Muddling around with magic
Posted: Fri Sep 16, 2011 4:46 amHi,
It's been a while since I've had any time to play around with RPGy stuff. To be honest, I don't have time now either, but I decided to mess around with some ideas anyway. I've been playing around a bit with magic systems in my head. I've mocked up some material on a sort of verb+noun based system. Nothing spectacular (and a little bit M:tG in certain aspects oddly enough), but I sort of think it might be flexible enough and restrictive enough to meet the needs of the setting I'm thinking about here. Anyway, here's the idea:
Magic in Spellwoven is governed using a 'faceted' magic system. In a faceted system, spells are made up of components that are interchangeable. Spellwoven builds spells of three facets: Power, Modus and Foci. There are different ways for a spellcaster to gather Power for a spell. It can be harvested from the self, from the environment or from other beings: though the latter is the remit of dark magics if the person or creature is being used as an unwilling source of magical energies. Spells have a form or purpose, and this is defined within their Modus. Finally, spells have a subject that they are set upon, and this is defined by their Foci.
Magic is organised inside of Talents, and these Talents have Power, Modus and Foci facets that are more or less unique. The Talents are:
Dominions of Will
Friend of Beasts
Healer of Flesh and Spirit
Keeper of the Elder Flame
Knower of Visions
Master of Agony and Terror
Lord over the Dead
Warder of Light
Weaver of Illusions
Whisperer of Shadows
Wielder of Old Powers
Shepherd of Leaf and Tree
As an example, the Talent Keeper of the Elder Flame is outlined below. No facet can be doubled up. That is, you cannot use both Blood Arts and Reaping in a spell, or use both Bolt and Shield, or Bolt twice.
Workers of magic will have access to only one or two Talents, and within each Talent, they will know only some of the Facets. Facets from different Talents can be crossed over to make composite spells, so that for example, you could harvest fire (Keeper of the Elder Flame) to gather energy to power a spell of shadows (Whisperer of Shadows) if you know all of the correct Facets.
You can use Powers on their own to gather power, then either hold that power to the next round, or expend it on raw magic. However, any proper spell will require Power, Modus and Foci.
Raw magic
Excess power can be used in two basic ways. The least dangerous is to use to power to add impressive effects to your magic. This 'Show of Power' can even be used on its own, to impress upon a doubtful audience that you are not to be trifled with. A point of power could be used to make your voice boom, or shadows deepen around you, to make you seem taller, or make your eyes blaze.
The second way to release excess power is to let go of the power in a flash of raw magical energy. This deals you one Wound, but deals every character or object that is within a foot of you Wounds equal to the Power released.
Powers
Blood Arts: Draws power directly from your flesh. Expend 1 Health. Gain 3 pwr. Timing: Move action to start of round.
Call of Power: Expend 2 Fatigue. Gain 3 pwr. Timing: Move action to end of round.
Reaping: Gather Power from a nearby natural fire. Candle = 1 pwr. Campfire or hearth = 2 pwr. Bonfire = 3 pwr. Timing: Move to end of round.
Song of Power: For every turn spent in magical chant, gain 1 pwr. One round to chant and one to cast = 2 pwr. Two rounds to chant and one to cast = 3 pwr etc. Timing: Occupies multiple turns, then spell occurs on your turn as normal.
Word of Power: Expend 1 Fatigue. Gain 1 pwr. Timing: Move action to start of round.
Modus
Animate: Allows you to add shape, form and movement (such as that of an animal) to a body of the foci. Largely just for show. Cost = 1.
Conjure: Summons up a volume of the foci material that you can weave or command for a total of three rounds (including the summoning round). At the end of the three rounds the conjured material continues to exist, but behaves naturally. Greater power conjures more of the foci, where 3 pwr = enough to make a wall or fill a room. Not very effective if used as a weapon: inflicts (pwr. -3 wounds; i.e. if 4 pwr is used, 1 wound can be inflected against everything within the conjured material).
Command: Allows you to command and control the flow of a body of foci. Cost = 1.
Bolt: Combative magic that inflicts three wounds on a single target. Cost = 1 pwr.
Blast: Combat magic that inflicts multiple wounds on an area. Cost = 1 pwr + X pwr for X wounds.
Shield: Protects yourself or another from the effects of the foci, whether natural or unnatural (i.e. shield could be used to protect against natural fire, but also against dragonfire or against a fiery spell). Protection lasts for 3 rounds. Cost = 2 pwr.
Foci
None of the Foci in this talent add to power cost, but a foci is required for all spells.
Ashes, Embers, Fire, Lightning, Smoke, Sparks
Example spells
Word of Power / Bolt / Lightning: Occurs at the start of the round and inflicts three wounds on a single target by discharging a bolt of lightning.
Reaping / Conjure / Smoke: Occurs at the end of the round and relies on the nearby presence of a natural fire for magical energy. The spell conjures smoke into the air, though the volume will depend on how much Power can be harvested from the fire.
Formulising spells:
You can Formulise a spell, by giving it a name, writing out the facets and an accompanying description. This then becomes a spell that is personal to you. You gain any one of the following advantages whenever you cast this personalised spell. The advantage is built into the Formulised spell (i.e. you can't keep swapping around advantages). It takes one week of study and practise to Formulise a spell.
- The spell's action is moved to the start of the round in which it would normally occur
- The spell's cost in Power is reduced by 1 point
- The spell's cost in Fatigue is reduced by 1 point
- The spell's cost in Health is reduced by 1 point
An example of a Formalised spell might look like this:
Arc of Golden Embers: Word of Power / Bolt / Embers. Bonus: Power less by 1. This spell shoots a bolt of glowing embers at any one target dealing 3 wounds. The excess Power is used up in a flare of light that makes the Character's eyes glow with light like a smouldering fire. After the spell has been cast, there remains a strong smell of woodsmoke on the air.
…or this:
Storm Most Ashen and Bitter: Call of Power / Conjure / Ash. Bonus: The spell's action is moved to the start of the round. Storm Most Ashen and Bitter conjured up a swirl of ash and soot. The Call of Power gathers 3 Power, so that the spell will summon up enough ash to fill a reasonable room. The conjured ash can be commanded by the caster for three rounds. It can be used to blind and choke, but does not deal injury.
- Feel free to let me know if that makes sense and/or looks playable.
Chris
It's been a while since I've had any time to play around with RPGy stuff. To be honest, I don't have time now either, but I decided to mess around with some ideas anyway. I've been playing around a bit with magic systems in my head. I've mocked up some material on a sort of verb+noun based system. Nothing spectacular (and a little bit M:tG in certain aspects oddly enough), but I sort of think it might be flexible enough and restrictive enough to meet the needs of the setting I'm thinking about here. Anyway, here's the idea:
Magic in Spellwoven is governed using a 'faceted' magic system. In a faceted system, spells are made up of components that are interchangeable. Spellwoven builds spells of three facets: Power, Modus and Foci. There are different ways for a spellcaster to gather Power for a spell. It can be harvested from the self, from the environment or from other beings: though the latter is the remit of dark magics if the person or creature is being used as an unwilling source of magical energies. Spells have a form or purpose, and this is defined within their Modus. Finally, spells have a subject that they are set upon, and this is defined by their Foci.
Magic is organised inside of Talents, and these Talents have Power, Modus and Foci facets that are more or less unique. The Talents are:
Dominions of Will
Friend of Beasts
Healer of Flesh and Spirit
Keeper of the Elder Flame
Knower of Visions
Master of Agony and Terror
Lord over the Dead
Warder of Light
Weaver of Illusions
Whisperer of Shadows
Wielder of Old Powers
Shepherd of Leaf and Tree
As an example, the Talent Keeper of the Elder Flame is outlined below. No facet can be doubled up. That is, you cannot use both Blood Arts and Reaping in a spell, or use both Bolt and Shield, or Bolt twice.
Workers of magic will have access to only one or two Talents, and within each Talent, they will know only some of the Facets. Facets from different Talents can be crossed over to make composite spells, so that for example, you could harvest fire (Keeper of the Elder Flame) to gather energy to power a spell of shadows (Whisperer of Shadows) if you know all of the correct Facets.
You can use Powers on their own to gather power, then either hold that power to the next round, or expend it on raw magic. However, any proper spell will require Power, Modus and Foci.
Raw magic
Excess power can be used in two basic ways. The least dangerous is to use to power to add impressive effects to your magic. This 'Show of Power' can even be used on its own, to impress upon a doubtful audience that you are not to be trifled with. A point of power could be used to make your voice boom, or shadows deepen around you, to make you seem taller, or make your eyes blaze.
The second way to release excess power is to let go of the power in a flash of raw magical energy. This deals you one Wound, but deals every character or object that is within a foot of you Wounds equal to the Power released.
Powers
Blood Arts: Draws power directly from your flesh. Expend 1 Health. Gain 3 pwr. Timing: Move action to start of round.
Call of Power: Expend 2 Fatigue. Gain 3 pwr. Timing: Move action to end of round.
Reaping: Gather Power from a nearby natural fire. Candle = 1 pwr. Campfire or hearth = 2 pwr. Bonfire = 3 pwr. Timing: Move to end of round.
Song of Power: For every turn spent in magical chant, gain 1 pwr. One round to chant and one to cast = 2 pwr. Two rounds to chant and one to cast = 3 pwr etc. Timing: Occupies multiple turns, then spell occurs on your turn as normal.
Word of Power: Expend 1 Fatigue. Gain 1 pwr. Timing: Move action to start of round.
Modus
Animate: Allows you to add shape, form and movement (such as that of an animal) to a body of the foci. Largely just for show. Cost = 1.
Conjure: Summons up a volume of the foci material that you can weave or command for a total of three rounds (including the summoning round). At the end of the three rounds the conjured material continues to exist, but behaves naturally. Greater power conjures more of the foci, where 3 pwr = enough to make a wall or fill a room. Not very effective if used as a weapon: inflicts (pwr. -3 wounds; i.e. if 4 pwr is used, 1 wound can be inflected against everything within the conjured material).
Command: Allows you to command and control the flow of a body of foci. Cost = 1.
Bolt: Combative magic that inflicts three wounds on a single target. Cost = 1 pwr.
Blast: Combat magic that inflicts multiple wounds on an area. Cost = 1 pwr + X pwr for X wounds.
Shield: Protects yourself or another from the effects of the foci, whether natural or unnatural (i.e. shield could be used to protect against natural fire, but also against dragonfire or against a fiery spell). Protection lasts for 3 rounds. Cost = 2 pwr.
Foci
None of the Foci in this talent add to power cost, but a foci is required for all spells.
Ashes, Embers, Fire, Lightning, Smoke, Sparks
Example spells
Word of Power / Bolt / Lightning: Occurs at the start of the round and inflicts three wounds on a single target by discharging a bolt of lightning.
Reaping / Conjure / Smoke: Occurs at the end of the round and relies on the nearby presence of a natural fire for magical energy. The spell conjures smoke into the air, though the volume will depend on how much Power can be harvested from the fire.
Formulising spells:
You can Formulise a spell, by giving it a name, writing out the facets and an accompanying description. This then becomes a spell that is personal to you. You gain any one of the following advantages whenever you cast this personalised spell. The advantage is built into the Formulised spell (i.e. you can't keep swapping around advantages). It takes one week of study and practise to Formulise a spell.
- The spell's action is moved to the start of the round in which it would normally occur
- The spell's cost in Power is reduced by 1 point
- The spell's cost in Fatigue is reduced by 1 point
- The spell's cost in Health is reduced by 1 point
An example of a Formalised spell might look like this:
Arc of Golden Embers: Word of Power / Bolt / Embers. Bonus: Power less by 1. This spell shoots a bolt of glowing embers at any one target dealing 3 wounds. The excess Power is used up in a flare of light that makes the Character's eyes glow with light like a smouldering fire. After the spell has been cast, there remains a strong smell of woodsmoke on the air.
…or this:
Storm Most Ashen and Bitter: Call of Power / Conjure / Ash. Bonus: The spell's action is moved to the start of the round. Storm Most Ashen and Bitter conjured up a swirl of ash and soot. The Call of Power gathers 3 Power, so that the spell will summon up enough ash to fill a reasonable room. The conjured ash can be commanded by the caster for three rounds. It can be used to blind and choke, but does not deal injury.
- Feel free to let me know if that makes sense and/or looks playable.
Chris