urban fantasy campaign. For instance, one could revise and expand the Shadow War setting to include a more diverse selection of magical traditions beyond the voudoun and the Lodges. I could also see it being used in conjunction with appropriate 3e historical setting books to run a campaign that's set somewhere in the past: Old West already makes use of a 3e version of Path Magic for Indian shamen, but I think that that could be improved on; "Waves of Blood" in GURPS Horror also references Path Magic in a swashbuckling context, with a bias toward Voodoo concepts; other historical setting books often provide customized magic systems that are based on the standard GURPS Magic system, while this would provide Path-based alternatives for most.

05-23-2011, 03:24 AM	#1
dataweaver Join Date: Aug 2004	Re: 4E GURPS Rules left to cover What I envision: First, a chapter that adapts Magical Styles for use with Path Magic; this would involve a few new Style Perks (and possibly zero-point Features and/or Quirks) representing tweaks to the standard Path Magic rules (e.g., using the Energy-Accumulating model instead of the Effect-Shaping one; using Books instead of Paths; Mandatory Magery vs. Limited Non-Mage Ceremonies; changing the core skill; stuff like that). Then, a chapter that writes up a bunch of historical and modern-day real-world belief systems as "Path Magic" Styles: which Paths/Books are most prominent? Which Rituals does this tradition tend to favor? What secret rituals might it teach (the mystical equivalent of "Cinematic Skills and Techniques")? What Style Perks fit it? Sample Ritual Elements for this tradition: what does it consider to be a "sacred site"? what are its mystically significant calendar dates? What materials, objects, and symbols have significance and what do they signify? And so on. If there are any notable authentic magical traditions for which Path Magic is inappropriate, a third chapter could cover that. And yes, this supplement would be useful for an urban fantasy campaign. For instance, one could revise and expand the Shadow War setting to include a more diverse selection of magical traditions beyond the voudoun and the Lodges. I could also see it being used in conjunction with appropriate 3e historical setting books to run a campaign that's set somewhere in the past: Old West already makes use of a 3e version of Path Magic for Indian shamen, but I think that that could be improved on; "Waves of Blood" in GURPS Horror also references Path Magic in a swashbuckling context, with a bias toward Voodoo concepts; other historical setting books often provide customized magic systems that are based on the standard GURPS Magic system, while this would provide Path-based alternatives for most.