Elements, Spells, and the Chakra [Archive] - Wizards Community

Elements, Spells, and the Chakra [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Xeviat-DM
09-11-05, 03:35 AM After seeing the success of my Mana system, I've decided to return once again to attempt to rebuild my Chakra system. For those of you who remember the idea behind my system, please bear with this introductary post; don't skip it either since new base elements have changed.

I originally began developing my elemental spell system when I first started trying to design a pen and paper game. I was familiar with 2nd Edition D&D through my experience with the Baldur's Gate CRPGs, and the other Infinity Engine games, but desired to create something of my own. Much of my inspiration was drawn from Japanese elementalism, as I learned through a friend's interpretations gathered from eastern philosophy and medicine.

In my system, there were five elements: Air, Earth, Fire, Water, and Void. Each of those elements were represented by a part of the body: Air is Breath, or Vitality; Earth is Bone; Fire is Flesh; Water is Blood and other fluids; Void is the Mind. Additionally, each element represented an ability score: Air is Agility; Earth is Constitution; Fire is Strength; Water is Dexterity; Void is Mind. I began to create my races, and was on the path to developing my setting.

Then I found 3rd Edition D&D through the character generator demo hidden within the Baldur's Gate 2 disk. I played around with it, and much to Wizard's delight, bought the Player's Handbook. When it was released, I bought the DMG, and then later the PHB. I brought with me the ideas of my setting, but not the mechanical tools; I didn't grasp the new rules well enought to begin altering them.

Now is 4 years later, and I have a firm grasp of the rules. I've already implimented many house rules over the years, and even created my own classes and prestige classes. Now I've moved onto bigger changes: I'm implimenting an MP system and a varient WP/VP system to enhance my games.

But some part of me has always desired to make my chakra system, to make the elements of my setting more mechanically important rather than just being philosophically important.

Next post contains the intentions of the new rules.
Xeviat-DM
09-11-05, 03:58 AM Flavor is more important to me than rules; as such I want the rules to reflect my desired flavor in every way possible. These are the elements I want my chakra system to reflect:
Within the body are five energy centers, known as chakras. The chakras are points along the vertical center of the body, and are as follows: Brow is Void; Throat is Air; Heart is Fire; Center (Stomach) is Water; Base (Tail-bone) is Earth. As one's chakras grow to contain more energy, one's magical power grows as well.
Each element, and chakra (except for void), is associated with a physical aspect and a mental aspect, which can then be used to determine ability scores. Air is speed of body and mind, Earth is defense of body and mind, Fire is strength of body and mind, and Water is flexability of body and mind. This means that Air can be associated with AC, Reflex saves, Initiative, possibly speed, and the sensory skills. Earth can be associated with HP, Fort saves, and Will saves. Fire can be associated with damage with physical attacks, strength associated checks, and skills based on influencing others. Water can be associated with attack rolls, and skills based on knowledge. I will call the 8 ability scores generated to be as follows: Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Agility, Intelligence, Wisdom, Awareness, and Charisma.
A character's chakras are used to determine a character's caster level with spells of that element.
A character's physical ability scores represent their initial chakra strength, and as they grow in power, both their chakras and their chakra's associated ability scores grow as well. This is where it gets difficult for me, because it is a question of the chicken and the egg. In flavor, both grow together; in the rules, a player needs to have control of the growth of one and the other will grow in relation.

Next post will be my beta rules.
Xeviat-DM
09-11-05, 04:18 AM (Reserved: I need assistance on this portion. I'll post a beta soon, but I will be looking over and responding to advice)

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Xeviat-DM 09-11-05, 03:35 AM	After seeing the success of my Mana system, I've decided to return once again to attempt to rebuild my Chakra system. For those of you who remember the idea behind my system, please bear with this introductary post; don't skip it either since new base elements have changed. I originally began developing my elemental spell system when I first started trying to design a pen and paper game. I was familiar with 2nd Edition D&D through my experience with the Baldur's Gate CRPGs, and the other Infinity Engine games, but desired to create something of my own. Much of my inspiration was drawn from Japanese elementalism, as I learned through a friend's interpretations gathered from eastern philosophy and medicine. In my system, there were five elements: Air, Earth, Fire, Water, and Void. Each of those elements were represented by a part of the body: Air is Breath, or Vitality; Earth is Bone; Fire is Flesh; Water is Blood and other fluids; Void is the Mind. Additionally, each element represented an ability score: Air is Agility; Earth is Constitution; Fire is Strength; Water is Dexterity; Void is Mind. I began to create my races, and was on the path to developing my setting. Then I found 3rd Edition D&D through the character generator demo hidden within the Baldur's Gate 2 disk. I played around with it, and much to Wizard's delight, bought the Player's Handbook. When it was released, I bought the DMG, and then later the PHB. I brought with me the ideas of my setting, but not the mechanical tools; I didn't grasp the new rules well enought to begin altering them. Now is 4 years later, and I have a firm grasp of the rules. I've already implimented many house rules over the years, and even created my own classes and prestige classes. Now I've moved onto bigger changes: I'm implimenting an MP system and a varient WP/VP system to enhance my games. But some part of me has always desired to make my chakra system, to make the elements of my setting more mechanically important rather than just being philosophically important. Next post contains the intentions of the new rules.
Xeviat-DM 09-11-05, 03:58 AM	Flavor is more important to me than rules; as such I want the rules to reflect my desired flavor in every way possible. These are the elements I want my chakra system to reflect: Within the body are five energy centers, known as chakras. The chakras are points along the vertical center of the body, and are as follows: Brow is Void; Throat is Air; Heart is Fire; Center (Stomach) is Water; Base (Tail-bone) is Earth. As one's chakras grow to contain more energy, one's magical power grows as well. Each element, and chakra (except for void), is associated with a physical aspect and a mental aspect, which can then be used to determine ability scores. Air is speed of body and mind, Earth is defense of body and mind, Fire is strength of body and mind, and Water is flexability of body and mind. This means that Air can be associated with AC, Reflex saves, Initiative, possibly speed, and the sensory skills. Earth can be associated with HP, Fort saves, and Will saves. Fire can be associated with damage with physical attacks, strength associated checks, and skills based on influencing others. Water can be associated with attack rolls, and skills based on knowledge. I will call the 8 ability scores generated to be as follows: Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Agility, Intelligence, Wisdom, Awareness, and Charisma. A character's chakras are used to determine a character's caster level with spells of that element. A character's physical ability scores represent their initial chakra strength, and as they grow in power, both their chakras and their chakra's associated ability scores grow as well. This is where it gets difficult for me, because it is a question of the chicken and the egg. In flavor, both grow together; in the rules, a player needs to have control of the growth of one and the other will grow in relation. Next post will be my beta rules.
Xeviat-DM 09-11-05, 04:18 AM	(Reserved: I need assistance on this portion. I'll post a beta soon, but I will be looking over and responding to advice)