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Message: <blockquote data-quote="SteelDraco" data-source="post: 3657831" data-attributes="member: 359">The trouble with Harry Potter magic is that the subjects taught in school don't really map to mechanical effects very well, and we're not given any kind of underpinnings or explanation of what's going on. That makes it difficult to pick up any kind of mechanical basis from which to extrapolate a system.For example, why are some things potions? Can you cast a charm that has the effect of drinking Veritaserum? How about Polyjuice Potion? Is there a reason for this difference? What differentiates charms from transfiguration?That being said, if I was going to set up a Harry Potter game, I'd probably use the skill tricks mechanics from Complete Scoundrel, or something similar, combined with a Warlock-like Wizard class. None of the characters in the books ever get tired from casting spells, nor do they run out of any kind of magical energy. Different spells would have different levels of power, and you have to be a certain level to learn them. They would cost skill points, or some of the free 'spells known' points you get as part of being a Wizard. Spells would require skill checks, probably with some sort of backlash mechanic if you critically fail. You would be limited by the number of actions you have, rather than the number of spell slots per day; more powerful effects would require longer casting times, for example.I'm not sure if I'd have different skills for different types of magic. Probably - it seems like there are different skills, after all, and not everyone's equally good with everything. The trick would be figuring out how to split it up. My tendency would be to use D&D schools, or something similar - differentiate by effect, rather than flavor. Defense Against the Dark Arts would mostly be Abjuration, with a few Conjuration effects (the Patronus, for example). Charms seems to be all over the place, but primarily Evocation and Enchantment. Divination seems to be not particularly useful. Transfiguration would get its own skill, I think.There are thorns to this approach, but you could model the basic setting of HP fairly well with it, I think.</blockquote>

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