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DFRPG / Alternate Magical Mechanics
« on: January 26, 2012, 09:25:01 PM »
Hello all, I've been lurking stealthily behind the scenes, but now it is time to once more rear my ugly head and pose a question.
About a year ago, shortly after getting into tabletop RPGs in college, I designed my own home brew setting and game system to run an urban fantasy game. The Setting was heavily influenced by The Dresden Files, and the game system was loosely based on WoD (the only system I had any familiarity with.) The game continued with the mechanics improving over time, and when i discovered Fate through the DFRPG I immediately loved the simplicity, narrative mechanics, and overall elegance. That said, there were a number of small things that irked me and i wound up rebuilding my system from the ground up using FATE and the DFRPG as a base. While my system and the DFRPG are very different, the mechanics are similar enough that anything which would work in the DFRPG would work in may game and vice versa. Therefore this felt like the perfect forum to ask for design advice.
With that bit of background, here is my problem. I've written a powers list that I, and my group, are fairly satisfied with, and has held up to play testing so far. However, I am not wholly satisfied with the magic system I worked out for it, or the DFRPG system and would like to hear any ideas for alternate magic system mechanics that you guys had been kicking around.
Major differences to keep in mind:
*Most powers that enhance a mortal ability to a supernatural level work by replacing one or more fudge dice with a d4. If I could incorporate that into the magic system it would grant a greater feeling of power unity. (The ranks for speed and might powers are Superhuman, Monstrous, and Legendary. So a character with superhuman speed can use a d4 in place of one of his fudge dice on anything he can justify speed aiding in like attacks or initiative. Combining two powers of the same level with something you can justify both speed and might helping in allows a d6 instead. Likewise Dominate adds a d4 to social rolls, with some added fluff rules attached letting it break some of the unique social combat rules.)
*There is no defensive roll. Instead attacks strike the stress tracks directly. Physical stress is athletics +2, Social is Empathy +2, and Mental is Discipline +2. Consequences are not static and are determined by Strength, Presence, and Intelligence skills. The maximum stress a mortal can achieve with a stunt is 8 and the minimum is 0. The maximum stress absorption a mortal can gain per consequence is 7,8,9,10,11 and the minimum is 1,1,1,2,3. Supernatural beings can go beyond that.
*Skills range from -2 to +4 defaulting at 0. there are 21 skills, mostly similar to the DFRPG skills.
*Many powers have different refresh costs, but that has more to do with them working differently than in the DFRPG. Any power from the DFRPG could be fit into my game with little modification at the same cost. (For example, the Flight power in my game costs -3 instead of the -1 of the wings power from DF. Not because the system is all that different, but because A. I felt it was to inexpensive, B. There is a perfect landing power at -1, and an epic leap power at -2 which are largely pointless when upgraded to flight, and C. It is more powerful in my game.)
I tentatively plan to incorporate some kind of 'mana' system, likely purchased with refresh, which will use a blank stress track My character sheets have below the others.
I would like to design a system which allows magic to complement existing skills, while still incorporating appropriate mental skills. Such as a ranged magical attack using the ranged skill But perhaps with discipline determining how much "Mana" can be used per round and mental consequences (determined by intelligence,) determining how much power can be drawn back into the body quickly from the life and emotions around you.
For anyone who didn't want to read all of that, I'm looking to hear thoughts on alternate mechanics for magic systems that are compatible with the DFRPG and therefore likely compatible with my own fate game. Any thoughts you have had kicking around about the subject are welcome!
About a year ago, shortly after getting into tabletop RPGs in college, I designed my own home brew setting and game system to run an urban fantasy game. The Setting was heavily influenced by The Dresden Files, and the game system was loosely based on WoD (the only system I had any familiarity with.) The game continued with the mechanics improving over time, and when i discovered Fate through the DFRPG I immediately loved the simplicity, narrative mechanics, and overall elegance. That said, there were a number of small things that irked me and i wound up rebuilding my system from the ground up using FATE and the DFRPG as a base. While my system and the DFRPG are very different, the mechanics are similar enough that anything which would work in the DFRPG would work in may game and vice versa. Therefore this felt like the perfect forum to ask for design advice.
With that bit of background, here is my problem. I've written a powers list that I, and my group, are fairly satisfied with, and has held up to play testing so far. However, I am not wholly satisfied with the magic system I worked out for it, or the DFRPG system and would like to hear any ideas for alternate magic system mechanics that you guys had been kicking around.
Major differences to keep in mind:
*Most powers that enhance a mortal ability to a supernatural level work by replacing one or more fudge dice with a d4. If I could incorporate that into the magic system it would grant a greater feeling of power unity. (The ranks for speed and might powers are Superhuman, Monstrous, and Legendary. So a character with superhuman speed can use a d4 in place of one of his fudge dice on anything he can justify speed aiding in like attacks or initiative. Combining two powers of the same level with something you can justify both speed and might helping in allows a d6 instead. Likewise Dominate adds a d4 to social rolls, with some added fluff rules attached letting it break some of the unique social combat rules.)
*There is no defensive roll. Instead attacks strike the stress tracks directly. Physical stress is athletics +2, Social is Empathy +2, and Mental is Discipline +2. Consequences are not static and are determined by Strength, Presence, and Intelligence skills. The maximum stress a mortal can achieve with a stunt is 8 and the minimum is 0. The maximum stress absorption a mortal can gain per consequence is 7,8,9,10,11 and the minimum is 1,1,1,2,3. Supernatural beings can go beyond that.
*Skills range from -2 to +4 defaulting at 0. there are 21 skills, mostly similar to the DFRPG skills.
*Many powers have different refresh costs, but that has more to do with them working differently than in the DFRPG. Any power from the DFRPG could be fit into my game with little modification at the same cost. (For example, the Flight power in my game costs -3 instead of the -1 of the wings power from DF. Not because the system is all that different, but because A. I felt it was to inexpensive, B. There is a perfect landing power at -1, and an epic leap power at -2 which are largely pointless when upgraded to flight, and C. It is more powerful in my game.)
I tentatively plan to incorporate some kind of 'mana' system, likely purchased with refresh, which will use a blank stress track My character sheets have below the others.
I would like to design a system which allows magic to complement existing skills, while still incorporating appropriate mental skills. Such as a ranged magical attack using the ranged skill But perhaps with discipline determining how much "Mana" can be used per round and mental consequences (determined by intelligence,) determining how much power can be drawn back into the body quickly from the life and emotions around you.
For anyone who didn't want to read all of that, I'm looking to hear thoughts on alternate mechanics for magic systems that are compatible with the DFRPG and therefore likely compatible with my own fate game. Any thoughts you have had kicking around about the subject are welcome!