Re: Sorcery with studies

From: Joerg Baumgartner (rq4@sartar.toppoint.de)
Date: Thu 01 Jul 1993 - 19:25:46 EEST


In <322C60B4861@marketest.wharton.upenn.edu>, Dave Cake writes:
> I really like the basic concept behind Burtons sorcery system, with
>studies as well as skills and spells (though I think that calling studies skills
>is actually quite fine). In fact I was going to do something like this myself,
>but Burton beat me too it.

Studies is quite a ggod word for it. I was thinking of something like "name
lore" when I toyed with this idea, like everyone/thing having its own true
name, and the study/skill represents how close the sorcerer came to it. The
closer he comes, the better are his chances.

> I have a few minor problems with it (I am happy for some spells to
>remain ungeneralised, and I think that some of the Studies are somwhat
>redundant (like Attribute studies, I'd rather that these spells remain separate
>spells rather than variants)), but overall I like it, and would be happy for
>RQ Sorcery to take this form. It is reminescent of Ars Magica and Chivalry and
>Sorcery, but without immense complexity.

>From the power balance point of view, you are right about the attribute
spells being different spells, but for the sake of simplicity, I'd throw
them in with the other spells.

> What I would like to know, before I try to rewrite it etc., is how do
>others on the list feel about it (either like or dislike), and how do Oliver
>and the gang feel about it? try to concentrate on generalities rather than
>specifics.

As you might see from my answer, I support this for a generalized system for
certain spell effects. I have no problem with specific spells sewn together
from this taught to lesser pupils, such as Paul Reilly's Hrestoli spells in
the Dailies, and certainly there would be restrictions as to who teaches or
knows which studies, varying from sect to college.

I'd propose that one can alternatively learn a certain combination of
manipulation plus spell plus study as one new spell with fixed costs, which
would be the way these are taught to students, or that one can take the expert
way and make up the combinations as one wants. In the latter case manipulation
limits are easy to calculate, and in the former one could think of some easy
to handle restrictions, such as "no manipulation greater than teacher's
instruct skill divided by ten allowed". This ought to hold power levels down.

My DM 0.02

-- 
Joerg Baumgartner      rq4@sartar.toppoint.de

0,,

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