Magic Systems?

[Running Wolf]

I tend not to like the high fantasy settings, my tastes are more towards science fiction.... but that is not to say I don't enjoy a fantasy setting. Among those are the obvious Lord of the Rings, the Dresden Files (for Urban Fantasy), HP Lovecraft, Dragon Age, and the Chronicles of Thomas Covenant (Steve R. Donaldson). If you're looking for something different than a D&D style fantasy I highly suggest Donaldson. he also does a great job in his sci fi series (basically a retelling of Wagner's Ring Cycle).


I haven't picked up a D&D book on magic in dog years. I know Weird War 2 (the D20 version anyways) had a blood mage and runic mage magic system in it.

At least from the MMO of D&D I see a split in the wizard class.

GURPS has a few cannon as well as home brewed magic systems. I sort of like their vanilla magery. You choose a college of magic as your specialty. It costs more to learn a spell outside of your college.

I was also toying around with my own idea of a home brewed rune magic system. Would actually work well as a crafting item too . Have a few verbs and nouns. It can also have some fun backfire events.... Have a rune that is a symbol for CREATE and one for FOOD. Stuck on an ice berg it might conjure up a nice pot of chili or stew but it also might conjure up a tub of ice cream . A CREATE FUEL might do the same thing, depending on the die roll. You need a jar of whale oil but you get a sack of coal. Granted the players mage skill has a lot to do with getting the right results but it can make some botched failures pretty funny. It's a bit more unpredictable than having a fire ball spell either fizzle or detonate 5 ft away from your mage.

I'm still stewing an idea for a mix of a Dragon Age meets the Age of Colonization. I was thinking of severely limiting magic in that setting. No fireball spells, very few combat spells.... The magic would be more along the lines of enchanting items or people. Sort of like the spells are buffs or blessings. Say like spells that would turn a regular shirt from a regular shirt to the damage resistance of chain mail. Making a musket have a true shot (nice bonus to hit). Healing spells and such.

[AJ]

I tend to consider magic right from the very start of campaign building, because its really the core of the D&D setting.. without magic, its just dark age fantasy with alchemy, mutants and aliens.
I had played the classic D&D 'Vancian' system of magic for a long time, I also played Palladium Books games and their Potential Psychic Energy based system, both have their merits, and they work well.
Currently I am borrowing from both systems and created a Power Point based system, where the point represent the psychic ability to manipulate supernatural forces and cross-dimensional energy.

Dungeons and Dragons magic is a bit illogical, in order to be manageable.. I mean, why would a cleric be limited in the number of times and the power of spells that, essentially, their deity is providing for them? Surely the god in question could accomplish whatever task it wanted, the cleric would just be some sort of wandering meat puppet and point of view scrying slave.
Same sort of thing with witches.. just another sort of cleric really. Warlocks, same sort of issue.. except for those that can just channel elemental power, but even so, got a problem? Create a volcano.. why does it matter what level you are?

Anyway..
If I were to create a new magic system, I would either go with my power point version (which is very much about keeping it simple and making a more active, dynamic setting), where spells cost 1 P.P. per level of the spell, player characters can use their own reserve of P.P. and also harvest P.P. through ritual, empowered locations, objects, sacrifice, etc. Using more P.P. than the body can handle, however, can lead to taint and corruption, eventually causing mutation.

Or

I would use a system that has multiple types of supernatural power and ability.
Powers of Fate, where probability and the branching trousers of time are involved.. 
Powers of greater beings, so, gods and devils, greater undead, that sort of thing..
Powers of translation, where runes and rituals are just the keys that unlock engines of mystic power created long ago, all you need is to find the correct way to access the effects.
Powers of the Planes, where its all about the interplay of dimensions and manipulating the boundaries between them for various effects.
Powers of the Mind, psionics and illusion.
Then you have the powers of Objects, which is the creation, operation and lore of magic items.
And of course, necromancy.

[dungeonmistress]

Hmmm, I hadn't thought of doing a fantasy game based on good ol' Tommy Covenant. That has some real appeal and potential for me.

I like the way magic is handled in Diablo II (haven't played III, yet,) Mana available = ability to cast. Customize your weapons with gem stones to give them different powers to supplement or compliment your own. Magic is a bit complicated in D&D and when I get my players to Pathfinder, I think I will find a way to simplify it.