Author Topic: Thoughts on a "make-your-own" magic system.  (Read 644 times)

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Amechra

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Thoughts on a "make-your-own" magic system.
« on: January 25, 2011, 02:35:10 AM »
You know, of the type that don't have pre-generated effects? I know, I know, but this one feels like it will work to me...

Basic Concept:
Basically, you have two different types of abilities: Solidified and Liquified; you also have a pool of points (I'll come up with a name later) and a initiator-style Solidified powers Known/Readied progression. A Solidified ability is stored, and is known; in essence, it doesn't draw upon the pool of points, unless you are swapping out which one is prepared, in which case it costs 1/2 the point value, rounded down, and takes a swift action to swap. However, the number of points allowed to be "used" on a Solidified ability is 3/4 the whatever-level. You recharge Solidified abilities by succeeding on a whatever-level check vs. DC 20 as a swift action, and at the beginning of any given encounter.

Liquified powers are where the fun is at; you can discard a 'readied' Solidified ability (or leave it open in the first place) to make up an ability on the fly, drawing directly from the pool of points. The amount of points usable on any given Liquified power is equal to the full whatever-level.

And where are we drawing the powers from? Modified Epic spell seeds; we already know that you can do practically ANYTHING, so instead of mitigation factors, the class using this would simply get a special ability that allows them to reduce points spent. In addition, all powers must pick a Failure thingy from the Incantation section of Unearthed Arcana, but toned down; after all, insta-death on failure to use power properly is not a good thing.

Each time a power of any sort is used, the user must make a check like-a so: 1d20+3/4 whatever-level+Cha mod vs. 10+Point Cost. So basically, the user has a (50-(Cha mod*5))*chance of using a level appropriate Solidified power, and a ~(67-(Cha Mod*5)) chance of using a level appropriate Liquified power.

The pool's amount will be (tentatively) ((whatever-level)^2)/2

Non-whatever levels add 1/2 to your whatever-levels, a la Initiators.

So basically, you use Solidified stuff for every day, and then Liquified stuff is for your random contingencies.

For example, let's say that Earl the Whatever 10 has a Heal-based level-appropriate power that he's spamming out of combat; suddenly, he and his group are ambushed by [insert scary monster here!]. They're gonna need some extra fire-power, and luckily Earl has another Solidified power that could help, based off the Slay and Destroy seeds; he takes a swift action, spends 3 points out of his 50 total, and grabs some blasty lovin'. If he hadn't had that power, he could have dropped the Heal power as a swift action, and just made one from scratch.

Note to self: Add more benefit to using Liquified powers.
[spoiler]Fighter: "I can kill a guy in one turn."
Cleric: "I can kill a guy in half a turn."
Wizard: "I can kill a guy before my turn."
Bard: "I can get three idiots to kill guys for me."

On a strange note, would anyone be put out if we had a post about people or events we can spare a thought for, or if its within their creed, a prayer for? Just a random thought, but ... hells I wouldn't have known about either Archangels daughter or Saeomons niece if I didn't happen to be on these threads.
Sounds fine to me.
probably over on "Off-topic".
might want to put a little disclaimer in the first post.

This is the Min/Max board. We should be able to figure out a way to optimize the POWER OF PRAYER(TM) that doesn't involve "Pazuzu, Pazuzu, Pazuzu".
[/spoiler]

My final project for my film independent study course. It could do with a watching and critiquing