What is the best magic system?

[jdrakeh]

I'For me, it is Ars Magica.

For me it's a toss-up between Ars Magica, Gemini, and Legendary Lives. The magic systems in all three of these games share similarities - of the three, Ars is the most detailed, while Legendary Lives is the most freeform, and Gemini falls somewhere in the middle.

Also, Brandon Blackmoor's free Risus supplement Rough Magic has a neat spell system worth looking at (and I'm pretty certian that this system has also been adapted to Rolemaster and AD&D by other parties).

 

[jdrakeh]

After all, a fighter can swing a sword all day without tiring, why shouldn't a wizard be able to cast spells all day?

Yes, but in D&D, a wizard's spells are always successfully cast (whether they effect their target or not is a different story, but they're always successfully cast) where a fighter must make a skill check to see if his sword swing is successfully executed. So, while a D&D wizard may be limited in the number of times per day that he can cast a spell, he already has a huge edge over fighters in that his spell casting will always be successful, where the fighter's sword swing may not be.

[Note: This is true of default D&D magic users only, there are alternate magic systems presented in supplements that introduce rules for skill-based magic in various incarnations of D&D.]

 

[MonsterMash]

Personally I like systems that are appropriate for the setting

/gets off fence

Personal favourites: D&D memorisation and Runequest2 combo of common low level + rare high powered.

 

[Psion]

There are lots of variants I find interesting.

But for doing what it's built for, D&D's is spot on.

 

[mythusmage]

I also like Ars Magica and Runequest. The Sovereign Stone system is also good. In it the caster can use any spell in his repertoire any number of times per day. However, it takes time to cast a spell. Depending on skill and die rolls it can take a long time.

Fighter: Ah, Joe, they're dead, we don't need the spell anymore.

Dangerous Journeys uses a skill based system. A PC gets so many spells for each skill with spells according to his characteristics and his 'status' as a spell caster. If a Mage and/or Priest he'll get more spells in the relevant areas than one who isn't. Spells are divided by Grade. (Sort of like levels, but not really. ) Depending on skill a caster can use spells up to a certain Grade. Magic of a lower grade than the maximum are easier to cast, having a multiplier applied to skill in their case. So a PC with a Dweomercrafting skill of 25 could cast up to Grade 2 spells. Grade 2 at 25% chance, and Grade 1 at 50%. Mages and Priests have additional complications we won't get into here. Suffice it to say a starting Mage could cast Grade 9 spells, if he got real lucky. Before I forget, DJ does use 'mana points'. Depending on the genre simply accumulating the 'mana points' to cast a spell will be the biggest limit on how often a spell is used. A Mythus mage transported to the Urth of Changeling is going to need mana reservoirs to power most of his spells, because on Urth less magical energy is available to an individual.

Another system I haven't seen mentioned here is the poker deck based one of classic Deadlands. It's been awhile since I've seen it, but I do remember it as being interesting in its own right.

Then you have the magic systems in Kult and Bloodshadows, the system kit in Aria: Canticle of the Monomyth (the UNIX of magic systems) and Isaac Bonewitz' Authentic Thaumaturgy. Which last also presents a good example of the writing and reasoning style modern American academia insists upon.

That's what I could come up with while posting this. Hope it helps.

 

[Acid_crash]

My personal favorite magic system in all games I've read or played is hands down Earthdawn, followed by Shadowrun. Both mesh with the world very well, moreso in Earthdawn because, in a way, the magic system is the world, and defines it.

 

[MummyKitty]

Ars Magica is cool, and works because the game is focused on magic using characters. It leaves other characters somewhat limited, at least with the core rules.

I really like the low-magic setting in the new Thieves' World book. That kind of limitation makes magic feel really special. In general, any setting or rules set where magic is esoteric and uncommon appeals to me.

But, I also like just plain old D&D. That system meshes with other character types pretty well. Yes, there are some issues but it seems to work pretty well. It's also fun to play where there are tons of spellcasters. To me, the systems are not really what's important, it's how the world is affected by the magic and by magic using individuals.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Faradon
Fantasy Hero / Hero / Champions or whatever you want to call the game system...

I like it mainly for the fact that the entire game, to include the magic system, is based on a levelless point buy system.

I'm with you. HERO, in all of its incarnations, but especially 4th and 5th editions, allows you to model any kind of PC you want.

This means modeling any kind of magic system is a cinch:

You want to have a Vancian style PC? Design and determine the cost of your spell, and limit its casting to X/Day.

You want a D20 Sorcerer? Design a Magic Pool (probably Multipower), with enumerated spells, and he can use any one of them up until he runs out of power...

You want a WOTC Warlock with only a couple of spells that he can use repeatedly? Design the spells, and he can use it as he sees fit- depending on design, an infinite amount of times.

Elementalist? All the spells have fire (or electrical, or cold, etc.) effects in his Elemental control.

You want a spellcaster who makes things up on the fly? "Cosmic" Variable Power Pool is your tool.

Runestone casters? All of his spells have physical foci that he must have to cast spells.

Psionics? No problem- model them any way you want- weak or strong; wild or disciplined.

Ritual Magic? Just lengthen the casting time.

PCs with magic abilities due to curses, prophesies, or otherworldly heritage?

Tattoo Magic? Imbed the spells in the PC either as merely a power, or as an Obvious/Inobvious Inaccessible Focus.

Armored Mages? Mystic monks? Lightning-slinging Rangers? Paladins that cast Fireballs that only affect Demons, Devils and Undead with a range of Line of sight? All possible.

And they can all be in the same campaign!

Now, if HERO is too complex to leave a good taste in your mouth, try Mutants & Masterminds. Its a neat fusion of HERO, D20, and a little Marvel Superhero thrown in for an RPG almost as flexible as HERO and almost as familiar as D20.

I know that some posters on this (and other) boards have started using it for their D&D campaigns, but I haven't done so myself.

 

[Michael Tree]

Ars Magica is cool, and works because the game is focused on magic using characters. It leaves other characters somewhat limited, at least with the core rules.

Ars Magica, when combines with the supplement The Mysteries, is the best, both in game mechanical execution and magical flavor. The Mysteries adds real medieval theories of magic, mystery cults based on occult history and folklore which teach mystical secret lore, adding a tremendous amount of interesting elements to the game.

The game is focused on magi, but with the addition of Mythic Companions in True Lineages and The Divine, other character types are also viable and reasonably balanced with magi.

 

[johnsemlak]

My favorite:

D&D 3.5 edition. Based on the amount of nods its getting here, it appears to be a rather unknown gem . Anyway, though I appreciate other system's attempts at making magic more dangerous/gritty/flavored etc I generally find the D&D system works best functionally.

That said, I've been reading the Conan d20 magic system and I do like it so far.