This is what I was hoping for. I am always looking for feedback.
From Alex: I'm sad that I just can't picture how this system works. The way you wrote it up assumes a prior understanding of the other games' magic systems it seems. Can you add some examples of a day full of spell casting? I'm having trouble with the ebb and flow of PD throughout a day of casting. Does this system end up limiting spell casting or making it less limiting? To cast a spell is the sum of pips on the PD supposed to exceed the target difficulty to cast? I thought this was modeled after Shadowrun but Shadowrun counts "successes" not "pips". Why would a caster ever use less than all his PD to cast a spell if the chance of success is greater with more dice? The way you word the system it sounds like the caster [i]chooses[/i] how many PD to use, but what is the incentive/trade-off for using more/less PD?
From Uriel: Eli, your post doesn't explain how PD are lost on a daily basis.
When a caster uses 2 PD on a spell, and fails, does he lose the PD that day? If he succeeds does he lose?
For example:My 1st level MU (middle magic), casts Magic Missile (requires a 4+). He rolls his single PD and gets a 5! Yaay, it works. Does he lose his PD that day? Or can he cast magic missile later? What happens if he fails to roll a 4+? Does he lose his PD for that day?
My assumption is yes, because he regenerates PD while resting, but I am unclear of what constitutes a loss of PD, with the exception of a critical failure.
Also, would a critical failure ALWAYS happen on a snake eyes, even with 3+ PD are used (i.e. the more PD used, the more likely you'll have a snake eyes...and...by the same token...a 12).
My Response
Thanks for all of the comments and questions. It is clear to me that I need to seriously revise the document to make it more clear.I also should have noted that one of my primary influences was Advanced Heroquest.
General Theory
A spell caster has a limited pool of power dice that are expended as they attempt to cast spells.
Each spell has a Target Number that needs to be meet in order to successfully cast it
Regardless if the spell is successful or a failure, the power dice are expended.
Theoretical Example of Game Play
Ruleset: Sword & Wizardry
Magic: Standard Spell System
Setting: High Magic Setting
Windjammer, a 2nd Level Magic-User, has had the unfortunate luck to run into a trio of hungry kobolds.
He is full rested so he has 4 Power Dice plus he has a Solar Wand (2 for level, +1 for High INT, +1 for Wand). He has learned and mastered two spells: Magic Missile and Light.
He manages to win initiative and declares he is casting Magic Missile with 1 PD.
He rolls 1d6 and rolls a 4, Success!! a magic missile strikes one of the kobolds inflicting 4 points of damage killing it.
He has 3 PD remaining
The remaining kobolds charge Windjammer but fail to strike him.
Windjammer back pedals to avoid there attacks. He casts another Magic Missile using 1 PD.
He rolls a 2, Failure! He now only has two PD left and the Kobolds press their attack.
One of the kobolds land a hit, injuring the mage.
Windjammer decides to cast Light using 1 PD in the eyes of one the kobolds to even the odds.
He rolls a 6, Success!!. One of the kobold screams and grabs his face as light pours out of his eyes.
He only has 1 PD but there is only kobold left. He decides to save his PD and engages the kobold in hand-to-hand combat.
Theory of Critical Failure
Alex wrote:
Urieal wrote:
Also, would a critical failure ALWAYS happen on a snake eyes, even with 3+ PD are used (i.e. the more PD used, the more likely you'll have a snake eyes...and...by the same token...a 12).
This is the one part I think I understood! Let me try to explain what I think the answer is. You cannot critically fail UNLESS you use 3+ PD and all the dice are 1s. Used only 2 PD? Impossible to critically fail! Used 3 PD? Critically fail only on { 1, 1, 1 }. Used 5 PD? Critically fail only on { 1, 1, 1, 1, 1 }. So the more dice you use, the less your chance of a critical failure, but for low-level spells that you use only 1 or 2 PD for, you never risk critical failure.
If I'm wrong, then Eli did not explain this well and I really got NOTHING out of the whole document.
No Alex you go it right. You summed it up better than I did.
Please let me know if what I posted above makes sense.
"All spells are powered by Power Dice. If a caster fails his spell casting roll, the PD are lost.
ReplyDeleteIf he is successful, the PD are expanded and the spell is cast"
The quoted bit can be eliminated. Power dice are expended when the caster attempts a spell is sufficient. Also, be careful about terminology. Your wording could be read that lost and expended mean two different things. Just stick with expended as the technical term.
Thanks Nathan, You make a very good point
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