Discussing Yrth History & Evolution of GURPS MAGIC

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If anyone would like - you can always send me an email or a private message asking "is this advantage/disadvantage available in GURPS 2nd edition", as I have booklets still.

Eventually - whether in this thread or in a different thread - I'd like to discuss what "Things" mages can do to help or hinder their armies in battle using ANY of the three different versions of GURPS MAGIC (ie GURPS FANTASY 1st edition - where we have Yrth first introduced), GURPS MAGIC 2nd edition, as well as GURPS FOR 4e.

If there is sufficient interest, I can perhaps put a summary post towards the end of the thread, that advises GMs who want to be largely able to stick to the original timeline/history of Megalos and Caithness etc - and point out those spells that were introduced after GURPS FANTASY 1st edition, that may very well make it VERY difficult to keep the original written history as detailed in either of GURPS FANTASY 1st or 2nd editions. BANESTORM, is largely a rewrite of GURPS FANTASY 1st edition, although it VERY strongly tries to retain the original material where it could (this is my opinion, and is worth what you paid for it - ie, nothing).

One other thing I'd like to point out as far as Differences between GURPS FANTASY 1st edition, GURPS MAGIC 2nd edition - and its Newer cousin GURPS MAGIC for 4e.

In the first two version of for GURPS MAGIC, an Enchanter with a skill of 12, could STILL craft a Power 20 Magic item. The problem was - they had to trade TIME for skill in enchantments. Spending twice as long to enchant an item increased the power of the item by +4. Each "base time" beyond doubling of time, added +1 to the power.

For example:

We have a single enchanter with Enchantment 12, Fireball 11. Enchantment is treated as a power of 11 for the Item in question (presumably a rod). If it takes 800 days to create the Rod, then 1600 days enchantment will increase the power of the Rod from 11 to 15. 2400 days will increase the power to 16.

Note that in the Books for GURPS FANTASY 1st edition and GURPS MAGIC, the key phrase is (under Slow and Sure enchantment)

"This method can be combined with "Power for skill," to let a mage take a very long time and make (almost) sure he has enough skill to do the job."

Be aware that this differs from the rules in GURPS MAGIC for 4e.

The reason I point this out is because magical items will likel play a role in making armies better or worse on the battle field.