The Definite d20/D&D Conversion thread

[Laughing Man]

Originally Posted by Faolyn

Laughing Man!

I got a notice that said you replied to my post about my leveled magic system, but for the life of me I can't find it here on the boards. Did you or someone else delete it?

Anyhoo, you said:



Which was more or less the point of it--it's just a bit of D&Dism and not too dissimilar to the standard DF clerical spell lists. That, and I really hate the prerequisite system. Any system where Haircut has a longer prerequisite chain than Explosive Fireball is kinda messed up. I wouldn't use this system in any other sort of game, because, as you say, it doesn't allow for a character with wide knowledge but low power, but it does kinda help to model the struggling apprentice versus the grand master that you find in D&D-style games.

(BTW, if you did deliberately delete your post, I'm sorry for re-posting it. Let me know and I can delete this one, too.)

I decided to delete that post, because it wasn't constructive. I have no problem with you reposting it, I just found that it was more spam than not :)

edit: As I write this response I realize that it again isn't constructive. Damnit :D

edit2: To add something with a little more content: I just think that those standard prerequisites make more sense than Magery as a prerequisite. Magery feels too arbitrary to me, whereas it makes sense (to me) that you have to learn create fire and shape fire to cast something like a fireball. But that is so far off the topic here, I am just telling you that so you may understand my initial post regarding your leveled system.

[Laughing Man]

How would you guys distinguish between Wizard and Sorcerer? I am asking because I like the idea of a different feel for each caster. Like Divine Favor feels very different for a cleric than the spell magic for a Wizard. It has not to be an as dramatic difference, but I would like to have Sorcerers have their own style. Is someone with me? :D

I haven't come to a satisfying solution yet. Of course that would depend on the actuall magic system you are using, so I would be interesting in various answers :)

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by Laughing Man

How would you guys distinguish between Wizard and Sorcerer?

Sorcerers could use the regular GURPS Magic system but based on Will rather than IQ.

Wizards can use Hyperdivided Magery and Super-Memorization (with Limited Use).

[Laughing Man]

Originally Posted by sir_pudding

Sorcerers could use the regular GURPS Magic system but based on Will rather than IQ.

Yes, you could do something like this, use another attribute. I am doing something similar in my current The Dark Eye campaign and I am not liking it too much. It's basically the same thing, not really a different feel to it.

Originally Posted by sir_pudding

Wizards can use Hyperdivided Magery and Super-Memorization (with Limited Use).

Use what and what? I do not understand. Would you care to elaborate? I never heard of those terms before.

[vierasmarius]

Using standard GURPS Magic, a Sorcerer would have a smaller number of known spells, but a greater pool of energy to draw from. This might be achieved by limiting the Sorc's Magery (to the four "elemental" Colleges, for example). Based on the class description, they may also have the ability to learn new spells spontaneously without a teacher. I don't recall whether that's an enhancement to Magery, or its own advantage. (Note that I'd only use standard Magic if not using any sort of Vancian system. RPM just does that better.)

In RPM, Sorcerers and Wizards might have different Adept levels, and/or different limitations on Adept and Magery. For example, Wizards can use Adept to prepare any spell in their spellbook (and can copy new spells relatively freely); Sorcerers might only be able to apply Adept to spells they have the Ritual Mastery perk for. But the points they get back for that limitation give them a higher Magery level, making them more powerful with the spells they can cast.

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by Laughing Man

Yes, you could do something like this, use another attribute. I am doing something similar in my current The Dark Eye campaign and I am not liking it too much. It's basically the same thing, not really a different feel to it.

D&D Sorcerers basically are like regular GURPS mages already except for using Charisma to cast. It's Wizards that are different.

Use what and what? I do not understand. Would you care to elaborate? I never heard of those terms before.

Hyperdivided Magery is an option in GURPS Fantasy. Super-Memorization is a kind of Modular Ability and is in the Basic Set. Limited Use is a limitation found in the Basic Set.

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by vierasmarius

This might be achieved by limiting the Sorc's Magery (to the four "elemental" Colleges, for example)

They basically have access to the same spells as Wizards, so I don't think this works.

Based on the class description, they may also have the ability to learn new spells spontaneously without a teacher. I don't recall whether that's an enhancement to Magery, or its own advantage.

You could give them Wild Talent (Spells, Retention).

[vierasmarius]

Originally Posted by sir_pudding

They basically have access to the same spells as Wizards, so I don't think this works.

In D&D, they are limited to a very few spells per spell-level, but can choose anything from the list. With GURPS Magic's prerequisite chain, this doesn't really work. The closest fit (IMO) would have each Sorcerer choosing a set of Colleges that they have access to.

You could give them Wild Talent (Spells, Retention).

Ah, yeah, that's the one. It might have to be limited to "learning only", if they can't use it to cast spells on the fly.

[Faolyn]

Originally Posted by Laughing Man

How would you guys distinguish between Wizard and Sorcerer? I am asking because I like the idea of a different feel for each caster. Like Divine Favor feels very different for a cleric than the spell magic for a Wizard. It has not to be an as dramatic difference, but I would like to have Sorcerers have their own style. Is someone with me? :D

I haven't come to a satisfying solution yet. Of course that would depend on the actuall magic system you are using, so I would be interesting in various answers :)

In the version I did that I linked to, they cast Wildcard Magery, based on (Will+10)/2, with access to a limited number of colleges.

[Faolyn]

Originally Posted by Laughing Man

I decided to delete that post, because it wasn't constructive. I have no problem with you reposting it, I just found that it was more spam than not :)

edit: As I write this response I realize that it again isn't constructive. Damnit :D

edit2: To add something with a little more content: I just think that those standard prerequisites make more sense than Magery as a prerequisite. Magery feels too arbitrary to me, whereas it makes sense (to me) that you have to learn create fire and shape fire to cast something like a fireball. But that is so far off the topic here, I am just telling you that so you may understand my initial post regarding your leveled system.

No prob. That's the nice thing about this system--it can be tweaked to individual preferences very easily.