Modifying the GURPS Magic system for a Magic School game - Page 2

RGTraynor · 03-21-2023, 05:56 PM

(grins) Yeah, stuff like that. Yeah, sure, the kid can drop an ember on that classmate that bugs him ... if he's willing to pay the price for it. I can easily see the following dialogue:

Apprentice A: "Oh, gosh, you're not going to cast that on him, are you? You know casting that always gives you a nosebleed!"
Apprentice B (grimly snarling): "It's worth it."

girllich · 03-22-2023, 11:23 PM

Moving forward, this becomes more speculative.

I'm considering redoing most combat Regular(malediction-style) spells wholesale below into a new type I call Orthodox spells.

Orthodox spells should

Be possibly dodgeable, if you can see them, and you're very good. This makes spells somewhat less powerful. This means spells should have flight time, and be semi-physical missiles. I see this as all spells having an implicit "throw spell" applied before launch.
Mostly hit. I see this as the art of hitting should come both from manual dexterity (gunslinger style), and magical skill (curving the spell after it has launched). I see this as you targeting your spells with a dexterity+magery+spell skill.
Be near-instant. The actual time is the time it takes for the mage to aim and guide it to its target.
Be able to Aim, Brace etc for even better accuracy. Acc +1. Orthodox spells originate from the tip of your wand / hand. If the wand is in your line of sight, it counts as aimable.
Travel through most media it would make sense for them to travel through. Should not be affected by wind. Should not be a affected by DR.
Mostly just work if they hit and penetrate shield / ward / etc. Possibly this calls for high levels of magery (possibly the wand grants significant magery (4-5?), and child wizards only have magery 0/1?)
Have more range than default. This makes spells somewhat more powerful. I'd do MR as Size and Speed/Range Table: IQ+magery+magic skill-10
Should be interceptable via a magical armor-equivalent (a general spherical shield surrounding the caster. This already exists, but is called block / magic resistance. I don't like either of those- one makes spells harder to cast on allies, which is silly, and the other one is an area spell. See below.
Be parryable. This already exists in the form of ward, but ward requires specialization. See below.
Generally, high IQ/magery should not immediately erase energy costs for easy spells. I would only count actual skill ranks for cost reductions, though intend to reduce spell costs drastically.
Orthodox Missile spells - I'm not sure what I should change here, or just make them all the same.

War College

Least Stun: IQ/VE. Orthodox. You have -1 to active defenses. Adds 1d6 virtual stun damage per 0.25 point invested. Roll will against virtual stun damage for stun and loss of concentration. If you're stunned, you automatically recover the next turn.
Lesser Stun. Like Least Stun, but IQ/E, cost 0.5. Adds 1d2 virtual knockback damage (like the shape air spell) for each 0.5 energy put into the spell. The roll is the same as the virtual stun damage.
Least Mark Stun, IQ/VE: Like Least Stun, above, except it marks the target with a subtle temporary colored aura of the caster's choice, and you don't get the virtual stun damage. The aura lasts 10 minutes.
Least Spell Armor: IQ/VE, Cost 1 to cast, 0.5 to maintain. Duration, 5 seconds. Person or object. Touch. Resists IQ/VE Orthodox spells as the spell "Spell Shield"
Least Spell Parry: IQ/VE, Cost 0.25 to cast. Blocking, self only. Works like the spell "Ward" for Orthodox spells.
Least Spell Shield: IQ/VE, Cost 0.5 to cast, 0.25 to maintain. Acts as the spell "Spell Shield", but only in one facing direction. As a blocking action you can redirect it while maintaining it
Pebble: As from The Least of Spells, except IQ/E, cost 0.25, and Orthodox

girllich · 03-23-2023, 06:58 PM

I just got GPT-4, and it suggested some GREAT spells

Hasty Handwriting (IQ/E) - Energy: 1 - Self - Duration 10m
Effect: Speeds up the process of handwriting by a factor of two. Note-taking and taking dictation is improved. Can be maintained.
Instant Bookmark (IQ/VE) - Energy: 0.25 - Touch - Duration: Instant
Effect: Marks a specific page in a book with a temporary, glowing symbol that is visible only to the caster. The symbol fades after 24 hours or when the caster dispels it.
Chameleon Scribble (IQ/E) - Energy: 0.5 - Touch - Duration: 1 hour
Effect: Creates a temporary, erasable writing on a surface (up to 1 square foot) that changes color to match its background, making it difficult to see unless the viewer knows it's there. Can be maintained.

It also created the following, Drowsy Doodle, which I had it craft into a whole series of basilisk-style spells.

Drowsy Doodle (IQ/VE) - Energy: 0.25 - Touch(Basilisk) - Duration: 1m or until triggered
Effect: Draws a simple doodle on a surface that, when looked at, causes a brief moment of drowsiness(dazed) in the viewer. Useful for momentarily distracting classmates or teachers. Roll vs will. Can be maintained until the spell triggers.
Entrancing Glyph (IQ/E) - Energy: 0.5 - Touch(Basilisk) - Duration: 1m or until triggered
Effect: Creates a more complex symbol that, when looked at, causes the viewer to become fascinated(dazed) and unable to look away for the duration of the effect or until interrupted. Can be maintained until the spell triggers. Roll vs will when first seen, and each following turn to escape.
Confounding Sketch (IQ/A) - Energy: 1 - Touch(Basilisk) - Duration: 1 hour
Effect: Draws a detailed image that, when looked at, causes the viewer to become paralyzed. Only one person can be affected by a confounding sketch at a time, but the spell resets once per turn while maintained, which costs 0.25 energy each time. If you do not have the energy for this, you can choose to end the spell. Roll vs will to escape, first turn and then every minute.
Basilisk Illusion (IQ/H) - Energy: 2 - Touch(Basilisk) - Duration: 10 hours
Effect: Creates lifelike, two-dimensional illusion on a surface that, when looked at, makes everyone who sees it first drowsy (first round) and then to fall asleep. Each person who is confused adds 0.25 cost. Can be maintained. Roll vs will to escape, first round and then every hour.

I wonder what the IQ/VH should do? Create a proper, permanent basilisk?

03-21-2023, 05:56 PM	#11
RGTraynor Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Pioneer Valley	Re: Modifying the GURPS Magic system for a Magic School game (grins) Yeah, stuff like that. Yeah, sure, the kid can drop an ember on that classmate that bugs him ... if he's willing to pay the price for it. I can easily see the following dialogue: Apprentice A: "Oh, gosh, you're not going to cast that on him, are you? You know casting that always gives you a nosebleed!" Apprentice B (grimly snarling): "It's worth it." __________________ My gaming blog: Apotheosis of the Invisible City "Call me old-fashioned, but after you're dead, I don't think you should be entitled to a Dodge any more." - my wife It's not that I don't understand what you're saying. It's that I disagree with what you're saying.

03-22-2023, 11:23 PM	#12
girllich Join Date: Aug 2021	Re: Modifying the GURPS Magic system for a Magic School game Moving forward, this becomes more speculative. I'm considering redoing most combat Regular(malediction-style) spells wholesale below into a new type I call Orthodox spells. Orthodox spells should Be possibly dodgeable, if you can see them, and you're very good. This makes spells somewhat less powerful. This means spells should have flight time, and be semi-physical missiles. I see this as all spells having an implicit "throw spell" applied before launch. Mostly hit. I see this as the art of hitting should come both from manual dexterity (gunslinger style), and magical skill (curving the spell after it has launched). I see this as you targeting your spells with a dexterity+magery+spell skill. Be near-instant. The actual time is the time it takes for the mage to aim and guide it to its target. Be able to Aim, Brace etc for even better accuracy. Acc +1. Orthodox spells originate from the tip of your wand / hand. If the wand is in your line of sight, it counts as aimable. Travel through most media it would make sense for them to travel through. Should not be affected by wind. Should not be a affected by DR. Mostly just work if they hit and penetrate shield / ward / etc. Possibly this calls for high levels of magery (possibly the wand grants significant magery (4-5?), and child wizards only have magery 0/1?) Have more range than default. This makes spells somewhat more powerful. I'd do MR as Size and Speed/Range Table: IQ+magery+magic skill-10 Should be interceptable via a magical armor-equivalent (a general spherical shield surrounding the caster. This already exists, but is called block / magic resistance. I don't like either of those- one makes spells harder to cast on allies, which is silly, and the other one is an area spell. See below. Be parryable. This already exists in the form of ward, but ward requires specialization. See below. Generally, high IQ/magery should not immediately erase energy costs for easy spells. I would only count actual skill ranks for cost reductions, though intend to reduce spell costs drastically. Orthodox Missile spells - I'm not sure what I should change here, or just make them all the same. War College Least Stun: IQ/VE. Orthodox. You have -1 to active defenses. Adds 1d6 virtual stun damage per 0.25 point invested. Roll will against virtual stun damage for stun and loss of concentration. If you're stunned, you automatically recover the next turn. Lesser Stun. Like Least Stun, but IQ/E, cost 0.5. Adds 1d2 virtual knockback damage (like the shape air spell) for each 0.5 energy put into the spell. The roll is the same as the virtual stun damage. Least Mark Stun, IQ/VE: Like Least Stun, above, except it marks the target with a subtle temporary colored aura of the caster's choice, and you don't get the virtual stun damage. The aura lasts 10 minutes. Least Spell Armor: IQ/VE, Cost 1 to cast, 0.5 to maintain. Duration, 5 seconds. Person or object. Touch. Resists IQ/VE Orthodox spells as the spell "Spell Shield" Least Spell Parry: IQ/VE, Cost 0.25 to cast. Blocking, self only. Works like the spell "Ward" for Orthodox spells. Least Spell Shield: IQ/VE, Cost 0.5 to cast, 0.25 to maintain. Acts as the spell "Spell Shield", but only in one facing direction. As a blocking action you can redirect it while maintaining it Pebble: As from The Least of Spells, except IQ/E, cost 0.25, and Orthodox Last edited by girllich; 03-23-2023 at 10:24 AM.

03-23-2023, 06:58 PM	#13
girllich Join Date: Aug 2021	Re: Modifying the GURPS Magic system for a Magic School game I just got GPT-4, and it suggested some GREAT spells Hasty Handwriting (IQ/E) - Energy: 1 - Self - Duration 10m Effect: Speeds up the process of handwriting by a factor of two. Note-taking and taking dictation is improved. Can be maintained. Instant Bookmark (IQ/VE) - Energy: 0.25 - Touch - Duration: Instant Effect: Marks a specific page in a book with a temporary, glowing symbol that is visible only to the caster. The symbol fades after 24 hours or when the caster dispels it. Chameleon Scribble (IQ/E) - Energy: 0.5 - Touch - Duration: 1 hour Effect: Creates a temporary, erasable writing on a surface (up to 1 square foot) that changes color to match its background, making it difficult to see unless the viewer knows it's there. Can be maintained. It also created the following, Drowsy Doodle, which I had it craft into a whole series of basilisk-style spells. Drowsy Doodle (IQ/VE) - Energy: 0.25 - Touch(Basilisk) - Duration: 1m or until triggered Effect: Draws a simple doodle on a surface that, when looked at, causes a brief moment of drowsiness(dazed) in the viewer. Useful for momentarily distracting classmates or teachers. Roll vs will. Can be maintained until the spell triggers. Entrancing Glyph (IQ/E) - Energy: 0.5 - Touch(Basilisk) - Duration: 1m or until triggered Effect: Creates a more complex symbol that, when looked at, causes the viewer to become fascinated(dazed) and unable to look away for the duration of the effect or until interrupted. Can be maintained until the spell triggers. Roll vs will when first seen, and each following turn to escape. Confounding Sketch (IQ/A) - Energy: 1 - Touch(Basilisk) - Duration: 1 hour Effect: Draws a detailed image that, when looked at, causes the viewer to become paralyzed. Only one person can be affected by a confounding sketch at a time, but the spell resets once per turn while maintained, which costs 0.25 energy each time. If you do not have the energy for this, you can choose to end the spell. Roll vs will to escape, first turn and then every minute. Basilisk Illusion (IQ/H) - Energy: 2 - Touch(Basilisk) - Duration: 10 hours Effect: Creates lifelike, two-dimensional illusion on a surface that, when looked at, makes everyone who sees it first drowsy (first round) and then to fall asleep. Each person who is confused adds 0.25 cost. Can be maintained. Roll vs will to escape, first round and then every hour. I wonder what the IQ/VH should do? Create a proper, permanent basilisk?