Magic of the Mind, Heart, and Body

tmaaas · Jan 23, 2003

I plan on creating a campaign in which all magic stems from the same ultimate source, but is utilized and shaped via three different methods: the Mind, the Heart, or the Body.

Mind Magic: manipulating magical energies through arcane incantations and rites (the Wizard).
Heart Magic: harnessing magical energies inherent within oneself (the Artist/Bard).
Body Magic: acting as a reservoir or conduit for the magical energies of a greater being (the Cleric).

In my next three posts, I will explain what I would like to do with each of these forms of magic. Please feel free to comment or add suggestions.

tmaaas · Jan 23, 2003

Mind Magic

Mind Magic

This is the ‘science’ of magic. It involves understanding the laws of magic, discovering the sources of magic power, and learning to manipulate both via spell and incantation. Mind magicians spend their lives seeking out and mastering arcane rites and formulas and are commonly called wizards.

In game terms:

Mind Magic will be represented using Psionics and power points, but with the arcane fantasy feel of the wizard. Thus, wizards spells (converted via ITCK) will be used instead of the ‘pseudo-scientific’ psionic powers.
Normal spell components with their benefits and liabilities instead of psionic displays.
Spell memorization/casting on the fly will be combined. Wizards will now memorize spells, but may cast any spell they currently have memorized per standard power point rules.

Some options I may use to balance the class when I get around to actually creating it:

Enforced specialization via feats. In order to cast spells from a given school, you must use a feat. The wizard character would have to decide between standard feats, school specialization feats, item creation feats, and metamagic feats. You can’t do everything.
Counting spells available for memorization against character’s standard gp level (Boccob’s Blessed book notwithstanding). This would drastically reduce the amount of magic items the wizard has relative to other classes.
No free spells (except character level 1); all others must be found, purchased, or researched. Also, spells on scrolls may not be scribed into spellbooks (they only have the information necessary to ‘complete’ the spell, not cast it from scratch). Thus, scrolls could still be given out regularly without giving the wizard too much; spellbooks as treasure would be more rare and precious.

tmaaas · Jan 24, 2003

Heart Magic

Heart Magic

All living creatures possess an inherent magic. Heart Magic draws upon a character’s inner reservoir to affect the world around them and other creatures. Practitioners develop their personal skills at manipulating these energies via sound, movement, and image. They are commonly called Artistes.

In game terms:

It will be a skill/feat based magic system. I haven’t decided yet what I will use for a base. It will probably be one of the following: Star Wars feat/skill/vitality-point system, Lord of the Rings spell list(i.e. feat)/skill/fatigue-based system, or Sovereign Stone magic system. I still don’t have the Sovereign Stone sourcebook, and want to get it before I make a decision.
Regardless of the system, the magic abilities of each Artiste sub-class will take some serious work to provide the right mix of balance / flexibility / flavor. A lot of this will be provided by spell descriptions (they different sub-classes may have spells with the same game effect, but each will be described differently when cast).
Each sub-class will also have its own emphasis. For instance, the Bard may excel in motivational magic and charms, the Dancer in travel and buffs, and the Artist in illusions and summoning.

tmaaas · Jan 27, 2003

Body Magic

Body Magic

As mentioned under Heart Magic, all living creatures possess an inherent magic. And some, such as the gods, have awesome amounts of personal power at their disposal. These beings often possess the ability to not only use their magic directly, but to also funnel it through other creatures and thus multiply their reach and power. The willing recipients of their might practice ‘Body Magic’, which allows the adherent’s physical form to channel or store the magical power of their chosen patron. Such followers are commonly called Clerics.

In game terms:

Clerics will still pray for spells using the familiar fire-and-forget magic system. This represents praying to their deity and then storing the god’s might in their body until it is used. In this sense, Clerics are magical batteries.
The Turn Undead ability will by converted into a more-generic Channeling ability for use with Divine Feats. In this sense, Clerics are living conduits of their god’s power.
The Cleric Templar will focus on spell casting at the expense of fighting prowess and channeling. The Cleric Militant will focus on fighting and channeling at the expense of spells.
Clerics of different deities will be differentiated primarily by domain and ‘Deity Divine Feats’. A cleric may cast his domain spells spontaneously (replacing the spontaneous cure spell ability). Deity Divine Feats will replace domain powers; they are divine feats only a cleric of the given deity may take.
To deal with the change in power levels of Clerics, especially with expanded spontaneous casting, all domains will have to be reevaluated for balance. Clerics will only receive one Domain at level 1, with the possibility of more as they level up.
Clerics will no longer automatically succeed when praying for spells or making a Channeling attempt. Spell preparation will now require a Wisdom check, while Channeling involves a Charisma check with the possibility of total failure. These attempts will be subject to both positive and negative modifiers.