|
03-24-2021, 03:18 PM | #1 |
Join Date: Jul 2020
|
Magical Traditions via the Ritual Magic system (Not RPM)
I am working on a slight variant of the Ritual Magic system found on Page. 242) of the Basic Set. In this Variant I would like to set it up so that Casters need to choose between several Magical Traditions each with it's own limited list of spell Collages. For instance Animism would mostly have Animal, Plant, Body Control, & Healing, while Glamor would mostly have Communication Empathy, Illusion & Creations, Mind Control, & Movement, ect.
In a sense they are like soft "Classes" for spellcasters (in a theory a Mage could have multiple Traditions but doing this would be quite point intensive). The Traditions are Currently Animism: "Druidic" Magic Elementalism: Your typical Pew-Pew Elemental Wizard type Magic. Glamour: Your Enchantment/Illusionist or Mesmer style magic. Mysticism: "Spirit" Magic, more for Cleric's and Necromancers. (Though I may split the two more for Balance than ought else) Each currently get's around 6 collages. Can I get some suggestions on how to tweak the System to better suit my needs, without screwing my players over? |
03-24-2021, 04:29 PM | #2 |
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Ronkonkoma, NY
|
Re: Magical Traditions via the Ritual Magic system (Not RPM)
Consider using a different core skill for each tradition. Ritual Magic is particular to invoking spirits, so it's most suited to druidic animism. Clerical magic based on invoking spirits is best governed by Religious Ritual, while religious magic based on knowledge of one's faith and traditions is best based on Theology. Thaumatology is good for what you're calling Elementalism as well as Glamour.
|
03-24-2021, 05:09 PM | #3 |
Night Watchman
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Cambridge, UK
|
Re: Magical Traditions via the Ritual Magic system (Not RPM)
You will need all traditions to be able to learn Recover Energy, or to have some other way to improve energy recovery.
Will Magery be tradition-specific?
__________________
The Path of Cunning. Indexes: DFRPG Characters, Advantage of the Week, Disadvantage of the Week, Skill of the Week, Techniques. |
03-24-2021, 08:36 PM | #4 | |
Join Date: Jul 2020
|
Re: Magical Traditions via the Ritual Magic system (Not RPM)
Quote:
The intention is for Magery not to be Tradition Specific, it should not be impossible for a caster to know multiple traditions, this is GURPS after all. That being said I might allow players to take a discount on Magery for "One Tradition Only", the only issue with that is that Magery (One Collage Only) is -40%, so I'm not sure how to price that limitation in a way that is reasonable. -10% lines up with a lot of Power Modifiers which is the closest thing I can think of in GURPS, but even that is fiddly as technically Magery already has the Magic modifier built in. Yeah that's what I was thinking I'd do. Last edited by Pbuckley; 03-25-2021 at 09:03 AM. |
|
03-25-2021, 10:05 AM | #5 |
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Panama
|
Re: Magical Traditions via the Ritual Magic system (Not RPM)
With so many colleges available I think it is a feature, not a real limitation, so no discount on Magery needed.
If anything a quirk like disadvantage if the character doesn't want to learn any other tradition (eg.: Traditionalist Elementalist (-1)). Also for a character to start with more than one tradition may be an unusual background. You may give more flavor by adding advantages and disadvantages to the traditions, social advantages/disadvantages fit perfectly for the traditions, but you may also have some available advantages for each tradition. For example Temperature tolerance and other "elemental adaptability" advantages for Elementalism; something related to true seeing, mind control, subterfuge or appearance for Glamour; green thumb, animal empathy or other nature related advantages for Animism; medium, special senses and similar for mysticism. |
03-25-2021, 10:42 AM | #6 |
Join Date: May 2007
|
Re: Magical Traditions via the Ritual Magic system (Not RPM)
Per Thaumatology, Limited Colleges is a limitation on Magery worth -30% if it only benefits two colleges, -20% for three, -10% for four (more than four and a mage is considered able to do so much that it doesn't amount to a limitation)- these should work just fine for Ritual Magic if the "core skill" is boosted for the purpose of limits and defaults on those colleges but not for others. If each "tradition" is required to take such a limitation on their Magery, this would be an easy way to differentiate different sorts of mages. Note that the usual method is to take these limitations on higher levels of Magery but have Magery 0 without limitations, so that all casters can attempt most spells but are significantly better with spells in their "sphere of influence" and are barred from even attempting spells from other colleges where they have a higher Magery prerequisite. You can decide if you wish things to play like this, or if you wish Magery 0 to be similarly limited so that mages are blocked from even attempting spells outside their focus- Thaumatology p.21 has some discussions of corner cases for limited Magery 0.
__________________
I predicted GURPS:Dungeon Fantasy several hours before it came out and all I got was this lousy sig. Last edited by ravenfish; 03-25-2021 at 10:45 AM. |
03-26-2021, 02:03 AM | #7 | |||
Join Date: Jul 2020
|
Re: Magical Traditions via the Ritual Magic system (Not RPM)
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
I know i wanted to knock down the PRC for the Plant & Animal Collages, as they have some flavor pre-reqs early on, that shaft some already niche collages (I mean Animal Can be Strong based on Setting/GM, but Plant is Niche beyond a few spells that are really useful in survival games. But overall both lag behind while having some annoying Prereq baggage.) It also helps me maintain Animisms Weather aspect without having them shine as brightly as Elementalist with Air/Water magic. I'll definitely fiddle with that. Noteworthy question Ritual Magic currently assumes that it grants access to all Collages, rather than a handful, would that justify toning it's difficulty level down? Last edited by Pbuckley; 03-27-2021 at 06:40 AM. |
|||
03-24-2021, 05:23 PM | #8 | |
Join Date: May 2007
|
Re: Magical Traditions via the Ritual Magic system (Not RPM)
Quote:
Alternatively, just make each tradition a distinct specialty of Ritual Magic.
__________________
I predicted GURPS:Dungeon Fantasy several hours before it came out and all I got was this lousy sig. |
|
Tags |
magic, ritual magic |
|
|