[RQ-Rules] Re: RQ-Rules Digest, Vol 20, Issue 3

[Steve Lieb]

I like both of these, and think some specific spells would lend
themselves to either system.  Use both at the same time.

Nothing wrong with saying "Jorge's Spell of Fire Casting" can be
juiced with more MP to make it more powerful (but it's not freely
modifiable like default RQ3 sorcery, you have to learn HOW to do it)*,
while "Phandaal's Bolt of Flame" which gives a certain damage, MUST be
learned to 50% to have the insight to learn "Phandaal's Searing
Curtain" or "Phandaal's Volcanic Lance" - heck, you could have whole
TREES of spells and their relationships/developments, making being a
sorcerer intrinsically INTERESTING as this is discovered.  At least
this would give you an almost-infinite number of additional adventure
hooks.  Also makes it even more different than other magic systems.

* Personally, I let sorcerous players handle their magical skills
differently too - if a character casting a spell gets a special
success in casting, they get a chance at an experience roll (d6-1) to
increase the skill in casting just like other skills.  If they get a
critical success and then later 'win' the experience roll, they get a
chance to improve their insight into that spell somehow, maybe reduce
the casting time by 1SR, add +1 damage, etc.

On a tangential note, I also give my spellcasters a magic skill called
"focus" = (INT+CON)/2  (trainable and gainable) - if they get hit by
damage other serious disturbance this is their chance to continue
casting.  (With damage applied causing a negative modifier, etc.). 
Also, casters maximum dodge during casting is the lower of dodge and
focus.

On 8/18/05, rq-rules-request at crashbox.com <rq-rules-request at crashbox.com> wrote:
> > I think the "level" scaling of spells could easily
> be
> > handled by either of 2 methods.
> >