Low Magic Campaigns?

[Geron Raveneye]

Low-Magic?

Contemplating a low magic campaign set in a medieval europe where witches, demons & lycanthropes are 'real' perils. I feel magic should be subtle & much more rare element (at least for the population in general, if not for the circles the PCs mix in) but I'm not sure how to tone down the flashy fireballs & lightning bolts type magic though.

Looking for a "if superstitions were true, what was the medieval world really like?" type feel.

From my gut I'd say Ars Magica, but that's not really d20, and there's no real conversion going on either. The core rules are downloadable, and are very good at portraying the exact setting you are describing, and there seems to be a supplement out that is a d20-crossover book, similar to the L5R stuff...The Black Monks of Glastonbury.

Maybe that helps

 

[ichabod]

You might check out Authentic Thaumaturgy from Steve Jackson Games. It's a non-game specific and written by a "professional occultist." It has lots of info on traditional beliefs about magic and how to incorporate them into your game.

Also, low magic comes up from time to time. This is my compiled list of ideas I got from a previous thread, maybe they'll help:

o Make the spell casting classes either forced multi-class or prestige classes. Some feel prestige classing makes for more viable spell casters. I?m not sure I buy that, but it depends on how you design the prestige classes.
o Use CoC magic
o Require a feat to have access to a spell casting class
o Require a spellcraft roll for all spells
o Enforce school limits on number of spells per level (only 1 from each school).
o Spellcasting causes damage. Item creation causes temporary con damage.
o Double or tripple item costs and xp costs.
o Item creation requires rare ingredient worth the gp cost.
o Core books, no splat books.
o No magic shops or available high level casters.
o No free wizard spells.
o Random spell acquisition
o Divine Focii are altars.
o Redo a lot of the material components to be large and/or expensive.
o Summoning relates to specific creatures which you must have a pact with.
o Eliminate the pure spell users.

 

[the Jester]

One thing that I didn't notice anyone really mention was the idea of eliminating the item creation feats. Make magic items ancient things, no longer within the limits of human power to craft at less than epic levels.

 

[Errant]

Hmm...

Changing systems - Not enough money or inclination in my group to buy new rules/supplements & learn a new system so that won't work. Realistically its just not practical for my group. I've looked at & liked every game system suggested but DnD is the one we settled on.

Limiting maximum spell/caster level - I don't want to place TOO many restrictions on my character choices but rather create an alternate feel. Dave's comments about banning evocations came closest to what I was thinking.

Ravenloft - Actually I do like the Ravenloft system, but my players feel its just too dark.

Anyway, here's my current draft of Low Magic rules:

Restrictions
- All casting times doubled.
- Caster level prerequisites for item creation feats doubled (up to L18 as highest level requirement).
- No Evocation spells (a/p Dave's suggestion, I still like that one).
- Minimum Caster Level Requirements for 'permanent' magic items changed to L18.

Bonuses
- All spells Greater Focused & Enhanced (+2 to save DC's & to Penetration).

Hit Points & Healing (based on d20 Star Wars Vitality/Wound Points)
- Hp's lost recovered naturally at rate of 1 Hp per Level per hour of rest.
- Characters receive Wound Points equal to Constitution which are lost after Hp's reach 0 (1 Hp damage equaling 1 Wp damage). Wound Points are recovered naturally at a base of 1 Wp per Week of rest. Negative Wp's treated a/p negative Hp's. Wounded characters treated as Fatigued.
- 1 Wp = d8 (or 5) Hp's for purposes of magical healing.

Reasoning - The restrictions will hopefully make magic more difficult/less common, while the bonuses will ensure it remains powerful when encountered. Hit Points recovery accelerated to compensate for lack of magical healing while still ensuring Wounds are viewed seriously.

(I know Wp's heal at 1 point per day in d20SW but I feel a life threatening wounds should take more than a few days to heal - especially in a world lacking futuristic medical technology).

 

[Li Shenron]

You can also state that every spellcaster needs a source of knowledge to learn a specific spell, just like a Wizard when he scribes extra spells from scrolls. That way it will be very easy to control which spells are learned (if you don't let them find the few Wiz in the world who are willing to teach you Fireball, you'll never learn it). This would mean also to restrict the spells known by divine casters to the subset you choose.

 

[S'mon]

For low-magic campaign I suggest using the xoth.net limited spell list for arcane casters:

http://hyboria.xoth.net/sorcery/spell_list_wizard.htm

I suggest eliminating the Cleric class. You could keep the Adept & possibly the DMG Witch classes to provide healing (including potions).

I think 'no more than 1/2 levels in a spellcasting class' ought to work well.

Alternatively you can use weaker spellcasting classes only, like the Adept & my Black Wizard:

http://hyboria.xoth.net/prestige-classes/black_wizard_npc.htm

This depends on the kind of world you want. For Middle Earth type high fantasy I think the '1/2 levels' rule is best, along with further limiting the spell list - eg no flight or travel spells. My Black Wizard class was designed for Nehwon and similar Sword & Sorcery settings, where wizards can use powerful magic but are otherwise weak and often deformed (Khakht, Hristomilio).

 

[shivamuffin]

Low magic should be balanced with some kind of technological advancement. Primitive firearms, baloons, printing presses, whatever...Nothing too outrageous, just a little tweek to make up for the reduction of magic.

A progressive system is cool too. As the PCs increase in levels and power, so does the availability of magic.

GSI

 

[qstor]

I like the idea of a spellcraft roll, class to spellcasting via a feat and doubling the spellcasting times. I would suggest elminating the sorcerer class as well and use the adedpt,witch and wizard. The Green Ronin witch book is great too.

I would eliminate a few flashy spells like fireball and lighting bolt and shapechange.

Mike

 

[Red Spire Press]

Nice to see some low-magic campaign needs here that Dark Legacies will address. In summary, completely new list of spells that are far more interesting and insidious than the typical fire-and-forget combat magic you see everywhere, special considerations when casting spells (including spell rolls, rare spell components, longer casting times, spell failure, short & long term consequences of spellcasting), weapon upgrades way beyond masterwork, not to mention a completely new system of divine power, new classes, races, and a whack of other good stuff.

 

[Stormborn]

I'm going to run a low magic campaign myself, in which none of the PCs will have spellcasting classes, magic items will be very rare. I feel like CRs should be adjusted accordingly, any ideass on how?