nerfherder
Adventurer
Ars Magica.
Arcana Unearthed/Evolved is my favourite D&D-like magic system.
Arcana Unearthed/Evolved is my favourite D&D-like magic system.
What's your favorite spell system?
- Thread starter Danyael
- Start date
Baron Opal
First Post
I'm with Nerfherder.
*squeek!*
Oops. I think I stepped on one.
*squeek!*
Oops. I think I stepped on one.
Teflon Billy
Explorer
Ars Magica's for sheer scope.
Conan RPG's for what I like sorcerors to be able to do in my settings.
Conan RPG's for what I like sorcerors to be able to do in my settings.
Nightchilde-2
First Post
Mage the Awakening (somewhat similar to Ascension, but less "gray area" as far as what is and is not Vulgar..plus the Arcana (spheres) are re-balanced) followed closely by Shadowrun (really any edition, but 4e is the most clear).
GreatLemur
Explorer
I finally got a chance to check out Thieves' World, and you're completely right. Better yet, it uses standard d20 spells. Very, very cool.rgard said:
gamecat
Explorer
Frukathka said it for me...
I like vancian + UA's recharge magic system. Also, I find the Bo9S to be innovative, and I like the warlock out of Complete Arcane. Maybe I just let wizards force-feed me.
I'm a veteran shadowrun player, and I find the drain mechanic innovative, but the spell choices to be restricted. Add in the metamagic whatnot from the other sourcebooks, and it gets fairly complicated.
I like vancian + UA's recharge magic system. Also, I find the Bo9S to be innovative, and I like the warlock out of Complete Arcane. Maybe I just let wizards force-feed me.
I'm a veteran shadowrun player, and I find the drain mechanic innovative, but the spell choices to be restricted. Add in the metamagic whatnot from the other sourcebooks, and it gets fairly complicated.
Imagicka
Explorer
Greetings…
Well, like others… my favourite Magic System is Ars Magica. A system general enough that you could choose the effects you wanted for any particular task, known as spontaneous spells. Also, the system had 'pre-generated' or formulaic spells. So if you weren't in the mood, or in the frame of mind to create spells, casting a 'known' spells was the way to go. Not to mention it was easier.
As to send this thread off course...
For example, in Mage if I were to create something. I would use Matter, or Prime. To give this creation life, I would need Spirit or Life.
In Ars Magica, I would first have to figure out what I was making. A golem? I would have to 'create' 'earth', having a certain amount of 'life', either it be 'human' or 'animal' life-force, to be able to throw into the spell.
[sblock]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ars_Magica#System
There are 15 Arts divided into 5 Techniques and 10 Forms. The Techniques are what one does and the Forms are the objects one does it to or with. This is sometimes called a "Verb/Noun" magic-system. The Arts are named in Latin.
Thus, Creo Ignem spells create fire (and the normal effects of fire, such as heat or light);. a Perdo Ignem spell may drop the temperature in a room. A typical Perdo Imaginem spell is granting invisibility to the caster by making one's image disappear. Rego Aquam could turn water into an unusual, but natural form (e.g. creating a pillar of water), while Muto Aquam could turn change the nature of water into, for example, oil or wine. An Intellego Mentem spell may permit the caster to understand any language; and so on... A mage's skill when casting a spell is the sum of their scores in the appropriate technique and form.
If a spell involves more than one technique, or more than one form, this is known as a requisite; The lowest technique and form are used. For example, turning a person to stone would involve Muto, Corpus and Terram; The player would add the character's Muto score to the lower of their Corpus and Terram scores.
By combining these techniques and forms, the magi may achieve any effect and spontaneously cast a spell with that desired effect. However, there are often severe limits to the level of power a magi can generate by casting spontaneously, and so he may also choose to learn a spell with that desired effect.[/sblock]
Well, like others… my favourite Magic System is Ars Magica. A system general enough that you could choose the effects you wanted for any particular task, known as spontaneous spells. Also, the system had 'pre-generated' or formulaic spells. So if you weren't in the mood, or in the frame of mind to create spells, casting a 'known' spells was the way to go. Not to mention it was easier.
As to send this thread off course...
Like Mage, Ars Magica is a 'skill-based' system, as well as being a 'generalist' system. But where Mage uses modern terms and ideas, where you look at the sphere to do something for you (along with preprequisties in other spheres). Ars Magica uses a noun-verb combination system, that generalizes it even more. Effectively, Mage just groups everything into the nine spheres, and drops the verb component.Umbran said:
For example, in Mage if I were to create something. I would use Matter, or Prime. To give this creation life, I would need Spirit or Life.
In Ars Magica, I would first have to figure out what I was making. A golem? I would have to 'create' 'earth', having a certain amount of 'life', either it be 'human' or 'animal' life-force, to be able to throw into the spell.
[sblock]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ars_Magica#System
There are 15 Arts divided into 5 Techniques and 10 Forms. The Techniques are what one does and the Forms are the objects one does it to or with. This is sometimes called a "Verb/Noun" magic-system. The Arts are named in Latin.
Thus, Creo Ignem spells create fire (and the normal effects of fire, such as heat or light);. a Perdo Ignem spell may drop the temperature in a room. A typical Perdo Imaginem spell is granting invisibility to the caster by making one's image disappear. Rego Aquam could turn water into an unusual, but natural form (e.g. creating a pillar of water), while Muto Aquam could turn change the nature of water into, for example, oil or wine. An Intellego Mentem spell may permit the caster to understand any language; and so on... A mage's skill when casting a spell is the sum of their scores in the appropriate technique and form.
If a spell involves more than one technique, or more than one form, this is known as a requisite; The lowest technique and form are used. For example, turning a person to stone would involve Muto, Corpus and Terram; The player would add the character's Muto score to the lower of their Corpus and Terram scores.
By combining these techniques and forms, the magi may achieve any effect and spontaneously cast a spell with that desired effect. However, there are often severe limits to the level of power a magi can generate by casting spontaneously, and so he may also choose to learn a spell with that desired effect.[/sblock]
Last edited:
Similar Threads
