D&D 5E Earthsea Magic in D&D

[nyvinter]

Yeah, and I think the change is so substantial that you need to remake the whole spell system from scratch as 5e isn't made to run that kind of magic. Earthsea isn't about instant fireballs. But if one want to do this anyway, BtW is a good place to get inspiration considering that it is a retroclone.

 

[dave2008]

Yeah, and I think the change is so substantial that you need to remake the whole spell system from scratch as 5e isn't made to run that kind of magic.

I think that is the point, but you would have to ask @Mercurius

Earthsea isn't about instant fireballs.

D&D doesn't have to be either. Heck, I run a magic-less adventure or two every edition and it works great. So if the OP wanted to run Earthsea I would start by stripping out all the magic classes and then add magic back in that fits the Earthsea model. I kinda get the suspicion that this is where this project is heading.

 

[Tonguez]

While I love Earthsea and its magic, I don't think it's a good match with D&D 5e (which I also like, mind you.)

If I had to come up with a quick and dirty implementation, I'd simply say that

• the true name of things and entities that don't have a stat block (a pebble, a single blade of grass, a cup, a cloud, etc) is "included" in knowing the (official D&D 5e) spells that affect them. If you mend a broken shelf with Mending, you used the true name of the shelf, and that's it
• not knowing the true name of statted things and entities but trying to affect them with spells works as per the official D&D rules
• knowing the true name of statted things gives you an advantage on any roll you're required to cast OR a disadvantage to their save, OR maximum damage / healing / duration rolls etc, noting that learning the true name of a statted thing is the equivalent of gaining and possessing a magic item.

And that's it. Anything deeper than this, I'd go look for a different system more suited for Earthsea's world and magic.

Yeah Im thinking that the interesting part of Earthsea’s magic came from le Guins prose rather than being inherent to the ‘magic system’. As represented by Sparrowhawk learning True Names was the challenge but once learned he gained access to the relevant ‘lore’ including its restrictions. The only major issue is that Earthsea magic has a cost which could be modelled as fatigue or major backlash (you get hunted by a evil shadow)

I wonder if then if the Sage Background with its Research feature is pretty much all thats really required. Just play it that the spellcaster needs to actively research to learn true names, then select story appropriate spells

 

[Aldarc]

The OP isn't asking for a 5e version of Earthsea, he/she wants to import an Earthsea-like magic system to 5e, see post #22. Big difference.

I think that is the point, but you would have to ask @Mercurius
D&D doesn't have to be either. Heck, I run a magic-less adventure or two every edition and it works great. So if the OP wanted to run Earthsea I would start by stripping out all the magic classes and then add magic back in that fits the Earthsea model. I kinda get the suspicion that this is where this project is heading.

The magic of Earthsea is a poignant point about the setting itself. Stripping the magic of Earthsea and putting it in D&D is about like strip-mining a colonized country and pumping those resources back into the colonizing country. Regardless of whether the OP wants Earthsea-style magic in D&D rather than to play Earthsea itself, D&D seems antithetical to the spirit of magic in the source material.

 

[dave2008]

The magic of Earthsea is a poignant point about the setting itself. Stripping the magic of Earthsea and putting it in D&D is about like strip-mining a colonized country and pumping those resources back into the colonizing country. Regardless of whether the OP wants Earthsea-style magic in D&D rather than to play Earthsea itself, D&D seems antithetical to the spirit of magic in the source material.

I disagree. My D&D isn't antithetical to anything - it is what I want it to be.

 

[Aldarc]

I disagree. My D&D isn't antithetical to anything - it is what I want it to be.

Do you not think that it's possible, if not likely, that what you want your D&D to be is antithetical to something else? And at what point does your desire to make D&D anything you want it to be strip D&D of its own identity in relation to other things?

 

[dave2008]

Do you not think that it's possible, if not likely, that what you want your D&D to be is antithetical to something else?

Sure, but then again I can always change what I want my D&D to be.

And at what point does your desire to make D&D anything you want it to be strip D&D of its own identity in relation to other things?

No idea and really not relevant to the most important thing - enjoying the game I play with me friends. D&D needs no identity outside what it is to me and my group(s). Its relation to other things isn't really important to us and has no effect on our enjoyment of playing the game.

This is not a comparative analysis of a work of literature or mathematics proof. It is a game - no need to over think it. If the OP wants to bring Earthsea magic to his/her D&D, I say go for it. In fact, I think that homebrew mentality is the true spirit of D&D, if there is such a thing.

 

[Aldarc]

Sure, but then again I can always change what I want my D&D to be.

Can you change your D&D into something that is not D&D and still have it be D&D?

 

[dave2008]

Can you change your D&D into something that is not D&D and still have it be D&D?

Yes

 

[Aldarc]

Yes

Your D&D seems utterly meaningless.