Rebalancing Magery

[Say, it isn't that bad!]

Edit: It has been noted that the sense Magery provides is much more limited than I had thought. It does not need to be noted further. Noting something once is helpful. Noting something more than once, is not. Feel free to discuss other aspects of this limited sense; but there is no further need to point out that it is limited.

IMO, Magery is too cheap. It's priced as if it's "IQ (Only For *Collegiate Magic -50%)", but it actually does three different things:

1. As mentioned, act as "IQ (Only For Collegiate Magic)". This alone, IMO, is worth [10].
2. Counts as an Unusual Background for the purpose of learning more potent spells.
3. Counts as a sense for the purpose of detecting magic.
4. In addition, the discussion I see most often around Magery, is limiting it to relatively low levels; which is also an indication that Magery is too cheap.

IQ (Only For Collegiate Magic)

Fairly simple, and IMO itself worth [10]. An alternative would be costing it as a talent based on the number of spells the character knows; however, this is probably too fiddly.

Unusual Background

While "justify access to magic spells might be a 0-point special effect in a fantasy world where magic is common", various spells are "gated" behind levels of Magery 1 to Magery 3, which I view as a reason to "charge points when the character enjoys a tangible benefit." For example, Body of Air, which requires Magery 3, is far more potent in many more situations than probably any spell which does not require Magery, and more potent in more situations than most spells which require only Magery 1 (such as Spider Silk).

Counts as a Sense
Infravision is worth [10] if added to your existing senses; Radar is worth [20]. Infravision is an extension of a sense normal humans already possess; Radar is an entirely new sense no other human has an analogue for. Magery 0 is essentially a 0-point unusual background for Collegiate Magic apprentices and those raised in "wizard families"; fair enough. It also counts as a sense that no human without Magery 0+ has an analogue for, and works at sight and touch range. This makes its cost of [5] perhaps suspect. In addition, Perception +1 is worth [5], and each level of Magery counts as +1 to "sense magic"; this is probably worth [1] or [2] itself.

Discuss?

* I think "Collegiate Magic" is a good descriptive name of the standard magic system; which, after all, is organized into colleges containing spells that are themselves organized into trees based on learning more difficult subjects that are based on easier subjects. (I'm not sure that sentence is well-written, but I'm running out of energy)

[Varyon]

Away from my books, but to get a price for the built-in ability to detect magic, it seems appropriate to build the ability using Detect. Looking at the wiki, Detect (Magic) would have a base cost of [10]; is the version you get with Magery 0 something with -50% worth of Limitations?

[Fred Brackin]

Originally Posted by Say, it isn't that bad!

IMO, Magery is too cheap. It's priced as if it's "IQ (Only For *Collegiate Magic -50%)", but it actually does three different things:

[LI
Discuss?
)

You've overlooked something in IQ. It gives +1 Per(5) and +1 Will(5). Magery does neither of those so that subtracts 10 (5+5) pts for that.

So you're only starting with 10 and that would reduce your price.

When calculating the value of a Detect for the innate Magery ability you need to figure in the Vague modifier.

[Rolando]

But you don't detect "magic", you can distinguish magical items and sense mana level changes.

That is very limited and not a complete sense. With infravision or radar you can detect a lot of things and use them as a targetting sense, just like vision.

With magery you can't detect magic items even, you can sense if something you can see or touch is permanently enchanted, you can't even detect if an object is under the effect of a spell.

I don't know if making that a free feature is balanced but it sure is not even a 1 point perk.

[Refplace]

If only there was an article that covered this. Perhaps something like an Alt GURPS issue

[Say, it isn't that bad!]

Originally Posted by Refplace

If only there was an article that covered this. Perhaps something like an Alt GURPS issue

If only there was such a thing. But there obviously isn't, since you didn't list a book name or Pyramid issue number.

[brianfb]

Even if it is too cheap. Perhaps it’s like combat reflexes and it is too cheap intentionally?

[Say, it isn't that bad!]

Originally Posted by brianfb

Even if it is too cheap. Perhaps it’s like combat reflexes and it is too cheap intentionally?

The problem there is, certain combat advantages are cheaper because combat-specialists need the help... compared to mages.

[Tyneras]

I've been working on a rework of Magic that removes leveled Magery, energy reduction is an IQ+X benefit (You get it once for high spell skill and once for high Thaumatology), adds TDMs and skill tools (wands, wheee!), and spell Talents are limited to Colleges or Styles and priced appropriately.

The general goal being to knock down expected skill levels to the 12-14 range instead of the current 15 minimum the game is built around and make student mages more organic to the system.

[AlexanderHowl]

Magery is not really not too cheap when you consider that +1 IQ would give +1 IQ roll, +1 mental skills (including spells), +1 Per, and +1 Will. Now, there is an argument to be made for making Magic its own attribute, but that is a dead horse well beaten. Depending on the system though, Magery may be more or less cost effective, but that comparison is probably another conversation.

If you want to knock down the overall skill level though, I would suggest either using ritual magic or porting the Magery rules from RPM. In the former case, just be prepared for lots of marginal spell casting. In the latter case, characters would have a maximum skill level equal to Magery + 12, would gain ER (Magic) equal to (Magery * 3), and would be able to sustain a number of conditional spells equal to their (Thaumatology plus Magery). Since Magery would not add a bonus to skill levels in the latter example, you could have characters purchase up to Magery 8 (or even higher) without any major issues.