I've got another post coming today, but I just thought I should get that out and up front. I woke up this morning and I honestly couldn't remember what idea I'd had Wednesday to offset my irritation with magic-users. When I went back and read what I wrote I was just, like, oh how stupid.
If I can't remember a concept, let alone a system, two days later then it's probably not quite awesome enough.
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| No. I was being silly. |
I think using hit point to cast spells is pretty intriguing. Maybe combine it with spellburn from DCC.
ReplyDeleteIt's 'all right' (compared to straight, separate "spell points"), and it works well with some settings (like Cry Dark Future). But for D&D, it's not quite the right fit:
ReplyDelete1) it adds another resource to track to a game that's already heavy on resource tracking. Usually, folks aren't worried about hit points except as one worries about gas in the tank of their car...they care when they're full or running low, but they still have to drive. With "point costs per spell" it adds an extra dimension of strategizing ("Do I use the 2 pointer here?") that's just going to slow the game.
2) Drain/fatigue of wizards based on spell-use isn't really something one sees in the old S&S literature that the game is modeled upon. Even Tolkien...when Gandalf turns to face the balrog, he's out of spells, but he's still in good enough health to duke it out with the thing.
No...I had a momentary lapse, that's all.
I think you should look at the talking experiment as evidence that people will jump on any bandwagon with their thoughts/ideas regardless of how rational a proposal is.
ReplyDeleteShows something seriously wrong with the community's relationship with the game's structure.
Hey, man, I asked for people to chime in. For most of them, it was probably just a slow week.
Delete; )
I agree. No system has topped "fire and forget". I was just reading something the other day by Tim Kask how in the early days Gygax and him defended D&D against strong opposition and the outcry for Spell Point systems, and they were right to do so.
ReplyDelete@ Thomas Denmark:
DeleteI'm inclined to agree...for D&D anyway.
+1
ReplyDeletePoints 1&2 you make in your comments are certainly dead on for many campaigns. Spell Points in D&D would also really require a rewrite of the spells to work well as all spells of each level are not really of equal impact and utility. I've played with spell points in D&D myself and despite the often cited "spell points encourage" versatility" I've see a meager handful of spells used again and again, the exact opposite of versatility.
ReplyDelete@ JDS:
DeleteThe best way to promote versatility is to limit each spell to one use per day (or game session), the way it was in 0E. I see this tact taken in the house rules of dudes who've been playing for decades, and I think it makes a lot of sense.