From: billk@ucscb.UCSC.EDU (Bill Karwin)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
Subject: Re: HERO New Magic System advice wanted
Keywords: Hero
Date: 16 Apr 92 09:24:23 GMT


jik20815@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (John Iv Kovacik) writes:

>...a workable magic system in Hero...
[John's system deleted for brevity]
>Any comments? Any suggestions for new skills? Anyone else do this? 

John, I came up with a very similar magic system for
a Shadowrun-ish package for Hero.  (I'm half-finished
with these rules, and if I ever get around to it, I'll
post them to the net.  It's been a race between me and
Hero Games for the past couple of years, to see who'll
get their cyberpunk supplement finished first! ;-)

Anyway, here it is, in unfinished form though it is...

-----------------------------%<---------------------------------------
3.  MAGIC
=========

SPELLCASTER PACKAGE

Spell-casting characters are required to buy the following
powers and abilities, to make up the mage package:

Variable Power Pool						50
VPP Control							23
    Raising the size of the Pool requires GM permission.
    Changing powers takes no time.				+1
    Changing powers takes no skill roll.			+1
    All powers must have the "Costs END" Lim if they do not	-1/4
	already cost END (apply Costs END (-1/2) as an
	additional lim).  All powers must use the END Reserve.
	Powers may not have the "Reduced END" advantage.
    All powers must have the "Require A Skill Roll" Lim.	-3/4
	There is one skill for each spell.  The spellcaster
	must have the skill corresponding to the spell.
    All powers must have "Side Effect: 3d6 NND."		-1/2
    All powers must have a special effect appropriate		-0
	to the spellcaster's School and College/Totem.

END reserve: 50 END, 1 REC					6
    Raising the values requires GM permission.

Magic Skill for each spell known (base 11)			3/2

+2 levels with magic skills - Gestures (-1/4)			8
+2 levels with magic skills - Incantations (-1/4)		8
+2 levels with magic skills - Extra Phase (-1/2)		7
+2 levels with magic skills - Concentrate 1/2 DCV (-1/4)	8
Optional, typically bought with experience points:
+2 levels with magic skills  OAF Fetish (-1),			1
    Independant (-2), 1 charge, one use (-4)

Astral Travel - ExtraDimensional Travel to Astral Plane,	??
    leaves physical body behind (-2).

Some package of martial arts for astral combat.  There is a	??
    -1/4 limitation for "only works in astral plane against
    opponents in the astral plane."


ASTRAL COMBAT

Astral Martial Arts is the primary means of combat in Astral Space.

Astral Combat Rules:
    Astral MA STR is PRE/5, not STR/5.
    Astral MA STUN damage is reduced by Power Defense (AVLD),
	and damages END Reserve.  When END Reserve reaches 0,
	then it goes to character's STUN.
    Astral MA BODY damage is reduced by Power Defense (AVLD),
	and damages character's STUN.  When STUN reaches 0,
	then it goes to character's BODY.

    Buying extra DC's requires special GM permission.
    Buying Power Defense is recommended.


SCHOOLS OF MAGIC

Shamanistic School:
    Wilderness Totems:
	Bear	+2 w/Health spells				  0
		Berserk when takes BODY
	Coyote	--						  0
	Eagle	+2 w/Detection spells				-10
		Noble, hates evil.
	Raccoon	+2 w/Manipulation spells			-13
		Loner, Curious, Greedy, -1 w/Combat Spells.
	Raven	+2 w/Manipulation spells			 -3
		Glutton, 1d6 Unluck if not under open sky,
		-1 w/Combat Spells.
	Snake	+2 w/Heal, Detection, Illusion Spells.		  4
		Secretive, -1 w/all spells during combat.
	Wolf	+2 w/Detection, Combat spells			  1
		Loyal, Berserk when takes BODY
    Urban Totems:
	Coyote	--						  0
	Dog	+2 w/Detection Spells				  0
		Stubborn
	Raccoon	+2 w/Manipulation spells			-13
		Loner, Curious, Greedy, -1 w/Combat Spells.
	Rat	+2 w/Detection and Illusion Spells.		 -4
		Cowardly, Sneaky, -1 w/Combat Spells.
	Snake	+2 w/Heal, Detection, Illusion spells		  4
		Secretive, -1 w/all spells during combat.

Hermetic School:
    Earth College:
    Air College:
    Fire College:
    Water College:

Black Arts School:
    Evil Totems:  Insects:
    Voodoo College:
    Wicca College:
    Necromancy College:

CASTING SPELLS
    The procedure for casting a spell is as follows:
	1. Announce intention to cast the spell
	2. Pay 1 END per 10 active points of spell, from END reserve.
	3. Roll appropriate magic spell skill.
	4. If caster makes roll, spell takes effect.
	    If caster fails roll, caster takes 3d6 NND.

GRIMOIRE
    Standard limitation is -1 1/2, with additional -1/2 for "Costs END"
    as needed.  Costs are listed with (active cost)/(real cost).

[write-ups of Shadowrun Grimoire spells deleted to save
UseNet bandwidth, they are in draft stage anyway; you can
come up with writeups that are just as good.]
-- 
Bill Karwin					billk@ucscb.ucsc.edu
When does it STOP being "that awkward age"?!?