tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post736252684542029187..comments2024-03-28T00:41:13.514-07:00Comments on B/X BLACKRAZOR: True Vancian MagicJBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03263662621289630246noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-57004640665384974442009-10-01T12:40:40.836-07:002009-10-01T12:40:40.836-07:00Please do, Felipe! And let me know how it goes!Please do, Felipe! And let me know how it goes!JBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08532311924539491087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-16629269313048037712009-09-30T14:27:56.674-07:002009-09-30T14:27:56.674-07:00Dude you just fixed high level magic users! both m...Dude you just fixed high level magic users! both mechanically and fluff-wise, nice, I'll definitely playtest this (will be in around 2 months, but still, awesome).Felipe Budinichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09755101146972136119noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-42098311561944638502009-08-06T11:14:02.601-07:002009-08-06T11:14:02.601-07:00Cross-post with ze Bulette: what he said!
In addi...Cross-post with ze Bulette: what he said!<br /><br />In addition, this continue to make wands and staves useful to wizards at higher level…they can memorize more utilitarian spells, while keeping that wand of fireballs handy!JBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08532311924539491087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-65830821253534930322009-08-06T11:12:11.682-07:002009-08-06T11:12:11.682-07:00@ Ryan: I still haven’t gotten around to reading R...@ Ryan: I still haven’t gotten around to reading Rhialto, so my basing Vancian magic on Turjan alone may well be misplaced. I DO own the Dying Earth RPG, though I’ve never played it. It’s magic system is complex and clunky compared to the rest of the game, but most people seem to play “Cugel” level sans magic unless they’re buying the supplements. Honestly, I haven’t read that section in awhile, and would have to check to see how it works…more like D&D PLUS spell point pools if I remember rightly.<br /><br />@ JDJ: the less access to spells provide, the more important magic items (and magic item creation!) becomes. In designing my B/X companion spell list I have specifically neglected spells that duplicate magic item effects (for example blasting or extra-dimensional holding) because I want enchanted item creation the only way to access some types of magical effect. Limiting the number of total spells per day also accomplishes this somewhat.<br /><br />@ Telecanter: You and I are on the same page. I have never run my games like this in the past but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work. Even at high level, the number and variety of spells cast by a magic-user was never too huge in my games…old Lucky would probably use two or three lightning bolts, a couple of (multiple) magic missile spells, continual light, and maybe teleport. What is that…18 spell levels total? Of course he always LOVED the opportunity to rattle off a chain lightning spell.<br /><br />By limiting the spell levels, it would force a magic-user to be more thoughtful about spell selection, EVEN at high levels (no stocking up on offensive spells to simply mow through encounters). If you want to contrast the power level with clerics, have clerics only able to use spells at ONE-HALF their caster level (rounded down). This continues the grand tradition of clerics NOT getting spells at 1st level, and not being able to raise the dead until Name level (10th , actually)!<br />: )JBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08532311924539491087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-29347483115211641272009-08-06T10:55:12.875-07:002009-08-06T10:55:12.875-07:00I used something similar in devising a magic item ...I used something similar in devising a magic item (runic orbs - posted blog entry last month) recently.<br /><br />I'd love to hear actual test play reports from anyone who uses or has tried this method with their magic users - and agree with Telecanter that the tracking of spells alone makes it attractive. A good point by JDJarvis too - magic items would seem to become more valuable, and would add that maybe a device that would be a battery to store magic power or spells (such as a wand or said orb) would become a more standard part of a magic user's equipment. Such an item could help offset any major game or class imbalance that was noticed after testing.ze bulettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15603716850479808633noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-42090932890014221362009-08-06T09:33:41.837-07:002009-08-06T09:33:41.837-07:00"It will become easier to track how many spel..."It will become easier to track how many spells a caster can memorize (less tables to review!)."<br /><br />This alone, makes it very attractive to me. Easy and elegant. I don't have enough experience with play at high levels to know how it might change the flavor of the game, though. Any Grognards try this back in the day?Telecanterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07238356788092725244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-46788787917797073842009-08-06T09:25:03.288-07:002009-08-06T09:25:03.288-07:00It could work. It would also make for more careful...It could work. It would also make for more careful spell selection and use. I'd want to apply a similar restrictions to clerics as well.<br />Likely there would be the play benefit wherein players of high level MUs would actually remember the capabilities of a tighter repertoire of spells.<br /><br />I might be a softie and allow cantrips (minor magicks) as it gives the MU a bit more magic without an overabundance of power and is also present in the Dying Earth stories.<br /><br />The importance of magic items would certainly rise for MUs as being able to command them may give a MU greater power then his own spells aloneJDJarvishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07691101939920824546noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4143435314932633148.post-90604468548965165152009-08-06T09:18:04.969-07:002009-08-06T09:18:04.969-07:00I think magic-users already have kind of a raw dea...I think magic-users already have kind of a raw deal until they get to name level... I'd make the spells far more potent to make up for it. (Check out Vance...how many times is someone able to avoid a spell? In the only instances I can think of, it is because they have a magic item to deflect magic.) <br /><br />Also, I just finished reading Eyes of the Overworld, and unless I misread, Cugel was able to memorize a spell in mere moments. (Though he could hold only one spell in his mind, being that he is not a wizard...that opens an entirely different can of worms, though) <br /><br />I had actually been meaning to post a passage from Rhialto the Marvelous that explains the nature of Vancian magic further. Perhaps I will do that this weekend. <br /><br />Are you familiar at all with the Dying Earth RPG? I'm not, but I'd be curious to see how they handle Vancian magic since they are actually trying to emulate the source material.DMWieghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03682249561077936507noreply@blogger.com