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Message: <blockquote data-quote="GMMichael" data-source="post: 7641485" data-attributes="member: 6685730"><a href="https://modos-rpg.obsidianportal.com/wikis/magic-module" target="_blank">https://modos-rpg.obsidianportal.com/wikis/magic-module</a>Try this magic system.  It's easy - just 13 rules.  Briefly, it works like this: a character learns a Power by dedicating a skill point to it.  Using the power requires a contest (a check/roll) that is greater than zero, and the character takes Damage (usually Metaphysical) to create the Effect.Relating to the five points:1) Because magic use requires a roll from the PC, the GM has direct control (through the application of Difficulty bonuses or penalties) over a spell's chance of success.  The GM can design that magic difficulty around any campaign-appropriate concept - humors, unknown PC traits, etc. - and PCs learn what works and what doesn't work by attempting to cast and by following the campaign trail.2) The Modos RPG table includes a couple of categories that allow magic to be part of the real world: Impossible and Divine.  When a contest is needed, the GM rolls an opposing contest with a Difficulty bonus added from one of the Difficulty categories, based on what an average person in the campaign could do.  So if someone tries something Impossible for the average person, like convincing an animal to run in the direction of the nearest water source, that PC's contest needs to beat the GM's contest with a +12 (impossible) bonus.  Or if a PC wanted to craft a "magically" hard sword with his bare hands (impossible), that would burst into flame on command (divine), he would need to beat the GM's contest +16 (divine).No spells are needed for this style of magic - just really high contest results.3) I'm pretty sure that any game with Rule Zero addresses this issue.4) The standard rules allow magic-power to be very random, because the cost of each power is partially determined by a d8.  Spending too much metaphysical health on powers renders a magic user Catatonic, which effectively removes a character from play until the player and GM agree on how the character returns to play.  Returning to play can be as simple as beating the GM's contest with a mental (concentration) contest.  The GM might allow the PC to continue casting spells, but the new cost is Mental Damage instead of Metaphysical.  Or using too much magic means the PC has offended the spirits of the land, and the PC gains a new Flaw of being followed around by one of the offended spirits.5) Back to point 1 - the GM controls Difficulty, and the PC needs to beat the GM's result.  If the PC is not morally pure, or has never met a spell's target before, the GM adds more Difficulty.  If the cleric is casting spells of a type, and usage, approved by her god: +4 to the casting contest.  For any other spell: -4.No, the game doesn't contain a treatise on how to make magic un-scientific.  In a sense, that would be counter-productive, because each rule you write on the topic would seem to make magic more scientific.  The other important point here is that any magic system that requires PCs to roll, and is backed by Rule Zero, can accomplish a lot of John H Kim's magic goals.</blockquote>

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