Magic Systems with Magic Points?

[Bilharzia]

RuneQuest and all BRP games use some kind of magic points based on the Pow attribute (Power), even Call of Cthulhu. Mythras (was RuneQuest 6) uses magic points in different ways for most of its magic systems. Folk Magic and sorcery do. Mysticism uses magic points but consumes them very fast. Animism uses magic points to command spirits, and may be used in battles with spirits. The Theism tradition does it different but still uses a smaller pool of points depending on skill and religious rank to call on miracles.

 

[pming]

Hiya!

Too many to list, but others have started. I'll add to it..

RuneQuest (also note...virtually EVERYONE can cast some magic in RQ...at least in the "old versions" that I've played).

Powers & Perils (mentioned this recently in another thread; P&P is a 1983 fantasy RPG by Avalon Hill...but now available for free via Powers and Perils - Index ...and yes, I shill for this every chance I get! ). GREAT system, imnsho...once you "get it".

Hackmaster Advanced (the most recent, 'new' version of HM).

Dangerous Journeys (...old and oop for decades now, just like P&P, except DJ isn't available online)

Dominion Rules (free RPG system that is, quite honestly, rather good! Dominion Rules - Home )

Darkurthe Legends ("fantasy heartbreaker"...but a very interesting and fun system! Based my own fantasy RPG on this system, tbh! ). Good luck finding it though...

HARP (a "kinda sorta simplified'ish" take on Rolemaster, made by the same guys). Nice system if you like more crunch.

Lots of games use "Magic Points", as you can see! Enjoy the rabbit-hole!

^_^

Paul L. Ming

 

[GMMichael]

"Magic points" is a little vague. It would include D&D 5e's wizard magic system if you could use multiple low level slots to cast higher level spells. But you can use a higher-level slot on a low-level spell, which is like spending extra magic points on a spell.

My take on magic points goes like this: casting a spell taxes (metaphysical damage) the spellcaster when it manifests, and it requires a certain amount of skill to make a spell manifest. Spells aren't just an effect that you pick to happen on your turn - they require using actions, and the timing of actions, just like a combat maneuver or negotiating an obstacle. (The magic points here are the character's capacity to endure metaphysical damage.)

Example:
Link comes up on three sword soldiers guarding the gate to the temple. He wasn't being sneaky, or expecting a guard, so everyone draws swords. Link's initiative contest was poor, so he's a step behind the soldiers. As the soldiers advance on him, Link has to decide how to proceed. He can use reactions to blast his magic sword (Fire 1) at each guard as they approach, but that might entail more MP cost than he can afford. Or he can wait until his turn and use a single spell, Bombos (Fire 3) which will also hit each of the soldiers, for the cost of just one spell, but that will take time to cast. Although Bombos has a lower MP cost than three magic blasts, it requires much more skill to cast, and Link could ruin the spell with a poor roll - but still have the MP to spend in the next round...

Specific rules here, in the Extended Conflict and Magic modules.

 

[kenada]

Mage: the Awakening used mana to cast spells. I particularly liked the way it worked in the second edition.

All spells had a base mana cost, and you could pay additional mana to mitigate paradox. The primary way you customize spells is via reach, which you get a fixed amount based on your both your and the spell’s arcanum, but you can get more reach at the cost of paradox, which you can buy off with mana. Reach can be spent on things like changing the primary factor (the one affected by the die roll) or advancing other factors.

When we first started playing, we were pretty conservative with how we used reach. By the end, I was getting really creative about changing up my spells and tailoring them to the situation. I would do things like change the party’s form to help us infiltrate a building or heal/tank some nasty lethal damage via an AoE Mend spell. And since I was a high arcanum life mage, I changed my own form like people put on pants. I had a lot of fun with it.

* * *​

Worlds Without Number uses Vancian magic by default, but one of the mage traditions (Ardunic Invoker) uses spell points. It’s a pretty standard implementation. You get a set number of points, and when you cast spells it reduces your current spell points by the level of the spell. Not a lot of customization or anything to that.

 

[Doc_Klueless]

Savage Worlds uses Power Points (aka Magic Points).