DungeonmasterCal
First Post
Has anyone tried a skills based spell casting method; i.e. make a Spellcraft check of 10 or 15 plus spell level to successfully cast a spell? If so, how did it work out?
Skill based Spellcasting
- Thread starter DungeonmasterCal
- Start date
Aus_Snow
First Post
Yes: Legends of Sorcery, by RPGObjects. It works well.
Last edited:
Scurvy_Platypus
Explorer
There's also the Unusual Core Classes: Spellweaver from Misfit Studios:
http://enworld.rpgnow.com/product_info.php?products_id=7559
http://enworld.rpgnow.com/product_info.php?products_id=7559
DungeonmasterCal
First Post
Aus_Snow said:
Damn, I think I own that. I think that speaks volumes about my already having too much gaming stuff to bother with 4e......
Tetsubo
First Post
I'm working my way through Monte Cook's World of Darkness at the moment. It uses a very fluid spell structure and a Spellcraft skill check system for casting. You can literally create the spells you want at the moment of casting. There is no limit to the number of spells you can cast, though you become fatigued by casting... so eventually you just get too tired... it is a spell point type of system as well... the more points, the higher the DC...
Aus_Snow
First Post
Hm. I haven't had a chance to check out the McWoD, but something in an apparently similar vein (magic-wise) would be True Sorcery, from Green Ronin. In other words, it's very much the toolkit approach applied to d20 magic, a 'make it up as you go' type thing. This will have its own definite strengths, naturally.
That's pretty much in direct contrast to Legends of Sorcery, which can (and does) effortlessly integrate D&D's standard spellcasting classes, spell levels and spells - along with just about any other d20 instances of such things out there. It has its own array of classes (for lower-magic games, for example) and spells, too. But it doesn't set out to replace the standard class/spell-level/spell method and configuration per se.
That's pretty much in direct contrast to Legends of Sorcery, which can (and does) effortlessly integrate D&D's standard spellcasting classes, spell levels and spells - along with just about any other d20 instances of such things out there. It has its own array of classes (for lower-magic games, for example) and spells, too. But it doesn't set out to replace the standard class/spell-level/spell method and configuration per se.
Scurvy_Platypus
Explorer
The main problem I've seen over the years with systems like this is the amount of time the player takes to make the spell. The game grinds to a halt usually while the player tries to figure out this or that way of casting, how much it's going to cost, any way to min-max it, and so forth.Tetsubo said:
Sure, you can always tell the player(s) "You need to have all of this prepared before you say you're casting a spell" but that really doesn't work out too often.
Usually, people will turn around and "premake" spells, at which point you're basically back to the system (of having fixed spells) that you were trying to avoid anyway.
I don't know about Legends of Sorcery, but in the case of the Spellweaver class from Misfit, not only do they give you the basics to be able to convert any D&D/d20 spell over to their skill/fatigue system, but they also give you the SRD spells already converted. Hard to go wrong there.
I might pick up LoS to see what it looks like in comparison to the Spellweaver. Honestly, I think either one of them will do the job pretty elegantly for you.
There is always of course Advanced d20 Magic from Guardians of Order. It uses a skill based approach as well, and is an expansion of the skill based magic system first used in Slayers D20. I haven't had a chance to see it in play, but it seems reasonable. Of course, it's more complicated that either the Spellweaver or Legends of Sorcery.
True Sorcery as I recall is an expansion/based on the magic system out of The Black Company.
Either True Sorcery/Black Company or Advanced d20 Magic will certainly give you much more control over the spells being cast, and are skill based systems. They will however up the amount of decision making involved with casting a spell due to the number of options you have, and therefore run the potential of slowing things down.
So.... you've got 2 options at both ends of the spectrum.
Mustrum_Ridcully
Legend
I created something like that for an Iron Heroes game, but eventually never tried it.
As long as you allow regular magical items, I don't think such a system would really work. A single +5 item to Spellcraft/Use Magic can screw all your balance - unless you integrate this in your rules, and make it an expected part. But it's still hard, because the difference between Skill and DC should never be higher than 20 (unless you want the spell to be to easy).
Starting from ground up might make things different, but you really need some endurance to pull that off. You don't believe how tedious is it to create a comprehensive list of new spells, until you tried.
As long as you allow regular magical items, I don't think such a system would really work. A single +5 item to Spellcraft/Use Magic can screw all your balance - unless you integrate this in your rules, and make it an expected part. But it's still hard, because the difference between Skill and DC should never be higher than 20 (unless you want the spell to be to easy).
Starting from ground up might make things different, but you really need some endurance to pull that off. You don't believe how tedious is it to create a comprehensive list of new spells, until you tried.
