From: David Cake (davidc@cs.uwa.edu.au)
Date: Wed 02 Jun 1993 - 07:05:19 EEST
I strongly feel that sorcery in RQ4 should be compatible with RQ3, to the extent that existing powerful sorcerers remain powerful, that spells do the same thing as they did before - or at least do similar things and have the same name.
However, I have just thought of a reasonable way to add the spontaneous formulaic dichotomy that people like from Ars Magica without changing the rules, only adding to them. Unfortunately this makes sense only to people with RQ4, but here it is anyway.
We already have the concepts in the skill system of inclusive skills, and complementary skills. Ie acting includes mimicry, acrobatics includes balance and armory is a complementary skill to bargaining when bargaining about armour. Why not implement the skills necessary for 'formulaic' spells in this manner. For play bablance they would be hard or very hard magic skills, and thus very difficult to get to high levels in, but they would be pretty nifty.
Some examples - Fred the Fire mage has general Fire magic at 70%. This includes animatefire and manipulate fire, so he has those at 70% automatically, and can use them freely. He meets an unusual fire spirit, and the GM asks him to make a spirit Lore roll, but with Fire Magic as a complementary skill. He attacks it, and tells the GM he wishes to cast a spell to cause it to stop buring so hot. The Gm tells him that this is Smother, a spell he doesn't have. So he must improvise on the spot. He makes a Fire Magic roll, he makes an Intx3 roll (for concentrating in combat), and takes two actions to formulate the spell. He suceeds, and attacks with a special Smother attack that works only versus Fire creatures (and for this creature, causes it to burn less brightly).
A poweful healer has Life magic. She knows no particular spell to ward against poison, but want to help her friend. The GM may allow her Life magic skill to act as a complementary skill to her treat poison, if she uses some MPs in various charms. He may also allow her to attempt to create a special purpose spell useful against the Scorpion venom, utilising parts of the dead Scorpion man nearby, if she asks him in appropriate terms.
Just two examples - and not meant to show how such a system would necessarily work, just to convey the flavour. I would probably guess that such skills would be hard skills for Elemental Rune magic, and very hard for Power Rune magic, though possibly only medium for possible Form Rune Magic.
In any case, I welcome input on how to add this nifty complication to the existing Sorcery rules, and I think perhaps that I'll write it up and send it to Oliver as a suggestion for RQ4. Much as I liked previous attempts at fancy sorcery systems, they lacked the compatibility with RQ3 that I think is essential if RQ4 is to suceed. The current situation of a spilt between RQ2 and RQ3 is bad enough. When RQ4 appears, we want to get all the RQ3 players and most of the RQ2 players (I'd say all, but I'm a realist) playing it. To do this we need to keep at least the outward form of RQ3 sorcery, even if we change mechanics wuite a bit. RQ3 is one example of a revision that spit its market. A D&D 2 is another (many people I know play A D & D 1.5). Shadowrun 2 is a ve example, it was almost completely compatible world wise, and character wise, its just that the mechanics were much better. That should be one of the main aims of RQ4 (which I think Oliver, Ken, etc. realise).
I think my sorcery idea provides a reasonable example of a way to add significantly to the mechanics, but still remain back compatible. It also adds a possible way to add in such mechanics as spell research, special magic itme creation, and other stuff, if we want it, later. I also think it would give sorcerers a bit more 'depth' on heroquests etc. without taling away the 'scientist-magician' flvour. So what do people think?
Dave Cake
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