d20 Cthulhu for "Low Magic" Fantasy

[mmadsen]

The WotC site has posted a new d20 Call of Cthulhu page with excerpts, including a magic spell excerpt detailing some sample spells.

As Monte says in his interview: The spell system isn't very D&D-like. There's no "preparing" spells or limitations on how many spells you can cast in a day. Spells just inflict an exacting toll upon you as you cast them, in terms of ability score and Sanity damage. So you can cast as many as you think you can take -- but you might drive yourself insane or wind up in a coma.

For instance, the first sample spell, Black Binding, is just a "flavored" Animate Dead, but it has a cost of 3 Int damage and 1d6 Sanity points. Clutch of Nyogtha causes paralysis and 1d3 damage per round at a cost of 2 Str (+1 Str/round) damage and 1d20 Sanity points. Evil Eye cause bad luck until the next sunrise at a cost of 2 Int damage and 1d4 Sanity points.

This could make a wonderful alternative magic system for pulp-fantasy games or other "low magic" settings. Anyone considering it?

 

[The Burned Man]

You could use it in a regular game?

An expert (scholar) that has gazed into the far realms and learned ways to harness the power of that alien dwelling...

 

[Claude Raines]

I'm planning on picking up the book specifically for this purpose. While I like high fantasy & high magic settings, I also enjoy very grim and gritty settings. This sounds quite like what I want.

 

[SpuneDagr]

I'm considering getting it. I love Lovecraft but $40 is a bit steep.

 

[mmadsen]

I also like the notion of professions: pick a dozen skills to be your "class skills" (called "core skills"), starting from a template and personalizing them with your game master's permission. This is a great way to "tune" the Fighter and Rogue in D&D. Combined with choosing your strong Save (e.g. Ref for a swashbuckler) and even choosing your Bonus Feat list, it could make for a great classed-yet-classless system.

 

[mmadsen]

Since people rarely follow hyperlinks in these discussions (I'm still not sure why), here's the text from the first sample spell:

Black Binding
Components: V, S, M
Cost: 3 Int damage and 1d6 Sanity points
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch
Targets: One corpse touched
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None

This spell turns the body of a dead animal or humanoid into an undead zombie that follows your spoken commands. The zombie must be created from a mostly intact corpse. The zombie can follow you, or can remain in an area and attack any creature (or just a specific type of creature) entering the place. The undead remains animated until it is destroyed.

The undead creatures you create remain under your control indefinitely. No matter how many times you use this spell, however, you can control only 2 HD worth of undead creatures per caster level. If you exceed this number, all the newly created creatures fall under your control, and any excess undead from previous castings become uncontrolled. (You choose which creatures are released.)

Material Components:You must place a black gem into the corpse's mouth or eye socket. The magic of the spell turns this gem into a worthless, burned-out shell.

 

[kenjib]

It will be interesting to see what the baseline power level is, as d20 and CoC standalone aren't really in sync in these area. This could have a significant effect on how much compatibility there would be between the CoC professions and magic system and the D&D classes, magic items, monsters, etc. It looks interesting in any case.

 

[UD]

I need this game now.. but wtf, Azathoth has toughness...

 

[mmadsen]

It will be interesting to see what the baseline power level is, as d20 and CoC standalone aren't really in sync in these area.

Agreed. I can't imagine CoC PCs will overpower D&D PCs, but who knows? I guess they may be more powerful at lower levels, since they can have access to powerful spells -- but those spells all have quite a cost. If they're less powerful, I don't mind.

This could have a significant effect on how much compatibility there would be between the CoC professions and magic system and the D&D classes, magic items, monsters, etc. It looks interesting in any case.

Mixing and matching might be a problem, but I don't think using the "profession" concept to make variant Fighters and Rogues will hurt the game. I am looking forward to more of the magic system though.

Let's get ready for d20 Conan!

 

[kenjib]

I'm thinking that Sovereign Stone might work well for d20 Conan as well. Thanks to Vincent Darlage's wonderful site, or maybe GURPS Conan, for reference it should be ready to run as soon as you find the right alt. magic system.