Which game has your favorite magic system?

[Aldarc]

True 20 / Blue Rose: magic is just "powers." Adepts/Mages pick a new power as they level and often roll checks for the different powers to succeed or overcome possible fatigue.

Blue Rose AGE: It also converts the spell point system of Fantasy AGE to something more similar to the original Blue Rose / True 20 system.

Edit: I will be honest here and say that I don't know if I have a favorite magic system. I don't really imagine a game out there that has the best combat, magic, skills, etc. It really depends on what I want my games to be about. Not every magic system is great for every imagined game world.

 

[John Dallman]

I have several favourites, all from GURPS

• The basic spell-as-skills system has a lot going for it. It is simple and easy to play, and has a lot of spells that aren't just for combat. Indeed, wizards who use it can more readily be support casters than artillery mages.
• The Path/Book system from GURPS Thaumatology was originally created for running Voodoo settings, but also works very well for twentieth-century esotericism in the Golden Dawn tradition.
• The GURPS 3e version of the Mage: the Ascension magic system is more clearly written than the White Wolf version. It seems to me to play better, although the GM I've played it under for GURPS was definitely more skilful than the only GM I've had for While Wolf Mage.
• Ritual Path Magic, from GURPS Monster Hunters is a very flexible system, which plays a bit like M:tA, although the mechanics are different. It can be a bit overpowered in the hands of a quick-thinking player, but it is great fun.

 

[heitormoraes]

The Brazilian RPG Tormenta20. It's a lite type D&D with mana pool. The spell list is shorter, and each spell has intensity modifiers tied to class level. The mana pool is unified (by char) and the spell effect modifiers are quite diverse. An English version is planned to be released. I believe an introductory version has already been made available on Roll20.

 

[GMMichael]

I recently discovered the Curse of the Firewolf, which promises to be an extensive development path with some nice potential at higher levels. The earliest phase, obviously, is the shapechange (Alter 1), in which the afflicted takes on the aspect of the wolf. The next advancements are the Lavaclaw (Fire 1) and the Horrid Howl (Fear 1), which are nice for both offense and defense at that initial stage. Like with most young lycanthropes, these powers are short-lived until the firewolf gains control over his curse (i.e. more metaphysical health). There are rumors of a soul-syphoning power (Psych 4) that the afflicted can use to extend his transformation, and terrible powers, to legendary lengths by feeding on the fearful and the fallen.

This cursed path, and more, can be dreamt up with Modos RPG (click here).

 

[BookTenTiger]

I recently discovered the Curse of the Firewolf, which promises to be an extensive development path with some nice potential at higher levels. The earliest phase, obviously, is the shapechange (Alter 1), in which the afflicted takes on the aspect of the wolf. The next advancements are the Lavaclaw (Fire 1) and the Horrid Howl (Fear 1), which are nice for both offense and defense at that initial stage. Like with most young lycanthropes, these powers are short-lived until the firewolf gains control over his curse (i.e. more metaphysical health). There are rumors of a soul-syphoning power (Psych 4) that the afflicted can use to extend his transformation, and terrible powers, to legendary lengths by feeding on the fearful and the fallen.

This cursed path, and more, can be dreamt up with Modos RPG (click here).

Did you post this to the right thread?

 

[GMMichael]

Did you post this to the right thread?

I could have posted to Your Favorite Magic System, which started in May, I suppose. But I thought I'd focus on this and this:

So what I'm curious about is magic systems in other games. . . Which systems do you really like?

Unless... you really wanted to hear about opposed rolls and casting cost and spell duration rules?

 

[BookTenTiger]

I could have posted to Your Favorite Magic System, which started in May, I suppose. But I thought I'd focus on this and this:


Unless... you really wanted to hear about opposed rolls and casting cost and spell duration rules?

Sorry, it looked like it was meant for another thread since it was about lycanthropy

 

[heks]

the two i most enjoy are those found in 'dungeon crawl classics' and 'ars magica' (which, funny enough, feel incredibly oppositeional to each other in some ways while being very sort of philosophically aligned.)

 

[Tonguez]

Sorry, it looked like it was meant for another thread since it was about lycanthropy

Yeah the lycanthropy thing was distracting but with Lavaclaw and (Alter form 1) it could be another way of doing magic as powers which is an approach

 

[jdrakeh]

I really like Rolemaster's Spell Law system with its multiple sources of magic power (Essence, Channeling, and Mentalism), as well as its very specific spell lists. You can customize the hell out of a magic-using character under this system (there are pure spell users, hybrid spell users, and semi-spell users).