Help needed: Magic system for an occult horror game - Page 2

Varsovian · 10-27-2016, 05:04 PM

Hello there!

I've long been interested in the various occult horror games, especially the ones where you get to play witches, spellcasting occultists etc. I know both Mage: the Ascension and Mage: the Awakening, I also know C.J. Carrella's Witchcraft... Somehow, though, none of these games fits my idea of an occult game I'd like to play. Ascension has a good magic system, but is too comic-booky, Awakening is a bit too light for me when it comes to the tone - and Witchcraft uses Unisystem, which I really don't want to learn. So, I'm toying around with the idea of using GURPS for this kind of game... The question is, what kind of magic system to use?

Yes, I do have Thaumatology... :D Still, I just can't come up with anything workable. Maybe you guys could help me out?

The design parameters, so to say, are this:

1. I'd like the game to be scary and dark - using World of Darkness analogues, I'm thinking more of Hunter: the Vigil than Mage: the Awakening.

2. I don't want the occultists in this game to be too powerful - so, I don't want the to summon fireballs with a snap of fingers.

3. I'd like the system to allow for various and semi-realistic styles of magic: Hermetic magic, shamanism, alchemy etc.

4. I'd like the system to allow for creative spellcasting and the occultists coming up with new uses for their magic. The thing I loved in Ascension was that a mage that was, say, adept in the sphere of mind, wasn't just learning a multitude of mind-related spells, but gained a deeper understanding of mind magic and could figure out new uses for it...

Any ideas as to handle it?

BTW. Here's a great clip from Season 3 of Penny Dreadful that kind of shows the way I'd like to portray magic in my game:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-HBRGfu5HVQ

Okay, so I'm not saying that I want there to be black magic only! But the scene has the elements I'm interested in: an extended ritual, some improvisation... Other possible inspirations could be The Invisibles and Hellblazer comic books.

10-27-2016, 05:04 PM	#1
Varsovian Join Date: Dec 2010	Help needed: Magic system for an occult horror game Hello there! I've long been interested in the various occult horror games, especially the ones where you get to play witches, spellcasting occultists etc. I know both Mage: the Ascension and Mage: the Awakening, I also know C.J. Carrella's Witchcraft... Somehow, though, none of these games fits my idea of an occult game I'd like to play. Ascension has a good magic system, but is too comic-booky, Awakening is a bit too light for me when it comes to the tone - and Witchcraft uses Unisystem, which I really don't want to learn. So, I'm toying around with the idea of using GURPS for this kind of game... The question is, what kind of magic system to use? Yes, I do have Thaumatology... :D Still, I just can't come up with anything workable. Maybe you guys could help me out? The design parameters, so to say, are this: 1. I'd like the game to be scary and dark - using World of Darkness analogues, I'm thinking more of Hunter: the Vigil than Mage: the Awakening. 2. I don't want the occultists in this game to be too powerful - so, I don't want the to summon fireballs with a snap of fingers. 3. I'd like the system to allow for various and semi-realistic styles of magic: Hermetic magic, shamanism, alchemy etc. 4. I'd like the system to allow for creative spellcasting and the occultists coming up with new uses for their magic. The thing I loved in Ascension was that a mage that was, say, adept in the sphere of mind, wasn't just learning a multitude of mind-related spells, but gained a deeper understanding of mind magic and could figure out new uses for it... Any ideas as to handle it? BTW. Here's a great clip from Season 3 of Penny Dreadful that kind of shows the way I'd like to portray magic in my game: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-HBRGfu5HVQ Okay, so I'm not saying that I want there to be black magic only! But the scene has the elements I'm interested in: an extended ritual, some improvisation... Other possible inspirations could be The Invisibles and Hellblazer comic books.