Hacking 1e casting

A small but vicious board
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Bifi666
Posts: 16
Joined: Sun Jul 12, 2020 2:58 am

Hi guys,

I am thinking of taking 1e as the basis for my homebrewed magic system. Reasons: I like the various kinds of magic much more than the later simplistic blueprint. The following concerns only arcane magic:

I am yet uncertain whether to retain magic points (or devise some simple formula to transform MP cost into direct casting modifiers - such as 1-2 MP +20%, 3-4 MP +10% etc.). But if yes, I am thinking of "overcasting" and "undercasting".

Overcasting: You can spend more MPs than are required by the spell. For each MP in excess of the necessary cost the caster gets a +10% chance on the casting test. Tzeentch's Curse normally occurs only on rolls where the unit die shows a zero (0), irrespective of whether the casting succeeds or fails. (A roll of 00 might be some catastrophic failure.) However, each MP spent in excess increases this chance. So if you spent +2 MP for a +20% casting chance, you invoke Tzeentch's Curse on all rolls where the unit die shows a 0, 1 or 2.

Undercasting is similar but reversed: For each MP spent less than the required amount, you get -10% to cast, while increasing the chances for Tzeentch's Curse. So with a 3 MP less you get -30% (pretty desperate really) and the Curse occurs on a unit die of 0 to 4.

I will introduce other modifiers such as rare ingredients (+20%), prolonged casting time etc.

This replaces spell enhancement by extra MPs, since rolls are resisted instead of opposed. (Reason: I want to have fewer rolls and have the mechanics more player facing, plus I have some statistical arguments against opposed rolls.) 50 minus target's WP is added to the caster's chance, i.e. WP 35 translates into a +15% to succeed. The target can also secretly spend MPs on a 1 per -5% basis.

Also, in line with my house rules and similarly to 4e, you can spend SL if successful to double the range, pick extra targets etc.

At the same time I am thinking of halving the XP cost to learn spells, but introducing a "sanity cost" paid to learn the next spell safely in addition to the listed XP. This starts at 10 XP. You can avoid paying it by taking a corruption point. If you pay it, however, it rises to 20 XP for the next spell (and so on).

I am also thinking of introducing some kind of wyrd magic d% when learning the spell (like in DCC or some OSR supplements). Meaning that you learn the spell with some kind of unique twist - a visual, atmospheric feature or a minor side effect. That way no spellcasters ever cast the same spell in the exactly same way. It would also be possible to let the player roll only if the sanity cost was not paid, so the spell was not learned "properly".

What do you think about these early ideas?
domokun
Posts: 9
Joined: Tue Jan 14, 2020 4:23 pm

I also rebooted the magic rules for WFRP1:
http://domokun.free.fr/wfrp/Enchanting% ... %20v14.pdf
Feedback and/or questions are welcome
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