Wizard spells and skills.

[The Great Bear King]

I'm splitting up physics, but I'll need some help determining which spell gets which branch of physics. For example, which branch of physics should be related to summoning?

 

[The Great Bear King]

I need help with specific science skills for all physics based spells. Would any help me with this one?

 

[papastebu]

Perhaps if you were to, rather than try to separate the spells via different branches of physics, biology, etc, take different laws of physics for the root of specific spells. I don't remember a great deal of these things, but there are four main energy forms dealt with--correct me, anyone, if I'm wrong--and three that I seem to remember are gravity, electromagnetism, and strong and weak nuclear forces. I may be separating things that are normally together, or I may be combining things that are otherwise separate, but that's what 20 years or so of not paying any more attention to something than is absolutely necessary will get you.

As for physical laws, you could use the --3rd?-- law, which states that every action has an equal and oposite reaction. Or take liberties with what are considered to be physical constants, like the speed of light. You could also fool around with things that are still largely theoretical, but have been "discovered" mathematically, like the existence of gravitons, or other universes.

What I'm trying to say really, is that you have what is called artistic license. As the creator of the system, you can take any scientific idea that you've managed to wrap your head around, and tweak it to suit the system. Don't change it too much, or else you're liable to lose verisimilitude, and your players might lose interest. Who knows, though? They may have less of an understanding of things than you, and you may be able to paint the picture without tipping them off. If you break the illusion that keeps them in the gameworld, then no-one will have any fun, and all your hard work will be for nothing.

I've done that sort of thing more times than I'm willing to count, so I know it's pretty easy. I wish I knew more specifics, but try reading science magazines, like American Scientist or Omni and creating some pseudoscience from those. Get that grain of truth, and the rest will fly.

 

[The Great Bear King]

Perhaps if you were to, rather than try to separate the spells via different branches of physics, biology, etc, take different laws of physics for the root of specific spells. I don't remember a great deal of these things, but there are four main energy forms dealt with--correct me, anyone, if I'm wrong--and three that I seem to remember are gravity, electromagnetism, and strong and weak nuclear forces. I may be separating things that are normally together, or I may be combining things that are otherwise separate, but that's what 20 years or so of not paying any more attention to something than is absolutely necessary will get you.

As for physical laws, you could use the --3rd?-- law, which states that every action has an equal and oposite reaction. Or take liberties with what are considered to be physical constants, like the speed of light. You could also fool around with things that are still largely theoretical, but have been "discovered" mathematically, like the existence of gravitons, or other universes.

What I'm trying to say really, is that you have what is called artistic license. As the creator of the system, you can take any scientific idea that you've managed to wrap your head around, and tweak it to suit the system. Don't change it too much, or else you're liable to lose verisimilitude, and your players might lose interest. Who knows, though? They may have less of an understanding of things than you, and you may be able to paint the picture without tipping them off. If you break the illusion that keeps them in the gameworld, then no-one will have any fun, and all your hard work will be for nothing.

I've done that sort of thing more times than I'm willing to count, so I know it's pretty easy. I wish I knew more specifics, but try reading science magazines, like American Scientist or Omni and creating some pseudoscience from those. Get that grain of truth, and the rest will fly.

Than you. I'll do just that.