Materia [Archive] - Wizards Community - Pages Merged by Solauren

Materia [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Steel Cobra
10-16-05, 12:37 PM I kinda wanna put materia in the game
so I thought of this...they are not the only kinds of spells...they are rare, they add to the armor/weapons, they can stack (multiple in one weapon), they do not get better the more you cast them (debating this one), you can not get them out once you put them in, summoning monsters is likt the summon monster __ spell, and finally, they are not sold on the market.
please help me revise I know Im not very good
Voran
10-17-05, 08:40 PM Had an idea like that once. Along the lines of making "Materia" magical rings. Basically if you could find it in a ring, it would be a materia. Then you 'plug it in' to your particular sword or armor piece, each with its own max. I figured 3 would be the limit to the high end stuff. The whatever the sword bonus/abils were, it had that additional 'ring' enchantment.
AesirRaven
10-17-05, 09:00 PM I've always wanted to do something like this. I never really put any serious effort into it, but I did have one idea: growth.

Basically, when you "equip" a materia, it bonds with you and becomes a kind of "familiar". It grows stronger as you do -- when you gain XP, it gains XP. When it gains sufficient XP, it goes up a level, and lets you access more powerful functions -- spells, abilities, what have you.

As an extremely oversimplified example, you could have a materia that has multiple caster level variants of Magic Missile. At level 1, it could cast Magic Missile as a level 1 sorceror. At level 2, it could cast Magic Missile as a level 3 sorceror. At level 3, it could cast Magic Missile as a level 5 sorceror, and is "maxed out".

Naturally, it wouldn't have the same XP table as characters, unless you wanted to match its "level" to a casting level.

Now, how it does this is up to you. Do you have to split your XP with it, or does it gain the same amount that you do without you having to "donate"? Does it gain XP based on use rather than on encounters?
Lawrence
10-17-05, 09:39 PM Hrm, well. you could always get an XP bonus in the game and that bonus is used towards 'leveling' materia. Be kinda like constantly improving a magic item. That makes losing them or selling them a bit of an issue, but likewise you can buy some of that back to a degree.

The trick is the fact that depending how you're dealing with materia and DnD, this could throw off the game - unless you want to modify monsters or something.

Think up a few different methods and try mentally 'playtesting' them.
Steel Cobra
10-20-05, 09:42 AM Well I have devised a set of small incomplete rules involving materia.

But first let me get this out of the way I have no arcane spell casters so that is why I thought that this would be good.

here is what I came up with for materia:
A small round sphere with with strange magic. The more the materia is used the stronger it becomes. inorder to advance the materia the player must "donate" some of his or her XP. Once materia is inserted into a weapon or armor it can not be removed under any circumstances. It takes a the same time as the spell and provokes an AoO. If the AoO is secussful then the player musit make a will save. If the will save meets or surpasses the damage then the user may contuniue with the spell if not then the user loses all nessassary MP and also loses the spell.
The MP bar:
The MP bar is based on charisma. Multiply the charisma modifier by 10 (if 0 or a negitive then by .5) then add 5 to that number. Then multiply 10 by the level and add that to the previous sum here is what it is in an equsion (5+(10*cha mod))+(lvl*10)
Example: (5+(10*2))+(3*10)...(25)+(30)...55 MP
Each Materia uses a pre-determinded amount of MP. The more powerful the materia the more MP it uses. Summon monsters use up the most MP.
Summon creatures:
Creatures are there for as many rounds as you have levels for every round after that it is round*1000XP (or a pre-determined amount) and then for each round give up that much XP. Summon creatures give no XP to the owner rather they take the XP for them selves, if they helped out in the fight and not killed the monster they gain a section of the casters XP. Usually the monsters found in the Monster Manuals serve as summons although there must be no Undead creatures or creatures of comflicting aligment (good or evil). If the caster so wishes the summon may be recalled as a free action on the next turn of the caster. Each summon must roll their own inatitave or go after the caster. If a summon is killed in or out of battle the caster must make a serveral hour prayer.
Materia limit:
Many items can not hold an infinate amount of materia and noramlly it is around 2 maximum but there can be upgrades made.
MP regeneration:
Many potions can be made to help regeneration. Also a full nights rest heals the same as health does.
Example of a materias leveling:

lvl|spell |XP (donated)
1 |cure light wounds |0
2 |cure mod wounds |500
3 |cure seroius wounds |1500

Any suggestions/revisions

Thanks
-Steel
wizkid
10-22-05, 04:25 PM If you guys go over to the Campain workshop there is a Final Fantasy setting that has rules for materia. :D Also it's in a PDF. Has over 70+ pages also. Problem is that the creator has'nt upate the PDF in a while.
sfurtwangler
10-24-05, 09:18 AM I've also been playing with an idea based upon a magic item in the new Magic of Eberron book. There is an item (originally a warforged-only component) that you snap into a warforged with psionic potential, and it gives them access to a psionic power that they didn't originally have.

Now, with a little modification, open that item up to magical spells, as well, and make them snap into weapons or armor, and be usuable by anyone... and you have a good basis for magic items that give access to spells in the way that materia does.

As for leveling up your materia. Have some set % of the players XP automatically get redirected to their equipped materia (I suggest something like 5-10% per materia). That experiecne goes towards "upgrading" the magical item, exactly as if the player had the prerequisite feats, and was spending the time/money to do so - without acutally having to do it. I think of it like the "holy relic"/"ancestral relic" feats, although its a little better for the players, I guess. The key idea here is that it preserves the balance of the D&D game, since the players arn't really getting anything for free. Their magical tiems are improving, through use, but they secretly are having to pay for it - so by relying on a lot of materia, they level up slower. As the materia gains XP, it automattically uses that XP to upgrade itself along some pre-determined path determined by the DM. For example, Fire materia mgiht at first unluck an "orb of fire, lesser" spell, and then later "orb of fire", etc...

Lastly, the "slots" into which these materia can go should really map to magical item locations on the body. A suit of armor could have a slot near the neck (amulet slot) on the sleeves (arms and hands slots), etc... The materia bound should limit the # of magical items a player can have equiped at once.

I think basing materia off of these feats/items makes a lot of sense, since they are somewhat already existing in the D&D rules. Just having magic items that level up on their own makes them inherently suprior to normal magical items, and also impossible to price/value. Having MP be some new made-up stat makes materia work much differently than other magic spells/items in the game.

This also allowed me to have a magical class (basically, a wilder, or some spellpoint variant of a sorcerer from UA) who never got any spells of its own, but could gain MP and caster levels to use spells from materia.

Some materia could work like wonderous magical items, as well... havn't thought out too many progressions for those.. but there could easily be one that increases the strength of the person equiping it. And treat it like gloves/belt of strength - whose bonus increases as it levels up.

Anyways, what do you guys think?

Two hurdles so far, that I am not sure how to overcome:

1. Magical characters and fighter-type characters would be different. Under my current system, Magical characters would always be maxed-out on materia, to have a decent number of spells available, which causes a big drain on their experience. Combat tyeps can get by with less, and so would probaably choose to only have one or two (combat-related) materia, and thus, level faster than the spellcasters.

2. I'm not sure how combining materia would work. It would eitehr take a lot of on-the-spot creativity by the DM, or a finite number of materia (recreating those from the games). My suggestion would be that materia that works together should use some mechanic where half of the XP supplied for the upgrade is supplies from each materia - but that seems messy to plan out.

3. Trying to come up for a good mechanci for materia "splitting" and producing new materia. So far, I think whatever the base cost for materia ends up being (currently using a market price of 2000 gp for "blank" materia which = 80 xp) could be used as a cost or "upgrade" that master materia pays at some point along its progression to create a new "empty" materia of the same type. Since I don't intend to let players Craft Materia (in the sense that players craft magic items) this becomes important for explaining where new materia comes from.
Steel Cobra
10-25-05, 04:54 PM Well I dont think Materia should be able to be bought unless some pesant stumbles apon a "shiney red orb" and thinks it would be more money.
But also with that I think peseants should not have knowlege of this and the PCs stumble apon a book in a store that reminds them of that one "orb" they found and they buy it or someone just throws it at them in a tribe that belive in devine magic and materia counting materia as arcane they want to get rid of it.
DragonBringerX
10-26-05, 09:53 AM hey guys...i've created a materia system already...it's not entirely done yet, but i have a 15 page word doc. on it if anyone wants it just post your e-mail address here and i'll send it to ya. i was thinking about posting it on the boards but i dont know how to do that...if someone could help me.
Steel Cobra
10-27-05, 10:50 PM I would like it

its cowtipper2004@sbcglobal.net

please do NOT send any of that fwd or re **** its annoying
DragonBringerX
11-07-05, 12:13 AM sorry i haven't been able to respond in like 4ever, just been tied up w/school and all. plus my ablility to send e-mail is null right now. :rolleyes:
I could start posting what i've got here if anyone is interested...i'll check this oftern (i promise). It's really really really long, so i'll have to post it in sections....although i wish there was an easier way. This thing is 15 pages in a word doc at 12pt font. Includes charts and all. Its about 75% done, but whats done is fully playable.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Steel Cobra 10-16-05, 12:37 PM	I kinda wanna put materia in the game so I thought of this...they are not the only kinds of spells...they are rare, they add to the armor/weapons, they can stack (multiple in one weapon), they do not get better the more you cast them (debating this one), you can not get them out once you put them in, summoning monsters is likt the summon monster __ spell, and finally, they are not sold on the market. please help me revise I know Im not very good
Voran 10-17-05, 08:40 PM	Had an idea like that once. Along the lines of making "Materia" magical rings. Basically if you could find it in a ring, it would be a materia. Then you 'plug it in' to your particular sword or armor piece, each with its own max. I figured 3 would be the limit to the high end stuff. The whatever the sword bonus/abils were, it had that additional 'ring' enchantment.
AesirRaven 10-17-05, 09:00 PM	I've always wanted to do something like this. I never really put any serious effort into it, but I did have one idea: growth. Basically, when you "equip" a materia, it bonds with you and becomes a kind of "familiar". It grows stronger as you do -- when you gain XP, it gains XP. When it gains sufficient XP, it goes up a level, and lets you access more powerful functions -- spells, abilities, what have you. As an extremely oversimplified example, you could have a materia that has multiple caster level variants of Magic Missile. At level 1, it could cast Magic Missile as a level 1 sorceror. At level 2, it could cast Magic Missile as a level 3 sorceror. At level 3, it could cast Magic Missile as a level 5 sorceror, and is "maxed out". Naturally, it wouldn't have the same XP table as characters, unless you wanted to match its "level" to a casting level. Now, how it does this is up to you. Do you have to split your XP with it, or does it gain the same amount that you do without you having to "donate"? Does it gain XP based on use rather than on encounters?
Lawrence 10-17-05, 09:39 PM	Hrm, well. you could always get an XP bonus in the game and that bonus is used towards 'leveling' materia. Be kinda like constantly improving a magic item. That makes losing them or selling them a bit of an issue, but likewise you can buy some of that back to a degree. The trick is the fact that depending how you're dealing with materia and DnD, this could throw off the game - unless you want to modify monsters or something. Think up a few different methods and try mentally 'playtesting' them.
Steel Cobra 10-20-05, 09:42 AM	Well I have devised a set of small incomplete rules involving materia. But first let me get this out of the way I have no arcane spell casters so that is why I thought that this would be good. here is what I came up with for materia: A small round sphere with with strange magic. The more the materia is used the stronger it becomes. inorder to advance the materia the player must "donate" some of his or her XP. Once materia is inserted into a weapon or armor it can not be removed under any circumstances. It takes a the same time as the spell and provokes an AoO. If the AoO is secussful then the player musit make a will save. If the will save meets or surpasses the damage then the user may contuniue with the spell if not then the user loses all nessassary MP and also loses the spell. The MP bar: The MP bar is based on charisma. Multiply the charisma modifier by 10 (if 0 or a negitive then by .5) then add 5 to that number. Then multiply 10 by the level and add that to the previous sum here is what it is in an equsion (5+(10cha mod))+(lvl10) Example: (5+(102))+(310)...(25)+(30)...55 MP Each Materia uses a pre-determinded amount of MP. The more powerful the materia the more MP it uses. Summon monsters use up the most MP. Summon creatures: Creatures are there for as many rounds as you have levels for every round after that it is round*1000XP (or a pre-determined amount) and then for each round give up that much XP. Summon creatures give no XP to the owner rather they take the XP for them selves, if they helped out in the fight and not killed the monster they gain a section of the casters XP. Usually the monsters found in the Monster Manuals serve as summons although there must be no Undead creatures or creatures of comflicting aligment (good or evil). If the caster so wishes the summon may be recalled as a free action on the next turn of the caster. Each summon must roll their own inatitave or go after the caster. If a summon is killed in or out of battle the caster must make a serveral hour prayer. Materia limit: Many items can not hold an infinate amount of materia and noramlly it is around 2 maximum but there can be upgrades made. MP regeneration: Many potions can be made to help regeneration. Also a full nights rest heals the same as health does. Example of a materias leveling: lvl\|spell \|XP (donated) 1 \|cure light wounds \|0 2 \|cure mod wounds \|500 3 \|cure seroius wounds \|1500 Any suggestions/revisions Thanks -Steel
wizkid 10-22-05, 04:25 PM	If you guys go over to the Campain workshop there is a Final Fantasy setting that has rules for materia. :D Also it's in a PDF. Has over 70+ pages also. Problem is that the creator has'nt upate the PDF in a while.
sfurtwangler 10-24-05, 09:18 AM	I've also been playing with an idea based upon a magic item in the new Magic of Eberron book. There is an item (originally a warforged-only component) that you snap into a warforged with psionic potential, and it gives them access to a psionic power that they didn't originally have. Now, with a little modification, open that item up to magical spells, as well, and make them snap into weapons or armor, and be usuable by anyone... and you have a good basis for magic items that give access to spells in the way that materia does. As for leveling up your materia. Have some set % of the players XP automatically get redirected to their equipped materia (I suggest something like 5-10% per materia). That experiecne goes towards "upgrading" the magical item, exactly as if the player had the prerequisite feats, and was spending the time/money to do so - without acutally having to do it. I think of it like the "holy relic"/"ancestral relic" feats, although its a little better for the players, I guess. The key idea here is that it preserves the balance of the D&D game, since the players arn't really getting anything for free. Their magical tiems are improving, through use, but they secretly are having to pay for it - so by relying on a lot of materia, they level up slower. As the materia gains XP, it automattically uses that XP to upgrade itself along some pre-determined path determined by the DM. For example, Fire materia mgiht at first unluck an "orb of fire, lesser" spell, and then later "orb of fire", etc... Lastly, the "slots" into which these materia can go should really map to magical item locations on the body. A suit of armor could have a slot near the neck (amulet slot) on the sleeves (arms and hands slots), etc... The materia bound should limit the # of magical items a player can have equiped at once. I think basing materia off of these feats/items makes a lot of sense, since they are somewhat already existing in the D&D rules. Just having magic items that level up on their own makes them inherently suprior to normal magical items, and also impossible to price/value. Having MP be some new made-up stat makes materia work much differently than other magic spells/items in the game. This also allowed me to have a magical class (basically, a wilder, or some spellpoint variant of a sorcerer from UA) who never got any spells of its own, but could gain MP and caster levels to use spells from materia. Some materia could work like wonderous magical items, as well... havn't thought out too many progressions for those.. but there could easily be one that increases the strength of the person equiping it. And treat it like gloves/belt of strength - whose bonus increases as it levels up. Anyways, what do you guys think? Two hurdles so far, that I am not sure how to overcome: 1. Magical characters and fighter-type characters would be different. Under my current system, Magical characters would always be maxed-out on materia, to have a decent number of spells available, which causes a big drain on their experience. Combat tyeps can get by with less, and so would probaably choose to only have one or two (combat-related) materia, and thus, level faster than the spellcasters. 2. I'm not sure how combining materia would work. It would eitehr take a lot of on-the-spot creativity by the DM, or a finite number of materia (recreating those from the games). My suggestion would be that materia that works together should use some mechanic where half of the XP supplied for the upgrade is supplies from each materia - but that seems messy to plan out. 3. Trying to come up for a good mechanci for materia "splitting" and producing new materia. So far, I think whatever the base cost for materia ends up being (currently using a market price of 2000 gp for "blank" materia which = 80 xp) could be used as a cost or "upgrade" that master materia pays at some point along its progression to create a new "empty" materia of the same type. Since I don't intend to let players Craft Materia (in the sense that players craft magic items) this becomes important for explaining where new materia comes from.
Steel Cobra 10-25-05, 04:54 PM	Well I dont think Materia should be able to be bought unless some pesant stumbles apon a "shiney red orb" and thinks it would be more money. But also with that I think peseants should not have knowlege of this and the PCs stumble apon a book in a store that reminds them of that one "orb" they found and they buy it or someone just throws it at them in a tribe that belive in devine magic and materia counting materia as arcane they want to get rid of it.
DragonBringerX 10-26-05, 09:53 AM	hey guys...i've created a materia system already...it's not entirely done yet, but i have a 15 page word doc. on it if anyone wants it just post your e-mail address here and i'll send it to ya. i was thinking about posting it on the boards but i dont know how to do that...if someone could help me.
Steel Cobra 10-27-05, 10:50 PM	I would like it its cowtipper2004@sbcglobal.net please do NOT send any of that fwd or re **** its annoying
DragonBringerX 11-07-05, 12:13 AM	sorry i haven't been able to respond in like 4ever, just been tied up w/school and all. plus my ablility to send e-mail is null right now. :rolleyes: I could start posting what i've got here if anyone is interested...i'll check this oftern (i promise). It's really really really long, so i'll have to post it in sections....although i wish there was an easier way. This thing is 15 pages in a word doc at 12pt font. Includes charts and all. Its about 75% done, but whats done is fully playable.