OSR game with more dangerous magic

[Flexor the Mighty!]

Hello.

I'm looking for an OSR style game that has magic that can go wrong. I'm tired of the always predictable magic systems of D&D since the beginning. I have ran and enjoy S&W and OSE but I'm looking for a magic system that can go haywire if you push it too hard, ala Warhammer FRP 2e. Of course that system is an option as well. I've read of Shadowdark and it looks like it has dice rolling involved in spell casting, but from what I've read that seems like it may be a bit too light, but I will be checking it out. Dungeon Crawl Classics is another option.

Or are there any cool replacement magic systems for B/X style games I can pick up on one of the sites like drivethrurpg?

 

[mr_monkius]

Earthdawn had an interesting memorization system. You had so many slots that you could use to holds spells that you could cast safely. You could also cast other spells that you knew . . . but evil creatures could sense that and mark you. I remember my players being very paranoid about that

 

[eyeheartawk]

Yeah, in DCC all of that is built into every check, between the mercurial magic effects determined when the spell is learned to a custom table for every spell and then also corruption tables, this is the way. You can basically remove it entirely from that game and put it into any OSR D&D clone and everything would still work fine.

 

[TiQuinn]

Hello.

I'm looking for an OSR style game that has magic that can go wrong. I'm tired of the always predictable magic systems of D&D since the beginning. I have ran and enjoy S&W and OSE but I'm looking for a magic system that can go haywire if you push it too hard, ala Warhammer FRP 2e. Of course that system is an option as well. I've read of Shadowdark and it looks like it has dice rolling involved in spell casting, but from what I've read that seems like it may be a bit too light, but I will be checking it out. Dungeon Crawl Classics is another option.

Or are there any cool replacement magic systems for B/X style games I can pick up on one of the sites like drivethrurpg?

Given my character blew up the first time trying to cast a Sleep spell because I fumbled, I can attest to magic going wrong in Shadowdark.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I've been running Shadowdark for a year and I don't think I've had a player roll a critical fumble on a spellcasting check yet. There have been lots of failed spell rolls, meaning the casters lose the spell for the day, but nothing I'd describe as dangerous. (Well, when you're completely out of spells in an all-wizard party, that ain't great.)

It does sound like Dungeon Crawl Classics is more what you're looking for. Luckily, it's a fantastic game with a ton of support.

 

[Jack Daniel]

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[Blue]

I remember reading about a Warhammer Fantasy (?) system using dice pools, and for magic every set of doubles (or more) was a chaos effect on the caster. So that as you pulled in more power to cast spells, you had more chance of corruption. I believe you didn't have to cast with full power, so you could leave off dice for weaker effects, but less likely to call on chaos.

 

[TwoSix]

I'll always advocate for the magic system from Beyond the Wall / Through Sunken Lands. It puts a lot of the danger in the realm of DM fiat, but that saves a lot of page space compared to the complexity of DCC's mercurial magic system.

Best magic system in an OSR style game, hands down.

 

[Mannahnin]

Shadowdark
Tales of Argosa (FKA Low Fantasy Gaming)
Dungeon Crawl Classics
The Nightmares Underneath
5 Torches Deep
The Goblin Laws of Gaming

Special call-outs to:
-Tales of Argosa for having longer and more detailed and interesting miscast charts than the others
-DCC for having variable result and effect charts for EVERY SINGLE SPELL IN THE GAME
-TNU for the spell corruption system, which makes for interesting choices and the option to push your luck more/use magic after things go wrong, at a cost

If you just want to graft a randomness/miscast system onto B/X, one nice simple one is:

Each time you cast a spell, roll a d20. On a 1*, roll on a miscast/wild magic chart.** Otherwise the spell works as normal.

AFTER you have used a given spell from memory, you may push your luck and try to cast it again. Roll a d20 + your bonus from your Prime Requisite ability score, against a target of 10 + the spell level. If you succeed, you may cast the spell again. If you fail, you must roll on the miscast chart, and you may not attempt that spell again until you have a good night's rest.

If you do this one, I recommend disallowing the memorization of the same spell multiple times.

*Optionally, if you want it more risky, make it on any roll of the spell level or less.

**(I ran a 3 year campaign of 5 Torches Deep and its simple d20 miscast chart wasn't enough for me- instead I had the players roll a d4 every time there was a miscast. On a 1 they rolled on the d20 chart from 5TD. On a 2 they rolled on the big percentile chart from Low Fantasy Gaming. On a 3 they rolled on the 2E Wild Magic chart from Tome of Magic. On a 4 they rolled on the 5E Wild Magic chart)

 

[GreyLord]

You already mentioned WFRP, though I'd probably just go with that.

If you want something more D&D, go with D&D 2e and use wild magic as the main form of magic.