Mechanics (Magic System)

[Bub Bidderskins]

In terms of skills, I think to get magic you need some sort of magical attribute that will determine how you focus your magic. What specific attribute you choose is mainly for RP purposes, but you have to choose something like "Wizard" or "Sorcerer" or "Warlock".

As far as skills themselves, I think magic should be in another skill pyramid. You'll have your "mundane" skills and your "magical" skills. You can spend points in either one. This is to somewhat balance mages, since otherwise learning magic would help your other skills because of the way the Fate system works. Essentially, learning magic penalizes your mundane skill advancement.

For limits on spell use, we could use something like a very simplified mana system. When you advance a spell, you add little boxes next to it just like attributes. Whenever you cast a spell, you have to make some sort of "magical tenacity" check, possibly based off a non-spell skill that is also in the magical pyramid. If you fail the check, then you check off one of the boxes for the spell. Once all the boxes are checked off, you may no longer cast the spell until after a period of rest. You can also use your magic attribute to "forgive" a failed check. This could also allow for potions and items that can restore spell usage, if you wish to put those in the game, but we're not going to get into that now.

[Bub Bidderskins]

I don't like the idea of having to use a skillpoint for any single spell: (under assumption lightning falls under pyromancy) "Woo, I can throw a massive bolt of lightning after years of studying pyromancy! Now, where did I put the matches?"
Also keep in mind that in Fate learning combat skills also helps your pickpocketing/artistry/investigation/knowledge of languages/etc., so that is kind of the point.

Good point.

I thought that you said in the gold thread that you didn't like having to roll to determine the use of resources?

This is different. Gold is a fixed amount. You will never spend less gold by chance. However, whether or not you can cast a spell is based on your personal endurance. It isn't a set resource like mana.

This is also already built into Fate, you can use an aspect to re-roll or change the value of your roll.
@DN are we using the 'add 1' or the 'change one die' system?

True, I was just restating it.

[Bub Bidderskins]

I agree that we shouldn't have a "spell list". We should just give guidelines to what the players can do. I think we should encourage creativity by the players. Even if they come up with something totally ridiculous, the mods could compensate by setting the difficulty level ridiculously high. So yeah, you can

try

to throw your tiny fireball down the enemy's throat, through his esophagus, and explode in his stomach, just don't expect it to hit.

[Bub Bidderskins]

I think divination would be very hard to implement. The mods would have find an almost impossible balance between giving clues that aren't too vague, but also aren't too specific.

As for conjuration, how about we say that difficulty is not just based on size, but also the form the object is in. Solids are easier than liquids which are easier than gases. A drop of poison is just as easy to conjure as a drop of water, but a drop of water is pretty hard to conjure. Something that is a mix of different stages of matter would be even harder to conjure, such as a demon. So conjuration would mainly be used to summon weapons, rather than impossible-to-stop poisons.

[Bub Bidderskins]

true