Integrating a modular spell system into my game

[System Ufera]

Hello, everyone! This time, I want to know how to integrate a "modular" spell system into my game; that is, a system in which each "spell" cast is actually a combination of multiple smaller spells. I'm thinking of doing this for two reasons; first of all, it fits the theme of how magic works in my game's setting quite nicely (magic is basically an application of science in which a caster thinks in a thought-based language, which creates reactions in the brain that interact with arcane energy, thus manipulating it to produce an effect), and second of all, it encourages more creativity in the players than simply "I cast this spell!"

Here's an example of modular spells at work: Say you want to cast a Fireball-type spell. Rather than simply declaring that you're casting a fireball, you would first cast a spell to create a flame. If you wanted to, you'd cast another spell to augment the flame to increase its size and intensity, thus increasing its damage output when you're done. Finally, you'd cast a spell to move the flame at high velocity toward your target.

Currently, I'm hesitant to use this type of spell system because my game is already rather complex as it is, mostly due to the many options that players can so easily add on to their characters that it gets hard to keep track of what a character can actually do. In addition, multiple spells means multiple rolls, and thus multiple chances to fail, which can easily make wizards sub-par. However, I'm willing to test it out and see how it works. I just need ideas on how to actually construct a model to test.

As I'm sure anyone willing to help me will need to know, the system for determining success when performing an ability is like a combination of that used in World of Darkness and that used in the Warhammer RPG's, with a little of my own ideas put in. The idea from WoD is that the character's likelihood to succeed at any given action is determined not by one attribute, but by the sum of two attributes, plus any additional static modifiers. The idea from the Warhammer RPG's is that it's a percentile system, meaning that you must try to roll below your character's ability to succeed on a percentile roll. My own input is that to represent the difficulty of the task, you will sometimes have to also try to roll above a certain number, determined by the circumstances of the task (for example, an enemy you attack will try to dodge or block your attack, and you have to roll above their ability to dodge or block).

Also, magic use requires Arcane Points, or AP, which is kind of like MP or Mana in other games. It regenerates a little every round, so mages won't just run out of AP and then be useless for the rest of the battle. Any other information you guys need will have to be specifically asked for.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I came up with a system akin to this a long time ago.* My conclusion: it works, but it is frustratingly clunky and slow. It could work in a computer game, though, because the program would cut the casting time to seconds or fractions thereof.

You're better off in systemic elegance & conservation of game time using a system that lets the players combine effects as they want ahead of time into a "spell" or "power" that has a standard, streamlined mechanic for resolution, such as you'd find in HERO, True20, or M&M.







* in mine, casters had to learn Runes Of Power. Using a single rune (speaking its name) a single time created a set effect. By repeating it, you intensified that effect. By arranging different Runes in a sequence, you created a new effect. In addition, the order and arrangement of the Runes mattered: the Fire Rune followed by the Wind Rune might create a small fireball; the Wind Rune followed by the Fire Rune might create a hot blast of air.

 

[System Ufera]

You're better off in systemic elegance & conservation of game time using a system that lets the players combine effects as they want ahead of time into a "spell" or "power" that has a standard, streamlined mechanic for resolution, such as you'd find in HERO, True20, or M&M.

Well, there'd be nothing stopping players from pre-arranging effects into already-made spells. I was thinking of actually having cards for that very purpose; players could write down the effects of their spells, calculating the various costs and the effectiveness of each spell beforehand, and that way they'd be able to do exactly as you suggested. The difference, though, if I remember those games correctly, is that in my game, character resources would be spent learning the parts of the spell to be combined, while the spell itself wouldn't cost character resources to make.