I can understand wanting to run LotR's Coda system, but it doesn't take much to run a d20 game with subtle, fatiguing magic. In fact, as you point out, you could use SW d20's Vitality mechanics for a start.I've wanted to run a fantasy game, but I wanted subtle magic, a fatigue system, and a way to tie magic use into fatigue much like SW d20 has Vitality and Wounds. I also wanted to get away from the hack and slash mindset of D&D. LOTR Coda fits what I wanted almost exactly. I would have had to tinker with d20 to get it to where I wanted that it wouldn't have resembled d20 all that much.
I've only skimmed through the system, but I don't really think so. It's certainly not "you have x number of spell slots" and it's not really "you have this much magical 'energy' to spend". It's more "if you cast this spell you'll probably feel buggered* afterwards". There's no set number of spells you can cast or magical energy to expend.ColonelHardisson said:What about something along the lines of Call of Cthulhu d20's magic, in which spells cost Ability points to cast? Does that seem to fit with Decipher's LotR magic system?
No?Apok said:Actually, there is nothing that says you can't play a female dwarf ...
(my italics)From The LotR Roleplaying Game Core Book, page 62
Gender: Dwarf characters must be male.
As I understand it, LotR system is not a "points" system like CoC. Each time you cast a spell, you make a weariness check. If you succeed, then there's no problem, if you fail, then the spell doesn't work and you get tired. In theory, then, you could cast spells all day with no ill effects. In practice, you'll only be able to cast so many spells before you need to have a little lie down.ColonelHardisson said:There are no spell slots in CoCd20. You lose sanity and, more importantly, ability points - Con, Str, etc. - when casting a spell. You're only limited by how many ability points and sanity points you have. This sounds something like Decipher's system, as described, to me.
I think I've explained the mechanic well enough. As I said at the outset, most parts of the whole Corruption mechanic I don't have a problem with. It's the bit where moral decisions are taken away from the player that upsets me. Corruption due to exposure to The One Ring is reasonable and captures the spirit of the books quite well. The same with Sorcery. In the latter case, the player has made a moral decision to expose herself to a corrupting influence. The same generally applies to exposure to The One Ring, though there is scope there for "accidental" exposure.ColonelHardisson said:I'm not sure I follow. I don't have the game, but wouldn't corruption have to be something imposed on the PC from without? Otherwise the character could use magic or even the One Ring without having to worry about it. And in the Lord of the Rings (I'm referring mostly to the books), these things definitely cause corruption, even (or perhaps most especially) upon the strong-willed, and it doen't seem to be a voluntary thing. Maybe you could explain the game mechanic a bit more?