It's a Strange Magic
I want new magic. Not new spells, new systems of magic. For my Old School Campaign world that I’m building, I intend to build a different set of magic rules to be utilized. I don’t think Vancian magic is broken. I just wanted to state that up front. I think it does what it does quite well in game terms. I don’t think the mechanics behind D&D (and by extension the retro-clones) are broken. Again, I find them quite enjoyable and they have been quite consistently good for me as a gamer for many, many years. So, I got that couple of bits of information out there. I few months back I was reading Eldritch Weirdness by Matt Finch (see my review). It really sparked something in me that had been bothering me for quite some time but I could not place it. I realized that I do love D&D. I love the system. I think it is a brilliant game, lots of fun, etc. What had been putting me off lately is the presentation. There are many good fantasy settings out there from Greyhawk, to Forgotten Realms, etc; they all capture the standard vanilla fantasy tropes quite well. The accretions of classes and schools of magic that popped up as the game progressed from 0e through AD&D 1e on to 2e and so on really are leaving me cold. No, I don’t think they are broken, and as I’ve said, I like the D&D construct quite well. What I want is a different way of handling classes and especially magic. Being a lifelong adherent to AD&D 1e, this was quite a revelation for me.
Matt’s exhortation in Eldritch Weirdness to go beyond the Vancian magic of spells and branch out into other areas of magic really struck a chord that resonated even more when I read through Geoffrey McKinney’s Carcosa (My Semi-review). In Carcosa, there is essentially only two character classes (that of fighting man and sorcerer) with the possibility of use of magic through the sorcerer class (which for all intents and purposes is a fighting man that has chosen to use magical rituals). In Carcosa, there is not thief, no assassin, no cleric, no paladin, etc. Similarly, there is no spell list for clerics, sorcerers perform rituals not the Vancian magic spells, etc.
So, here is what I’m working on (and I realize that it might not be everyone’s cuppa – but that’s OK): I want a world with three classes (or maybe two); the three being Fighting men, Magic Users, and Priests (I don’t really care for the idea of the cleric class as presented so I might not have a cleric/priest class at all but I’m still undecided at this point). The fighting men fight, the magic users cast spell, and the priests do priestly things (oracles, divinations, blessings, etc). I think that is a fine core to be able to build upon. Further, I want to use ritual magic, pact magic, bindings, summoning, ley line magic, and many others. Also, I don’t intend for magic to be the exclusive domain of magic users (although magic users will have a decided edge in magic use and in some cases they would have exclusive use). Rituals and the like are not necessarily the types of magic you would cast in combat. They are more of a down time type thing. What I’m thinking is that fighters would primarily be the weapon wielders and front line combatants that are going toe to toe with their foes. Magic Users will primarily use the Vancian Magic system and cast spells as everyone is currently used to doing. Rituals, summoning, etc would be available to be used by those that qualify. I’m thinking about having this system be an add on similar in nature to how psionics is sometimes presented – the possibility exists that anyone can do it regardless of class. So, for instance, a fighter comes across Ulkimand’s Gibberous Book of Gruesome Bindings and Rituals. If the Fighting Man possesses the requisite attributes and makes a check or save or whatever, then he can perform a ritual from the book. Let me advance that a bit further, Semarick the Valorious finds Ulkimansd’s Gibberous Book of Gruesome Bindings and Rituals. Semarick, not being a magic user by nature, none the less needs one of the spells that are contained within the tome. Semarick happens to be a pretty smart cookie and picked up some Old Glaurian tongue along the way in his many adventures so he is able to read the text of Ulkimand’s tome. Semarick find the ritual he needs, Repulsion of the Scabrous Hordes. In game terms, he is required to have an Intelligence of 17 and Wisdom of 14 to be able to perform the ritual (the requirements would be less if he was a mage and more immersed in the ways of magic). If Semarick does meet these requirements, he then has a base 70% chance of successfully completing the ritual. Let’s say Semarick doesn’t possess the requisite game required scores, but he can speak the language. For every point he is deficient in the prime requisite score, subtract a 15% chance of success. For ever point he is deficient in a secondary requsite (if there is one), it would be a 10% penalty. So, let’s say Semarick has an Int score of 14 and a Wis of 13. He’d be assessed a penalty of 40% so his base chance of successfully completing the ritual would be 30%. In addition, a since Semarick is not a Magic User by nature, he’d make a save versus magic or be struck by some adverse affect (dependent on the magic). So let’s say Semarick finds the book, is literate in the language it is written in, and attempts to perform the ritual. Since his requisite scores do not meet the casting requsites, he is assessed a penalty. If he fails the percentage chance of success, he is immediately affected by whatever adverse effect is part of the spell (in the case of the Repulsion of the Scabrous Horde it would be that he is affected by leprosy and the ritual fails). Let’s say he succeeds in the percentage chance to succeed but fails his save versus magic. The ritual is successfully cast, but he still incurs leprosy.
So, that is an example of what I’m thinking about. I think it adds a couple of elements that I want to include in my game. First, it makes magic more a fantastic element in the game and a possible plot point rather than just a different type of arm or accoutrement. Second, it models all of those instances in fantasy literature where the character who is not a mage, braves the odds and does what needs to be done. Third, with spell casting of the Vancian nature still the sole purview of magic users, it doesn’t diminish the role of the magic user (in fact, it would give them more tools since they would be more effective at these other forms of magic).
I’d be interested in hearing from others on what kinds of experiences they have had in these types of alternate systems.
Matt’s exhortation in Eldritch Weirdness to go beyond the Vancian magic of spells and branch out into other areas of magic really struck a chord that resonated even more when I read through Geoffrey McKinney’s Carcosa (My Semi-review). In Carcosa, there is essentially only two character classes (that of fighting man and sorcerer) with the possibility of use of magic through the sorcerer class (which for all intents and purposes is a fighting man that has chosen to use magical rituals). In Carcosa, there is not thief, no assassin, no cleric, no paladin, etc. Similarly, there is no spell list for clerics, sorcerers perform rituals not the Vancian magic spells, etc.
So, here is what I’m working on (and I realize that it might not be everyone’s cuppa – but that’s OK): I want a world with three classes (or maybe two); the three being Fighting men, Magic Users, and Priests (I don’t really care for the idea of the cleric class as presented so I might not have a cleric/priest class at all but I’m still undecided at this point). The fighting men fight, the magic users cast spell, and the priests do priestly things (oracles, divinations, blessings, etc). I think that is a fine core to be able to build upon. Further, I want to use ritual magic, pact magic, bindings, summoning, ley line magic, and many others. Also, I don’t intend for magic to be the exclusive domain of magic users (although magic users will have a decided edge in magic use and in some cases they would have exclusive use). Rituals and the like are not necessarily the types of magic you would cast in combat. They are more of a down time type thing. What I’m thinking is that fighters would primarily be the weapon wielders and front line combatants that are going toe to toe with their foes. Magic Users will primarily use the Vancian Magic system and cast spells as everyone is currently used to doing. Rituals, summoning, etc would be available to be used by those that qualify. I’m thinking about having this system be an add on similar in nature to how psionics is sometimes presented – the possibility exists that anyone can do it regardless of class. So, for instance, a fighter comes across Ulkimand’s Gibberous Book of Gruesome Bindings and Rituals. If the Fighting Man possesses the requisite attributes and makes a check or save or whatever, then he can perform a ritual from the book. Let me advance that a bit further, Semarick the Valorious finds Ulkimansd’s Gibberous Book of Gruesome Bindings and Rituals. Semarick, not being a magic user by nature, none the less needs one of the spells that are contained within the tome. Semarick happens to be a pretty smart cookie and picked up some Old Glaurian tongue along the way in his many adventures so he is able to read the text of Ulkimand’s tome. Semarick find the ritual he needs, Repulsion of the Scabrous Hordes. In game terms, he is required to have an Intelligence of 17 and Wisdom of 14 to be able to perform the ritual (the requirements would be less if he was a mage and more immersed in the ways of magic). If Semarick does meet these requirements, he then has a base 70% chance of successfully completing the ritual. Let’s say Semarick doesn’t possess the requisite game required scores, but he can speak the language. For every point he is deficient in the prime requisite score, subtract a 15% chance of success. For ever point he is deficient in a secondary requsite (if there is one), it would be a 10% penalty. So, let’s say Semarick has an Int score of 14 and a Wis of 13. He’d be assessed a penalty of 40% so his base chance of successfully completing the ritual would be 30%. In addition, a since Semarick is not a Magic User by nature, he’d make a save versus magic or be struck by some adverse affect (dependent on the magic). So let’s say Semarick finds the book, is literate in the language it is written in, and attempts to perform the ritual. Since his requisite scores do not meet the casting requsites, he is assessed a penalty. If he fails the percentage chance of success, he is immediately affected by whatever adverse effect is part of the spell (in the case of the Repulsion of the Scabrous Horde it would be that he is affected by leprosy and the ritual fails). Let’s say he succeeds in the percentage chance to succeed but fails his save versus magic. The ritual is successfully cast, but he still incurs leprosy.
So, that is an example of what I’m thinking about. I think it adds a couple of elements that I want to include in my game. First, it makes magic more a fantastic element in the game and a possible plot point rather than just a different type of arm or accoutrement. Second, it models all of those instances in fantasy literature where the character who is not a mage, braves the odds and does what needs to be done. Third, with spell casting of the Vancian nature still the sole purview of magic users, it doesn’t diminish the role of the magic user (in fact, it would give them more tools since they would be more effective at these other forms of magic).
I’d be interested in hearing from others on what kinds of experiences they have had in these types of alternate systems.
Details aside, the three points in the final paragraph persuade me as an approach.
ReplyDeleteI also like your wish to reduce classes to the minimum. For me there could be one class and no levels, with everyone added in organically and developed less rigidly, although I've not thought deeply about how that might work.
At any rate, these musings I like.
I'm thinking about limiting it to two archetypical classes (fighter and magic user). I think with those as a base, you can add to them to create just about anything else. I think this gives the player more freedom to create a spell-using fighter, or a finese fighter, or a brutish thug, or a cloistered mage, or a priest, etc. I'll still maintain levels just because I like how it essentially abstracts progression from a no body to a truly epic hero. I think having a plethora of classes actually is more limiting and gives less choice. I would have never felt that way in the past seeing as how 1e AD&D was my system of choice. But now, I think you can boil it down and offer more customizable options to create the look and feel of whatever you want.
ReplyDeleteI know other might feel differently and that's OK; that's why there is OSRIC/AD&D/Labyrinth Lord/D&D/etc. Those games are very valid and fun to play. I just want to do things a bit differently.
Interesting. I think this is good approach.
ReplyDeleteThanks Trey. I think that the D&D base system (especially for the older editions) is an easy to adapt and easy to play system. If you simply nuild from the base of the two classes, you can do all sorts of interesting things. I'd really like to create an Elric type character for instance. Basically a fighting man that can use summoning and ritual magic. Or I could create somebody like the archtypical evil priest by using the magic user as a base and add in some auguary ritual magic, some oracular magic, etc then I could have a pretty neat pulpy swords and sorcery style evil priest (much different in feel then the D&D cleric who is more akin to a knight Templar I think than an Aztec priest).
ReplyDelete