ThreeD10: The True Magic System

[Nakander]

Another portion of this game that I'd like to share now is the True Magic system.

This system was created to give base statistics (strength, dexterity, constitution, etc) further use and importance for your character's creation and progression.

It's quite simple, really. Virtually every spell has a basic version and true version. It's probably obvious, but the basic version requires only that you be the right class and possess a minimum of the stats to cast. While the better, true version of the spell requires additional prerequisites - usually stats - to cast. For example, a spell that would conjure a projectile might require dexterity (to assist with aiming) to unlock the true version, while something that creates an area of effect might require constitution (because the intensity of such a spell might be a hazard for the caster).

I probably should have mentioned somewhere that I ended up writing a whole new spell book for this game with 100% original spells and illustrations.

That's all for now. Thank you. ThreeD10

Oh, one other thing: Am I being too abrasive on here with the new posts? I've had a lot of fun interacting with this community and talking about my game but I don't want to saturate the market or become a nuisance. I haven't encountered anything negative, yet, but my knowledge and experience in forums is about 20 years out of date.

 

[GMMichael]

This post isn't in a D&D forum; is the game OGL-compliant? If not, I don't see much justification for using "strength, dexterity, constitution, etc."

If so, it's good to see some more thought going into the magic system. WotC made an official (well, two) stab at coloring up D&D magic with Tome of Magic, which didn't exactly fix Vancian casting, but it did provide some nice options.

The existence of a subculture of power gamers suggests that players like to tinker their way to cooler/stronger abilities, so adding true magic onto base magic seems like one way to approach that.

 

[Nakander]

This post isn't in a D&D forum; is the game OGL-compliant? If not, I don't see much justification for using "strength, dexterity, constitution, etc."

I'm sorry, I don't understand the question. I've been out of circulation for awhile. I don't know what OGL compliant is. If I'm in the wrong forum for talking about a new game, I should probably find out where I should be. I thought this was just general topics (including new games).

If I'm understanding part of your question right: ThreeD10's ruleset is heavily inspired by second edition D&D. It was there that most of my experience and the fun I had playing these games lies. I played a ton of 3rd, 3.5, Gurps, and Stars Without End (I think it was called) as a player, but I mostly didn't agree with the rulesets for any of those games. I felt it was like 1 step forward and 2 steps back - except for gurps - which I felt was 4 steps back and then another 4 steps back.

This ruleset started out as a tweak for second edition, but then a full rewrite from scratch as I realized that nothing was quite right (in my opinion).

The game uses strength, dexterity, agility, constitution, wisdom, intelligence, charisma, and luck. I thought most of those were still standard. A major goal of mine was to make base statistics much more important so that a single point could make a real difference in how a character was played.

Looks like I've rambled a bit. I hope this is somewhat helpful.

 

[GMMichael]

I'm sorry, I don't understand the question. I've been out of circulation for awhile. I don't know what OGL compliant is.

It's when your composition meets the contract established by Wizards of the Coast for using D&D content. And given your explanation, I can see where your choice of attributes comes from.

The game uses strength, dexterity, agility, constitution, wisdom, intelligence, charisma, and luck. I thought most of those were still standard. A major goal of mine was to make base statistics much more important so that a single point could make a real difference in how a character was played.

How does one go about increasing ability scores? That's going to be an important rule if it means the difference between using a true spell and wishing you could use a true spell.

 

[Nakander]

It's when your composition meets the contract established by Wizards of the Coast for using D&D content. And given your explanation, I can see where your choice of attributes comes from.

Ah this is very interesting to me. The answer is that I don't know. I just assumed, since so many games used the same terms, creatures, names etc, that most of them would be public domain. I'll have to look into this matter more closely and make changes accordingly. I know I deliberately steered away from really recognizable things like magic missile or drow, but since that stuff is really the inspiration behind this, I'm not sure what other things may have been infringed. Thank you for the excellent question. This is what I was really hoping for when I came on here.

As for raising ability scores, that's a huge question that would require a ton of context to answer properly, but to make this as simple as possible, you can acquire more statistics through leveling, from choosing specific fortifications, equipment, and other means that exist within the storyline of the quest itself. There's also magic that temporarily increases statistics to get the results you want from them.

This game has a stronger emphasis on forging a character into what you want rather than just creating the perfect one right out the gate.

 

[Nakander]

So just to clarify, we've looked into the OGL compliancy a bit more carefully and learned that what we've created is basically okay. That being said we've had to take down the itch page while we modify it. Oddly enough, the one thing you're not allowed to do is mention D&D, even as an inspiration, which is something I did do. A few other very odd infringements are terms like Dungeon Master and Player's Handbook which I also innocently used in reverence. Aside from that, it looks like the bulk of the game - about 99.9995% of it - is within compliance according to the guidelines.

Fortunately, I created everything single thing from scratch (which is part of why it's taken so long), so it should all be good.

Thank you again for the excellent question and tipoff for this matter. It would have been bad if I'd published something original that proclaimed how much I loved D&D in the introduction and then got sued for it.

 

[Sir Brennen]

INAL, but it seems talking about D&D in an intro/forward would be fair use in the context you mention. I think it's more referencing on the "trade dress" of the product, like explicitly stating on the cover that the book is "1st Edition D&D compatible" or within the game fluff/rules themselves.