Best Magic System

[BiggusGeekus]

I like Shadowrun but the system has it's problems and moreso when applied to D&D.

Wizards have few hit points. Asking them to risk take damage when they cast a spell is putting a weakness on top of a weakness. It makes them far too vunerable to do much of anything except curl up in a fetal postion and wimper.

 

[Mystery Man]

And to others, those items that you don't mind dismissing are more D&D than the magic system. I hardly ever play magic users of any kind, so changing the magic system doesn't impact the "D&D-ness" of the game much to me.

I've noticed that you changed your sig file, but you obviously still have the somewhat annoying habit of thread-crapping in anyone's request for change to D&D by telling them to play something else.

Thread crapping? All he said was Vancian Magic felt more like D&D. I would happen to agree and welcome the opinion since it's part of the poll.

Relax. Gooz-Frah Baaaah.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

We're not talking "some" of it's elements, we're talking a key, important element. You can easily have a world without the races you mentioned, or without hit points or a different AC system, and certainly without alignment, but magic is key to the game, IMO. Sure, you can have different systems alongside, but without Vancian magic, it just isn't D&D to me.

So, psionics, warlocks and the sha'ir aren't D&D to you? All three use a different magic system than the one mostly used by Vance in his Dying Earth stories.

 

[tetsujin28]

Other: see Iron Heroes.

 

[Wombat]

Ars Magica.

Word.

Best. Magic. System. EVER!

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Somebody explain the systems that have been mentioned. I haven't played shadowrun or ars magica.

Look through Mage: The Awakening when it hits stores later this month. It uses, essentially, the same system as Ars Magica and the various editions of Mage: The Ascension used.

Spellcasters have knowledge of several aspects of magic (examples would include energy, life, time, spirit, distance), and based on their levels of knowledge in each, can create spell effects on the fly, if they succeed on a difficulty roll. There are penalties for failure, and are limited in what they can accomplish based on their magical enlightenment (expressed as how high their scores are in the various aspects and in an overall enlightenment score).

 

[Merlion]

Thread crapping? All he said was Vancian Magic felt more like D&D. I would happen to agree and welcome the opinion since it's part of the poll.

Relax. Gooz-Frah Baaaah.

No...he also said if you dont like Vancian magic you shouldnt play D&D, and stated his opinion that it is one of the core things that makes D&D D&D. JD and I simply mentioned that 1) thats an opinion only and other people have other opinions on what makes D&D D&D and 2) telling people they shouldnt play the game because they dislike something about it is...just a bit silly.

 

[Mystery Man]

No...he also said if you dont like Vancian magic you shouldnt play D&D, and stated his opinion that it is one of the core things that makes D&D D&D. JD and I simply mentioned that 1) thats an opinion only and other people have other opinions on what makes D&D D&D and 2) telling people they shouldnt play the game because they dislike something about it is...just a bit silly.

Must have missed that part.

Personally, my official position is that I like Vancian magic, I also agree and think it feels more like D&D and the games I run will always feature it. However, whatever someone chooses to do with their game is their own business and more power to them.

 

[Merlion]

I also agree with whoever said that Vancian magic wont survive into another edition. Well maybe....they may just keep it but at this point it wouldnt shock me if they changed it, or at least included core options for using a different system (probably either the spell point system from Unearthed Arcana and/or something like the system from Monte's Arcana Unearthed) since they are both very similiar to the Vancian system, but with a bit more flexibility, and a lot more similarity to general fantasy ideas of magic.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

From a utility standpoint, I'm perfectly fine with the Vancian model. And honestly, for me D&D wouldn't be D&D without it.

I do really like the Warhammer 2e magic system, from the perspective of atmosphere and how it fits into the world setting.

The free-form style of the original Mage: The Ascension would've been a candidate for favorite magic systems except for one thing. The whole idea of avoiding paradox drove me up the wall. What could've been a vastly creative system boiled down to just coming up with ridiculous fabrications. I got very tired of electrical sockets shooting bolts of lightning.