Post by Lurid Sorcerer on Jul 28, 2011 9:25:54 GMT -5
(Since I wrote the last magic system, I've come up with some interesting changes. Unfortunately, "patching up" the previous system to incorporate the changes I've made wasn't very practical, so I just re-wrote it. It many ways it is the same, but there are a few fundamental differences.
For these reasons, I've decided to simply make a new thread instead of forcing readers to read the previous one, then scan through the rest of the thread to see the changes.)
Among all of the abilities contained in the game of Kalarsys, magic stands out from the rest. Because it has no analog to the real world, it requires much more explanation and will stand to confuse many players, particularly newcomers to the game.
While no one should be discouraged from creating a character skilled in sorcery, players should take note that having previous experience with the game will make learning the systems behind magic much easier. As with anything, learning the essentials and building on them makes learning much less difficult, and game novices who have to learn how to play Kalarsys at the same time as learning how the complex magic system works may find themselves frustrated, which is not ideal when the goal of this game is to have fun.
It may also be worth mentioning that the magic system included in this core rulebook may not be appropriate for all game settings. While it adds a lot more types of characters to play and more ways to customize them, expansions to the game are likely to completely replace this system of magic with their own or remove it entirely. Just because these rules appear in this book does not mean that in a game set in the 1920's on Earth will contain detectives capable of tossing lighting bolts at their adversaries.
With those warnings out of the way, let us proceed to the discussion of how magic in Kalarsys works.
The Paradigm Of Magic
The Elemental School
The Mystical School
For these reasons, I've decided to simply make a new thread instead of forcing readers to read the previous one, then scan through the rest of the thread to see the changes.)
Among all of the abilities contained in the game of Kalarsys, magic stands out from the rest. Because it has no analog to the real world, it requires much more explanation and will stand to confuse many players, particularly newcomers to the game.
While no one should be discouraged from creating a character skilled in sorcery, players should take note that having previous experience with the game will make learning the systems behind magic much easier. As with anything, learning the essentials and building on them makes learning much less difficult, and game novices who have to learn how to play Kalarsys at the same time as learning how the complex magic system works may find themselves frustrated, which is not ideal when the goal of this game is to have fun.
It may also be worth mentioning that the magic system included in this core rulebook may not be appropriate for all game settings. While it adds a lot more types of characters to play and more ways to customize them, expansions to the game are likely to completely replace this system of magic with their own or remove it entirely. Just because these rules appear in this book does not mean that in a game set in the 1920's on Earth will contain detectives capable of tossing lighting bolts at their adversaries.
With those warnings out of the way, let us proceed to the discussion of how magic in Kalarsys works.
The Paradigm Of Magic
There are many types of magic in Kalarsys, but first we will discuss the common traits they share in order to show the general paradigm behind their use.
In order for a character to use magic, they must first know how. Use of magic requires many years of schooling or apprenticeship. This fact must be accounted for in a character's back story and also makes it impractical for a character to begin their magical training at some point after the character creation process.
There are two schools (or categories) of magic. These are Elemental and Mystic. Each school contains three types of magic. Mages may study only one school of magic, but may have skill in any or all of the types of magic in that school. Each type of magic they know has its own Ability score on the character sheet.
Another prerequisite to using magic is the mage's catalyst. A catalyst is simply an item into which magical energy is placed before being cast at a target. One cannot simply pick up a stick and shoot magic from it, however. Very skilled mages study the means by which to create catalysts, and must enchant an item before it can be used as one. Typically, wooden staves or wands are used, but in some circumstances jewelery or clothing items can be used, but these items are more difficult to enchant, and thus more expensive to have prepared as catalysts.
The final requirements to using magical spells are determining the additional stats involved. First, Magic Points, abbreviated as MP, is a measure of how much magical energy a mage can conjure and use before resting. It is calculated by adding their Concentration and Willlpower. Magic Accuracy, shortened to MACC, is used to determine if a spell hits its target and how long the effects last. MACC is calculated by averaging the character's Intelligence and Concentration, rounding up.
In the general method of spellcasting, the mage charges their catalyst with their magic spell, then, if able, they power it up to their liking, and finally fire it at a target. Both charging and launching spells takes an action, and launching a spell counts as an attack.
The initial spell charge costs the mage one MP. Their skill with the magic (Intelligence + Ability level with that magic type) is rolled, and the score is noted as the magnitude of the spell. This charging can be done once for every level they have in that type of magic, so, for example, if the character has attained level 3 in Fire magic, they may begin charging the spell, spending an MP and rolling their INT+Fire, then on their next turn elect to spend another MP and roll their INT+Fire again, adding this new score to the previous one. On their next turn, they could elect to boost the spell once more, thus reaching the limit of times they could charge their spell before launching it.
Once a mage has finished charging their spell, they may fire it at their target. There are major differences between the two magical schools in this regard, but the general rules will be discussed now while the specifics will be discussed shortly.
To fire a spell at a target, the mage's MACC is rolled. If this roll is successful, the spell's effect reaches the target and their catalyst is drained of all of the spell's power. This process counts as an attack, and therefore can only be done once per turn.
The Elemental School
Knowledge in the Elemental school of magic allows a mage to attack their targets with fire, lightning or ice. The primary function of these spells is to deal damage to a target, but they all have extra effects that they inflict, and this added effect is different for each magic type.
Spells in this school do not require a mage to make contact with the target. The spells are launched from a distance from the catalyst in the form of a magical projectile. When firing the spell, the mage's MACC is rolled against the target's EVA divided in half (rounded up). The spell's added effect is applied to the target based on the number of 6s rolled on a successful MACC roll according to the table below:
Spell Type Effect Fire One HP of burning damage to target after their turn. Lasts for one round per 6 rolled in MACC. Ice All of target's rolls reduced by 1 die. Lasts for one round per 6 rolled in MACC. Lightning Target is stunned and cannot act. They lose a number of actions equal to the number of 6s rolled in MACC.
If the mage's attack strikes its target, the target's WIL is rolled, and for every point scored, one point is removed from the spell's magnitude. Any remaining spell magnitude is applied to the target as damage.
If the MACC roll fails, the projectile harmlessly misses its target and the spell is wasted.
While functioning in a very similar way, there are subtle differences between the different magic types in this school. They each have a distinct look: Ice spells freeze the air as they travel and leave a trail of snow behind them, lightning spells look like miniature lighting bolts and cause a thunderous boom as they are cast, fire spells leave their surroundings singed and give off a distinct smell. Fire spells are also the most dangerous to buildings, forests and fields.
The Mystical School
Spells in the Mystical school require a mage to touch the charged catalyst to its target. For this reason, staves are preferred over wands for this school of magic. Spells in this school are capable of restoring a character's HP (Heal), temporarily increasing die rolls made for a character (Support), and temporarily reducing die rolls made for a character (Curse).
Spells are charged into the catalyst the same way as Elemental spells: a mage spends an MP to begin charging the spell, and a spell can be charged once for every level they have in that spell type's Ability before launching it. Every time it is charged, their Intelligence plus skill level with that magic type are rolled, and these scores are added together to determine the spell's magnitude.
When firing the spell, the mage must be close enough to the target to touch them with their catalyst. Their MACC is rolled to determine if the spell's effect is transferred to the target. While characters are unlikely to attempt to evade a Heal or Support spell, attempting to dodge any spell in this school allows the character to roll their EVA against the mage's MACC.
For Heal spells, the magnitude of the charged spell is the number of HP restored. This magic can heal wounds and broken bones, but cannot bring the dead back to life.
Support and Curse spells work differently in that their magnitudes are divided in half (rounded up) before being applied to the target. For each of these points, all rolls made for that target character are either increased (in the case of Support) or decreased (in the case of Curse) by that many automatic points after the roll has been made while the spell is in effect. For each MACC point scored when casting the spell, the effect will last through one of the target's full turns. That is to say, if a Support spell was charged to 3 magnitude, and the spell's MACC roll scores 3, the target's rolls will be boosted by 2 (3 magnitude divided in half, rounded up) until they have had 3 (MACC score) complete turns.
If the MACC roll fails, the spell is not lost as it is in Elemental magic. The spell remains in the catalyst, but its magnitude is reduced by one for every round that goes by without it being charged or successfully launched.
