D20 Conversion of WW's Mage?
Pagan priest
First Post
I would be very interested. I find the storyteller system horribly flawed but the setting to be great. I have heard a rumor that WW will be putting out a pulp adventure game with d20 stats. If I can find that info again, I will post it. If true, it could be the key that unlocks the shackles of one of the worst systems from soem of the best settings.
Pagan priest
First Post
How close are they to Mage, Vampire and Werewolf?
King of Old School
First Post
The Aeon games (Adventure!, Aberrant and Trinity) will be released by Sword & Sorcery Studios as separate hardback books. They will be d20 books based on 3.5 (not d20 Modern, not M&M) and using their own proprietary systems for psionics, superpowers, etc.
I don't think any of these books would be particularly helpful in a Mage conversion, because none of the powers in the Storyteller versions of these games (Psionics in Trinity, quantum superpowers in Aberrant, or pulp Knacks in Adventure!) work like Sphere Magic in Mage. If you really want a d20 magic system that resembles Mage, your best bet would probably be to use the Ars Magica system as a "Rosetta stone," look at the mechanical similarity between AM and d20 and the conceptual similarity between AM and Mage, and work from there.
It actually wouldn't be hard to do a mechanical conversion, just make Arete a level-based ability of the Mage class similar to BAB and have the characters purchase sphere levels as feats. You could have a subtly different class for each of the Traditions and Conventions, providing appropriate class abilities. It would be a lot like Jedi in SWRPG. Sphere Magic is actually not that mechanically complex (it's conceptually complex, but that's a different kettle of fish). The real issue would be that Mages would be grossly, grossly overpowered relative to any other d20 class or race, and would therefore offend the Balance Police.
KoOS
I don't think any of these books would be particularly helpful in a Mage conversion, because none of the powers in the Storyteller versions of these games (Psionics in Trinity, quantum superpowers in Aberrant, or pulp Knacks in Adventure!) work like Sphere Magic in Mage. If you really want a d20 magic system that resembles Mage, your best bet would probably be to use the Ars Magica system as a "Rosetta stone," look at the mechanical similarity between AM and d20 and the conceptual similarity between AM and Mage, and work from there.
It actually wouldn't be hard to do a mechanical conversion, just make Arete a level-based ability of the Mage class similar to BAB and have the characters purchase sphere levels as feats. You could have a subtly different class for each of the Traditions and Conventions, providing appropriate class abilities. It would be a lot like Jedi in SWRPG. Sphere Magic is actually not that mechanically complex (it's conceptually complex, but that's a different kettle of fish). The real issue would be that Mages would be grossly, grossly overpowered relative to any other d20 class or race, and would therefore offend the Balance Police.
KoOS
King of Old School said:
Yes I have decided that I will have to do it myself so I have started a conversion process when I get a few minutes to mess with it. i am converting the magic system only as i will be attching it to a bastardized Spycraft/D20 Modern game so the traditions and other white wolf trappings will not be needed.
As for balance I stopped worrying about balance way back in 1980 and havnt had a problem since. Thanks for the suggestions for Arete and spheres as feats That will work nicly.
Calico_Jack73
First Post
I would be interested to see how someone would do this. The magic system in Mage is EXTREMELY fluid and VERY open to interpretation both by the player and the GM. The player may believe that the he knows the proper combination of spheres to create an effect only to find that the GM feels differently and rules that the effect can't happen given the PC's current knowledge of the spheres. You'd have to throw the "Spells Per Day" concept out of the window. Perhaps change the gaining of sphere points to a feat based system where every three levels the PC could either take a new feat or add a new level of sphere knowledge. That would certainly replicate the fact that a Mage Player never seemed to have enough experience points to improve abilities AND buy spheres. It was always one or the other. I personally felt that sphere and arete progression was WAYYYYY too slow when the players are only earning an average of 3 experience points per game. To increase Arete from 3 to 4 would cost 40 XP. You'd have to play 34 game sessions to accumulate enough XP. You'd have to play at least once per week for over 6 months for just that SINGLE improvement. In a d20 system I think gaining a new sphere level every three levels would work and perhaps increase Arete every 4 levels. You could more-or-less keep the actual system for casting magic with the d10s versus difficulty. You'd just have to adjust the damage table for damaging magic effects. WW Mages have no hit points so you could throw the soak roll right out since I'd say that hit points would reflect the soak.
Calico_Jack73
First Post
Oops... bad math. 14 sessions so roughly 3 and a half months to increase arete. Darn my education!!!! 
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