A Whole New Magic System?

[Mark CMG]

This is just a concept, but something about it appeals to me moreso than the neverending list of spells we see in D&D.

What if, instead of specific spells, the magic system created a framework that determined all the basics (i.e., damage, range, area of effect, types of saves, etc.) and then left it up to the individual players to create the actual magical effects? Talk about creativity!

(. . .)

Thoughts?

I ran a game in the eighties with a bunch of folks who didn't have any game books and had no interest in understanding how any of the rules worked. For someone who always liked some semblance of consistency and balance, this made a bit more work for me as the DM. I basically designed a freeform system for that particular game that allowed me to quickly assess what the player was describing and categorize it, then give it a level of power commensurate with the power of the character, adjusted in some cases by the power of those around him or the place in which the character happened to be. It was still pretty loose for the DM, me, but it was seemingly without any structure at all for the players, and I think they liked that a lot at the time.

 

[Ogrork the Mighty]

So I read Elements of Magic (revised). In summary: too complicated. Way too complicated. It started off great and I really liked the concept, but it just became too complicated and difficult to incorporate the core rules of D&D. With every page turn, the rules got more and more complex. It needs to be more of a variant spellcasting system than an entirely different magic system.

 

[Primitive Screwhead]

I am sorry the system doesn't work for you. It is complicated, however system that can replicate virtually every spell published with a set of 'building blocks' can't be too simplified.

One of the things I use it for is to create Core rule spells that are relatively balanced. The rule of thumb is each core level of spell is 2 MP worth of a spell. This makes it fairly simple to design new spells for a core caster to use.

 

[Aus_Snow]

So I read Elements of Magic (revised). In summary: too complicated. Way too complicated. It started off great and I really liked the concept, but it just became too complicated and difficult to incorporate the core rules of D&D. With every page turn, the rules got more and more complex. It needs to be more of a variant spellcasting system than an entirely different magic system.

Had a look at True Sorcery yet? While it will probably present much the same problem to you, it actually sounds the closest to what you originally had in mind, in terms of d20 variants, as far as I can see.

Otherwise, I think you have a serious case of house-ruling imminent. Again, if so, I'd be curious to see how that goes. Also, I'd be quite willing to lend a hand, if you're looking for collaboration at all.


A halfway measure that might appeal is the Arcana Unearthed system of heightened/diminished/spell template type d20 magic, undivided by terms such as arcana/divine. It just has Simple, Complex and Exotic spells, all of which are by default more customisable than D&D's spells.


But yeah, I agree with PS. In the end, you can't really remake the magic system in the ways you have in mind, from the ground up, and yet keep things much the same as they are in standard D&D. Or avoid complexity. I don't think these things could be achieved.

 

[jmucchiello]

So I read Elements of Magic (revised). In summary: too complicated. Way too complicated. It started off great and I really liked the concept, but it just became too complicated and difficult to incorporate the core rules of D&D. With every page turn, the rules got more and more complex. It needs to be more of a variant spellcasting system than an entirely different magic system.

How can it be a variant spell system and be as freeform as you originally described?