Low Fantasy

[mmadsen]

I just dont like it when you have to do an hour ritual to just cast <I>Magic Missile</I>, and then have to roll a spellcraft check, and if you fail take 2d4 permanent con damage, and lose the ability to cast spells for the rest of your life.

The idea behind most "low fantasy" (or "low magic" or "magic rare") systems is not simply to "nerf" magic and make it less fun to play a wizard; it's to create a consistent system that doesn't lead to a world full of magic shops, wizards-for-hire casting dozens of spells per day, etc. The goal is to create a world more like Howard's Hyborea, where magic isn't routine or mundane -- but where it's plenty exciting.

If the example above (with a long ritual and a Spellcraft check to avoid Con damage, loss of magic abilities, etc.) is supposed to represent a magic-rare game, I think you missed something: the spell to be cast would be powerful and risky, rather than weak and reliable. It would summon a demon or rain death down upon an army.

 

[hong]

The idea behind most "low fantasy" (or "low magic" or "magic rare") systems is not simply to "nerf" magic and make it less fun to play a wizard; it's to create a consistent system that doesn't lead to a world full of magic shops, wizards-for-hire casting dozens of spells per day, etc. The goal is to create a world more like Howard's Hyborea, where magic isn't routine or mundane -- but where it's plenty exciting.

What Howard's Hyborea really needs is a "summon baby oil" spell. It's just impossible to maintain that glowing, bronzed skin tone otherwise.

If the example above (with a long ritual and a Spellcraft check to avoid Con damage, loss of magic abilities, etc.) is supposed to represent a magic-rare game, I think you missed something: the spell to be cast would be powerful and risky, rather than weak and reliable. It would summon a demon or rain death down upon an army.

Screw that for a joke. Fireballs online, STAT!

 

[Gellion]

The idea behind most "low fantasy" (or "low magic" or "magic rare") systems is not simply to "nerf" magic and make it less fun to play a wizard; it's to create a consistent system that doesn't lead to a world full of magic shops, wizards-for-hire casting dozens of spells per day, etc. The goal is to create a world more like Howard's Hyborea, where magic isn't routine or mundane -- but where it's plenty exciting.

If the example above (with a long ritual and a Spellcraft check to avoid Con damage, loss of magic abilities, etc.) is supposed to represent a magic-rare game, I think you missed something: the spell to be cast would be powerful and risky, rather than weak and reliable. It would summon a demon or rain death down upon an army.

Ive seen people who like low magic post things like that for low level spells.

Maybe i just like high magic games i dunno.

 

[Gellion]

Also i know i said this several times in the other thread, but my idea of high fantasy is like the Lunar games for the playstation.

 

[Desdichado]

Ive seen people who like low magic post things like that for low level spells.

Maybe i just like high magic games i dunno.

It sounds to me like you have your own ideas about what low fantasy means. I'm not quite sure why you asked your question, as you don't seem to be responding to anything in the thread. There's some really interesting stuff here.

 

[Beastman]

1) low/rare magic / fantasy does not mean, that spells are hard to cast (you surely know the average merchant-would-be-mage who wants to summon a demon because of the promise of power of the insane priest-farmer sacrificing blood to dark gods in hope of gaining their blessing), although (in my opinion) summoning demons and the like should take a while.

2) the best example as stated by someone else if the warhammer world. it's rare in magic, although magic is high-powered. i think such a setting is more wondrous than a buy-a-magic-weapon-at-every-corner-and-meet-a-beast-in-every-inn- setting, making such things something special-and-not-every-day.

 

[Ashrem Bayle]

One word..... MIDNIGHT .

 

[kengar]

I haven't read Midnight, but from what I've seen online it seems to be more "Dark" than "Low." In fact, I would classify it as "Heroic-Heavy" under the terms I posted earlier. There is a lot of magic in the setting, to the point of it being a central facet of people's lives (even if it's an oppressive evil kinda thing) and the protagonists are operating on a heroic/epic model of trying to defeat the BBEG.

Again, I haven't read the books, so I may be confused on that.

 

[Tonguez]

Another Setting I like in terms of its high fantasy/low magic is that of Alvin Maker (Orson Scott Card) Colonial American in which practically everyone can do a few minor cantrips/orisons but where more powerful magic is restricted to the select few or via complex rituals.

The setting is non traditional in that it isn't Medieval Europe but the idea is still applicable...

 

[Dr. Strangemonkey]

Better terms

See next post...