Freeform Spellcasting

[Tinker Gnome]

I am going to say that I like both magic systems where you choose spells from a list, and ones that are freeform, though I admit I have never played with a freeform magic system, it is something I would like to do.

 

[karlindel]

Ars Magica and Mage are the two best known games with freeform spellcasting, though they aren't the only ones. Personally I like freeform magic systems in concept, but they have a lot of inherent problems.

On the positive side, they allow for player creativity, and can make the game world feel more like a fantasy novel (which rarely have spell lists as used in D&D or other fantasy rpgs). Also, it allows for a more exploratory feel for the game, as the players learn the rules of magic, rather than just picking up a new spell or two.

On the downside, it requires a larger investment from players in creativity and learning how the magic system works. Also, there can be problems determining the limits of what magic can do, as well as problems balancing spellcasters against non-spellcasters.

 

[jdrakeh]

It'd be great to come across a magic system that really dug into the nature of magic (at least in the context of the game world).

Here you go.

 

[Saeviomagy]

Mage: the Ascencion had a freeform system, but, IMO, wasn't detailed well enough to be playable, and had some Spheres that ended up plainly better than others (you could do *anything* with Spirit, for instance, by calling up a Spirit that could do what you wanted, and could generally get away with anything via creative uses of Correspondence or Entropy).

The problem with your use of conjuring up a spirit to do something is that you're going to run into some serious issues with paradox.

Paradox is really the key to making mage work right: sure you can craft your "I win" button with ease, but usually you have to work out some way that it can be explained away as something normal.

 

[amnuxoll]

I've long wanted to see the spell system in the Black Company D20 Campaign Setting in action (it was spun off to become True Sorcery). It looked very inspired.

As it was very much a toolkit to build spell effects it felt like it would involved far too much system mastery before one could become effective with it. Is there any toolkit/freeform spell system that doesn't require a deep system mastery to become capable?

I'm using True Sorcery right now. In particular, I'm using the revised Arcanist for Iron Heroes. My assessment is that while it's cool, actually using it is a chore. There are simply too many options and I have to work way to hard to make my turn in a combat not take too long. I ended up with a cheat sheet for every talent that listed about a half dozen spell configurations that I typically needed. It's a lot of work and, ultimately, all you end up with a system that's not all that different from non-freeform since you just have a few favorite spells you throw most of the time.