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Old 01-21-2020, 01:26 PM   #1
AlexanderHowl
 
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Default Yrth with RPM [Banestorm/Thaumotology]

Just a random question, what do you think would happen if you replaced the default magical system with a RPM magical system in Yrth? For simplicity's sake, we would have the Yrth RPM Paths equal the default magical systems Colleges, meaning that there would be 25 Paths in the Yrth RPM system. Would it primarily be a cosmetic change or would the change majorly impact the setting? Would you be interested in experimenting with such a change?
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Old 01-21-2020, 01:50 PM   #2
ericthered
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Default Re: Yrth with RPM [Banestorm/Thaumotology]

Banestorm is actually pretty agnostic about what magic system is used in it. Yes, it uses the standard system by default, but that matters in precious few places.

Yrth has at least two giant one-off rituals floating around its past: the banestorm, and the spell that made the djinn. These feel a lot more like RPM rituals gone wrong (or maybe just quirked) than something you can do with the standard magic system.

The pockets of high mana in certain places around yrth (like Caithess wizard towers) work just as well if not better as RPM sacred places.

At least one plot hook requires that magic be able to accidentally summon a demon, but that works in RPM as well as standard magic.

I've thought of doing RPM in Yrth for a campaign based on magical research into the deep secret spells of yrth, primarily the banestorm. I considered the following changes:
  • Requiring spells to be researched rather than improvised. You don't have to spend points, but the ritual should have been defined earlier. I used the concept of +0 grimoires when I did this. Yrth occasionally talks about researching spells and secret spells.
  • Adding some sort of enchantment system so that magical weapons and armor don't fade in a week.
  • I added non-book grimoires: objects that give a bonus to casting, but don't include any instructions at all. This was so that mages could have magic tools other than books.
  • Getting rid of ritual adept for connection. Though I'll admit I do that most of the time I use RPM
.

You should also take care that the magic remains relatively low-key in most situations: Yrth has magic in a lot of places, but it often isn't that powerful.

And I think that should do it.
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Old 01-21-2020, 03:03 PM   #3
AlexanderHowl
 
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Default Re: Yrth with RPM [Banestorm/Thaumotology]

RPM enchantments are magical gadgets. A Path of Enchanting could use lesser effects to impact temporary magical gadgets while it could use greater effects to impact permanent magical gadgets.
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Old 01-22-2020, 12:19 AM   #4
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Default Re: Yrth with RPM [Banestorm/Thaumotology]

Quote:
Getting rid of ritual adept for connection. Though I'll admit I do that most of the time I use RPM
Hmm? Ritual Adept has nothing to do with connection. Or are you saying that if you're crafting a Long-Range ritual, you can't use Ritual Adept while doing so?
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Old 01-23-2020, 11:36 AM   #5
ericthered
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Default Re: Yrth with RPM [Banestorm/Thaumotology]

Quote:
Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl View Post
RPM enchantments are magical gadgets. A Path of Enchanting could use lesser effects to impact temporary magical gadgets while it could use greater effects to impact permanent magical gadgets.
Sure, you can use that as the mechanism for building them in play, but what are the prices and effects of the enchantments? How much does a bow that gives +4 to hit cost? How does it compare to a +5 bow? What about a cloak that lets you breathe underwater? Or a ring that gives +2 to resist offensive spells? or a pot that summons 5 meals of soup three times a day? can you even get these?

Quote:
Originally Posted by dataweaver View Post
Hmm? Ritual Adept has nothing to do with connection. Or are you saying that if you're crafting a Long-Range ritual, you can't use Ritual Adept while doing so?
See the RPM book page 6. It presents Ritual Adept as a 40 point advantage, then breaks it down into three parts, one of which is Ritual Adept (Connection), for 10 points.

I find playing without ritual adept (connection) forces mages to find connections to the targets of spells that they can't see, and that drives a lot of flavor and concrete objectives into magic.
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Old 01-23-2020, 12:08 PM   #6
AlexanderHowl
 
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Default Re: Yrth with RPM [Banestorm/Thaumotology]

When it comes to utility items that replicate rituals, I would generally require 1 CP per energy point, modified by any application limitations. For example, a pot that creates five meals a day is using Greater Create Matter with a Duration of ten days, which would be 45 energy or 45 CP before modifiers. A pot that can be used by anyone is probably a -65% gadget modifer, plus Limited Uses (-10%) and Magical (-10%), would result in an item worth 9 CP. For 9 CP, you could have a gadget that would create five 10 lb meals every day, and the food would last ten days after creation.
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Old 01-23-2020, 12:18 PM   #7
ericthered
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Default Re: Yrth with RPM [Banestorm/Thaumotology]

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Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl View Post
When it comes to utility items that replicate rituals, I would generally require 1 CP per energy point, modified by any application limitations. For example, a pot that creates five meals a day is using Greater Create Matter with a Duration of ten days, which would be 45 energy or 45 CP before modifiers. A pot that can be used by anyone is probably a -65% gadget modifer, plus Limited Uses (-10%) and Magical (-10%), would result in an item worth 9 CP. For 9 CP, you could have a gadget that would create five 10 lb meals every day, and the food would last ten days after creation.
That doesn't play with money very well, but I get what you mean by enchanted items as gadgets: you mean buy all magic items as powers with gadget limitations.

I'd probably build such items with the powers system rather than RPM and transforming energy cost to character points. If you're going to get a final result in character points, you should use a system that's built for them in the first place.

I'm not fond of magic item systems that use character points: they act more like learned powers than objects you can find in a chest, sell to a merchant, or so forth, but that is a way to run enchantments. Its particularly suitable for magic items that are tied to families, the mages that created them, or as gifts to individuals.

I don't think its particularly Yrth-like, but I can't actually think of an instance where buying and selling magic items matters in the setting.
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