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Old 03-19-2023, 09:10 PM   #1
girllich
 
Join Date: Aug 2021
Default Modifying the GURPS Magic system for a Magic School game

I'd like to be able to run a "magic school" game at some point, and to do that I'm thinking of slightly modifying the GURPS Magic System.

Spell Costs(CP)

Specifically, for the first year, I'm considering tuning down the difficulty and costs, while increasing the granularity of the default magic system. The idea is that the spells learned would be tiny, mostly touch only (to encourage wand use), and certainly won't impact worldbuilding except in the most minimal of ways, but would be sufficiently useful for minor conflicts if misused. The idea is to be able to learn a spell and use it for mischief the same day.

One problem with this is that even CP is too big for the kind of micro-spells I have in mind, so I'm considering splitting the atom on CPs again, and splitting out CPs back out into halves or even quarters, as well as adding a VE (for very easy) skill level, so that the players can go to class and learn multiple spell every week, while not significantly growing in power or number of CPs.

For instance, students would learn Brief Note, and then use it to annoy each other and their teacher with ephemeral paper airplanes and passed notes. Many of these spells most likely won't be used, but in my view add "Magic School" flavor.

Code:
[1] "Brief Note" - IQ/VE - Duration: 1 minute 
This spell allows the caster to create a single sheet of paper, 
up to one square foot in size.  This note lasts for one minute 
before disintegrating. This spell can be maintained.
More powerful spells (such as better mid-powered ones from the regular GURPS magic system) are then learnt as long-term projects over multiple weeks, mostly in later years.

  • I don't like any of the more free-form magic systems.
  • I have read worminghall. It's not what I'm looking for.
  • This would be inspired by "the least of spells", but more powerful and less costly
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Old 03-19-2023, 11:13 PM   #2
girllich
 
Join Date: Aug 2021
Default Re: Modifying the GURPS Magic system for a Magic School game

Spell Costs(FP)

I'm also considering either

Quartering FP for IQ/VE spells
  • tiny wizards shouldn't hesitate to cast tiny spells, even in situations where they'll probably get the FP back in 10 minutes
  • low level spell spamming is better supported
  • so that you can then later have costs being reduced continuously by increased skill levels. E.g, each skill level reduces cost by 0.25, except for skill levels divisible by 5.
Or Zero FP
  • IQ/VE spells are all free when you learn them (e.g cantrips)
  • IQ/E spells become free with only a full skill point invested, no matter what your skill level is
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Old 03-20-2023, 12:49 AM   #3
RGTraynor
 
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Default Re: Modifying the GURPS Magic system for a Magic School game

Huh. I've either created (or ganked) a heap of petty spells that really fall into the "This is what we teach apprentices so they can get off on the Wicked! Cool! Magics! they've learned, without setting the building on fire or summoning a damn demon." Possibly I should turn it into a blog post.


EDIT: which I just took the past hour to do: https://ravenswing59.blogspot.com/20...ng-school.html
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Old 03-20-2023, 12:29 PM   #4
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Default Re: Modifying the GURPS Magic system for a Magic School game

Quote:
Originally Posted by RGTraynor View Post
EDIT: which I just took the past hour to do: https://ravenswing59.blogspot.com/20...ng-school.html
Those are great! I particularly like "Poke", I'm going to use that!

Here are a few I've created (with GPT help). Many of these are supposed to have a dual usage for various pranks.

Student College - Available to all students. Some of these spells are taught by various teachers on a personal basis, others will be in the introductory grimoires
  • "Textbook Marker" - IQ/VE - Cost: 0.25 energy. Duration: 1 hour. Highlight duration: 1 month
    This spell highlights and marks passages in a textbook that the caster considers important, making it easier to find and review important information later. Only the caster can see the highlighting. +1 to rolls related to finding information later
  • "Page Turner" - IQ/VE - Cost: 0.25 energy - Duration: 1 hour
    This spell automatically flips through a book as you keep reading it. As soon as the caster has finished reading a page, it flips the page.
  • "Clean Slate" - IQ/VE - Cost: 0.1 energy - Duration: Instantaneous - Touch
    This spell magically cleans and erases up to 1 square feet of chalkboard or paper, or canvas.
  • "Transfer Work" - IQ/VE - Cost: 0.25 energy - Duration: Instant - Touch
    This spell allows the caster to transfer a piece of writing or a small illustration from one piece of paper, chalkboard, or canvas to another, or between underlying media. Ink will transform to chalk, etc.
  • "Brief Note" - IQ/VE - Cost: 0.25 energy - Duration: 1 minute - Touch
    This spell allows the caster to create a single sheet of paper that lasts for one minute before disintegrating into thin air. This spell can be maintained at the same cost.
  • "Label" - IQ/VE - Cost: 0.25 energy - Duration: 7 days - Touch
    This spell allows the caster to label any object with a temporary illusory label that lasts for the duration of the spell. The label is always readable, and cannot be physically removed. The inscription can include a simple symbol, or a short word of up to 10 letters. This spell is meant for labeling personal items, such as books or clothing, or for identifying objects in a group setting. This can be maintained. Does not count a spell "on".
  • "Activate" - IQ/VE - Cost 0.25 - Duration: Instant - Regular Many enchanted objects at the school- doors, pen sharpeners, etc, requires a small activation of mana to activate or open.
  • Birth Control, from The Least of Spells, but IQ/VE and Touch.
  • Alarm, but IQ/VE, cost 0.25, and touch(wand)
  • Pentagram, but IQ/E, and with no minimum size.
  • Least Continual Light. IQ/VE. Cost 1 - Duration: 2d hours - Touch. Maintains a one-foot sphere of ambient light sufficient to read with. The light has no obvious origin. Light spreads normally from illuminated objects, and it illuminates much like a kerosene lamp.

Expression College Generally spread in dorms specifically interested in beauty etc. Learning one of these spells requires seeing it cast, or being taught by an older student, but some may be available from sympathetic teachers
  • "Conceal Blemish" - IQ/VE - Cost: 0.25 energy - Duration: 1 hour - Touch
    This spell allows the caster to conceal a small blemish or mole on their face or body, making it less noticeable. Can be maintained.
  • "Cosmetic Touch" - IQ/VE - Cost: 0.25 energy - Duration: 1 minute - Touch
    This spell allows the caster to subtly play up a natural feature, such as brightening eyes, for a short period of time.
  • "Hair Tame" - IQ/VE - Cost: 0.25 energy - Duration: 1 hour - Touch
    This spell makes the caster's hair more manageable, reducing frizz and flyaways, making it easier to style and leaving it looking healthier. Can be maintained
  • "Lip Plump" - IQ/VE - Cost: 0.25 energy - Duration: 1 hour - Touch
    This spell enhances the size and fullness of the caster's lips, giving them a more luscious appearance for a brief period. Can be maintained

Delinquent College Learning one of these spells requires seeing it cast, or being taught by an older student.
  • "Hair Tangle" - IQ/VE - Cost: 1 energy - Duration: Permanent - Regular
    This spell causes the target's hair to become tangled and knotted, making it difficult to style or manage. This can be particularly effective on those with long hair.
  • "Emphasize Blemish" - IQ/VE - Cost: 1 energy - Duration: 1 hour - Regular
    This spell allows the caster to emphasize a small blemish or mole to be more noticeable. Can be maintained.
  • Spasm, as the spell, but IQ/E
  • "Item Attraction" - IQ/VE - Cost: 1 energy - Duration: 1 minute - Regular
    This spell allows the caster to attract small, lightweight objects towards them from up to two yards away. The objects will move towards the caster at a rate of about 1 inch per second, and will stop moving once they come into contact with the caster's hand or any other part of their body.
  • "Whisperer" - IQ/VE - Cost: 0.25 energy per word - Duration: 1 minute - Regular
    This spell allows the caster to speak in a very soft voice that can only be heard by one person at a time. The caster can choose who hears their whisper by focusing their attention on the intended listener while casting the spell.
  • Odor, but IQ/VE, and Touch
  • Ember, from The Least of Spells, but IQ/VE
  • Squirt, from The Least of Spells, but IQ/VE
  • Tanglefoot, but IQ/E, cost 1, and touch.

Last edited by girllich; 03-20-2023 at 01:04 PM.
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Old 03-20-2023, 02:07 PM   #5
Stormcrow
 
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Default Re: Modifying the GURPS Magic system for a Magic School game

In case it saves you any work, there is GURPS Locations: Worminghall, a medieval university that specializes in teaching magic. It uses image magic: the standard magic system, except instead of standard colleges it uses colleges of the four elements.
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Old 03-20-2023, 09:19 PM   #6
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Default Re: Modifying the GURPS Magic system for a Magic School game

Quote:
Originally Posted by Stormcrow View Post
In case it saves you any work, there is GURPS Locations: Worminghall, a medieval university that specializes in teaching magic. It uses image magic: the standard magic system, except instead of standard colleges it uses colleges of the four elements.
I've seen it, but while it is cool, it doesn't have much useful stuff for modern day magic schools. I'd love an official generic "magic school" supplement here.

Art/Pre-Illusion College Many of these are also useful in class. The teachers will have alchemical varnishes that remove the need for maintenance, which can be swiped for looney tunes-style shenanigans.
  • "Canvas Dimensions" - IQ/VE - Cost: 0.25 energy per square foot - Duration: 10 minutes
    Allows the caster to paint different directions into the same painting, so that it can look different from different angles, like a hologram. This can be maintained.
  • "Canvas Animations" - IQ/VE - Cost: 0.25 energy per square foot - Duration: 10 minutes
    Allows the caster to paint different frames of the same painting, so that it change over time. This can be maintained.
  • "Air Paint" - IQ/VE - Cost: 0.5 energy per cubic foot - Duration: 10 minutes - touch (via paintbrush)
    Allows the caster to paint on air. The resulting object is about as fragile to the touch as burnt paper, but will not collapse when moved by a mount.
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Old 03-20-2023, 09:23 PM   #7
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Default Re: Modifying the GURPS Magic system for a Magic School game

One thing that occurs to me that you may want to incorporate into some of those spells. To wit: any spell that would normally be considered illicit -- pranks and/or other impractical spells without normally useful applications are either going to be passed down hand-to-hand by fellow students, or appear in bootleg "grimoires." As such, they may very readily be glitched: significantly more difficult to cast than their power would normally suggest, greater chance for critical failures, long term side effects of which the upperclassman are unaware (or is his or her own malice at work) ... or heck, the ninth time one casts the Greater Zit Outbreak spell, a Gate yawns open, and a Pus Demon appears. Oops!

(Anecdote: my wife's longstanding PC wizard is now Grand Master of one of the world's largest chantries of magic, but there was a time where she was Apprentice Master in her home city's chantry. And while many apprentices were housed by their wizards, about sixty of them lived in a dormitory annex to the chantry, "supervised" by a couple of put-upon senior apprentices, rather like RAs in American college dorms. Numerous hijinks resulted, and while there were a few nasty incidents, most were innocuous: the botching of a bootleg Bulging Muscles spell, the Master finding four giggly pre-teen lasses putting makeup on a grotesque (but happily passive) frog demon another student had summoned, that sort of thing.)

As far as your own spells go, Girllich, I rather like the Activate spell: it really opens the door to applications where a low-level jolt of mana prods something into action. For instance, there's a plant of magical origin in one of Lois McMaster Bujold's works where a sorcerer needs to "tickle" the seeds in order for them to germinate; it's a trivial but essential expenditure.
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Last edited by RGTraynor; 03-20-2023 at 09:31 PM.
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Old 03-20-2023, 11:08 PM   #8
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Default Re: Modifying the GURPS Magic system for a Magic School game

Canonically, "cantrip" type spells are purchased as Perks and can be cast without FP cost in 1 turn by making an IQ or Will (player's or GM's choice) roll. See GURPS Magic - The Least of Spells.

Several other ideas:

Allows "defaults" from prerequisite spells to more powerful spells at -2 per missing prerequisite. Penalties can be made up by Taking Extra Time, using material components, etc.

Allow optional specializations for spells. Initially, you buy a spell as an Average (for normally Hard spells) or Hard (for normally Very Hard) skill but it only works in a limited fashion (e.g., you can just levitate things 1 yard off of the ground). When you put a second point in the spell you have the option of remaining specialized or buying the full version of the spell.

Allow "double optional" specialization to buy a spell at Easy or Average level, but with very limited effects (e.g., you can just levitate feathers). Functionally, these sorts of spells are identical to Cantrips.

Allow character points to be spent as "Impulse Points" to quickly learn new spells, etc. which are critical to the plot without having to spend any significant time studying. (E.g., Harry Potter cramming to learn useful spells before the Tri-Wizard Tournament, Hermione Granger conveniently learning to competently brew a complex potion in just a few days.)
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Old 03-21-2023, 02:09 PM   #9
girllich
 
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Default Re: Modifying the GURPS Magic system for a Magic School game

Quote:
Originally Posted by Pursuivant View Post
Allow optional specializations for spells. Initially, you buy a spell as an Average (for normally Hard spells) or Hard (for normally Very Hard) skill but it only works in a limited fashion (e.g., you can just levitate things 1 yard off of the ground). When you put a second point in the spell you have the option of remaining specialized or buying the full version of the spell.

Allow "double optional" specialization to buy a spell at Easy or Average level, but with very limited effects (e.g., you can just levitate feathers). Functionally, these sorts of spells are identical to Cantrips.
I like your suggestions. Upgrades are really how spell dependencies should work in general. If you've spent CP on a direct dependency where the entire functionality overlaps, you should be able use those costs for the cost of the total spell.

Proposed Movement College
  • "Least Hover" - IQ/VE - touch. Cost 0.25 energy per pound & and every 10 seconds, can't raise or lower anything, but things placed on a certain level stay there. Spell collapses if touched. (Taught in Athletics, for holding your ball when you swing the bat)
  • "Lesser Hover" - IQ/E - touch. (upgradable from least for 0.25 CP) - Weight costs as apportation, 1 minute, maintainable. Spell optionally collapses if touched, otherwise moves across a virtual surface at the same gravitational potential. (Great for the old falling bucket prank. Taught in the school workshop, if you sweet-talk the teacher. Generally used for holding stuff in place before you do a joining spell)
  • "Minor Hover" - IQ/A - regular (upgradable for 0.5 cp from lesser) - Weight costs as a quarter of apportation, can be used on self- great for doing that cool hover-in-place meditation, does not count as a spell on. Surface counts as smooth. (you can find this in the library, if you're diligent)
  • "Lesser Flight / Self Hover" - IQ/H - (Upgrade from minor hover, and any apportation spell) as the spell Levitation, except self only, weight costs as half apportation, and does not count as a spell on
  • Flight, as the spell. Upgrade from lesser flight.
  • "Item Attraction" - IQ/VE - An item of max 1 ounce moves towards caster, 0.25 per second (the delinquent hack. If the item is intercepted in flight, costs double, and the spell can't be ended for at least 5 seconds, and causes a nosebleed - not upgradable)
  • "Lesser Apportation" - IQ/E Item moves across floor-like surface. Costs as apportation, modified by friction (things that roll 1/4 cost and move 2, smooth floors 1/2, stone floors move 0.5). Can be combined with Lesser or Minor Hover for non-caster objects only
  • "Minor Apportation - IQ/A - (Upgradable from lesser apportation for 0.5) As lesser apportation, but any surface, and always move 1. Item will bounce, rebound, roll, and get to where you want it. This generally damages fragile objects.
  • "Apportation", as the spell, except using the Psionic Powers range table. (Upgrade from minor apportation *and* requires lesser hover) IQ/VH

Quote:
Originally Posted by Pursuivant View Post
Allow character points to be spent as "Impulse Points" to quickly learn new spells, etc. which are critical to the plot without having to spend any significant time studying. (E.g., Harry Potter cramming to learn useful spells before the Tri-Wizard Tournament, Hermione Granger conveniently learning to competently brew a complex potion in just a few days.)
This is why I like the quartered points. The idea is that I grant an ongoing supply of at least 0.25 CP a week to represent ongoing studies, which are then immediately spent.

Last edited by girllich; 03-21-2023 at 02:28 PM.
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Old 03-21-2023, 04:08 PM   #10
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Default Re: Modifying the GURPS Magic system for a Magic School game

Quote:
Originally Posted by RGTraynor View Post
One thing that occurs to me that you may want to incorporate into some of those spells. To wit: any spell that would normally be considered illicit -- pranks and/or other impractical spells without normally useful applications are either going to be passed down hand-to-hand by fellow students, or appear in bootleg "grimoires." As such, they may very readily be glitched: significantly more difficult to cast than their power would normally suggest, greater chance for critical failures, long term side effects of which the upperclassman are unaware (or is his or her own malice at work) ... or heck, the ninth time one casts the Greater Zit Outbreak spell, a Gate yawns open, and a Pus Demon appears. Oops!
I like this a lot! I've rewritten a few of the delinquent spells:
  • "Whisperer" - IQ/VE - Cost: 0.25 energy per word - Regular.
    Effective skill is reduced by 1 for each word, until the spell fails. If the spell fails and the caster is still speaking for any reason, they get laryngitis.
  • "Item Attraction" - IQ/VE - 0.25 per second.
    An item of max 1 ounce moves towards caster at 6 inches per second. If the item is intercepted in flight, costs double, the spell can't be ended for at least 5 seconds, and causes a nosebleed in the caster.
  • Ember, from The Least of Spells, but IQ/VE, and there is a side effect.
    Their (wand/staff)-tip begins to smoke, like an extinguished match *or* if cast without a wand, they get a first degree burn on the tip of a finger.
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