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Author Topic: Musings on RPG Magic Systems  (Read 7427 times)

bayonetbrant

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on: February 17, 2020, 07:59:36 AM

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Martok

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Reply #1 on: February 17, 2020, 02:58:38 PM
I just learned two things: 


1.)  I'm apparently one of the only people on Earth not particularly bothered by how magic works in D&D. 

2.)  "Vancian"?  ??? 



Anyway, it was a good article.  Even if I don't personally have a problem with D&D's magic system (or lack thereof), I can certainly see why others might be.  Having a more concrete, defined set of mechanics governing it wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing. 


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mirth

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Reply #2 on: February 17, 2020, 03:08:39 PM
1.)  I'm apparently one of the only people on Earth not particularly bothered by how magic works in D&D. 

I've ever had a problem with it, but I have friends who have literally spent hundreds of hours developing their own magic rules and spells to go with them.

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BanzaiCat

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Reply #3 on: February 17, 2020, 03:20:54 PM
My idea with fun with magic is the old gold box D&D games, and figuring out the correct tile to drop a 9th-level Fireball on, in order to crisp as many monsters as possible, without burning one of my characters.

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bayonetbrant

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Reply #4 on: February 17, 2020, 03:43:46 PM
2.)  "Vancian"?  ??? 


Based on the writings of Jack Vance

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bbmike

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Reply #5 on: February 17, 2020, 05:38:56 PM
Currently, I'm liking the Dungeon Crawl Classics magic system.

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mirth

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Reply #6 on: February 17, 2020, 05:41:41 PM
Currently, I'm liking the Dungeon Crawl Classics magic system.

No one asked you :P

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bbmike

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Reply #7 on: February 17, 2020, 08:14:56 PM
Yeah, I'm feeling very pebbly concretis around here lately.

"My life is spent in one long effort to escape from the commonplace of existence."
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Staggerwing

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Reply #8 on: February 17, 2020, 08:22:46 PM
There are herbal salves for that, made from rare medicinal flowers which grow only on the banks of the Danube.

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mirth

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Reply #9 on: February 17, 2020, 10:45:23 PM
There are herbal salves for that, made from rare medicinal flowers which grow only on the banks of the Danube.



Cleric.... losers

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BanzaiCat

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Reply #10 on: February 18, 2020, 07:21:35 AM
Yeah, you all say that until you need some healing.


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Capn Darwin

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Reply #11 on: February 18, 2020, 09:08:37 AM
We left the D&D magic system in the early 80s because it sucked. In fact we left D&D period for our own game system. 40 years, a number of revisions, but still getting played to this day.  :nerd:



Dalinore

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Reply #12 on: February 18, 2020, 09:21:49 AM
I did not mind the DnD system for magic, but have not pls DND past 3rd edition our group went with pathfinder. Rifts rpg had an ok system but had on spell you can cast at lower level that was more powerful then most high level. (Carpet of Adhesion).  Role master was an ok system there is no perfect system or spell progression with any system. Been rpging for 36 years and have not found one that was perfect.



bayonetbrant

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Reply #13 on: February 18, 2020, 10:04:36 AM
the point of the article wasn't necessarily to try and find or describe the perfect one, b/c there are different fits for different types of games.

the idea was to describe the facets of a magic system that could/should be addressed by the designers, in figuring out how to implement their system for their particular game


I happened to like the DD4e system for a high-fantasy sort of system, but I fully recognize that I'm an outlier in how much I liked 4e compared to pretty much everyone else under the sun

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Random acts of genius and other inspirations of applied violence.
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Six Degrees of Radio for songs you should know by artists you should love


Martok

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Reply #14 on: February 18, 2020, 12:04:03 PM
2.)  "Vancian"?  ??? 


Based on the writings of Jack Vance

Ah.  And here I thought it might be some obscure reference to a magic system Bartheart had come up with.  :D 

"I like big maps and I cannot lie." - Barthheart

"I drastically overpaid for this existence." - bbmike