palleomortis
First Post
dicechild said:
Yeah, that one kinda sucked.
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A new type of magic
- Thread starter dicechild
- Start date
Yeah, that one kinda sucked.
Well, systems such as these that require heavily on DM adjucation often are disliked because... they require heavily on DM adjucation. It isn't a system so much as an idea. If it works for your group then that is awesome, but certainly you'd agree that this EXACT same system used by another DM would result quite differently.
With that in mind, people can't really comment because your system is so flexible that you've stripped away all (save a few basic) ideas, leaving no rules for others to weigh and consider.
With that in mind, people can't really comment because your system is so flexible that you've stripped away all (save a few basic) ideas, leaving no rules for others to weigh and consider.
Arkhandus
First Post
You said the spells deal NONLETHAL damage to the caster.....? Right, so Mr. 1st-level Wizard fresh out of the academy can then proceed to, if stricken by a sudden fancy of madness, obliterate the academy and everyone in it by uttering a *power word - fire* to deal 1 million damage, and heck while he's at it, why not blow the planet to smithereens? Because, y'know, there's no limit. And then Mr. 1st-level Wizard will wake up when all that nonlethal damage has healed, because y'know, being nonlethal, it couldn't possibly kill him, no matter how much real damage he causes with the power word.
And, of course, any amount of normal damage healed in D&D also heals an equal amount of nonlethal damage for free. So, Mr. 5th-level Wizard uses a *power word - health* to heal not only 10 damage to himself, but also 10 nonlethal damage, allowing him to cast many more spells that day. Since there's no limit to how many Power Words they can use each day, they can use a Power Word - Fire to deal enough damage to enemies such that the Wizard is left at 1 point of nonlethal damage away from unconsciousness, then use a Power Word - Health to restore himself fully, and continue the carnage next round.
My suggestions to ensure such craziness won't happen, and to better ensure balance:
*Up the hit dice of wizards and sorcerers to d6s, they'll need it, and besides, their niche is no longer so special since even mundane warriors and thieves can learn magic, even if only at a slower pace, since those warriors and thieves will have more hit points to throw away on spellcasting, getting bigger/broader/more frequent effects.
*Set up rough paremeters for how much of an area, mass, weight, or value (in CP/SP/GP) that a Power Word can affect based on how much feedback damage it deals the invoker; ya don't want someone with Power Word - Gold to go turning every pebble into a gold coin just because there's no limits in the game.
*Say that the feedback damage suffered from a spell is only nonlethal if it does not exceed their caster level, perhaps, and put a solid limit on their Power Words saying that they cannot invoke a Power Word if it would deal them more than twice their caster level in damage; thus, for instance, a 1st-level wizard could deal 8 damage with a Power Word, and so could a 4th-level fighter. You may want to double this limit (to x2 for nonlethal and x4 for lethal, respectively) depending on the scope of your campaign.
*Say that classes which normally lack spells, such as fighters, have an effective caster level equal to 1/4 their total level in such non-spellcasting classes, for purposes of using Power Words.
*and, well, I'm out of time, maybe I'll add something later if it comes to me.
And, of course, any amount of normal damage healed in D&D also heals an equal amount of nonlethal damage for free. So, Mr. 5th-level Wizard uses a *power word - health* to heal not only 10 damage to himself, but also 10 nonlethal damage, allowing him to cast many more spells that day. Since there's no limit to how many Power Words they can use each day, they can use a Power Word - Fire to deal enough damage to enemies such that the Wizard is left at 1 point of nonlethal damage away from unconsciousness, then use a Power Word - Health to restore himself fully, and continue the carnage next round.
My suggestions to ensure such craziness won't happen, and to better ensure balance:
*Up the hit dice of wizards and sorcerers to d6s, they'll need it, and besides, their niche is no longer so special since even mundane warriors and thieves can learn magic, even if only at a slower pace, since those warriors and thieves will have more hit points to throw away on spellcasting, getting bigger/broader/more frequent effects.
*Set up rough paremeters for how much of an area, mass, weight, or value (in CP/SP/GP) that a Power Word can affect based on how much feedback damage it deals the invoker; ya don't want someone with Power Word - Gold to go turning every pebble into a gold coin just because there's no limits in the game.
*Say that the feedback damage suffered from a spell is only nonlethal if it does not exceed their caster level, perhaps, and put a solid limit on their Power Words saying that they cannot invoke a Power Word if it would deal them more than twice their caster level in damage; thus, for instance, a 1st-level wizard could deal 8 damage with a Power Word, and so could a 4th-level fighter. You may want to double this limit (to x2 for nonlethal and x4 for lethal, respectively) depending on the scope of your campaign.
*Say that classes which normally lack spells, such as fighters, have an effective caster level equal to 1/4 their total level in such non-spellcasting classes, for purposes of using Power Words.
*and, well, I'm out of time, maybe I'll add something later if it comes to me.
I like the ideas for rules. I think you're right about the nonlethal damage. I have changed that. Also about the healing. I'm not allowing healing words to heal non-lethal damage, and the power words can kill them with non-lethal damage if they go below -10 also. In addition, if you just happen to fient or die, your casting does not continue, it is treated as a miscast and it has a fifty percent chance to hit you with double or even triple feedback.
Tell me more.
Dicechild
Tell me more.
Dicechild
palleomortis
First Post
dicechild said:
tell you more? OK, but your not gonna like it.
Your a crule dm.
You killed me.
You are stengy with your gold
You killed me.
Your a crule dm.
You killed me.
Your a crule dm.
And one more thing. Your a crule dm.
This is a neat idea, but you defineately need rules for it. Have you looked at white wolfs "mage the awakening" book? They also have a basically free form spell casting system. But it still has some rules and limitations based on the characters level and abilities. Really if you like your rules this free form am i fair to assume you care more about storytelling then dice rolling? If so you might actually like the white wolf system better then D20.
palleomortis
First Post
dicechild said:
Oh, just 'cuase you can use big words...
Thondor
I run Compose Dream Games RPG Marketplace
It seems obvious to me that the casting of healing spells on others should cause damage to the caster (and there would be no way to regain non-lethal hp aside from resting). I thought that was what you meant originaly
I love the concept of effort or energy or life being exchanged for spells. I think fatigue and exhaustion should be worked in somehow.
I'll give it more thought and maybe get back to you.
As for Mage (white wolf), I believe the general premise is that
a) your in modern world where magic isn't normal an if you go to far and blow your cover well . . .
b) If you really go to far "reality" kills you -- and doesn't let what you were about to do happen
Anyway I've never actually played it, VAMPIRE is wonderful though. For those who don't mind if they go an entire night without ever trying to hit someone.
I love the concept of effort or energy or life being exchanged for spells. I think fatigue and exhaustion should be worked in somehow.
I'll give it more thought and maybe get back to you.
As for Mage (white wolf), I believe the general premise is that
a) your in modern world where magic isn't normal an if you go to far and blow your cover well . . .
b) If you really go to far "reality" kills you -- and doesn't let what you were about to do happen
Anyway I've never actually played it, VAMPIRE is wonderful though. For those who don't mind if they go an entire night without ever trying to hit someone.
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