A Crazy Idea? [Archive] - Wizards Community

A Crazy Idea? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Shedeo
09-19-06, 07:02 AM Okay, I had this rather-interesting idea the other day, and I've been working on it for a bit now, involving a change to the way that magic works in my own setting. Not exaclty the way that magic works specifically, but the way that magic is formed, used, etc.

Its essentially the concept of magic circles taken to another level, resembling perhaps the anime Fullmetal Alchemist, or more likely the game Eternal Darkness.

Similar to Eternal Darkness, there are a number of available runes that make up all the important parts of spells. There are only three levels of spells- 3-Point, 5-Point, and 7-Point. The different points represent the number of runes available on that spell. This would be a mana-point system, with the total mana cost of the spell being determined by the individual cost of the runes used in its casting.

Now comes some of the tricky stuff. There are, generally, three types of runes. Base Runes, which take up the center of the circle(not a rune slot), Concept Runes, which are at the top of the circle, and Support Runes, which are in the remaining rune slots.

Base Runes are divided into three types- Matter, Energy, and Thoughts.
Concept Runes are divided into several different types. These are Fire, Earth, Wind, Ice, Water, Lightning, Sonic, and Spirit.
There are many, many support runes- Bursting, Ranged, Power, Cone, Line, Conjuration, Unerring, Column, Corrupt, Blessed, Teleportation, Self, Locked, Shield, Ward, and Seal.

Each of the different runes have different properties, obviously.

Matter: A rune that encompases all that is truely physical, such as air, earth, water, and all such like that.

Energy: A rune that encompases all that is energy, such as heat energy, cold energy, electrical energy, and so on.

Thought: A rune that encompases the power of thoughts and the mind.

Fire: Fire spells always have the [Fire] subtype. They also deal 1d6 fire damage per four caster levels, +2 per four caster levels.

Earth: Earth spells always have the [Earth] subtype. Earth spells are generally stone spikes of some kind, and if they deal straight damage with no other effects, they deal 1d10 piercing and bludgeoning damage per five caster levels.

Wind: Wind spells always have the [Air] subtype. Air spells are generally gusts of wind of some kind, and if they deal straight damage with no other effects, they deal 1d8 slashing damage per four caster levels.

Ice: Ice spells always have the [Cold] subtype. Ice spells deal 1d6 cold damage per four caster levels, plus an additional -1 dexterity damage per four caster levels.

Water: Water spells always have the [Water] subtype. Water spells are generally great slams of water or something similar, and if they deal damage with no other effects, they deal 1d8 bludgeoning damage per four caster levels.

Lightning: Lightning spells always have the [Lightning] subtype. Ligtning spells deal 1d6 points of lightning damage per four caster levels, plus require a fortitude saving throw (DC 10 + 1/2 Caster Level + Casting Ability Modifier) or be stunned for 1/round per four caster levels.

Sonic: Sonic spells always have the [Sonic] subtype. Sonic spells deal 1d4 points of sonic damage per four caster levels.

Spirit: Spirit spells always have the [Spirit] subtype. Spirit spells deal 1d4 points of force damage per five caster levels.

Bursting: This rune creates a 10'-radius burst.

Ranged: Grants close range (25'+5' per caster level).

Power: Increases overall power in some way: Improves range to from close to medium (50'+10' per caster level) or from medium to long (100'+20' per caster level), Doubles burst diameter, cone/line distance, or column width/height, doubles the duration of the spell, or the HD of a summoned creature. It may also double the number of damage dice dealt by a spell.

Cone: Creates a 15' cone.

Line: Creates a 30' line.

Conjuration: Summons a creature based around the selected concept rune. The summoned creature has as many hit dice as the concept rune type normally does damage.

Unerring: The spell does not miss. This generally only works if placed directly into a spell, or if coupled with the Locked rune.

Column: Creates a vertical column with a 5'-radius and a 40'-height.

Corrupt: Half of all damage dealt by the spell is unholy damage (may only be added to spells of the Fire or Ice concept rune families.)

Blessed: Half of all damage dealt by the spell is holy damage (may only be added to spells of the Fire or Lightning concept rune families.)

Teleportation: Teleport yourself. This rune only has an effect if you couple it with the Ranged rune, else you will merely blink out of exsistance for one round and appear back where you were. This rune normally only targets you, unless you have it coupled with the Bonus Target rune.

Bonus Target: This rune only works when coupled with a rune that normally only targets the caster, such as Teleportation, or one specific target, such as Seal.

Locked: This rune locks the spell's function onto a trigger determined by the caster when the spell is cast. This could be as simple as "After my next attack" or as complex as "If Johan sneaks up behind me and smites my rear with a weasel" though the latter is definitely avioded for obvious reasons.

Shield: This rune creates a shield of whatever type of concept rune the caster chooses when making the spell. Each type prevents any spell with the same concept rune from passing through its area, as well as providing protection in the form of concealment. Also, any creature that wishes to pass through the shield must make a DC 20 strength check to do so. Regardless of success or not, they take damage as appropriate for the spell. A normal shield occupies a 10'x10' area, and lasts for 1 round/caster level.

Ward: This rune causes the target of the spell to become warded against a particular element, used as the concept rune of the spell. This does not allow for the prevention of elements that deal normal weapon-type damages, such as Water, Earth, and Wind. This immunity lasts for 1 round/4 caster levels.

Seal: The effect of this rune is determined by its Base rune. If the base rune is Matter, the target cannot move, but may still talk and breath. If the base rune is Energy, the target cannot call upon their mana. If the base rune is Thoughts, the target is considered to have Intelligence as a non-ability score. The concept rune for this spell must be Spirit, and its duration is 1 round/four caster levels.

Now, a lot of this stuff I'm not particularly happy with, and I know that I'm missing a lot. I just wanted to toss the idea out there to see what others thoughts on the idea was, opinions, critiques, and insight on things that I'm too tired to think about at the moment. Thanks in advance.
Kal_Torak
09-19-06, 12:15 PM It looks like an interesting idea for making your own magic system for an rpg that happens to use DnD rules for actions. The damage for those spells though are a bit limiting compared to how much damage casters normally do. Since you said it was going to be a mana syste, i guess that the casters get to cast more often and (all casting is spontaneous?).
Is this intended to not have healing spells or did you just not include them in your charts?
This style strikes me sort of like magic from the "Wheel of Time" books, but without describing the source of magic. It would make for an interesting world to play in, but it wouldn't exactly be the traditional dnd in which your caster can save your butt a few times a day but otherwise sit back.
Jhaelen
09-19-06, 06:35 PM I've seen something very similar quite a while ago on these boards.
I think it was in the character class forum. Maybe you'll be able to google it (using 'site:boards1.wizards.com').
Shedeo
09-21-06, 08:41 PM Hmm, that's actually a really good point. I hadn't thought about where the magic actually comes from. I guess it really doesn't matter.

As for other spells and whatnot, I'm actually working on adding in two new concept runes, Light and Shadow, cept I'm not sure exactly what I'd do with them. I don't particularly want them to be like positive/negative energy, because then that kind of pins the "Light (positive) Energy is good! And Shadow (Negative) Energy is evil!" badge onto this magic system, and I'm trying to keep things as neutral as possible. I do so hate those arguements.

Anyway. I did make one terrible mistake in my type-up of the runes. The Power support rune is supposed to be able to double the total number of damage dice dealt, even working multiple times (up to a maximum of 20d6, usually, though I'm debating removing that barrier) and also, my Earth rune needs some work. I'm trying to find a way to make it be able to deal a decent amount of either damage. I'm thinking that it should be a d6/4 levels for both, a d10/4 levels for bludgeoning, and a d8/4 levels for piercing (each with their own crit range/mod, unlike normal spells).

Other than that,... I'll leave Earth alone for now and change power to what it should be.
Madsamurai
09-21-06, 09:28 PM This is pretty a cool and flavorful system but is strikes me as abit limited. Basically, all your casters can do is blow stuff up... You need something like utility spells. Tou can have something like the light Concept rune work with "bending light" and creating illusions. Also, you need something to substitute for transmutation magic and some of the other effects...
Shedeo
09-21-06, 10:13 PM Righto, I was getting to that stuff, actually.

Right now all I have is the "blow stuff up" runes finished. I want to be able to use spells like Bull's Strength and whatnot, believe me.

As for Conjuration and Transmutation, well,... I've got a few ideas.

First, for a bit of the rules. The classes I'll make that use this type of magic require feats to learn Base and Concept runes. Personally I'd just like to make it so that one has to go off and search for it/research it themselves, but that mechanic makes it rather difficult to do in a build that doesn't start at level one of the class, so therefor the need to for whatever.

Anyway.

The idea I had for Conjuration was that a feat, probably something like Junction Rune or sommat, allows for Conjuration to be learned. Its sort of a concept rune, sort of not. Junction allows you to junction a single rune automatically to your Concept rune, taking up a special slot in between your Base and Concept runes that doesn't count towards your normal rune limit.

Essentially how it works is this. The spell first has its Base rune, so we'll say Energy. Then it reads Conjuration, then whatever Concept rune, so we'll say Fire. So its Energy-Conjuration-Fire. Since Conjuration is about summoning a creature, it would conjure a fire elemental of however many hit dice the attack would have if it was a damage-dealing spell.

Okay, Transmutation works slightly differently. I'm thinking about making it its own Concept rune, and then it can alter Mind, Body, and Soul, in a way. In order to alter different ability scores, you must use a different Base rune. Matter for STR, DEX, and CON, and Thought for INT, WIS, CHA. Stuff like that.

Opinions?
Omega the Powerfull
09-21-06, 10:17 PM It sounds good, but I think you'll have a hard time to balance this system with the ones that already exists.
Shedeo
09-21-06, 10:39 PM Well, thing is, that if I use this system in my own campaign setting (not in all my campaigns, just in my setting) that it will be the only magic casting system, and therefor I wont have worry about balancing it against vancian/psionics.

Just as an example, I worked out the Fireball spell in the rune system, a five-point spell.

Base Rune: Energy
Concept Rune: Fire
Support Runes: Power (Damage), Ranged, Power (Range), Bursting.

Granted its burst range is half of what the actual spell's is, but I think that's a pretty decent translation, yah?
Omega the Powerfull
09-22-06, 07:02 AM Your system seems similar to Epic seeds....is that your idea?
Shedeo
09-23-06, 04:34 PM Not intentionally, no. I know a lot of stuff about DnD, but I'm not too familliar with the spell seeds. All I know about them is that you can pick various things to increase or lower the spellcraft DC to create them.

So in that way, it is sort of similar, yes, except that the various runes would increase/decrease the mana cost rather than the spellcraft DC.

The idea behind this system was to create a system where spellcasters could create more customizable spells and have more variability in what they could cast. It also makes things a bit more visual and flavorful, methinks.
Catra
09-23-06, 09:39 PM maximum of 20d6, usually, though I'm debating removing that barrier

Only one humble comment; I would make 20d6 the cap, but taking a feat can break it (up to 40d6) and another cap that breaks that, but only up to 60d6 and for a limited number of spells...like one.
Shedeo
09-24-06, 07:36 AM Only one humble comment; I would make 20d6 the cap, but taking a feat can break it (up to 40d6) and another cap that breaks that, but only up to 60d6 and for a limited number of spells...like one.

I like the idea of being able to take a feat to break the damage cap. However, the maximum damage would only ever be 40d6 regardless of how many times you took the feat; the only rune which increases damage is the Power rune,... Which I believe I forgot to state the limits on the power rune. They go as follows.

The number of power runes per circle is limited based on the number of points on the circle.
Three-Point = 1 Power Rune.
Five-Point = 2 Power Runes.
Seven-Point = 3 Power Runes.

This way things are limited, but at the same time I plan on making a feat that allows for the ability to put two of the same rune (not Power runes) on the same circle to get the better effect, so that the caster could make a high-damage cone/line spell that's still got some range to it. Do forgive for my unorganizedness, its part of helping me figuring things out.
Omega the Powerfull
09-24-06, 10:21 PM The idea behind this system was to create a system where spellcasters could create more customizable spells and have more variability in what they could cast. It also makes things a bit more visual and flavorful, methinks.

A short combat sequence could take an eternity to end if a spellcaster could customize every detail of the spell he can cast.
Shedeo
09-24-06, 10:54 PM I'm not saying on the fly or every single little detail, but being able to have enough customization to be adaptable is what I'm shooting for here.

Also, there is another idea I've had with the system. A caster may create a circle beforehand by spending the mana, and may do so on any surface. (I'm thinking about making size restrictions, such as five/seven-point have to be so big.) But at the same time that limits their options (much like preparing spells). On the flip side, they may cast spontaniously, but the spell makes a lot of light/sound when its being cast, and each rune takes a move action to cast.

Now this isnt like a spellcaster has to sit around and activate each rune on her own, no. This is like cast and forget magic. The caster takes a full-round action to cast the spell, then is free to do whatever she wishes while the runes activate themselves. Benefit here is that at any point during the activation of the spell, the caster may opt to redirect or cancel the spell at her liesure.
Omega the Powerfull
09-25-06, 01:04 AM it's hard to say how good or bad is this system just by a superficial description. Post the rules someday
Shedeo
09-26-06, 02:45 PM Very good point, Omega, very good point. I'll get on that as soon as I can, but at the moment, I dont have any of my information available to me. Thing is, I'm not quite sure exactly what the rules are, only the superficial stuff. I dont have much info on the rules themselves,... I'm thinking that some stuff will be/can be granted as class features but I believe that, since in my system all classes have a mana pool, that I will kinda make them feats. Though that might be kinda pointless.

Regardless, I'll get on hammering some of the stuff down, give the thread a title change and compile all the information into the first post so that people get a better idea of what exactly the guidelines are.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Shedeo 09-19-06, 07:02 AM	Okay, I had this rather-interesting idea the other day, and I've been working on it for a bit now, involving a change to the way that magic works in my own setting. Not exaclty the way that magic works specifically, but the way that magic is formed, used, etc. Its essentially the concept of magic circles taken to another level, resembling perhaps the anime Fullmetal Alchemist, or more likely the game Eternal Darkness. Similar to Eternal Darkness, there are a number of available runes that make up all the important parts of spells. There are only three levels of spells- 3-Point, 5-Point, and 7-Point. The different points represent the number of runes available on that spell. This would be a mana-point system, with the total mana cost of the spell being determined by the individual cost of the runes used in its casting. Now comes some of the tricky stuff. There are, generally, three types of runes. Base Runes, which take up the center of the circle(not a rune slot), Concept Runes, which are at the top of the circle, and Support Runes, which are in the remaining rune slots. Base Runes are divided into three types- Matter, Energy, and Thoughts. Concept Runes are divided into several different types. These are Fire, Earth, Wind, Ice, Water, Lightning, Sonic, and Spirit. There are many, many support runes- Bursting, Ranged, Power, Cone, Line, Conjuration, Unerring, Column, Corrupt, Blessed, Teleportation, Self, Locked, Shield, Ward, and Seal. Each of the different runes have different properties, obviously. Matter: A rune that encompases all that is truely physical, such as air, earth, water, and all such like that. Energy: A rune that encompases all that is energy, such as heat energy, cold energy, electrical energy, and so on. Thought: A rune that encompases the power of thoughts and the mind. Fire: Fire spells always have the [Fire] subtype. They also deal 1d6 fire damage per four caster levels, +2 per four caster levels. Earth: Earth spells always have the [Earth] subtype. Earth spells are generally stone spikes of some kind, and if they deal straight damage with no other effects, they deal 1d10 piercing and bludgeoning damage per five caster levels. Wind: Wind spells always have the [Air] subtype. Air spells are generally gusts of wind of some kind, and if they deal straight damage with no other effects, they deal 1d8 slashing damage per four caster levels. Ice: Ice spells always have the [Cold] subtype. Ice spells deal 1d6 cold damage per four caster levels, plus an additional -1 dexterity damage per four caster levels. Water: Water spells always have the [Water] subtype. Water spells are generally great slams of water or something similar, and if they deal damage with no other effects, they deal 1d8 bludgeoning damage per four caster levels. Lightning: Lightning spells always have the [Lightning] subtype. Ligtning spells deal 1d6 points of lightning damage per four caster levels, plus require a fortitude saving throw (DC 10 + 1/2 Caster Level + Casting Ability Modifier) or be stunned for 1/round per four caster levels. Sonic: Sonic spells always have the [Sonic] subtype. Sonic spells deal 1d4 points of sonic damage per four caster levels. Spirit: Spirit spells always have the [Spirit] subtype. Spirit spells deal 1d4 points of force damage per five caster levels. Bursting: This rune creates a 10'-radius burst. Ranged: Grants close range (25'+5' per caster level). Power: Increases overall power in some way: Improves range to from close to medium (50'+10' per caster level) or from medium to long (100'+20' per caster level), Doubles burst diameter, cone/line distance, or column width/height, doubles the duration of the spell, or the HD of a summoned creature. It may also double the number of damage dice dealt by a spell. Cone: Creates a 15' cone. Line: Creates a 30' line. Conjuration: Summons a creature based around the selected concept rune. The summoned creature has as many hit dice as the concept rune type normally does damage. Unerring: The spell does not miss. This generally only works if placed directly into a spell, or if coupled with the Locked rune. Column: Creates a vertical column with a 5'-radius and a 40'-height. Corrupt: Half of all damage dealt by the spell is unholy damage (may only be added to spells of the Fire or Ice concept rune families.) Blessed: Half of all damage dealt by the spell is holy damage (may only be added to spells of the Fire or Lightning concept rune families.) Teleportation: Teleport yourself. This rune only has an effect if you couple it with the Ranged rune, else you will merely blink out of exsistance for one round and appear back where you were. This rune normally only targets you, unless you have it coupled with the Bonus Target rune. Bonus Target: This rune only works when coupled with a rune that normally only targets the caster, such as Teleportation, or one specific target, such as Seal. Locked: This rune locks the spell's function onto a trigger determined by the caster when the spell is cast. This could be as simple as "After my next attack" or as complex as "If Johan sneaks up behind me and smites my rear with a weasel" though the latter is definitely avioded for obvious reasons. Shield: This rune creates a shield of whatever type of concept rune the caster chooses when making the spell. Each type prevents any spell with the same concept rune from passing through its area, as well as providing protection in the form of concealment. Also, any creature that wishes to pass through the shield must make a DC 20 strength check to do so. Regardless of success or not, they take damage as appropriate for the spell. A normal shield occupies a 10'x10' area, and lasts for 1 round/caster level. Ward: This rune causes the target of the spell to become warded against a particular element, used as the concept rune of the spell. This does not allow for the prevention of elements that deal normal weapon-type damages, such as Water, Earth, and Wind. This immunity lasts for 1 round/4 caster levels. Seal: The effect of this rune is determined by its Base rune. If the base rune is Matter, the target cannot move, but may still talk and breath. If the base rune is Energy, the target cannot call upon their mana. If the base rune is Thoughts, the target is considered to have Intelligence as a non-ability score. The concept rune for this spell must be Spirit, and its duration is 1 round/four caster levels. Now, a lot of this stuff I'm not particularly happy with, and I know that I'm missing a lot. I just wanted to toss the idea out there to see what others thoughts on the idea was, opinions, critiques, and insight on things that I'm too tired to think about at the moment. Thanks in advance.
Kal_Torak 09-19-06, 12:15 PM	It looks like an interesting idea for making your own magic system for an rpg that happens to use DnD rules for actions. The damage for those spells though are a bit limiting compared to how much damage casters normally do. Since you said it was going to be a mana syste, i guess that the casters get to cast more often and (all casting is spontaneous?). Is this intended to not have healing spells or did you just not include them in your charts? This style strikes me sort of like magic from the "Wheel of Time" books, but without describing the source of magic. It would make for an interesting world to play in, but it wouldn't exactly be the traditional dnd in which your caster can save your butt a few times a day but otherwise sit back.
Jhaelen 09-19-06, 06:35 PM	I've seen something very similar quite a while ago on these boards. I think it was in the character class forum. Maybe you'll be able to google it (using 'site:boards1.wizards.com').
Shedeo 09-21-06, 08:41 PM	Hmm, that's actually a really good point. I hadn't thought about where the magic actually comes from. I guess it really doesn't matter. As for other spells and whatnot, I'm actually working on adding in two new concept runes, Light and Shadow, cept I'm not sure exactly what I'd do with them. I don't particularly want them to be like positive/negative energy, because then that kind of pins the "Light (positive) Energy is good! And Shadow (Negative) Energy is evil!" badge onto this magic system, and I'm trying to keep things as neutral as possible. I do so hate those arguements. Anyway. I did make one terrible mistake in my type-up of the runes. The Power support rune is supposed to be able to double the total number of damage dice dealt, even working multiple times (up to a maximum of 20d6, usually, though I'm debating removing that barrier) and also, my Earth rune needs some work. I'm trying to find a way to make it be able to deal a decent amount of either damage. I'm thinking that it should be a d6/4 levels for both, a d10/4 levels for bludgeoning, and a d8/4 levels for piercing (each with their own crit range/mod, unlike normal spells). Other than that,... I'll leave Earth alone for now and change power to what it should be.
Madsamurai 09-21-06, 09:28 PM	This is pretty a cool and flavorful system but is strikes me as abit limited. Basically, all your casters can do is blow stuff up... You need something like utility spells. Tou can have something like the light Concept rune work with "bending light" and creating illusions. Also, you need something to substitute for transmutation magic and some of the other effects...
Shedeo 09-21-06, 10:13 PM	Righto, I was getting to that stuff, actually. Right now all I have is the "blow stuff up" runes finished. I want to be able to use spells like Bull's Strength and whatnot, believe me. As for Conjuration and Transmutation, well,... I've got a few ideas. First, for a bit of the rules. The classes I'll make that use this type of magic require feats to learn Base and Concept runes. Personally I'd just like to make it so that one has to go off and search for it/research it themselves, but that mechanic makes it rather difficult to do in a build that doesn't start at level one of the class, so therefor the need to for whatever. Anyway. The idea I had for Conjuration was that a feat, probably something like Junction Rune or sommat, allows for Conjuration to be learned. Its sort of a concept rune, sort of not. Junction allows you to junction a single rune automatically to your Concept rune, taking up a special slot in between your Base and Concept runes that doesn't count towards your normal rune limit. Essentially how it works is this. The spell first has its Base rune, so we'll say Energy. Then it reads Conjuration, then whatever Concept rune, so we'll say Fire. So its Energy-Conjuration-Fire. Since Conjuration is about summoning a creature, it would conjure a fire elemental of however many hit dice the attack would have if it was a damage-dealing spell. Okay, Transmutation works slightly differently. I'm thinking about making it its own Concept rune, and then it can alter Mind, Body, and Soul, in a way. In order to alter different ability scores, you must use a different Base rune. Matter for STR, DEX, and CON, and Thought for INT, WIS, CHA. Stuff like that. Opinions?
Omega the Powerfull 09-21-06, 10:17 PM	It sounds good, but I think you'll have a hard time to balance this system with the ones that already exists.
Shedeo 09-21-06, 10:39 PM	Well, thing is, that if I use this system in my own campaign setting (not in all my campaigns, just in my setting) that it will be the only magic casting system, and therefor I wont have worry about balancing it against vancian/psionics. Just as an example, I worked out the Fireball spell in the rune system, a five-point spell. Base Rune: Energy Concept Rune: Fire Support Runes: Power (Damage), Ranged, Power (Range), Bursting. Granted its burst range is half of what the actual spell's is, but I think that's a pretty decent translation, yah?
Omega the Powerfull 09-22-06, 07:02 AM	Your system seems similar to Epic seeds....is that your idea?
Shedeo 09-23-06, 04:34 PM	Not intentionally, no. I know a lot of stuff about DnD, but I'm not too familliar with the spell seeds. All I know about them is that you can pick various things to increase or lower the spellcraft DC to create them. So in that way, it is sort of similar, yes, except that the various runes would increase/decrease the mana cost rather than the spellcraft DC. The idea behind this system was to create a system where spellcasters could create more customizable spells and have more variability in what they could cast. It also makes things a bit more visual and flavorful, methinks.
Catra 09-23-06, 09:39 PM	maximum of 20d6, usually, though I'm debating removing that barrier Only one humble comment; I would make 20d6 the cap, but taking a feat can break it (up to 40d6) and another cap that breaks that, but only up to 60d6 and for a limited number of spells...like one.
Shedeo 09-24-06, 07:36 AM	Only one humble comment; I would make 20d6 the cap, but taking a feat can break it (up to 40d6) and another cap that breaks that, but only up to 60d6 and for a limited number of spells...like one. I like the idea of being able to take a feat to break the damage cap. However, the maximum damage would only ever be 40d6 regardless of how many times you took the feat; the only rune which increases damage is the Power rune,... Which I believe I forgot to state the limits on the power rune. They go as follows. The number of power runes per circle is limited based on the number of points on the circle. Three-Point = 1 Power Rune. Five-Point = 2 Power Runes. Seven-Point = 3 Power Runes. This way things are limited, but at the same time I plan on making a feat that allows for the ability to put two of the same rune (not Power runes) on the same circle to get the better effect, so that the caster could make a high-damage cone/line spell that's still got some range to it. Do forgive for my unorganizedness, its part of helping me figuring things out.
Omega the Powerfull 09-24-06, 10:21 PM	The idea behind this system was to create a system where spellcasters could create more customizable spells and have more variability in what they could cast. It also makes things a bit more visual and flavorful, methinks. A short combat sequence could take an eternity to end if a spellcaster could customize every detail of the spell he can cast.
Shedeo 09-24-06, 10:54 PM	I'm not saying on the fly or every single little detail, but being able to have enough customization to be adaptable is what I'm shooting for here. Also, there is another idea I've had with the system. A caster may create a circle beforehand by spending the mana, and may do so on any surface. (I'm thinking about making size restrictions, such as five/seven-point have to be so big.) But at the same time that limits their options (much like preparing spells). On the flip side, they may cast spontaniously, but the spell makes a lot of light/sound when its being cast, and each rune takes a move action to cast. Now this isnt like a spellcaster has to sit around and activate each rune on her own, no. This is like cast and forget magic. The caster takes a full-round action to cast the spell, then is free to do whatever she wishes while the runes activate themselves. Benefit here is that at any point during the activation of the spell, the caster may opt to redirect or cancel the spell at her liesure.
Omega the Powerfull 09-25-06, 01:04 AM	it's hard to say how good or bad is this system just by a superficial description. Post the rules someday
Shedeo 09-26-06, 02:45 PM	Very good point, Omega, very good point. I'll get on that as soon as I can, but at the moment, I dont have any of my information available to me. Thing is, I'm not quite sure exactly what the rules are, only the superficial stuff. I dont have much info on the rules themselves,... I'm thinking that some stuff will be/can be granted as class features but I believe that, since in my system all classes have a mana pool, that I will kinda make them feats. Though that might be kinda pointless. Regardless, I'll get on hammering some of the stuff down, give the thread a title change and compile all the information into the first post so that people get a better idea of what exactly the guidelines are.