Expanding RPM Enchantment - Page 2

munin · 10-11-2013, 12:42 AM

I realize enchantment is not the intended focus of RPM, but it's fun to explore possibilities for world building, so … some possible setting switches:

Exceeding Conditional Ritual Maximum

Some settings have magic item shops with hundreds of items on the shelves. To allow this with RPM, we need to allow enchanters to be able to exceed their conditional ritual maximum (CRM).

Based on the break-down of Magery (Ritual Path), increasing the CRM by 1 is worth a character point at most.

The easy way to allow mages to break an enchanted item out from their CRM is to require an extra character point's worth of effort – by default, 25 days of enchanting and a skill roll (I'd say, against the core skill, not the enchantment path skill).

"Faster" Slow and Sure Enchanting

Bonus Character Points: Whatever the explanation, real-life experience seems to allow faster enchanting for a while. Enchanters can use bonus character points to hasten enchanting.

Material Sacrifice: If mages can break enchanted items out of their CRM, then magic items will have a $ value relative to their character point total. The exact ratio will depend on the setting, but let's assume the $2,000 per character point implied in Supernatural Modifications (p. B295). This is enough for a solo professional enchanter to earn a Comfortable living at TL3 or a Struggling living at TL8 (cottage crafters just aren't as valued in modern times, real modern enchanting will be done on production lines). This switch allows enchanters to speed up enchanting by acquiring an enchantable character point for every $2,000 worth of materials sacrificed (destroyed, gifted to the gods/demons, etc.) – possibly just by burning paper money. Animals can be sacrificed according to their market value, but only if their remains aren't eaten, sold, etc.

For both of the options above, the GM decides for the setting whether the conversion is instantaneous or takes time (an hour per character point, or a day, or what). If it takes time, then faster enchanting will command a higher market price than slow enchanting (the enchanter is compensated for their sacrifice and their time), which makes sense. The conversion might also require an appropriate skill roll, either against the core skill or a skill appropriate to a material sacrifice (Symbol Drawing, Religious Ritual, etc.) – failure shouldn't cause you to lose a bonus character point (just time), but might waste your material sacrifice.

Permanent Transformations

There are certain permanent changes in fantasy that don't seem to be representable by centuries-long spells or gadget enchantments. The transformation into a lich is a good example -- it's a magical process, but once completed can't be dispelled and doesn't "go away" in a no mana area (the lich might have Mana Dependency, or other problems in a no mana area, but they generally don't stop being a lich). They might have a gadget-based Unkillable advantage, but their lich racial template is innate.

Other transformations (or granted abilities) might be affected by mana or could be suppressed (they have the Magical power modifier), but can't be removed and don't imply gadgets.

Such transformations would be statted up as abilities or meta-traits, but without the gadget modifiers.

Racial transformations (becoming a lich or an Unfettered, "I was born a human, but inside I've always been a dwarf!", etc.) could be built as Alternate Form with "One Use Ever, ×1/5" and "Magical, -10%" on the 15 point part (you change once, and then the ability is gone, you're permanently changed) and possibly Onset for slow transformations, plus the normal racial template difference (without the -10% reduction).

What else needs to be explored?

10-11-2013, 12:42 AM	#1
munin Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Vermont, USA	Expanding RPM Enchantment I realize enchantment is not the intended focus of RPM, but it's fun to explore possibilities for world building, so … some possible setting switches: Exceeding Conditional Ritual Maximum Some settings have magic item shops with hundreds of items on the shelves. To allow this with RPM, we need to allow enchanters to be able to exceed their conditional ritual maximum (CRM). Based on the break-down of Magery (Ritual Path), increasing the CRM by 1 is worth a character point at most. The easy way to allow mages to break an enchanted item out from their CRM is to require an extra character point's worth of effort – by default, 25 days of enchanting and a skill roll (I'd say, against the core skill, not the enchantment path skill). "Faster" Slow and Sure Enchanting Bonus Character Points: Whatever the explanation, real-life experience seems to allow faster enchanting for a while. Enchanters can use bonus character points to hasten enchanting. Material Sacrifice: If mages can break enchanted items out of their CRM, then magic items will have a $ value relative to their character point total. The exact ratio will depend on the setting, but let's assume the $2,000 per character point implied in Supernatural Modifications (p. B295). This is enough for a solo professional enchanter to earn a Comfortable living at TL3 or a Struggling living at TL8 (cottage crafters just aren't as valued in modern times, real modern enchanting will be done on production lines). This switch allows enchanters to speed up enchanting by acquiring an enchantable character point for every $2,000 worth of materials sacrificed (destroyed, gifted to the gods/demons, etc.) – possibly just by burning paper money. Animals can be sacrificed according to their market value, but only if their remains aren't eaten, sold, etc. For both of the options above, the GM decides for the setting whether the conversion is instantaneous or takes time (an hour per character point, or a day, or what). If it takes time, then faster enchanting will command a higher market price than slow enchanting (the enchanter is compensated for their sacrifice and their time), which makes sense. The conversion might also require an appropriate skill roll, either against the core skill or a skill appropriate to a material sacrifice (Symbol Drawing, Religious Ritual, etc.) – failure shouldn't cause you to lose a bonus character point (just time), but might waste your material sacrifice. Permanent Transformations There are certain permanent changes in fantasy that don't seem to be representable by centuries-long spells or gadget enchantments. The transformation into a lich is a good example -- it's a magical process, but once completed can't be dispelled and doesn't "go away" in a no mana area (the lich might have Mana Dependency, or other problems in a no mana area, but they generally don't stop being a lich). They might have a gadget-based Unkillable advantage, but their lich racial template is innate. Other transformations (or granted abilities) might be affected by mana or could be suppressed (they have the Magical power modifier), but can't be removed and don't imply gadgets. Such transformations would be statted up as abilities or meta-traits, but without the gadget modifiers. Racial transformations (becoming a lich or an Unfettered, "I was born a human, but inside I've always been a dwarf!", etc.) could be built as Alternate Form with "One Use Ever, ×1/5" and "Magical, -10%" on the 15 point part (you change once, and then the ability is gone, you're permanently changed) and possibly Onset for slow transformations, plus the normal racial template difference (without the -10% reduction). What else needs to be explored?