Quote from: obrynI'm playing in a Mage game, and although the magic system is undoubtedly fun, I'm not really a fan at the moment.  Maybe it's because we're using Mage 1.0 with the most fantastically complex & ridiculous dice rolling system ever.  I dunno.

-O

I wasn't thinking the mechanics of the dice but the basic idea of areas of mastery and the ability to create effects based on your level of mastery in each area and your total level of power.

I'm no fan of Wheel of Time, but the RPG actually has a pretty good alternate magic system.  It manages to get rid of the restrictiveness of 9 straight levels without introducing points, which I personally don't really like.  IMO they make it seem too much like final fantasy.

The way it works is each spell has 4-5 different levels that it can be casted at, which changes the degree of the spell (i.e. damage, radius, length of time, etc.).  This is better than spell-modification options (i.e. something like D&D's feats that modify spells) because it doesn't give you quite so much of a bewildering array of options.

The only problem is that it perhaps is a little limiting in scope, and is a little WoT specific.   But most of the spells one would want to cast are there, and the WoT flavor can be removed without much effort.  If you like a more elemental flavor for your magic as opposed to arcane it's definitely sufficient in scope.

I've always thought D&D magic should have had a roll to successfully cast. A Base Magic Bonus to match up with a Base Attack Bonus.

That said, I really want to try Mage sometime.

OK, real simple...

DC = 10+Spell Level+Times cast(-Spells per Day)*

* is optional. I use it to give them a little break.

It's a Willpower check.

If they fail, they can either take damage (1d4/6 per spell level) or you can subtract a point from thier Willpower per spell level.

Works good, fairly balanced, and funny when someone fails.

ZZZAAAAPPPP!

Hmm... Thanks!

Quote from: T-WillardOK, real simple...

DC = 10+Spell Level+Times cast(-Spells per Day)*

* is optional. I use it to give them a little break.

It's a Willpower check.

If they fail, they can either take damage (1d4/6 per spell level) or you can subtract a point from thier Willpower per spell level.

Works good, fairly balanced, and funny when someone fails.

ZZZAAAAPPPP!

Hey that's pretty neat. Thanks!

Spells and Magic from Bastion Press has a Rune Magic system I like.  You learn runes instead of individual spells.  Each rune grants you access to a list of ten spells, one each from level 0-9, that are related to each other (there's a rune that deals with healing, one that deals with summoning, etc).  As you go up in level you are able to use the more powerful spells associated with the runes you know, and you can also learn new runes.  The runes they use are baesd on real viking futhark runes.

Quote from: TechnomancerSpells and Magic from Bastion Press has a Rune Magic system I like.  You learn runes instead of individual spells.  Each rune grants you access to a list of ten spells, one each from level 0-9, that are related to each other (there's a rune that deals with healing, one that deals with summoning, etc).  As you go up in level you are able to use the more powerful spells associated with the runes you know, and you can also learn new runes.  The runes they use are baesd on real viking futhark runes.

That could be fun.  That was roughly the premise of my book, Elements of Magic.  But runes might be a cooler hook than the D&D elemental planes.  

Quote from: CyberzombieThat could be fun.  That was roughly the premise of my book, Elements of Magic.  But runes might be a cooler hook than the D&D elemental planes.  

I was actually going to recommmend EoM as well because of the good things I've heard about it, but not having actually seen it myself I figured I should refrain.