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Old 11-30-2020, 11:26 AM   #1
AlexanderHowl
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Default ST-based magic [Thaumatology]

I was wondering if anyone had done ST-based magic? For example, in a system of ST-based RPM system, Magery would grant practitioners the ability to physically grasp and warp streams of mana. In such a magical system, each stream of mana would be associated with a specific Path, meaning that magic would involve physically warping streams of magic into magical effects.

While I am using RPM as an example, there is no particular reason why ST-based magic could not be used with other systems of magic. Do you think that there would be any issues that might occur with ST-based magic? Would you ever want to try it out?
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Old 11-30-2020, 11:35 AM   #2
Varyon
 
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Default Re: ST-based magic [Thaumatology]

It would certainly be pretty counter to typical magic systems, as the brainy scholar would likely have less magic potency than the brawny fighter. There could be balance issues with a [10]/level trait giving all of the benefits of ST (HP, damage, lifting ability and carrying capacity, etc) as well as enhancing magical potency. It's not something I'd be very inclined to try out, but could certainly make for interesting characters and campaigns (I'm seeing a bunch of strongmen and bodybuilders flexing and posing to work magic).
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Old 11-30-2020, 12:06 PM   #3
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Default Re: ST-based magic [Thaumatology]

Another alternative: use DX-based rolls to grab the energy, but a success provides energy based on your damage roll.
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Old 11-30-2020, 12:07 PM   #4
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Default Re: ST-based magic [Thaumatology]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Varyon View Post
(I'm seeing a bunch of strongmen and bodybuilders flexing and posing to work magic).
So basically Alex Armstrong from Fullmetal Alchemist?
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Old 11-30-2020, 12:15 PM   #5
AlexanderHowl
 
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Default Re: ST-based magic [Thaumatology]

Well, there are greater balance issues with any attribute used for skill-based magic. With IQ, IQ provides Per, Will, and a bonus for every IQ-based skill. With DX, DX provides Basic Speed and a bonus for every DX-based skill. With HT, HT provides Basic Speed, FP, and a bonus for every HT-based skill. With Per and Will, they each provide a bonus to their respective skills.

ST is the only attribute that does not really provide a bonus to other skills, so I think that it would be less of a balance issue. The bonuses granted by ST tend to become less valuable with the introduction of magic (the old 'linear fighter, quadratic magician' issue), so making magic based off ST would tend to balance things out a bit. Of course, it could just be one magical system among many in a magical setting.

In order to prevent excessive abuse though, the magic would need to be based on the overall ST of the mage, not on any of the components (HP, Lifting ST, Striking ST, or Super ST). Practitioners could use Extra Effort to gain a bonus to their effective ST, but they would need to avoid reaching less than 1/3 FP, as their effective ST would be halved. In the case of FP-fueled magical systems, they would have to be very careful when spending FP, as reaching less than 1/3 FP would greatly reduce their effective skill.
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Old 11-30-2020, 12:20 PM   #6
Varyon
 
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Default Re: ST-based magic [Thaumatology]

Quote:
Originally Posted by RyanW View Post
Another alternative: use DX-based rolls to grab the energy, but a success provides energy based on your damage roll.
Now that's something I'd be more inclined to get behind. You could even have the option of taking a penalty on the first roll to increase your damage (and certain magical tools could serve as "weapons" to increase damage, or even make it based on sw rather than thr).

Quote:
Originally Posted by RyanW View Post
So basically Alex Armstrong from Fullmetal Alchemist?
While I didn't consider that character, yeah, pretty much.
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Old 11-30-2020, 12:27 PM   #7
Donny Brook
 
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Default Re: ST-based magic [Thaumatology]

The character Flex Mentallo in Doom Patrol seems to have used ST-based magic (or some kind of reality-warping psi).
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Old 12-01-2020, 07:45 PM   #8
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Default Re: ST-based magic [Thaumatology]

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The character Flex Mentallo in Doom Patrol seems to have used ST-based magic (or some kind of reality-warping psi).
Pretty much, yeah. I did a character inspired by him in another thread, and considered doing another but am so far going with Will for the other one. In the case of the linked character, his (psi-based) magic uses 'Expert Skill (Muscle Mystery) [ST/H]' as the core skill, and is based on Modular Abilities (Only for Allies with Summonable and Minion), but there are a number of other ways one could do a Muscle Wizard.

The character that I thought about using ST-based casting for was going to use a perk to base Intimidation on ST, and then use Intimidation as the core skill of a Path/Book style (which you could do with Muscle Mystery), but I decided that the character made more sense with a higher level of Will anyway, and so left Intimidation as a Will-based skill.
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Old 12-03-2020, 06:39 AM   #9
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Default Re: ST-based magic [Thaumatology]

I'd suggest just using a base 10. F.ex. Skill = 10+Talent+Skill and charge some-inbetween cost for the magery "talent". Say 7 points/level for Magery.

And state that Magery can be increased to any level up to your ST value - 10 or whatever.

Just straight using ST as a basis for skills is problematic since it gives so much stuff to brawny types already.
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Old 12-03-2020, 06:48 AM   #10
AlexanderHowl
 
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Default Re: ST-based magic [Thaumatology]

As noted above, ST really does not give that much, and what it does give becomes much less valuable with the existence of magic in a setting.
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