What kind of magic do you like?

[mmadsen]

I guess I think that 'full of mystery and unpredictability' is almost by definition counter to the highly quantified 'spirit of D&D', if you will. If there are standardized rules, then mystery and unpredictability doesn't last long. If magic has a cost, it's a predictable cost, and what can be done with magic is set out in the rules.

I find it more than odd that a game that practically revolves around dice uses no dice for something that's supposed to be mysterious and unpredictable. (OK, OK, there are Saves.)

 

[Ds Da Man]

I like Enchantment/Charm spells. Making an enemy do my bidding is much more fun!
I also think that sorcerors should have their saves based similiar to psionics. Without proper training in the arts, their saves should have been D20, and maybe for the wizard also, but he gets better bonuses. Less spells, better ability to cast those spells. Sorceror should be the opposite.

 

[Aaron L]

I like the D&D magic system. If someone made up a good alternate system, I would probably like it too. If it was balanced with the core magic system, I would use it in parallel with the core system in my games. If I had more rules that reflected differing approaches to magic, I would love it.

I don't like the idea that magic is a single, unified "force" that exists and people can manipulate (I hate the Weave from FR). I like the idea of magic being multitudes of different things, from energy fields, to calling on extraplanar beings, words of power, sympathetic magik, and advanced mathematics that affect reality. The differing schools of magic to me represent totally different methods of accomplishing effects. Kind of like in the Belgariad and Mallorean, where there is Sorcery, Withcraft, and Divination (or whatever the Dals practice.) The standard D&D wizard is a generalist who learns the basics of how all the differing methods work and learns that "if you do this, this happens."

Sorry for rambling, I'm tired.

 

[Falcon]

I see magic as a resource to be used in the moment, complicated by the fact that it is springs from mysterious sources, and can NEVAR EVAR be fully explained or manipulated to exact predictions of outcome, but the Masters come pretty close to it.

Magic is powerful, subtle, dark, light, unpredictable, dangerous, and must be used with forethought and caution, or when it is the last chance you have to survive.

Or, when you are willing to sell your soul.

I disintinctly dislike the load and fire of D&D magic, preferring allowing spell-casters to have the ability to manipulate the resources available to them at that moment, based on what they know about magic, and who they are.

I'd like to see more personlized/personality-based magic.

 

[kenjib]

I don't like a magic system where you can see the nuts and bolts poking out from underneath. I'm thinking about spell slots here as one of the primary culprits. Arbitrary spells per day limitations are another.

I also don't like free form create-any-effect systems as I like magic to be something occult and esoteric that requires great study, knowledge, and a plumbing into the depths of forgotten mysteries. The systems make it seem too natural and not quirky enough.

Sovereign Stone works for me. There are no arbitrary/artificial limitations on what you can and can't cast at any given time but it's still got the old crusty tomes of forgotten lore and forbidden secrets. This allows you to give it the feel of an ancient occult, hermetic, tradition. That's what I like. It's also got a mechanic for a dark forbidden side to magic built in. Furthermore, it's not too hard to modify/expand on the system to create different systems of classification or opposition instead of or in addition to the elemental/void system they have.

EDIT: One other thing, and a big one - KILL DIVINE MAGIC! The concept of Gods walking the Earth and granting powers to their followers is really not at all ubiquitous and I don't care for it one bit myself. Sov Stone also has no divine magic. Of course magic is considered a divine force by some, but that's in the domain of culture and politics - where it belongs.

 

[Omegium]

I'd like the magic in dnd to be a bit more mystical. Now it has the mystic of a bunch of onions. Just pressing a button, seeing effect, button will be reset tomorrow. I would like some spontanious cast system, or at least a mana system. I know there are systems like that out there, I'll would just have to speak it over with my fellow players and implent the rules.

And I would like magic to be a bit less powerful. A high lvl wizard can beat ANY other class. And there are to much save-or-die spells, and in the Forgotten realms the rules to uppen your saves to absurd levels are just too numberous.

 

[S'mon]

D&D magic and the 3e rules system in general is fantastic for miniatures skirmish battles and dungeon crawls, and that's how I tend to use it. D&D just isn't a great system for deep-immersion roleplay, but that's not what I'm playing tabletop D&D for these days. I love it that 3e is such a fantastic miniatures combat system. Gives me a chance to finally paint and use all my minis! Since I realised that that's the primary strength of the game I've been much happier in my roleplay.

 

[burdett]

Seriously...

<I am thinking of using the Soveriegn Stone or Wheel of Time systems in place of the D&D version though. Both of those systems are more flavorful and present magic in a much more realistic way.>

And how exactly is any one way more 'realistic' when it comes to magic than any other? That's like saying Spiderman is 'more realistic' than Superman. Please.

Sorry, the 'fantasy presented as reality' concept is something that brings out the troll in me.

 

[Tonguez]

I do think that the game should offer a little more room for style, but that'd be served by little blurbs to the effect of "feel free to alter the spell descriptions and minor effects, so long as things like range, duration, and damage are never increased by said modifiers

I did a system like this for 'creating' spells

So it went

level - Range - Duration (per) - Area - Power (per)
0 - Personal - Round - 1 target - 0
1 - Touch - Concentration - 5X5 - d2/1lb/+1
2 - 5 feet - Minute - 5x10 - d4/5lb/+2
3 - 25' - Hour - 10X10 - d6/50/+3
4 - 100' - Day - 20x20 - d8/100/+5
5 - 500' - Month - 40X40 - d10/500/+10
6 - 1000' - Year - 100x100 - 50/1000lb
7 - Nation - Century - 1000x1000 - 100/ton
8 - Global - Millenia - Global - 1000/
9 - Unlimited - Permanent - Unlimited - Death/unlimitd

Area = Dimensions of area affected by spell
Power (per level)= Damage/Object weight/modifier affected by spell

Choose school, Add up total levels, find average and describe as you like based on school)

eg Evocation
Range 4 (100 - 500ft)
Duration 0 (Round)
Area 4 (20x20)
Power 3 (d6)
Total 11
Average 3 (3.6 rounded)

So a Level 3 Evocation doing d6 damage per level, instantaneous, 20x20 area and range 400ft.

Description
1. a burst of flame that detonates with a low roar and deals 1d6 points of fire damage per caster level (Fireball)
2. Great hailstones pound down, dealing 1d6 points of damage to creatures in their path (modified Icestorm)
3. A bolt of lightning flashes down in a vertical stroke at the target dealing 1d6 points of damage (Modified Call Lightning)

Invisibility (level 2 illusion)
Range 1 Touch
Duration 2 minute
Area 0 1 target
Power 4 100lbs
Total 7
Average 1 (1.75) *slightly less than official

Mechanics work thus

Casting requires a Spellcraft check DC = 15+spell levelx5
* Wizards use DC 10+spell levelx5


so the above evocation at Level 3 would be DC 15+(3x5) = 30 (25Wiz)

a level 9 spell would be DC 60(10+(9x5)) practically impossible except for modifiers

Modifiers
+ 1 for each additional round used to cast spell (so using 10 rounds (minute)) would earn a -10 modifier

Each participant (in a ritual) gives +1 bonus to the Spell check

Blood Sacrifice HP of Sacrifice can be used as a mod so a dog would give a + 6 to Spellcraft (6hp)

 

[Thanee]

I also like the creative spells better. My mage characters tend to end up being specialists with prohibited school evocation usually.

The memorizing and spell slots system of D&D I do not particularily like, I prefer something like Shadowrun, where you know some spells and can use them over and over again, but it drains on your body to do so.

The spells in D&D however are really cool. There are a lot of fun spells, like those transmutation or illusion spells (my favorite magic schools).

Bye
Thanee