Magic in The Shadows

[dropshadow]

I'm working on a Shadowrun d20 version. I'm using Grim Tales as a base, while incorporating Cybernet, D20 Future, and sourcebooks/downloads from other companies.

I'm wondering if anyone knows of a d20 system that would closely match the magic system in Shadowrun?

I'm looking to convert more the spirit of the game than each rule by rule. Though I think the magic system has a lot of qualities I would like to see emulated (mana, fetishes, totems ect..). Any tips regarding magic systems (or any general pointers on any SR conversion) would be greatly appreciated

 

[cignus_pfaccari]

I'm looking to convert more the spirit of the game than each rule by rule. Though I think the magic system has a lot of qualities I would like to see emulated (mana, fetishes, totems ect..). Any tips regarding magic systems (or any general pointers on any SR conversion) would be greatly appreciated

Hrm...you could probably get by with level-based spellcasting, defaulting to Sorcerer for most magicians spells known, and using feats to add more. Maybe add a few more spells known to compensate for the below.

Also, casting spells does nonlethal damage to the caster, resisted by a Will save for none. However, you can probably allow free Heightening to a certain extent (up to ECL), but casting spells above your caster level means you have to resist lethal damage (and I'd make it Will (half) instead of Will (none). (This would assume also that personal enhancement technology like cyberware and bioware would count against a PC's caster level)

Brad

 

[Voadam]

I don't own it but I think the sovereign stone magic system allows you to cast spells repeatedly but requires you to make threshold checks, which is similar to SR magic.

Monte Cook's Arcana Unearthed has a totem warrior class that reminded me a lot of shamanic adepts.

 

[Elindor]

Actually, my suggestion would be to use something akin to the magic system in Slayers D20. The more powerful the spell, the more it drains you.

Alternatively, use VP/WP and have spells cost a number of VP equal to the caster level it's being cast at...

 

[Turanil]

Actually, my suggestion would be to use something akin to the magic system in Slayers D20. The more powerful the spell, the more it drains you.

You can do that pretty well already with Grim Tales.

 

[dropshadow]

Thanks for the suggestions so far people. The conversion is a huge job but this helps some.

Is there anything that could replicate the spirit summoning and tasking? Something that would allow for the use of fetishes? I'm thinking I could just have totems be domains...

I might pick up Modern Magic and see if that helps.

Well I don't actually have Grim Tales yet. But Amazon promises it on the 20th.
Is it pretty simple to do a system where the player can cast any spell but is limited by drain/spell points?

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

Well I don't actually have Grim Tales yet. But Amazon promises it on the 20th.

Is it pretty simple to do a system where the player can cast any spell but is limited by drain/spell points?

That's exactly how it works. You won't be disappointed.

For fetishes (and correct me if I am wrong, it's been a while since I played Shadowrun) I would have two kinds of fetishes.

The first is an expendable fetish that can "soak" a certain amount of spell burn before it burns up and is expended. I would tie each fetish to a single spell, and I would have them soak between 1-3 points. Even at this, they shouldn't be cheap.

Cost for these, I'd say Rating^2 x 100 gp. (Rating^2 x 1000 cu for those of you using currency units.)

The second fetish would be a permanent fetish that adds directly to the caster's spell burn resistance-- again, I'd tie it to a single spell, and have it add 1-3 points to the caster's resistance. These can be used over and over.

Off the top of my head, I'd charge (Rating^2) x 10,000 gp each for these. (Rating^2 x 100,000 cu for those of you using currency units.)

Wulf

 

[sinmissing]

How about a skill based magic system, that causes nonlethal damage? (Like GR's Psychic Handbook?)

Example:
Magic Talent Tree is available to Smart, Dedicated, or Charismatic heroes. The first time this talent is taken, the character's attribute for casting spells is determined (based on from which class this talent was chosen). If you gain a Smart Hero level, and then choose the Magic Talent, your caster attribute is forever based on your INT. From this point forward, you can only gain new Magic Talents by taking levels of Smart Hero

Each time you choose this talent, you gain access to a new school of magic. Each school has its own skill. This skill becomes a class skill, once you take this talent.

To cast a spell, make a School Caster check:
DC is 10 + Spell Level + Power Level

Spellcasting causes Strain:
Strain = ((Spell Level x 2) – 1) + Power Level

What is Power Level?
Power Level is the desired caster level that you are attempting to invoke. Example: To get 5 Magic Missiles out of a single casting of Magic Missile you would need a Power Level of 9.

What is Strain?
Strain is non–lethal damage that can only be healed with time.

Example
1st Level Magic Missile (1st Level Spell): DC (12) Strain (2)
5th Level Fireball (3rd Level Spell): DC (18) Strain (10)
9th Level Magic Missile (1st Level Spell): DC (20) Strain (10)
20th Level Meteor Swarm (9th Level Spell): DC (39) Strain (37)

I don't know much about shadowrun magic, but if I were to use this idea, I would make healing spells part of the Vitaemancy school (the antithesis of Necromancy), and remove them from the Conjuration school. So far, the school would have the following spells:

Cure Critical Wounds
Cure Critical Wounds, Mass
Cure Light Wounds
Cure Light Wounds, Mass
Cure Minor Wounds
Cure Moderate Wounds
Cure Moderate Wounds, Mass
Cure Serious Wounds
Cure Serious Wounds, Mass
Delay Poison
Heal
Heal Mount
Heal, Mass
Neutralize Poison
Raise Dead
Regenerate
Remove Blindness/Deafness
Remove Disease
Remove Paralysis
Restoration
Restoration, Greater
Restoration, Lesser
Resurrection
True Resurrection

 

[Longshadow]

Sigh

It's a little late to advise you against even trying (IMHO, d20 is NOT a good fit for Shadowrun), so I'll just wish you a little karma.

For the actual magic system crossover, you might want to look at The Advanced Player's Guide from S&S. It has rules for skill-based spellcasting, fatigue accrual, critical successes and critical fumbles, and so on.

 

[GlassJaw]

It's a little late to advise you against even trying (IMHO, d20 is NOT a good fit for Shadowrun)

I pretty much agree. I'm just getting back into SR since even before d20 so now I can compare the two systems. SR is just so different in its philosophy. Sure you can use d20 and emulate the setting but I don't think you'll ever come close to the feel of the mechanics. I don't exactly see the added value in converting anyway. I would actually argue that SR is a superior system to d20 in many ways.