Elements of Magic
- Thread starter yipwyg
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Cyberzombie
Explorer
Howdy! I have been summoned. 
I will be sending preview information to Morrus ASAP. My wife just had a baby two weeks ahead of schedule, so it will take a bit. I'll also post the info in this thread so you can get advanced teasers. I should be able to post the first teaser Sunday or Monday.
I will be sending preview information to Morrus ASAP. My wife just had a baby two weeks ahead of schedule, so it will take a bit. I'll also post the info in this thread so you can get advanced teasers. I should be able to post the first teaser Sunday or Monday.
RangerWickett
Legend
Hey, congratulations! Even though somebody *cough*Morrus*cough* didn't tell me you had proposed a book until many days late, I'm still very interested to hear what you've got up your sleeves. Of course, you've got enough pressure now from other sources, I'm sure.
Cyberzombie
Explorer
He didn't tell you? Eeek! Well, he is kind of a busy guy, I spose.
I could send you a copy of the current document (I'm rapidly turning written notes into actual computer document) or you could get it off of Morrus.
I could send you a copy of the current document (I'm rapidly turning written notes into actual computer document) or you could get it off of Morrus.
Cyberzombie
Explorer
Sorry for the delay. I hope someday soon to get more than four hours of sleep a night.
The Elements of Magic uses a different system of magic than the core rules. The only standard spellcasting classes it uses are the Ranger and the Bard, and they each have access to different spells than in the core rules.
But you can still have a character similar to a sorcerer/wizard, cleric, or druid. The sorcerer/wizard is replaced by the black mage, the cleric by the white mage, and the druid by the green mage.
Instead of learning an individual spell, spellcasters learn spell lists. Each list has spells from 0th to 9th level. They get access to the higher level spells on a list at the same time as in the Core Rules -- so if you're a 5th level spellcaster, you have access to the 0th, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd level spells on every spell list you know.
Most spell lists are either Elemental related or Creature related. Black mages specialize in the classic elements -- air, earth, fire, and water. They're pretty similar to sorcerer/wizards. White mages specialize in the elements of Life and Death; they're very similar to a cleric. Green mages specialize in the Creature spells -- enchantments and polymorph spells, especially.
In addition to the spell lists, I've turned most divination spells and dispel magic into skills. I think the big reason that most players don't use divination spells much (at least in the campaigns I've been in) is that they're not very versitile. I'm trying to make them more versitile, and more like the sort of divinations you might see in a fantasy novel. I'll include the description of the broadened Intuit Direction skill in another post, so that Morrus can more easily extract it if he wishes.
The Elements of Magic uses a different system of magic than the core rules. The only standard spellcasting classes it uses are the Ranger and the Bard, and they each have access to different spells than in the core rules.
But you can still have a character similar to a sorcerer/wizard, cleric, or druid. The sorcerer/wizard is replaced by the black mage, the cleric by the white mage, and the druid by the green mage.
Instead of learning an individual spell, spellcasters learn spell lists. Each list has spells from 0th to 9th level. They get access to the higher level spells on a list at the same time as in the Core Rules -- so if you're a 5th level spellcaster, you have access to the 0th, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd level spells on every spell list you know.
Most spell lists are either Elemental related or Creature related. Black mages specialize in the classic elements -- air, earth, fire, and water. They're pretty similar to sorcerer/wizards. White mages specialize in the elements of Life and Death; they're very similar to a cleric. Green mages specialize in the Creature spells -- enchantments and polymorph spells, especially.
In addition to the spell lists, I've turned most divination spells and dispel magic into skills. I think the big reason that most players don't use divination spells much (at least in the campaigns I've been in) is that they're not very versitile. I'm trying to make them more versitile, and more like the sort of divinations you might see in a fantasy novel. I'll include the description of the broadened Intuit Direction skill in another post, so that Morrus can more easily extract it if he wishes.
Cyberzombie
Explorer
Intuit Direction
Teaser #1 -- an expanded version of Intuit Direction that is, dare I say it, an actually USEFUL skill. (After two tries, I am giving up on the table below. It has only two columns, anyway -- one for Range, and the other for Obstructions.)
Intuit Direction (Wis; Trained Only)
You have an innate sense of direction.
Standard Check: As in the Core Rules.
Magical Check: Using a focusing item of your choice (such as a forked stick, spyglass, or compass) you can use your sense of direction to find a creature, object, location, or magical aura. The DC for your check is usually 20; magically hidden items may have higher DCs.
Each time you use this ability, you spend 1 magic point. You can only choose one subject per use. The duration of each use is concentration, or up to 1 minute/spellcaster level. The range you can search depends on the obstruction in your way:
Range Obstructions
Long (400 ft. +40 ft./level) None
Medium (100 ft. +10 ft./level) Wood or dirt, such as in a forest, through soil, or in most towns
Close (25 ft. +5 ft./2 levels) Stone or metal, such as in a castle or dungeon
You can search for creatures by type (such as animal, beast, plant, or undead) by species (such as badger, griffon, poppy, or skeleton) or for a specific individual. If you wish to search for an individual, you must know exactly who you are searching for. For example, you could not search for a town’s captain of the guard, but you could search for Guard Captain Dogan.
If you search for an object, you must be fairly specific. You can search for a type of metal (gold, silver, iron, etc.) drinkable water, a specific type of treasure (gems, art objects, paintings, weapons, swords, etc.), a specific type of trap or hidden object (trap on a lock, snares, pit traps, secret doors, etc.), and so forth. You can look for poisons; if you find any, you can identify them with your Alchemy skill (see above). You can also look for a specific object, such as Guard Captain Dogan’s longsword.
You can search for any specific location (such as an exit), but you are only shown the direction it lies in, not the path to get there. This skill does not help you escape a maze.
You can search for a magical aura. If you find one, you can study it with your Spellcraft skill (also expanded in The Elements of Magic). You can even detect the aura of an invisible creature, though this only reduces their defence from total to ¾ cover, and only as long as you maintain concentration.
On a successful check, you find the nearest subject in range; you know both their direction and the straight-line distance to them. You may choose to ignore subjects you can see or otherwise know about to concentrate on any other subjects in range. You can either follow your focus to track down the first subject you find, or you can make another check to look for any other subject in range. You may continue doing either until the duration ends. You can also map out the size of a large object, such as a seam of iron ore or an underground lake (at least for the part in range).
Teaser #1 -- an expanded version of Intuit Direction that is, dare I say it, an actually USEFUL skill.
(After two tries, I am giving up on the table below. It has only two columns, anyway -- one for Range, and the other for Obstructions.)Intuit Direction (Wis; Trained Only)
You have an innate sense of direction.
Standard Check: As in the Core Rules.
Magical Check: Using a focusing item of your choice (such as a forked stick, spyglass, or compass) you can use your sense of direction to find a creature, object, location, or magical aura. The DC for your check is usually 20; magically hidden items may have higher DCs.
Each time you use this ability, you spend 1 magic point. You can only choose one subject per use. The duration of each use is concentration, or up to 1 minute/spellcaster level. The range you can search depends on the obstruction in your way:
Range Obstructions
Long (400 ft. +40 ft./level) None
Medium (100 ft. +10 ft./level) Wood or dirt, such as in a forest, through soil, or in most towns
Close (25 ft. +5 ft./2 levels) Stone or metal, such as in a castle or dungeon
You can search for creatures by type (such as animal, beast, plant, or undead) by species (such as badger, griffon, poppy, or skeleton) or for a specific individual. If you wish to search for an individual, you must know exactly who you are searching for. For example, you could not search for a town’s captain of the guard, but you could search for Guard Captain Dogan.
If you search for an object, you must be fairly specific. You can search for a type of metal (gold, silver, iron, etc.) drinkable water, a specific type of treasure (gems, art objects, paintings, weapons, swords, etc.), a specific type of trap or hidden object (trap on a lock, snares, pit traps, secret doors, etc.), and so forth. You can look for poisons; if you find any, you can identify them with your Alchemy skill (see above). You can also look for a specific object, such as Guard Captain Dogan’s longsword.
You can search for any specific location (such as an exit), but you are only shown the direction it lies in, not the path to get there. This skill does not help you escape a maze.
You can search for a magical aura. If you find one, you can study it with your Spellcraft skill (also expanded in The Elements of Magic). You can even detect the aura of an invisible creature, though this only reduces their defence from total to ¾ cover, and only as long as you maintain concentration.
On a successful check, you find the nearest subject in range; you know both their direction and the straight-line distance to them. You may choose to ignore subjects you can see or otherwise know about to concentrate on any other subjects in range. You can either follow your focus to track down the first subject you find, or you can make another check to look for any other subject in range. You may continue doing either until the duration ends. You can also map out the size of a large object, such as a seam of iron ore or an underground lake (at least for the part in range).
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Thanks for the info. I liked what I've seen so far. I also think that turning a lot of the divination spells to skills is a good idea. With this method you make a lot of skills way more useful and Pc's are more likely to invest in them.
With this system are paladins basically Fighter/White Mages.
With this system are paladins basically Fighter/White Mages.
Cyberzombie
Explorer
You could use a Fighter/White Mage to simulate a paladin. Paladins don't work very well with the Elements of Magic because there is no divine magic -- it's all arcane. Healing magic doesn't have to be divine, so clerics are easy to do (white mages), but the paladin's abilities are all very much rooted in divine magic.
Any other questions? Assuming my son lets me sleep some, I can answer them now in a much more timely fashion.
Any other questions? Assuming my son lets me sleep some, I can answer them now in a much more timely fashion.
Dark Psion
First Post
Are you going to give all skills this treatment?
I have been thinking that a collected book of skills, with all of the "new uses of old skills" would be nice, but your "magic use" is even nicer.
I have been thinking that a collected book of skills, with all of the "new uses of old skills" would be nice, but your "magic use" is even nicer.
Henry
Autoexreginated
Darnit, something ELSE to spend my lunch money on!
I'm gonna starve, Morrus, I SWEAR IT!
(looks down)
well, maybe not...
Thanks, CyberZombie! I look forward to a magic system like this. it sounds VERY reminiscent of the magi in Gary Gygax's Dangerous Journeys system...
And by the way, congratulations on your new arrival! I hope mother and child are both healthy and happy.
I'm gonna starve, Morrus, I SWEAR IT!
(looks down)
well, maybe not...
Thanks, CyberZombie! I look forward to a magic system like this. it sounds VERY reminiscent of the magi in Gary Gygax's Dangerous Journeys system...
And by the way, congratulations on your new arrival! I hope mother and child are both healthy and happy.
Cyberzombie said:Howdy! I have been summoned.
I will be sending preview information to Morrus ASAP. My wife just had a baby two weeks ahead of schedule, so it will take a bit. I'll also post the info in this thread so you can get advanced teasers. I should be able to post the first teaser Sunday or Monday.
Hey congrats on the baby.
Cyberzombie
Explorer
Dark Psion: I don't have all the skills expanded to include magical uses -- just the skills that directly affect magic, such as alchemy, scry, and spellcraft -- but I could do that if it proves popular enough.
Henry: Hmm. I knew it had similarities to ICE's Chartmaster system, but not Dangerous Journeys. Of course, I've never looked at DJ, so that might be why...
Henry, Tensen: Thanks!
Henry: Hmm. I knew it had similarities to ICE's Chartmaster system, but not Dangerous Journeys. Of course, I've never looked at DJ, so that might be why...
Henry, Tensen: Thanks!
TwoSix
Unserious gamer
Question on Multiclassing
Question on the new book here for Cyberzombie (and I'm definitely buying, it looks great!):
Do the new rules support multiclassing between the different casting classes better than the standard rules? Some kind of synergy between the classes, so that a Black Mage5/White Mage 5 is a fairly viable choice, as opposed to a Black Mage10? I miss being able to play a cleric/wizard that's actually useful at higher levels.
Thanks in advance, and congratulations!
Question on the new book here for Cyberzombie (and I'm definitely buying, it looks great!):
Do the new rules support multiclassing between the different casting classes better than the standard rules? Some kind of synergy between the classes, so that a Black Mage5/White Mage 5 is a fairly viable choice, as opposed to a Black Mage10? I miss being able to play a cleric/wizard that's actually useful at higher levels.
Thanks in advance, and congratulations!
Cyberzombie
Explorer
Thanks, TwoSix!
The rules very much support the multiclassing you've been wishing for. A black mage 5/white mage 5 under my system would have the same number of magic points and be able to cast the same level of spells (5th) as a black mage 10. The difference would be that the pure black mage would know only black spell lists, while the black/white mage would know some of each.
So you can have great depth in black magic, or some black and some white, as you choose. The only limit on your character is that you would probably run into multiclassing problems if you want to add more base classes. It goes very much against the way they have the Core classes set up, but that was one of the intentions of the project.
The rules very much support the multiclassing you've been wishing for. A black mage 5/white mage 5 under my system would have the same number of magic points and be able to cast the same level of spells (5th) as a black mage 10. The difference would be that the pure black mage would know only black spell lists, while the black/white mage would know some of each.
So you can have great depth in black magic, or some black and some white, as you choose. The only limit on your character is that you would probably run into multiclassing problems if you want to add more base classes. It goes very much against the way they have the Core classes set up, but that was one of the intentions of the project.
mroberon1972
First Post
Power levels?
Does its power levels balance with 3rd edition's normal magic system? Can both be used in the same system without someone getting thier tail handed to them? I only ask because I love the confusion a new type of magic does to my game... And my players!
Does its power levels balance with 3rd edition's normal magic system? Can both be used in the same system without someone getting thier tail handed to them? I only ask because I love the confusion a new type of magic does to my game... And my players!
Cyberzombie
Explorer
Tsyr: Fly is covered by the initial book. The others will be in an expansion, which I have partially written. (Well, except "know alignment", since they've removed that from 3e.)
Razuur: You are justified in not being patient. I will have it out asap. Less than two weeks, hopefully less than a week, even more hopefully by Sunday.
mroberon1972: It is designed to match the balance of the normal 3e system. I went to a lot of trouble to get it to balance out. It won't be totally perfect, but nothing ever is.
You could use it with the standard magic system, with one change. Sorcerers and bards have to spend a full round casting a spell that is modified by metamagic feats. If you use tEoM mages with standard spellcasters, you would want them to also spend a full round casting metamagic modified spells. (When the EoM system is used by itself, metamagic spells do not take longer to cast.) Other than that, it should work fine.
Razuur: You are justified in not being patient. I will have it out asap. Less than two weeks, hopefully less than a week, even more hopefully by Sunday.
mroberon1972: It is designed to match the balance of the normal 3e system. I went to a lot of trouble to get it to balance out. It won't be totally perfect, but nothing ever is.
You could use it with the standard magic system, with one change. Sorcerers and bards have to spend a full round casting a spell that is modified by metamagic feats. If you use tEoM mages with standard spellcasters, you would want them to also spend a full round casting metamagic modified spells. (When the EoM system is used by itself, metamagic spells do not take longer to cast.) Other than that, it should work fine.
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