![]() ![]() New SkillsĪlthough adding a “magical” skill seems like the least expensive option to allow magic, bear in mind the opportunity cost-the character is giving up some other skill to pursue magic, so there is a tradeoff. As an example, Stormcallers and Six Viziers both effectively give a bundle of stunts, and only charge refresh for the bundle, basically providing a discount for the thematic grouping. Practically, a stunt is its own little rule-or rule exception-and while their number and nature are restricted by refresh cost in the baseline, you can break free from that structure. This opens up a lot of doors in terms of what a stunt is. If you’re constructing your own system, then you have the freedom to handle them differently. This is because they are separate building blocks, and while the default build says a stunt costs one refresh, that’s just one build. Notice that we treat stunts and refresh as two separate things. ![]() Setting aside limitations within the fiction, the gateway for using magic usually takes the form of one or more of the following: In fiction, the answer might be “anyone,” but even then it will probably need some form of representation. The first thing to consider when thinking about a magic system is who can use it. Limitations of use impact who can use magic, while limitations of opportunity speak to how and when magic can be used. Limitations usually take one of two forms-use or opportunity. Perhaps more importantly, if you understand this division, you understand how you can build an entirely new magic system by changing one or the other, rather than needing to rebuild entirely from scratch. It’s also where the real power of hacking lives. Changing the limitations is a much bigger deal, full of potentially unexpected consequences. Swapping out a spell is easily done and easily fixed, and it’s a great way to do cool things. This allows for a lot of versatility, because you can change the limitations without changing the outcomes-perhaps by introducing another character class that gets the same spells at a different rate-or change the outcomes without changing limitations, by adding or removing spells.Ĭhanging outcomes is no big deal. The container-and by extension, the biggest limiter-controls what and how many spells a character can cast, while the outcomes are the individual spells. The second dial gives you immense power and flexibility when you do your own design, because it lets you choose the axis of change.Īs an example, consider the classic system of memorizing spells to cast them. This may seem like a very fiddly distinction, but if you’re designing your own magic system, then this is something you really need to get your head around. That is, there will be a broad set of rules that control when and how magic can be used-what spells are known, how often they can be cast, who can cast them, and so on-while the rules for outcomes, like blowing things up with fireballs, are often smaller pieces of rules-text, limited to that particular spell and those like it. Magic systems tend to be constructed with limitations serving as a frame for outcomes. It will often be threaded into other rules in ways that are often obvious once you look for them, but are easy to overlook if you don’t think about them. What’s important to note is that the entire effect may not exist in only one place in the rules. ![]() The limitation is less sexy, but more important: it answers the question of why you would do anything but throw fireballs. Outcome is obvious-you want to be able to throw around fireballs, so the effect handles things like how you target them, how big they are, how much damage they do, and so on. When it comes time to introduce a mechanic, there are two things that the mechanic needs to do-or at least consider-an outcome and a limitation. Be careful about immediately jumping to the mechanics-make sure there’s a real problem before you introduce a mechanic to solve that problem, and your finished product will be much stronger. If your magic system is easily described and clearly understood, it may require nothing more than a skill or two to represent facility with it. Now it’s time to start thinking about mechanics, and how to represent your system in the game.Īs a first word of caution, don’t feel obliged to solve every problem with a mechanic. You can explain it in normal language, and you have a rough sense of how it’s going to work in your game. Let’s assume you’ve got an idea for a magic system, and it makes sense on its own. ![]()
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