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What is "grim and gritty" and "low magic" anyway?
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<blockquote data-quote="Inconsequenti-AL" data-source="post: 1419069" data-attributes="member: 6584"><p>For me, low magic can either be the way things are described or it can involve actually changing the game system. </p><p></p><p>Examples:</p><p></p><p>A low magic world could consist of 99.9% 1st level commoners - the players as 2nd level adventurers are already really special - different flavour, same mechanics. The players have a 'reasonable' number of items for their level - however items are still very rare on a global scale? </p><p></p><p>Or even removing all items and replacing them with innate and/or non-magical abilities. Pluses/effects stay the same. Description of how you get them changes.</p><p></p><p>Or it could involve removing all magic items, clerics and mages.</p><p></p><p></p><p>I agree with what's been said - changing the level of magic in a game can have some far reaching effects on the game balance. For example removing all magic items makes monks, clerics, certain monsters and wizards very nasty - If not compensated for - being a barbarian may not be too much fun! DM's can counter this, but it's an awful lot of work for them and, IME, details often get missed.</p><p></p><p>IMO, altering many of the other core of the core mechanics 'too far' has similar effects.</p><p></p><p>When it's being drastically altered - I'd rather start with a different system that's closer to what I'm trying to achieve. Whether that's an OGL D20 game or something from another system all together:</p><p></p><p>For example: </p><p>Spaceships, Magic and Firearms = Dragonstar.</p><p>Everyone plays a super mage = Ars Magica.</p><p>Wild west, horror and magic = Deadlands.</p><p>No magic, guns, less spying = D20 Modern.</p><p>Etc.</p><p></p><p>Then start house ruling from this closer point. I've realised games designers and games testers are generally better at designing games than I am, so the less modding I do, the better the game tends to work. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /> </p><p></p><p>As a fringe benefit, I like having everything gathered in a nice printed books... piles of house rules scrawled on bits of paper (or worse, in my scatty brain!) tends to lead to confused players.</p><p></p><p></p><p>However, if you're having fun then you're doing things right! And it's only rules, after all - plenty more important things than that.</p><p></p><p></p><p>IMO, like others have said, Grim and Gritty has more to do with the tone of the game rather than rules mechanics. YMMV, but I find the 'harder' things are for the characters the more morally ambiguous they get.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Inconsequenti-AL, post: 1419069, member: 6584"] For me, low magic can either be the way things are described or it can involve actually changing the game system. Examples: A low magic world could consist of 99.9% 1st level commoners - the players as 2nd level adventurers are already really special - different flavour, same mechanics. The players have a 'reasonable' number of items for their level - however items are still very rare on a global scale? Or even removing all items and replacing them with innate and/or non-magical abilities. Pluses/effects stay the same. Description of how you get them changes. Or it could involve removing all magic items, clerics and mages. I agree with what's been said - changing the level of magic in a game can have some far reaching effects on the game balance. For example removing all magic items makes monks, clerics, certain monsters and wizards very nasty - If not compensated for - being a barbarian may not be too much fun! DM's can counter this, but it's an awful lot of work for them and, IME, details often get missed. IMO, altering many of the other core of the core mechanics 'too far' has similar effects. When it's being drastically altered - I'd rather start with a different system that's closer to what I'm trying to achieve. Whether that's an OGL D20 game or something from another system all together: For example: Spaceships, Magic and Firearms = Dragonstar. Everyone plays a super mage = Ars Magica. Wild west, horror and magic = Deadlands. No magic, guns, less spying = D20 Modern. Etc. Then start house ruling from this closer point. I've realised games designers and games testers are generally better at designing games than I am, so the less modding I do, the better the game tends to work. :) As a fringe benefit, I like having everything gathered in a nice printed books... piles of house rules scrawled on bits of paper (or worse, in my scatty brain!) tends to lead to confused players. However, if you're having fun then you're doing things right! And it's only rules, after all - plenty more important things than that. IMO, like others have said, Grim and Gritty has more to do with the tone of the game rather than rules mechanics. YMMV, but I find the 'harder' things are for the characters the more morally ambiguous they get. [/QUOTE]
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