HR: Magic Systems [Archive] - Wizards Community

HR: Magic Systems [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Neoatomic
09-23-04, 08:49 PM I recently devised a magic system involving Mana, I will post it in this post. Please tell me what you think of it...

Magic is divided into four or five main types...
White Magic: This type is mostly dealing with charms and other non-destructive magic.

Black Magic: Deals with Destructive magic and undeath and other Necromantic parts of magic.

Nature Magic: Deals with creatures and other forms of nature.

Divine Magic: Healing Spells and cleric like abilities.

Summon ????: Mainly composed of summoning spells and augmentations for other creatures.

This system uses a mana system which is much like a HP system already implemented in the game.Each spell cost a number of Mana equal to Spell Level X2 -1. Each SpellCasting class gains 20 mana at first level and gains mana every level by a certain die. Example, a Wizard gains d10 mana per level while a sorcerer gains d12. When a caster runs out of mana he must make a will Save (DC 15) or fall unconcious. This System also has a Channeling system which works by adding extra mana to a spell to make in more potent (for each 5 mana +2 Damage or whatever the spell does).

For each type of mana the wizard chooses, he must have a stockpile called a "pool". At first level a mage is allowed to pick any type as long as he has a pool for his initial type. In this case a wizard can choose between White and Black Magic as his initial type. By choosing other types the wizard must divide his first 20 into each pool and divide mana points per level as he chooses. All spells are divided between the types of magic.

Each type has its own list of spells, and the mage can choose from the spell lists as he or she would normally but still only knows a certain amount of spells, so strategy becomes even more a part of being a Wizard.

Each Class has an initial magic type:

Wizard/Sorcerer: Choose between White or Black Magic
Cleric: Divine
Ranger: Nature
Warlock(original Class): Black Magic
Druid: Nature
Bard: White Magic
Paladin: Divine
Summoner???: Summon Magic

I like this idea because in some cases people just dont want to be a cleric. So this system allows a wizard to gain divine spells. It also allows for even greater customization of a spellcasting character. I was also thinking about adding monks to this as a system of KI, but I dont know how good that will be.
Neoatomic
09-28-04, 09:22 PM Bump :bump:
Vellimous
09-28-04, 09:43 PM well why wouldn't you just make a feat or something which allowed access to different spell-types, with skill ranks deciding how powerful you could get...if you go implementing a MP system a la final fantasy, why not change other stuff too?
Gilgiga of the Hunt
09-29-04, 12:31 AM Questons?

What about 0 levels
Isn't 20 a bit high for first level, look at how many pp a psion gets.
If you're gonna give 'em that much make spells cost more.
Neoatomic
09-29-04, 12:59 PM I was thinking more about magic as a whole being a feat. So say a fighter wants to learn magic, they just have to have some ranks in Knowledge (Arcana) or spell craft and take the feat and can start on a spell progression much smaller than that of a wizard. But I would be a good idea if I base the spell levels by a skill or feat.
20 mana does seem a little much but you are talking about level 0 spells, they really dont do a whole lot. So they can create water 20 times a day. the point of the 20 mana is to be able to use more than one type so most people would choose at least two types just to be versatile but sacrificing the amount of mana for each type. So it evens itself out.

Good Feedback!!!
Fallen_AngelS
09-29-04, 10:59 PM Spellcasting as a feat is far from being a bad idea, as long as it's well regulated and built.

You might wish to check out the Midnight campaign setting. Can't really remember who did it, but thats essentialy what they did, made spelllcasting a series of feats.

Gwen
Hitokiri Battousai
09-30-04, 11:56 AM Whoa, that's weird, the system I came up with is pretty similar... well, the mana point structure anyways. MP works just like HP, each magic using class has a mana die, and adds their spellcasting modifier(Int for Wizards, Cha for Sorcerers, etc) to that roll, just like HP, and gets their max at 1st level. My spells costs were a little different, though... for 0 - 3rd, spell lvl x2 +2... 4th - 6th, spell lvl x2 +4, and 7th - 9th were spell lvl x2 +6.

Of course, since your throwing out spells per day(and I assume throwing out the whole "preparing spells" bit), you get the problem where at later levels, you can just dish out tons of high-level spells at the expense of all the 0 and 1st level spells and such. To somewhat remedy that, you don't get all your MP back every night... again, it works like HP. In my rules, you get back 3/level for a night of rest, or 6/level for a full day.

Finally, I added a "recharge" rule for 7th, 8th, and 9th level spells. Basically, at 17th level, a wizard could do one 9th-level spell a day... under the MP rule, a wizard with average MP at that level could cast as many at 5. So to prevent someone from like, using Meteor Swarm five consecutive times, after casting a 7th level, you cannot cast anything for one round. It ups to two rounds for 8th, and three rounds for 9th.

I like that mana pool system, though... I tried that with the elements from "Secret of Mana", but it got to be a pain re-categorizing all the spells...
SilentOne
10-01-04, 07:46 PM How many 1st level sorcs do you know that can cast 20 spells a day? None. 20 is much too high a number to start with.

Basing it purely off spells/day, the sorc should get something like 4 mana for his 1st level spells.

note that this is 1/5th of your number, so I'm thinking you need to look at this again.
Neoatomic
10-01-04, 08:23 PM Well the point of the 20 mana at first level is to allow channeling which is another part of this system basically a wizard may cast a spell for its mana cost which is the same progression as psionics, then by spending another fifve mana he can augment the power of the spell. Generally a third level spell, IE Fireball would cost 5 mana to cast in the first place then upon channeling and extra five mana he can increase the damage of the spell by 2. This can also be used for spells with durations and so on. Also, each type of mana requires a separate pool and at first level a mage could learn two magic types just by distibuting the mana between them.

On top of all this I also incorporate the Spell Recharge system as well so a wizard could cast 20 spells a day but has to wait in between spells of the same level. This is in Unearthed Arcana and using both equals it all out.
Neoatomic
12-04-05, 04:04 PM Bump :bump:
Neoatomic
12-04-05, 04:18 PM I rebuilt this system a little bit since I was on the boards last,

There are no longer different magic types, and mana is increased like HP where each caster class has a mana die, the spells costs are the same as psionics.
Ex. A wizard has a mana die of d10, but a sorcerer gets a d12, also, the sorcerer is the only class that gets the Channel ability outright, Wizards and clerics can get the ability through feats or magic items. Mana is not modified by any ability modifier.

Other changes involve the roleplaying aspect, mana is the equivalent of life force, Mana is described as an aura surrounding its owner which allows for new monsters and feats.

One monster ive been using is an Arcane Corrupter, This creature attacks a casters aura rather than his body, all damage dealt to an aura corrupts the mana, thus after or during a fight with a Corrupter when the caster uses a spell there is a % that they will use corrupted mana. I usually just change aspects of the spell to either target the wielder or if the spell deals damage to let the target gain life instead, but that is up the DM.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Neoatomic 09-23-04, 08:49 PM	I recently devised a magic system involving Mana, I will post it in this post. Please tell me what you think of it... Magic is divided into four or five main types... White Magic: This type is mostly dealing with charms and other non-destructive magic. Black Magic: Deals with Destructive magic and undeath and other Necromantic parts of magic. Nature Magic: Deals with creatures and other forms of nature. Divine Magic: Healing Spells and cleric like abilities. Summon ????: Mainly composed of summoning spells and augmentations for other creatures. This system uses a mana system which is much like a HP system already implemented in the game.Each spell cost a number of Mana equal to Spell Level X2 -1. Each SpellCasting class gains 20 mana at first level and gains mana every level by a certain die. Example, a Wizard gains d10 mana per level while a sorcerer gains d12. When a caster runs out of mana he must make a will Save (DC 15) or fall unconcious. This System also has a Channeling system which works by adding extra mana to a spell to make in more potent (for each 5 mana +2 Damage or whatever the spell does). For each type of mana the wizard chooses, he must have a stockpile called a "pool". At first level a mage is allowed to pick any type as long as he has a pool for his initial type. In this case a wizard can choose between White and Black Magic as his initial type. By choosing other types the wizard must divide his first 20 into each pool and divide mana points per level as he chooses. All spells are divided between the types of magic. Each type has its own list of spells, and the mage can choose from the spell lists as he or she would normally but still only knows a certain amount of spells, so strategy becomes even more a part of being a Wizard. Each Class has an initial magic type: Wizard/Sorcerer: Choose between White or Black Magic Cleric: Divine Ranger: Nature Warlock(original Class): Black Magic Druid: Nature Bard: White Magic Paladin: Divine Summoner???: Summon Magic I like this idea because in some cases people just dont want to be a cleric. So this system allows a wizard to gain divine spells. It also allows for even greater customization of a spellcasting character. I was also thinking about adding monks to this as a system of KI, but I dont know how good that will be.
Neoatomic 09-28-04, 09:22 PM	Bump :bump:
Vellimous 09-28-04, 09:43 PM	well why wouldn't you just make a feat or something which allowed access to different spell-types, with skill ranks deciding how powerful you could get...if you go implementing a MP system a la final fantasy, why not change other stuff too?
Gilgiga of the Hunt 09-29-04, 12:31 AM	Questons? What about 0 levels Isn't 20 a bit high for first level, look at how many pp a psion gets. If you're gonna give 'em that much make spells cost more.
Neoatomic 09-29-04, 12:59 PM	I was thinking more about magic as a whole being a feat. So say a fighter wants to learn magic, they just have to have some ranks in Knowledge (Arcana) or spell craft and take the feat and can start on a spell progression much smaller than that of a wizard. But I would be a good idea if I base the spell levels by a skill or feat. 20 mana does seem a little much but you are talking about level 0 spells, they really dont do a whole lot. So they can create water 20 times a day. the point of the 20 mana is to be able to use more than one type so most people would choose at least two types just to be versatile but sacrificing the amount of mana for each type. So it evens itself out. Good Feedback!!!
Fallen_AngelS 09-29-04, 10:59 PM	Spellcasting as a feat is far from being a bad idea, as long as it's well regulated and built. You might wish to check out the Midnight campaign setting. Can't really remember who did it, but thats essentialy what they did, made spelllcasting a series of feats. Gwen
Hitokiri Battousai 09-30-04, 11:56 AM	Whoa, that's weird, the system I came up with is pretty similar... well, the mana point structure anyways. MP works just like HP, each magic using class has a mana die, and adds their spellcasting modifier(Int for Wizards, Cha for Sorcerers, etc) to that roll, just like HP, and gets their max at 1st level. My spells costs were a little different, though... for 0 - 3rd, spell lvl x2 +2... 4th - 6th, spell lvl x2 +4, and 7th - 9th were spell lvl x2 +6. Of course, since your throwing out spells per day(and I assume throwing out the whole "preparing spells" bit), you get the problem where at later levels, you can just dish out tons of high-level spells at the expense of all the 0 and 1st level spells and such. To somewhat remedy that, you don't get all your MP back every night... again, it works like HP. In my rules, you get back 3/level for a night of rest, or 6/level for a full day. Finally, I added a "recharge" rule for 7th, 8th, and 9th level spells. Basically, at 17th level, a wizard could do one 9th-level spell a day... under the MP rule, a wizard with average MP at that level could cast as many at 5. So to prevent someone from like, using Meteor Swarm five consecutive times, after casting a 7th level, you cannot cast anything for one round. It ups to two rounds for 8th, and three rounds for 9th. I like that mana pool system, though... I tried that with the elements from "Secret of Mana", but it got to be a pain re-categorizing all the spells...
SilentOne 10-01-04, 07:46 PM	How many 1st level sorcs do you know that can cast 20 spells a day? None. 20 is much too high a number to start with. Basing it purely off spells/day, the sorc should get something like 4 mana for his 1st level spells. note that this is 1/5th of your number, so I'm thinking you need to look at this again.
Neoatomic 10-01-04, 08:23 PM	Well the point of the 20 mana at first level is to allow channeling which is another part of this system basically a wizard may cast a spell for its mana cost which is the same progression as psionics, then by spending another fifve mana he can augment the power of the spell. Generally a third level spell, IE Fireball would cost 5 mana to cast in the first place then upon channeling and extra five mana he can increase the damage of the spell by 2. This can also be used for spells with durations and so on. Also, each type of mana requires a separate pool and at first level a mage could learn two magic types just by distibuting the mana between them. On top of all this I also incorporate the Spell Recharge system as well so a wizard could cast 20 spells a day but has to wait in between spells of the same level. This is in Unearthed Arcana and using both equals it all out.
Neoatomic 12-04-05, 04:04 PM	Bump :bump:
Neoatomic 12-04-05, 04:18 PM	I rebuilt this system a little bit since I was on the boards last, There are no longer different magic types, and mana is increased like HP where each caster class has a mana die, the spells costs are the same as psionics. Ex. A wizard has a mana die of d10, but a sorcerer gets a d12, also, the sorcerer is the only class that gets the Channel ability outright, Wizards and clerics can get the ability through feats or magic items. Mana is not modified by any ability modifier. Other changes involve the roleplaying aspect, mana is the equivalent of life force, Mana is described as an aura surrounding its owner which allows for new monsters and feats. One monster ive been using is an Arcane Corrupter, This creature attacks a casters aura rather than his body, all damage dealt to an aura corrupts the mana, thus after or during a fight with a Corrupter when the caster uses a spell there is a % that they will use corrupted mana. I usually just change aspects of the spell to either target the wielder or if the spell deals damage to let the target gain life instead, but that is up the DM.