Elements of Magic

Morrus

Well, that was fun
Staff member
As may may know by now, Elements of Magic will be the central magic system of O.L.D.

It needs some work, however. Alignments and D&D creature types simply don't exist in O.L.D. The element list is easier, being created specifically for EoM (though based on many existing lists and diagrams).

I'm also playing with formatting. Part of the "feel" of O.L.D. suggests to me that latin-esque (or at least magical) words used in the action/effect place, at least optionally.

Skills like scry, counter, and so on don't translate either. Those need to be turned into actions (but don't require an effect).

Of course, there's no such thing as caster level in O.L.D., but there is a MAGIC attribute. That can be used to determine both total MP and maximum MP-per-spell.

Signature spells work just fine.

The other thing to do is go through it all and adjust things like saving throws (don't exist), skill DCs (different system), all those references to D&D system elements like AC or DR and the many references to metamagic feats.

All in all, a big job.

actions.jpg

effects.jpg

Each combination creates a "list" as folks familiar with EoM will know. So Abjure Fire IV (repello incendia iv) is 4 magic points spent in casting an abjure fire spell, while Compel Plant IX (coacto planta ix) is 9 magic points spent in casting a compel plant spell.

That's the basic system. There's a basic spell template, and you then use magic points to add range, area, duration, and so on, and each action type has a bunch of things you can spend magic points on to do.

It does get more complex - you can combine lists. That's a whole section itself, though.

For example, let's look at the Evoke action. These cause elemental or virtue-based damage.

A basic evoke spell does 1d6 damage of effect type at short range instantaneously. Enhancements include things like:

Damage - add 1d6 damage per MP.

Enduring damage
- add 1d6 damage per round for 4 MP (1 minute), 10 MP (10 minutes), 18 MP (1 hour), 30 MP (1 day). Note that these values are very high - only a god can spend 30 MP on a single spell.

Side-effects - varies accoridng to the element type (acid dissolves, air knockbacks, crystal pierces, death afflicts, fire ignites, void suffocates, etc. etc.)

Signature spells are ones you create in advance, and can use in a single action. for example, an evoke spell you create might be:

[TABLE="class: outer_border, width: 500"] [TR] [TD]Arctic Blast
Asdumo Glacies Vis
Evoke Ice VII/Evoke Nature II/Gen II
Total MP: 11
Range: Short (30 ft.)
Duration: One round; freezing lasts one minute
Area: 5-ft. wide line
Attack: MAG vs. AGI

You release a mighty spray of ice shards and dense, frigid water, impacting foes and possibly freezing them. Creatures in the area of effect take 3d6 points of elemental ice damage from the cold, and 2d6 points of impact damage from slush and water.

Creatures struck by the attack are coated in ice, trapped until the spell ends or someone frees them. They may make a Difficult [19] STR check each round to break free. The ice also freezes objects of up to Large size, turning them brittle and reducing any SOAK by 10.

Costs: 2 MP ice damage, 5 MP ice major side effect, 2 MP nature damage, 2 MP medium line.
[/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE]
 
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Regarding the skills, my games never really used the 'counter' mechanics the way they were written. I have always thought it would be great to flesh this area out into a mini-game of resource contests in which the battle-area has limited magic points available to be used and the magic users can use their arcane skills to block, steal, or override the use of another casters points. But I kept running into the complexity issue.. too fiddly to use in the game.

In play, there was never any solid incentive to actually counter a spell.. it was always a better choice mechanically to just soak the damage and try to dish something back.

Regarding the Scry skill, again very limited use but for more meta-game reasons. Scry can easily 'break' many game. Most stories tie scrying to plot devices like crystal balls or other limitations.
I think leaving the Scry option as part of the ritual magic rules could work and leave the skill option out of the way.
 

I think you're right. I would like to see counterspelling elevated to a primary element if the system in O.L.D. without becoming complex
 

So this may be a bit wacky.

I'm thinking of making Counterspelling a free action which can be taken outside you'd turn .

It's an opposed MAGIC attribute roll (the counterspelling skill gives bonuses).

You have to spend the MP if the spell, same as the guy casting it.

Loser takes some damage.
 

Perhaps your MP Limit is how much total you can spend in a round. When you try to counterspell, the difficulty is based on the amount of mana the other mage spent on their spell, and you get a bonus to your roll based on how much MP you spend. But between the counterspell and any spells you cast on your previous turn, you can't exceed your MP Limit. So it's kinda a choice between going offense or defense.

[[And you'd have to spend enough MP to increase the range of your counterspell. If you're being targeted, you can use 0 MP for touch range. If someone's fireballing your allies 20 feet away from you, you need 1 MP for close range (which doesn't count toward giving you a bonus on your counterspell check). If you're trying to counter the spell someone is casting on himself 500 feet away, you need . . . I forget how much. It's been 5 years since I used the system.]]

I'd probably put in one or two more factors somewhere in there to make it more interesting than just "die roll vs. DC." Maybe if you don't know all the spell lists involved, you get a penalty, and if you know all of them you can choose to take a penalty for a chance to wrest control of their spell.

Or you could spend some MP on Attack instead of increasing your counterspell check, and if you manage to counter the spell you deal damage to the opposing caster?
 

As may may know by now, Elements of Magic will be the central magic system of O.L.D. . . All in all, a big job.

This would make a great Modos rules module. Wanna add that to the end of your work schedule? ;)

Seriously, though - I'm digging into O.L.D. just as soon as my RPG-interest pendulum swings back to Heavy from Light.
 

Perhaps your MP Limit is how much total you can spend in a round. When you try to counterspell, the difficulty is based on the amount of mana the other mage spent on their spell, and you get a bonus to your roll based on how much MP you spend. But between the counterspell and any spells you cast on your previous turn, you can't exceed your MP Limit. So it's kinda a choice between going offense or defense.

[[And you'd have to spend enough MP to increase the range of your counterspell. If you're being targeted, you can use 0 MP for touch range. If someone's fireballing your allies 20 feet away from you, you need 1 MP for close range (which doesn't count toward giving you a bonus on your counterspell check). If you're trying to counter the spell someone is casting on himself 500 feet away, you need . . . I forget how much. It's been 5 years since I used the system.]]

I'd probably put in one or two more factors somewhere in there to make it more interesting than just "die roll vs. DC." Maybe if you don't know all the spell lists involved, you get a penalty, and if you know all of them you can choose to take a penalty for a chance to wrest control of their spell.

Or you could spend some MP on Attack instead of increasing your counterspell check, and if you manage to counter the spell you deal damage to the opposing caster?

Part of me is thinking that actions designed solely to stop other actions happening make for an un-fun actionless combat. I'm wondering if I can come up with a more interesting slant. Maybe rather than counterspelling, concentrating solely on the overmastery angle.
 

Part of me is thinking that actions designed solely to stop other actions happening make for an un-fun actionless combat. I'm wondering if I can come up with a more interesting slant. Maybe rather than counterspelling, concentrating solely on the overmastery angle.

FWIW IMO

Counter spelling is both annoying and boring, but it is also very useful. Magic the gathering, Yugioh, 3 editions of D&D, and Rifts have all tought me the power of action denial, and the frustration at the table as well.
 

Here's a few sample pages from where I am so far. It's proving a bigger task than expected.

eom0.jpgeom1.jpgeom2.jpgeom3.jpgeom4.jpg
 

Maybe make it high risk, high reward. Disincentivize relying on it as a regular tactic. Like, perhaps when you try it and fail you're stunned on your next turn, and your MP limit drops for the rest of the day because you risked using 'antimagic' energy. But if you succeed you both cancel the spell and lower your opponent's MP limit.
 

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