Hello all,
Would any of you know of a magic system in a fantasy RPG that has the following characteristics (whether or not the system is actually good)?
- A check of some sort is necessary to cast a spell
- Taking longer to cast a spell makes casting the spell easier (bonus to spellcasting check?)
- HPs can be sacrificed to increase spellcasting check roll
- Casters can theoretically cast an infinite number of spells per day
- Not a "build-a-spell" system
- Casters (can) have a specialty
Thanks in advance for any information!
AR
You could do most of this in GURPS.
The default magic system (there are multiple casting options) found in the Basic Set treats each spell as a skill, so that would meet the requirement of needing to make a check to cast a spell.
Taking longer to cast a spell can -in the instance of some specific spells- make casting easier. What comes to mind immediately is how things like Fireball work; you can either spend a lot of FP (fatigue points) to get a big bang right away or build up power over several turns... which is likely a cheaper FP cost because you have high enough skill for it to be. There are also optional rules like Ritual Magic and several other things which would fit.
HP can be sacrificed to cast spells. It doesn't (by default) increase your skill for doing so.
Casters are not limited to a number of spells per day in GURPS.
GURPS isn't a 'build a spell' system, but it could be if you wanted it to be.
I suppose you might say casters can have a specialty. You can buy different magery levels for specific types of magic. Magery is the GURPS advantage which allows you to cast spells. Usually, Magery helps with all spells, but you can take limitations to Magery to make it cheaper and so that it only applies to certain types of magic. For example, I could create a character who has Magery (only for fire spells.)
You could also have a character who has Magery and Magery (fire college) and Magery (night time.) In such a case, the character's level of Magery for all spells would be at least 1. If you were casting a fire spell, your magery would be 2. If you were casting at night time, your magery would be 2. If this character were casting a fire spell at night time, your magery level would be 3.
http://www.sjgames.com/gurps/books/basic/
http://www.sjgames.com/gurps/lite/
http://www.sjgames.com/gurps/books/ritualpathmagic/