Best Magic System

[Zappo]

There is no "best" magic system. There is only a magic system which fits your setting.

I wouldn't use Cthulhu magic in D&D, ever. I wouldn't use Mage magic either. Or Stormbringer summoning. But they are all very good systems.

 

[Nomad4life]

Within D20, the best magic system I have ever seen is found in True 20. No more %$#@ spell slots!



Outside of D20, I think White Wolf’s “Mage” was pretty good… But that probably doesn’t count since the entire game was about using magic.

 

[Khairn]

Mana points has always been my favorite. Limitations on the caster that helps to establish balance, yet control and flexability in the casters' hands.

But Mage (unlimited) is a very close 2nd.

 

[Asmo]

Spells per day.

Asmo

 

[Catavarie]

I'm a pure fan of Mana, myself, never did like the spells per day setup.

 

[Hjorimir]

I really like the Grim Tales system because I like how it ties to a lot of classic fantasy where casters get weaker as they cast more and more spells and where a terribly difficult spell can kill the caster. All that without any hard limits to how many spells you can cast per day.

I will be taking a good, close look at the system in the upcoming Thieves' World Player Handbook from Green Ronin as well. From what I've read, it sounds pretty neat as well.

 

[Nyeshet]

I'm transitioning into EoMR while also working on my own skill / mana based system. Mana points replace spell slots and skill ranks replace caster level. (In this I don't think EoMR went far enough. Dispel is a magic skill, but so too should Abjure, Evoke, etc be magic skills.) I voted for mana, however, since I could not vote for both.

 

[sfedi]

I didn't vote, because I think all of the above should be present in a Magic System.
Fantasy is populated with examples of all of the above.
So all of them should be present.

A system so complete, seems a bit complicated.
But then, I think magic should be complicated.

 

[DragonLancer]

D&D has always been spells per day (AFAIK) and I've grown rather fond of that system. Sure, I wish sometimes my characters got more spells than they do per day, but I really like that system over any other attempt to modify the D&D spell system that I've tried.

 

[RangerWickett]

I'm transitioning into EoMR while also working on my own skill / mana based system. Mana points replace spell slots and skill ranks replace caster level. (In this I don't think EoMR went far enough. Dispel is a magic skill, but so too should Abjure, Evoke, etc be magic skills.) I voted for mana, however, since I could not vote for both.

I'm actually working on a supplement that finally does go the last step and make everything a magical skill. It was going to be coming out before Gen Con, but ENnies duties pushed it back, so look for it at the end of August.

Basically I took what I liked best from EOM and Grim Tales. There are two ways to get magic. One is the research approach, where you find ancient texts and figure out how to cast the spells in them, or if you're really good you can create one or two spells.

Then there's spontaneous magic, which is only available if you find a source of magical power -- depending on the setting it can be easy or hard to get this. In the default setting you just need to discuss with your GM and spend a feat, and you can get access to a tradition of magic -- in the modern world, it's a difference between voodoo, fey magic, or Cthulhu-esque elder mysteries. In a grim setting, you might need to quest to find any spontaneous magic sources at all.

To cast spontaneous magic you make a skill check, the DC being based on the level of the spell (and like Elements of Magic you can create spells on the fly). If you succeed, dandy. If you fail a little, the spell works but you take a penalty to further spells. If you fail a lot the spell doesn't work and bad stuff can happen.

Finally, you can choose to cast an overpowered spell, one that is higher level than someone of your level should be able to cast. Doing this deals Strength ability burn to you, and you still have to pull of a spellcasting skill check, but it gives you the potential to do some truly powerful magic.

It does a little bit of everything. There's even a section with advice on how to tweak a few rules here or there and easily change the tone of the magic system greatly.

So, what's the best magic system, at least for d20? *grin* In my opinion, it'll be this one.