Fleshing Out the Magic Systems For a Hidden Supernatural Game

[Varyon]

Originally Posted by Kesendeja

Okay, I've got a second question. When the supernatural is revealed, there will be those who can take it a step further and cast from memory. Same system, or would you suggest a different one. It will require a second advantage to use anyway, so...

How do you intend for casting to normally work? Requiring a grimoire to reference? And how do you want casting "from memory" to work - is this something where the character can freely cast any spell they've cast in the past using other means, where they can permanently memorize specific spells, or something more Vancian where they temporarily memorize spells and then can cast them at will later... but once cast they'll need to rememorize them?

My own inclination would be to use the same magic system for any of those options. So you have whatever the Advantage is that lets you use the magic to start with, either with a Limitation to require a grimoire (or whatever) or with that as a built-in restriction. Then those who don't have that restriction get rid of it in the form of a lesser restriction (needing to memorize the spells), which means buying off the Limitation (or replacing it with a lesser one), tossing on an Enhancement, or just grabbing an additional Advantage (same price change in each case, just how you account for it would vary).

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by Kesendeja

Flexibility to reskin, rules don't need to change, just the spin on the appearance.

RPM can look like whatever you want it to look like. You can even say that each caster has their own magical theme.

Originally Posted by Kesendeja

Something that has spells that I don't have to make on the fly, As much as I love the White Wolf Mage magic style, my players do not. They like spell lists. (Most have a background in D&D)

Disallow spell creation on the fly and use Spell Familiarities from How to Be A GURPS GM: Ritual Path Magic. Have the players who can help to help or otherwise skim from the tons out there on the net.

Originally Posted by Kesendeja

Rules that aren't overly complex, being able to hand over a couple of cheat sheets will make both sides of the table happier.

I can put my mostly heavily hacked RPM system on 3 pages as a handout. This is easy to do. But if you use spell familiarities then each spell encapsulates what it can do and reference needs are minimal.

Originally Posted by Kesendeja

Consistent rules to make creating spells a bit easier. They aren't stupid by any stretch of the imagination, but logical and consistent rules will make everybody happy.

That's RPM. Yup.

Originally Posted by Kesendeja

Most hate the base D&D system, but want different things from the system I decide on for the game. One wants to be able to create his own spells, and the other just wants a spell list to chose from. I want something that doesn't need a calculator to use, and won't slow the game down to much.

I had considered a heavily modified Sorcery. I've got a bunch of spells from Enraged Eggplant's site, so I'd have spell lists for that one. But fixing the other parts of Sorcery were proving difficult for me.

Both have just told me to pick something and that they will deal with it. But I'd like to find something to fit all three perimeters.

Again, RPM will suit your needs well. I use it or Sorcery for basically all my magic needs because I can hack either into the exact feel I want because both are so flexible.

Originally Posted by Kesendeja

Okay, I've got a second question. When the supernatural is revealed, there will be those who can take it a step further and cast from memory. Same system, or would you suggest a different one. It will require a second advantage to use anyway, so...

Just allow some form of Adept to do that. There. Done.

[Kesendeja]

I can put my mostly heavily hacked RPM system on 3 pages as a handout. This is easy to do. But if you use spell familiarities then each spell encapsulates what it can do and reference needs are minimal.

That sounds incredibly helpful.

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by Kesendeja

That sounds incredibly helpful.

It IS work - but once it's done the overhead of RPM is just gone. And you can add more spells as you go. The point is to control flexible casting by making the RPM system more a spell builder than anything else.

[pawsplay]

Is there a reason not to use Ritual Path Magic from Monster Hunters? It's a nice capsule of the RPG concepts, fits in a few pages, and offers both menu-type "spells" (look what handy thing you found in a book!) and the ability to devise new spells. Adepts can cast on the fly, while normies have to use full rituals. It seems like it's all there.