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Old 08-17-2015, 11:15 AM   #1
Clockwork_Virus
 
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Default Converting "Problematic" Spells to Powers

Hey, all. Long-time lurker here, made an account so I could ask for some advice.

I'm trying to convert some spells from GURPS: Magic to use within the Sorcery framework (Magic as Powers). It's fairly straightforward for most spells, but I'm having difficulty with others. I'm trying to keep relative point costs and effects as consistent as possible.

Healing - buying it as the Healing advantage is very expensive compared to it's cost in Magic.

Flash - how do I model the "absolute" -3 to DX? IIRC, "unresistable" Afflictions are not allowed by RAW.

Recover Energy - buying a similar level of Regeneration (Fatigue Only) is far too expensive. Is there any other way?

Missile Shield - it makes the subject immune to most missile attacks (Physical, Ranged), and it's a passive effect, so Enhanced Defenses wouldn't be appropriate.

Suspend Time and Time Out - I have no idea where to begin.

Thanks in advance!
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Old 08-17-2015, 11:39 AM   #2
Nereidalbel
 
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Default Re: Converting "Problematic" Spells to Powers

Healing: Your choice of Healing advantage or Afflicting Regeneration, depending on whether you prefer instant heals or heals over time. Either way, there's no cheap way to do it.

Flash: Multiple Afflictions, some of which have enough levels to bring effective HT below 3. In other words, stupidly expensive.

Recover Energy: Yep, another spell that becomes expensive when turned into a power.

Missile Shield: Forcefield DR matching the most powerful projectile you want it to stop. And no, it's not cheap.

Time: Control Time 10 would allow you to stop time (assuming it follows the same %change as Control Gravity).
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Old 08-17-2015, 12:52 PM   #3
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Default Re: Converting "Problematic" Spells to Powers

Magic as-is in GURPS is a code word for "point-crock." There is almost no way in GURPS to model spells in GURPS: Magic using Powers inexpensively. A few you might get away with, but for the vast majority of it, it is unlikely that anything you convert is going to be "comparable."

To be perfectly blunt, I would do away with the idea of converting the GURPS Magic spells into powers, and either develop your own system that works ala Thaumatology, or just use Powers straight up. (I am a HUGE powers fan... best book ever)


----
Edit: Though for healing I DID create a "healing" damage type, you could purchase Innate Attack with it and use all of the fancy and fun damage enhancements with it. Seemed far more appropriate. (And yes, armor did protect against it.)

Last edited by Desthro; 08-17-2015 at 12:57 PM.
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Old 08-17-2015, 01:04 PM   #4
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Default Re: Converting "Problematic" Spells to Powers

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Originally Posted by Desthro View Post
Edit: Though for healing I DID create a "healing" damage type, you could purchase Innate Attack with it and use all of the fancy and fun damage enhancements with it. Seemed far more appropriate. (And yes, armor did protect against it.)
What did you price it at?
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Old 08-17-2015, 01:53 PM   #5
A Ladder
 
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Default Re: Converting "Problematic" Spells to Powers

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Originally Posted by Clockwork_Virus View Post

Recover Energy - buying a similar level of Regeneration (Fatigue Only) is far too expensive. Is there any other way?
I use Fit (Cosmic: Recovers FP from Spells only +50%; No HT bonus -40%) [6].

For the Missile Shield and Time Stop spells, Sorcery has them in the Grimoire section.
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Old 08-17-2015, 02:42 PM   #6
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Default Re: Converting "Problematic" Spells to Powers

Quote:
Originally Posted by Nereidalbel View Post
Healing: Your choice of Healing advantage or Afflicting Regeneration, depending on whether you prefer instant heals or heals over time. Either way, there's no cheap way to do it.

Flash: Multiple Afflictions, some of which have enough levels to bring effective HT below 3. In other words, stupidly expensive.

Recover Energy: Yep, another spell that becomes expensive when turned into a power.

Missile Shield: Forcefield DR matching the most powerful projectile you want it to stop. And no, it's not cheap.

Time: Control Time 10 would allow you to stop time (assuming it follows the same %change as Control Gravity).
Indeed, expensive. I had forgotten about Cosmic/Godlike Control abilities.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Desthro View Post
Edit: Though for healing I DID create a "healing" damage type, you could purchase Innate Attack with it and use all of the fancy and fun damage enhancements with it. Seemed far more appropriate. (And yes, armor did protect against it.)
How did you price it? This seems perfect for effects like a healing aura or for emulating White Mage style healing.
Quote:
Originally Posted by A Ladder View Post
I use Fit (Cosmic: Recovers FP from Spells only +50%; No HT bonus -40%) [6].

For the Missile Shield and Time Stop spells, Sorcery has them in the Grimoire section.
I'll have to pick up the new Sorcery supplement sometime then.

But why not just use Fit [5] to achieve the same rate of FP recovery, and get the HT bonus? Am I forgetting something here?
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Old 08-17-2015, 02:47 PM   #7
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Default Re: Converting "Problematic" Spells to Powers

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Originally Posted by Clockwork_Virus View Post
But why not just use Fit [5] to achieve the same rate of FP recovery, and get the HT bonus? Am I forgetting something here?
Fit explicitly doesn't apply to energy cost of exotic abilities.
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Old 08-17-2015, 02:49 PM   #8
Anaraxes
 
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Default Re: Converting "Problematic" Spells to Powers

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Originally Posted by Clockwork_Virus View Post
Suspend Time and Time Out - I have no idea where to begin.
The example Suspend Time in Sorcery is built on the Temporal Stasis condition for Affliction found in Powers on page 118.
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Old 08-17-2015, 03:00 PM   #9
simply Nathan
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Default Re: Converting "Problematic" Spells to Powers

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Fit explicitly doesn't apply to energy cost of exotic abilities.
Cosmic for +50% would cover that change. Someone already proposed such a build in this thread.
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Old 08-17-2015, 03:23 PM   #10
Desthro
 
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Default Re: Converting "Problematic" Spells to Powers

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Originally Posted by ericthered View Post
What did you price it at?
I believe I priced it at 5 points per 1d, it seemed reasonable to me, especially since you don't get to heal diseases and regrow limbs with it and stuff. At least not for that price ;)
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